Categories > TV > Smallville > Dragonfly Wishes and Butterfly Kisses
And I want Molly to know who I am, Chloe. I want her to know I'm her father.
Chloe stared at Oliver as his words ran circles around her brain.
He couldn't be serious.
Absolutely no damn way could he be serious.
For a start, he hadn't been around for very long and sure he was going to take her on a trip, had bought her presents and food. He still hadn't wanted a child, let alone a sick one. Besides, who was to say that when all was said and done, he wouldn't up and leave?
She wasn't going to have her daughter get attached to a father who was ultimately going to abandon her when the responsibility finally caught up with him.
Oliver sat and watched as Chloe's head slowly started to move from side to side. He squeezed her hand tighter, harder as her green eyes began to show the ice he'd seen the first time they met.
Determined not to be shut out, "Chloe..."
"No," she said firmly. "Absolutely not."
He bit back the anger that rose in his stomach. She didn't do or say things without good reason. "Why not, Chloe? Why can't she know I'm her dad?"
Chloe's lips formed a thin line and she remained silent.
"You told me to look before leap," Oliver said, struggling to keep his voice on an even keel as his eyes burned. "I've read about ALL, I'm getting tested and I know I'm going to be a match. So why, huh? Why not?"
He still didn't get a reply.
"Is it because of how I was when you showed at my house? You said bygones, but maybe it's not. I'm sorry, Chloe. I know I can't become a good man overnight, but I'm trying to be better. I swear I'm trying. I've gone into work on time and I went to the doc and I'm here."
She didn't know what going into work on time had to do with anything.
Oliver's heart hurt when Chloe pulled her hand from his and he watched as she rubbed her forehead before taking a deep breath.
"That has nothing to do with this, Ollie. I don't think bad of you," she told him, her voice a husky shell of its usual level of humour and vibrance. "Honestly, I don't. What you've done is given me hope that Molly will be okay and I can't thank you enough, but..."
"But what?" He asked, desperate to understand. "What is so bad about telling her that I'm her father?"
Chloe took a moment to gather her thoughts. "Plainly?"
"Always."
"What are you going to do after the transplant?"
Confusion appeared on his face. "What do you mean?"
She smiled slightly. "The transplant is over and Molly is recovering. Will you be there as her friend Ollie who takes her to the aquarium now and then? Or are you going to be there as her daddy? Or aren't you going to be there at all?"
Oliver swallowed as she continued. "Right now, you're just her new friend who doesn't snitch on her, but if she finds out you're her daddy, then she's going to get attached and she's going to love you." Chloe paused as she let that sink in. "Children are for life, Ollie, and not just for Christmas."
"You don't think I'm capable of that responsibility," he stated flatly. "I understand." Who would think he was capable of that?
"No!" She exclaimed a bit too loudly, then lowered her voice. "I'm just saying you didn't ask for a child or the responsibility of one."
"True, but I do have one and I can look after her, Chloe. I know I can look after her." Hell, he'd looked after Bart for the last ever. What was one kid compared to that? "I'm just asking for a chance."
"Okay," she sighed. "You wanted proof she was yours before anything, right?"
Oliver nodded.
"I need proof that you're going to be good for her and I don't just mean making her laugh or bringing her burgers and presents. I mean, what will you do when she has a bad day?" Chloe asked seriously. "When she's crying because she hurts or when she screams because she doesn't want another needle in her arm? Or when she wets the bed because she's too weak to move?"
He honestly didn't know what to say.
"All you've seen are her good days, Oliver, and you have been brilliant with her. You and your family have made her smile more in one week than I've been able too in a month." She chuckled ruefully. "She probably loves you already."
"You think?" He asked, unable to keep the smile away. That was actually kinda nice.
Chloe rolled her eyes. "You're just after another lady," and threw her napkin at him. "All I'm asking is that you really think about if that's something you want to live with for the rest of your life. Because when Molly loves, she loves with her whole heart and I won't have that heart broken if you eventually decide she isn't worth the effort."
A week ago, Oliver would have heard her saying he was flaky and responded accordingly, but now that he knew better? He saw a mother looking out for her daughter's best interests, much like own had done for him. Still, that was only her point of view regarding Molly, so now he wanted to know Chloe's point of view.
"Do you want her to know I'm her father?" He asked, carefully watching her face. "Plainly."
His question took Chloe off guard, but she answered truthfully. "Of course I don't!"
Oliver's eyebrows touched his hairline at the sound of her laughter. "Why?"
"I've gone four years without having to share her with anyone," she smiled sheepishly even as her cheeks flushed a pale pink. "If you were her father, then I'd have to share."
He couldn't help it.
A hearty laugh escaped him and made people look in his direction.
Chloe watched as he patted his chest and saw his brown eyes sparkling with mirth. He was rather nice when he laughed like that.
"You're shitting me," he coughed out. "You are not that selfish. No freaking way are you that selfish."
"What makes you say that?"
Oliver blinked. "Now you really are shitting me."
Chloe shook her head. "No, I'm not. What makes you think I'm not selfish?"
She was being serious. Completely, wholly, and utterly serious. "You have a sick kid and you're doing what you can for her," he said, his laughter quickly fading. "You didn't want me, you wanted my bone marrow, and you stuck your neck out to save your daughter."
"I used a sperm donor, remember?"
"Yeah..." and that honestly confused him, but instead of asking, he waited for her to continue.
"I used a sperm donor because I wanted a child," she said, averting her gaze. "I didn't think about consequences or the what ifs... I chose a donor because it was easier than dealing with the drama and pitfalls of a relationship."
Oliver thought about it before nodding. "That doesn't sound selfish to me," and it really didn't. "It sounds like you were a woman who wanted a baby, but not the complications of a relationship."
Chloe's chuckle was a chuckle he didn't like. "I didn't think about my baby, did I? I just saw days out at the park and watching them graduate. I didn't think about the drama and pitfalls of what came with a baby. I thought I did, but I didn't and why I'm telling you this, I don't know."
"You're telling me because you know I won't judge you, Chloe," he said. "And I still don't think you're selfish and just for the record?"
"What?"
"There are gonna be so many days at the park and graduation and..." Oliver frowned a little. "I was gonna say grandchildren, but I don't think Molly should know about sex for a while." Speaking of, "Who is her friend? The one she watches movies with?"
Chloe's brain had to sprint to catch up with him. "You mean David?" What about David?
"Are you sure they just watch movies? I mean, what if he's... You know, being a guy?"
She took a deep breath and let it out so very slowly. "When I said you have to prove your ability to be a father, I didn't mean for you too also prove your ability to be nuts"
"I'm not nuts!" Oliver told her quite seriously. "This David is obviously older than Molly and he's been letting her watch what again?"
Chloe merely gave him a look which he responded with a victorious smirk. "Exactly," he said with a smirk of victory. "And did you know anything about it? No."
"You're older than me and you offered to buy me alcohol, and does my daddy know about that?"
The first thing that got his attention was the fact she didn't say her mom and secondly? "That's different!" He pointed out. "You're legal and Molly isn't and won't be legal until she's thirty." Possibly forty.
Maybe never, even.
Chloe's quick wit didn't fail.
She fiddled with her top for a moment or two before treating Ollie to a look so sly, he totally missed the trap she was laying out for him. "You say you want to be her father, right?"
He didn't hesitate. "Of course."
"You agree that she has a lot of your personality?"
Oliver couldn't keep from eagerly agreeing. "Yes," he said, not seeing the trap for possibly being acknowledged as a parent. "Yes, she does. Even the movie thing. I swapped He-Man for Hellraiser so I wouldn't get caught."
"So..." Chloe drew patterns on the table cloth. "You were devious as a kid?"
"Yeah I was," and he was so proud of it.
"Molly is your daughter, Ollie. Now think of who you should feel for. David or Molly."
It took Oliver a moment or three for it to sink that he'd just been wrapped up a nice, tight cocoon of crap.
He looked at Chloe who was sat there, smiling away to herself, and felt totally helpless at the fact he'd just dug his own grave. "You are a mean, mean woman, Chloe Sullivan."
The sparkle returned to those green eyes of hers and he was glad to see it, even if it was at his expense. "You forgot clever."
"Are you sure she's my daughter?" He pulled a face and shrugged. "Maybe there was another mix up..."
Chloe laughed. "Hey, you wanted the joys of parenthood."
Oliver grinned and sat that bit straighter. "Yes, Chlo. I do want those joys," he said. "I think it was Miss. Monroe who said if you can't take the worst of me, then you don't deserve the best of me."
She shook her head, an affectionate smile on her face as she looked at him. "You want this, don't you? I mean, you really want to be there for her?"
"Yes, I do, and I'm not going to abandon her," his chest ached at the thought. His own father had never done such a thing and neither would he. "If you need me, I'll be there for you, too."
Chloe once again stared at Oliver, but this time she felt her eyes grow hot and she had to blink back tears. Unfortunately, it wasn't working no matter hard she tried. The kindness she'd been shown in the last two weeks alone caught up and she covered it up the same way all women do. "I'm just going to powder my nose..."
He was having none of it.
Oliver moved from his side of the table too sit next to her, effectively blocking her escape. "I mean it, Chlo. I know you got your family, but sometimes family can be too close."
She wiped her eyes even as a sharp laugh made her hiccup. "You're family too... Well, sort of."
"I'm also a stranger," he said, lifting her chin so she met his gaze. "A stranger is often the best person too talk to and if anyone needs to blow off some steam, then it's you."
Chloe waved it away. "I'm fine, Ollie. Honestly. It's nothing I'm not used too."
Seeing he wasn't going to get much more out of her today, he let her chin go and settled back into the seat with a smile on his face. He'd get there with her and he'd prove he was father and friend material, but not only that.
He would prove that she could trust him and that he could trust himself to be a good person.
For the moment, he was quite happy to be the guy who would treat a pretty girl to a steak dinner and good conversation.
Oliver stretched his arms across the back of the seat and started talking. "So, you met Bart and Arthur..."
XOXOXO
It had been so long since she'd gone out and had a good time without feeling the world on her shoulders. So long that she'd almost forgotten what a good time was, yet here she was.
A well cooked steak dinner in front of her, good company beside her, and good conversation. Sure Ollie had sneered at her choice of having a steak welldone, saying a medium rare was better, but she explained it was habit now. Molly had to have her meat thoroughly cooked to stop germs such as ecoli and so forth.
"We are so coming back here, Chlo," he said around a mouthful of chewed beef.
"Will my view be better?" She asked and made a point when she closed her mouth.
Oliver rolled his eyes and this time, he swallowed before he spoke. "What? My face not pretty enough for you?"
"You remember earlier when you said look before you leap?"
He nodded.
Chloe smirked. "Your face is..."
Oliver held up his cutlery in defence. "Uncle!"
She chuckled. "You're such an ass and yeah, I am coming back here." When she got the chance too, that was.
A restaurant that cooked a steak right in front of her? On the list of good places to go once Molly was better.
Chloe stopped her hopes right then and there.
Just because Oliver believed he was going to be a match didn't mean he would be a match, so she couldn't let herself get carried away with his enthusiasm, despite how contagious that enthusiasm was. There was so much to think about when it came to bone marrow transplants and usually, the recovery was often worse than leukemia itself.
Being in the young Oncology ward, Chloe knew first-hand how difficult it could be coping with a victim, but the recovery? Elsa's daughter was still recovering and it had been just over a year since her transplant.
Because of this, there were no guarantees Molly was going to get better.
Especially since they had to destroy her immune system so her body would take to the new marrow.
Suddenly her steak didn't taste so good.
Oliver was about to tuck into more when he saw Chloe place her fork back onto her plate, her face expressing something he couldn't describe except for tired.
How long had it been since she'd let her hair down?
He answered his own question by quickly doing the math. Molly was four years and almost six months, then he added the nine months to that, and finally the time it would have taken for her donation. All in all, he guessed Chloe Sullivan hadn't been Chloe Sullivan for a good six years.
Knowing Molly and Chloe were going through hell while he'd been partying was...
Well, it hurt and it hurt a lot.
Keeping his gaze on her as she ate, Oliver summoned their waitess with a simple click of his fingers. "I'd like a bottle of the house wine, please, and if you can, a chocolate cake to go."
Chloe almost choked. "I can't drink!"
"You can if I take you home," and he held up his hand. "I'll drop you off and then drive to the hospital to stay with Molly."
"You can't do that! My place is an hour away and that's in good traffic." Plus, it would mean him sleeping in the family room, a place he was not accustomed too.
"Then it's a good thing we're in the city central, so it'll be what?" Oliver smiled. "Half hour from the city, which we're already in, and an hour back to the hospital. I think I can handle it."
Maybe he could, but she couldn't.
The only nights she spent at home was when Lois or her dad could spend the night and even then, she was couldn't sleep. She was so used to sleeping on a reclining chair or on a pull-out sofa, that her bed was foreign to her.
He saw her expression. "Chloe, I'll look after her. I promise. If there's anything wrong, I'll call you right away."
"It's not that, Ollie, it's just..." How could she explain it? "I haven't been home in a while," and when she said while, she meant weeks.
His smile of understanding reached his eyes. "You have to go home sometime, you know. Let this be the night you get re-acquainted with your own bed. We'll stop off for our daughter's juice and some goodies for the other kids... Like David."
Chloe rolled her eyes at the way he said the boy's name. "Ollie, you don't have to do this. I know what I said earlier, but..."
"I know I don't, which is why I'm doing it," and just to prove his point, he spoke with his mouth full and grinned around a mouthful of half chewed beef.
"You're disgusting, you know that?"
The waitress coughed a little, not really wanting to interrupt the conversation.
Oliver blinked and looked up. "Oh, right. Sorry. A bottle of the house white and your best chocolate cake, boxed up and ready to go."
"Oh, wait no," Chloe interrupted quickly. "My car's at the hospital so I won't be able to drive back tomorrow morn..."
He stopped her then and there. "I'll come pick you up. No trouble."
"You can't do that, Ollie!" She exclaimed, wide-eyed. "That's a three hour round trip."
Brown eyes rolled in annoyance. "A trip that I'm happy to make."
"Add on the driving hours you'd be doing tonight. I can't let you do that."
"You can't let me not do it, either."
Chloe scowled. "That's a double negative."
She was such an author. "So sue me."
Chloe and Oliver stared heavily at each other, and kept staring until the waitress spoke up a little timidly.
"Excuse me? Would you like me to come back in a few moments?"
One had the grace to blush in shame while the other coughed to cover up how much of a lame ass twit he felt for causing a scene.
"It's just one night, Chloe. Not even twenty four hours. You can go home and get some rest for a change." He paused and dragged all his knowledge of women to the forefront of his brain. "Picture this... You, a hot bath, few glasses of wine, candles, some music..."
One look at her face told him he was on the right track, so he kept going.
"Maybe you could, you know, go online shopping and treat yourself to something nice."
Chloe chewed on her lower lip. "Like that terrabite external hard drive?" It would come in handy.
"I was gonna say shoes," Oliver remarked, rather amused. "If hard drives are your thing, then sure. Go nuts and get the biggest one you can find. Well? Bottle of wine and chocolate cake or no bottle of wine and chocolate cake?"
It was just one night... But it was still one night without getting to hug and kiss her daughter night-night.... But Ollie said he'd be there... Maybe he'd give Molly a hug and kiss night-night on her behalf...
"C'mon, Chlo," he cajoled. "Time's ticking."
"Yes," Chloe squeezed her eyes shut as the word escaped out of her mouth. "Yes, I'll take the offer, but only if you're sure you don't mind."
He snatched her hand back before it could render the napkin totally useless and smirked when one of her eyes inched slowly open. "I wouldn't have offered if I did mind."
The waitress smiled. "So it's a yes to your order?"
Chloe beamed at her. "Yes, please. Thank you," and waited until she left before speaking again. "You know what I said to you that day? About your friends waking up and seeing you for what you are?"
Oliver cringed inside.
Yeah, he remembered.
"Those guys have their eyes wide open."
XOXOXO
Her house was an ordinary house and why he expected otherwise, he didn't know. Maybe it was because an ordinary house didn't fit her personality or maybe it was because he was too used to seeing estates and mansions. Not that it mattered where she lived, because it didn't.
At least, not to him.
Chloe fished around in her purse until she found her keys. "Long time, no see," she muttered and walked up to the front door, noting it would be too narrow for Molly's wheelchair.
She sighed.
It was just one more on her list of things to get done in the coming months.
She heard his footsteps come to a stop and she glanced at him. "Welcome to Casa de Sullivan," she said and pushed the door open.
There was no stale air and the place was warm, so she figured Lois was back from her assignment and had popped over to do up the place.
Something she would be forever grateful for.
Chloe walked inside and flicked on the lights. "C'mon in and make yourself at home."
Oliver stepped inside and yup, there went the ordinary. The decor was not abstract or outlandish, but it was definitely different. She had framed pictures of optical illusions in the hallway and he paused to look at each and every one of them.
One of them had instructions for him to stare at the centre for thirty seconds and then look at the back of his hand.
So he did.
Not hearing him follow her, Chloe turned around to see what he was doing and shook her head. If he was fascinated with that one, then she'd never get him out of her lounge area.
Or the guest bedroom that had an entire wall painted with objects and scenes with a sign that said Where's Wally?"
She watched, amused, as Oliver quickly looked at the back of his hand and muttered, "Neat."
"Uh-huh."
His head snapped up to look at her, his cheeks turning red when he saw how she was looking at him. Whenever he got caught doing something, he always pointed out something stupid. "My skin went all twirly."
Green eyes looked to the ceiling. "Men."
Oliver merely grinned and continued to follow her through the house, his eyes taking in what made it her home. He could see the work she put in too making her mark on it, but yet there were things that weren't quite right.
For a start, she kept looking around like she was planning what to do with it and how she kept looking at the stairs in distaste, and how she seemed to measuring the space. Unless she had something against stairs and narrow hallways, then she...
Oh.
Right.
Molly needed a wheelchair because excessive walking would tire her out.
For the second time that day, his heart hurt and this time, it hurt for her because he figured she was going too have to sell and look for somewhere else to live. Not only did she have a daughter to worry about, but she also had this to worry about.
Oliver wondered how the hell she hadn't cracked yet.
Even if she owned the place, the cost of renovations would make it easier to simply buy a new one.
"Lois remembered to buy the basics if you want a coffee," Chloe hollered from the kitchen. "It's the least I can do."
He followed her voice and leaned agaist the kitchen doorway, his eyes focused completely on her as he beat around the bush. "You'll need to sell, won't you?"
She paused. "Yes, I will. My father has a few contacts who can help with that."
What was he?
Chopped liver?
"You do know who's standing in your kitchen at this very moment, don't you?" Oliver asked with a smirk.
Chloe paused in putting the wine into the fridge. "Yeah," she smirked back at him. "A guy who likes twirly skin."
He pulled face that simply made her feign a helpless shrug. "At Queen Industries, I'm in mergers and acquisitions. Know why? Cos I can negotiate one hell of a deal." He let out a laugh. "Honey, I could get this place sold like that," and he snapped his fingers.
Ollie was already doing more than enough.
She shook her head. "Honestly, it's fine. My father's contacts are already on the case." They weren't, but he didn't have to know that.
Granted he'd only known her for a short while, but he knew people and he knew when people lied. Yes, Chloe was better than most at hiding lies and fibs, but she wasn't an expert.
Still, he knew better than to push.
"Mind if I look around?"
Chloe blinked, slightly baffled at his request. "Knock yourself out."
Oliver grinned. "I'll pass, but thanks."
"Har har."
XOXOXO
He started in the living area and took a good, long look around. It was neat and tidy, with pictures of who he assumed were family and friends. The furniture looked comfortable and yet it was quirky, mismatched yet co-ordinated with various nik-naks here and there.
Hmm...
"Not a bad size," Oliver muttered as his eyes swept around the room once more before he left for the stairs.
Not too narrow, a little steep perhaps, but not dangerously so. He took his time and checked for creaking steps and sharp nails, but found none. The bannister was sturdy and made of decent wood and sure, it was in need of a little repair work, but that was neither here nor there.
He rounded the corner and his eyebrows rose as it became quite clear the house was bigger upstairs than it was downstairs. Curious, he opened the first door and nodded in approval at the bathroom.
Good size, well maintained, with both a shower and a tub, nicely decorated with no visible problems such as damp and uneven flooring.
Oliver closed the door and went to the next room and when he saw the butterflies on the wall, he knew he was looking at his daughter's bedroom. He swallowed as he walked further in, eyes taking in the toy box and he wondered how long it had gone untouched.
Her bed was a cute little kiddy bed with pretty lilac covers.
He frowned.
A lot of pretty lilac covers and plenty of pillows that looked soft and inviting. So inviting, he had an urge to try one out.
Knowing Chloe, she would not have skimmped on her daughter's comfort and since Molly was four, the bed would have been bought just as she got ill.
A bearly used toy box and a much used bed turned his eyes hot. It hurt to know his daughter would have spent more time sleeping and not causing chaos as terrible twos were meant to do.
Oliver forced himself to focus on what he was looking for.
It was just the right size for a child's first bedroom, with a door near the window that he figured was a small closet and closets were always good things in bedrooms. The carpeting was good and soft enough to cushion footsteps, another thing buyers often looked for in a first-time purchase.
He backed out and closed the door quietly, then looked down the hall and paused for a moment. There were two more doors left, one of which would be Chloe's bedroom.
"Well?" A voice said from behind him and his skin jumped off his body.
Turning, Oliver glared at the woman who had quite literally just given him his first heart attack. "Are you insane? Seriously insane? Jesus Christ."
Chloe smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I thought you heard me. Here," and handed him his coffee.
"Thanks," his voice dripped with sarcasm.
"Wanna finish the ten cent tour?"
He nodded. "How much you asking for this place?"
Chloe glanced at him before she opened the door to the guest room. "You know how I said my father had contacts?"
"Yes."
"An evaluator isn't one of them. Unfortunately."
Oliver sipped his coffee as he looked around the room that had obviously been used as a study and thanked God his dad wasn't here. The place was a shrine to all things crime and her book shelves were actually bending under the weight. "Read a lot, do you?"
"A lot of what I read in here has more to do with research, not personal enjoyment. Those are my bedroom."
He walked around and took the room in in the same way as the others. This room was a good choice for a study. A large window facing the sun may have been a bit blinding, but there were a few trees outside that provided just the right kind of shade. It was small without being clostrophobic, the walls were smooth and the floorboards well-maintained and he could smell potential a mile away.
"Is there a garage?"
Chloe looked suspicious. "Yes, this part of the upper floor is built above it."
Oliver nodded offhandedly as he continued to look around. "That explains the size difference. Figured as much, but always better to have assurance." He turned to face her so fast, she jumped a little. "Can I your bedroom?"
She swore he was almost bouncing on the spot. "If you like..."
His grin was slow and calculating, his brain spinning a mile per second. "Oh, I'd like," he said. "I'd like very much."
Ohhhkay...
"Follow me," Chloe led the way, shaking her head and wondering what on Earth he was planning.
Oliver was at the other door before she could blink. "In this case, Miss. Sullivan, it's business before pleasure," and opened it.
While the room certainly wasn't the largest master bedroom, it certainly wasn't the smallest, and that made it perfect for what he wanted. There was a decent closet space, no creaking floor, and yes.
"I'm going to buy this place," he thought aloud. "I'm going to buy it, renovate, and sell."
Chloe was still staring at him when he once again faced her with an expression that clearly meant business. "We'll get the place evaluated and get the papers drawn up, and then..."
"Then I live on street?" She asked incredulously. "Where the hell am I supposed to live while you're... When did I say you could buy it, anyway? And didn't I mention something about you not needing to prove you're nuts?"
Oliver shook his head. "I'm serious, Chlo. This place would make a sound investment and if you want in on it, then I'm sure we can work it out."
"We can, can we?"
"Think about it! The housing market is in the middle of a crisis with overpriced houses of poor quality for first-time buyers. A place like this? Diamond in the rough, Chloe."
"Not to rain on your parade, Ollie, but I'm a writer and not a real estate mogul."
This time when he grinned, it was with victory. "I'm Oliver Queen, baby. More specifically, I am a mogul who could make this quaint little surburban home into a goldmine."
Chloe took a sip of her coffee and purposely paused for a few moments. "You're going to donate your marrow, spend the night with my daughter, be a father, and buy my house. You gonna write my next book, too?"
"Well if I get a mention..." Oliver half joked. "I wouldn't be saying this if there was no opportunity here and there is opportunity. A big one."
"We're friends, but..."
He pounced on that before she could finish. "We could be friends with benefits, Chloe. Big benefits. As in college fund big."
She narrowed her eyes. "What's in it for you?"
Oliver tensed a little, not really wanting to play share with his feelings, but earning trust went both ways. She was trusting him to take care of their daughter, he could trust her with this. "A chance to be more than just my father's son. I can make this work and it will pay off. That I can guarantee. Whaddya say? You could be like my sidekick."
Seeing she was very uncertain, "Look, take some time to think about it. We all need money to live..."
"Down to your last twenty billion?"
The smile on her face softened her words and he smirked. "Yeah, yeah. Funny."
Chloe beamed. "Aren't I?"
Oliver rolled his eyes. "You're so funny, I'm dying."
"Die quietly, please. People see a dead body in my house? I'll be suspect number one."
"I'll do my best," he said, smiling. "Just think about it, okay? It will be a great opportunity."
While he was thinking profit and college funds, she was thinking medical bills and aftercare. With those things in mind, it didn't take her long to make a decision.
"Sidekick to Oliver Queen, huh?" Chloe hoped to high heaven this was not a dumb thing to do. "I think I can live with that."
Chloe stared at Oliver as his words ran circles around her brain.
He couldn't be serious.
Absolutely no damn way could he be serious.
For a start, he hadn't been around for very long and sure he was going to take her on a trip, had bought her presents and food. He still hadn't wanted a child, let alone a sick one. Besides, who was to say that when all was said and done, he wouldn't up and leave?
She wasn't going to have her daughter get attached to a father who was ultimately going to abandon her when the responsibility finally caught up with him.
Oliver sat and watched as Chloe's head slowly started to move from side to side. He squeezed her hand tighter, harder as her green eyes began to show the ice he'd seen the first time they met.
Determined not to be shut out, "Chloe..."
"No," she said firmly. "Absolutely not."
He bit back the anger that rose in his stomach. She didn't do or say things without good reason. "Why not, Chloe? Why can't she know I'm her dad?"
Chloe's lips formed a thin line and she remained silent.
"You told me to look before leap," Oliver said, struggling to keep his voice on an even keel as his eyes burned. "I've read about ALL, I'm getting tested and I know I'm going to be a match. So why, huh? Why not?"
He still didn't get a reply.
"Is it because of how I was when you showed at my house? You said bygones, but maybe it's not. I'm sorry, Chloe. I know I can't become a good man overnight, but I'm trying to be better. I swear I'm trying. I've gone into work on time and I went to the doc and I'm here."
She didn't know what going into work on time had to do with anything.
Oliver's heart hurt when Chloe pulled her hand from his and he watched as she rubbed her forehead before taking a deep breath.
"That has nothing to do with this, Ollie. I don't think bad of you," she told him, her voice a husky shell of its usual level of humour and vibrance. "Honestly, I don't. What you've done is given me hope that Molly will be okay and I can't thank you enough, but..."
"But what?" He asked, desperate to understand. "What is so bad about telling her that I'm her father?"
Chloe took a moment to gather her thoughts. "Plainly?"
"Always."
"What are you going to do after the transplant?"
Confusion appeared on his face. "What do you mean?"
She smiled slightly. "The transplant is over and Molly is recovering. Will you be there as her friend Ollie who takes her to the aquarium now and then? Or are you going to be there as her daddy? Or aren't you going to be there at all?"
Oliver swallowed as she continued. "Right now, you're just her new friend who doesn't snitch on her, but if she finds out you're her daddy, then she's going to get attached and she's going to love you." Chloe paused as she let that sink in. "Children are for life, Ollie, and not just for Christmas."
"You don't think I'm capable of that responsibility," he stated flatly. "I understand." Who would think he was capable of that?
"No!" She exclaimed a bit too loudly, then lowered her voice. "I'm just saying you didn't ask for a child or the responsibility of one."
"True, but I do have one and I can look after her, Chloe. I know I can look after her." Hell, he'd looked after Bart for the last ever. What was one kid compared to that? "I'm just asking for a chance."
"Okay," she sighed. "You wanted proof she was yours before anything, right?"
Oliver nodded.
"I need proof that you're going to be good for her and I don't just mean making her laugh or bringing her burgers and presents. I mean, what will you do when she has a bad day?" Chloe asked seriously. "When she's crying because she hurts or when she screams because she doesn't want another needle in her arm? Or when she wets the bed because she's too weak to move?"
He honestly didn't know what to say.
"All you've seen are her good days, Oliver, and you have been brilliant with her. You and your family have made her smile more in one week than I've been able too in a month." She chuckled ruefully. "She probably loves you already."
"You think?" He asked, unable to keep the smile away. That was actually kinda nice.
Chloe rolled her eyes. "You're just after another lady," and threw her napkin at him. "All I'm asking is that you really think about if that's something you want to live with for the rest of your life. Because when Molly loves, she loves with her whole heart and I won't have that heart broken if you eventually decide she isn't worth the effort."
A week ago, Oliver would have heard her saying he was flaky and responded accordingly, but now that he knew better? He saw a mother looking out for her daughter's best interests, much like own had done for him. Still, that was only her point of view regarding Molly, so now he wanted to know Chloe's point of view.
"Do you want her to know I'm her father?" He asked, carefully watching her face. "Plainly."
His question took Chloe off guard, but she answered truthfully. "Of course I don't!"
Oliver's eyebrows touched his hairline at the sound of her laughter. "Why?"
"I've gone four years without having to share her with anyone," she smiled sheepishly even as her cheeks flushed a pale pink. "If you were her father, then I'd have to share."
He couldn't help it.
A hearty laugh escaped him and made people look in his direction.
Chloe watched as he patted his chest and saw his brown eyes sparkling with mirth. He was rather nice when he laughed like that.
"You're shitting me," he coughed out. "You are not that selfish. No freaking way are you that selfish."
"What makes you say that?"
Oliver blinked. "Now you really are shitting me."
Chloe shook her head. "No, I'm not. What makes you think I'm not selfish?"
She was being serious. Completely, wholly, and utterly serious. "You have a sick kid and you're doing what you can for her," he said, his laughter quickly fading. "You didn't want me, you wanted my bone marrow, and you stuck your neck out to save your daughter."
"I used a sperm donor, remember?"
"Yeah..." and that honestly confused him, but instead of asking, he waited for her to continue.
"I used a sperm donor because I wanted a child," she said, averting her gaze. "I didn't think about consequences or the what ifs... I chose a donor because it was easier than dealing with the drama and pitfalls of a relationship."
Oliver thought about it before nodding. "That doesn't sound selfish to me," and it really didn't. "It sounds like you were a woman who wanted a baby, but not the complications of a relationship."
Chloe's chuckle was a chuckle he didn't like. "I didn't think about my baby, did I? I just saw days out at the park and watching them graduate. I didn't think about the drama and pitfalls of what came with a baby. I thought I did, but I didn't and why I'm telling you this, I don't know."
"You're telling me because you know I won't judge you, Chloe," he said. "And I still don't think you're selfish and just for the record?"
"What?"
"There are gonna be so many days at the park and graduation and..." Oliver frowned a little. "I was gonna say grandchildren, but I don't think Molly should know about sex for a while." Speaking of, "Who is her friend? The one she watches movies with?"
Chloe's brain had to sprint to catch up with him. "You mean David?" What about David?
"Are you sure they just watch movies? I mean, what if he's... You know, being a guy?"
She took a deep breath and let it out so very slowly. "When I said you have to prove your ability to be a father, I didn't mean for you too also prove your ability to be nuts"
"I'm not nuts!" Oliver told her quite seriously. "This David is obviously older than Molly and he's been letting her watch what again?"
Chloe merely gave him a look which he responded with a victorious smirk. "Exactly," he said with a smirk of victory. "And did you know anything about it? No."
"You're older than me and you offered to buy me alcohol, and does my daddy know about that?"
The first thing that got his attention was the fact she didn't say her mom and secondly? "That's different!" He pointed out. "You're legal and Molly isn't and won't be legal until she's thirty." Possibly forty.
Maybe never, even.
Chloe's quick wit didn't fail.
She fiddled with her top for a moment or two before treating Ollie to a look so sly, he totally missed the trap she was laying out for him. "You say you want to be her father, right?"
He didn't hesitate. "Of course."
"You agree that she has a lot of your personality?"
Oliver couldn't keep from eagerly agreeing. "Yes," he said, not seeing the trap for possibly being acknowledged as a parent. "Yes, she does. Even the movie thing. I swapped He-Man for Hellraiser so I wouldn't get caught."
"So..." Chloe drew patterns on the table cloth. "You were devious as a kid?"
"Yeah I was," and he was so proud of it.
"Molly is your daughter, Ollie. Now think of who you should feel for. David or Molly."
It took Oliver a moment or three for it to sink that he'd just been wrapped up a nice, tight cocoon of crap.
He looked at Chloe who was sat there, smiling away to herself, and felt totally helpless at the fact he'd just dug his own grave. "You are a mean, mean woman, Chloe Sullivan."
The sparkle returned to those green eyes of hers and he was glad to see it, even if it was at his expense. "You forgot clever."
"Are you sure she's my daughter?" He pulled a face and shrugged. "Maybe there was another mix up..."
Chloe laughed. "Hey, you wanted the joys of parenthood."
Oliver grinned and sat that bit straighter. "Yes, Chlo. I do want those joys," he said. "I think it was Miss. Monroe who said if you can't take the worst of me, then you don't deserve the best of me."
She shook her head, an affectionate smile on her face as she looked at him. "You want this, don't you? I mean, you really want to be there for her?"
"Yes, I do, and I'm not going to abandon her," his chest ached at the thought. His own father had never done such a thing and neither would he. "If you need me, I'll be there for you, too."
Chloe once again stared at Oliver, but this time she felt her eyes grow hot and she had to blink back tears. Unfortunately, it wasn't working no matter hard she tried. The kindness she'd been shown in the last two weeks alone caught up and she covered it up the same way all women do. "I'm just going to powder my nose..."
He was having none of it.
Oliver moved from his side of the table too sit next to her, effectively blocking her escape. "I mean it, Chlo. I know you got your family, but sometimes family can be too close."
She wiped her eyes even as a sharp laugh made her hiccup. "You're family too... Well, sort of."
"I'm also a stranger," he said, lifting her chin so she met his gaze. "A stranger is often the best person too talk to and if anyone needs to blow off some steam, then it's you."
Chloe waved it away. "I'm fine, Ollie. Honestly. It's nothing I'm not used too."
Seeing he wasn't going to get much more out of her today, he let her chin go and settled back into the seat with a smile on his face. He'd get there with her and he'd prove he was father and friend material, but not only that.
He would prove that she could trust him and that he could trust himself to be a good person.
For the moment, he was quite happy to be the guy who would treat a pretty girl to a steak dinner and good conversation.
Oliver stretched his arms across the back of the seat and started talking. "So, you met Bart and Arthur..."
XOXOXO
It had been so long since she'd gone out and had a good time without feeling the world on her shoulders. So long that she'd almost forgotten what a good time was, yet here she was.
A well cooked steak dinner in front of her, good company beside her, and good conversation. Sure Ollie had sneered at her choice of having a steak welldone, saying a medium rare was better, but she explained it was habit now. Molly had to have her meat thoroughly cooked to stop germs such as ecoli and so forth.
"We are so coming back here, Chlo," he said around a mouthful of chewed beef.
"Will my view be better?" She asked and made a point when she closed her mouth.
Oliver rolled his eyes and this time, he swallowed before he spoke. "What? My face not pretty enough for you?"
"You remember earlier when you said look before you leap?"
He nodded.
Chloe smirked. "Your face is..."
Oliver held up his cutlery in defence. "Uncle!"
She chuckled. "You're such an ass and yeah, I am coming back here." When she got the chance too, that was.
A restaurant that cooked a steak right in front of her? On the list of good places to go once Molly was better.
Chloe stopped her hopes right then and there.
Just because Oliver believed he was going to be a match didn't mean he would be a match, so she couldn't let herself get carried away with his enthusiasm, despite how contagious that enthusiasm was. There was so much to think about when it came to bone marrow transplants and usually, the recovery was often worse than leukemia itself.
Being in the young Oncology ward, Chloe knew first-hand how difficult it could be coping with a victim, but the recovery? Elsa's daughter was still recovering and it had been just over a year since her transplant.
Because of this, there were no guarantees Molly was going to get better.
Especially since they had to destroy her immune system so her body would take to the new marrow.
Suddenly her steak didn't taste so good.
Oliver was about to tuck into more when he saw Chloe place her fork back onto her plate, her face expressing something he couldn't describe except for tired.
How long had it been since she'd let her hair down?
He answered his own question by quickly doing the math. Molly was four years and almost six months, then he added the nine months to that, and finally the time it would have taken for her donation. All in all, he guessed Chloe Sullivan hadn't been Chloe Sullivan for a good six years.
Knowing Molly and Chloe were going through hell while he'd been partying was...
Well, it hurt and it hurt a lot.
Keeping his gaze on her as she ate, Oliver summoned their waitess with a simple click of his fingers. "I'd like a bottle of the house wine, please, and if you can, a chocolate cake to go."
Chloe almost choked. "I can't drink!"
"You can if I take you home," and he held up his hand. "I'll drop you off and then drive to the hospital to stay with Molly."
"You can't do that! My place is an hour away and that's in good traffic." Plus, it would mean him sleeping in the family room, a place he was not accustomed too.
"Then it's a good thing we're in the city central, so it'll be what?" Oliver smiled. "Half hour from the city, which we're already in, and an hour back to the hospital. I think I can handle it."
Maybe he could, but she couldn't.
The only nights she spent at home was when Lois or her dad could spend the night and even then, she was couldn't sleep. She was so used to sleeping on a reclining chair or on a pull-out sofa, that her bed was foreign to her.
He saw her expression. "Chloe, I'll look after her. I promise. If there's anything wrong, I'll call you right away."
"It's not that, Ollie, it's just..." How could she explain it? "I haven't been home in a while," and when she said while, she meant weeks.
His smile of understanding reached his eyes. "You have to go home sometime, you know. Let this be the night you get re-acquainted with your own bed. We'll stop off for our daughter's juice and some goodies for the other kids... Like David."
Chloe rolled her eyes at the way he said the boy's name. "Ollie, you don't have to do this. I know what I said earlier, but..."
"I know I don't, which is why I'm doing it," and just to prove his point, he spoke with his mouth full and grinned around a mouthful of half chewed beef.
"You're disgusting, you know that?"
The waitress coughed a little, not really wanting to interrupt the conversation.
Oliver blinked and looked up. "Oh, right. Sorry. A bottle of the house white and your best chocolate cake, boxed up and ready to go."
"Oh, wait no," Chloe interrupted quickly. "My car's at the hospital so I won't be able to drive back tomorrow morn..."
He stopped her then and there. "I'll come pick you up. No trouble."
"You can't do that, Ollie!" She exclaimed, wide-eyed. "That's a three hour round trip."
Brown eyes rolled in annoyance. "A trip that I'm happy to make."
"Add on the driving hours you'd be doing tonight. I can't let you do that."
"You can't let me not do it, either."
Chloe scowled. "That's a double negative."
She was such an author. "So sue me."
Chloe and Oliver stared heavily at each other, and kept staring until the waitress spoke up a little timidly.
"Excuse me? Would you like me to come back in a few moments?"
One had the grace to blush in shame while the other coughed to cover up how much of a lame ass twit he felt for causing a scene.
"It's just one night, Chloe. Not even twenty four hours. You can go home and get some rest for a change." He paused and dragged all his knowledge of women to the forefront of his brain. "Picture this... You, a hot bath, few glasses of wine, candles, some music..."
One look at her face told him he was on the right track, so he kept going.
"Maybe you could, you know, go online shopping and treat yourself to something nice."
Chloe chewed on her lower lip. "Like that terrabite external hard drive?" It would come in handy.
"I was gonna say shoes," Oliver remarked, rather amused. "If hard drives are your thing, then sure. Go nuts and get the biggest one you can find. Well? Bottle of wine and chocolate cake or no bottle of wine and chocolate cake?"
It was just one night... But it was still one night without getting to hug and kiss her daughter night-night.... But Ollie said he'd be there... Maybe he'd give Molly a hug and kiss night-night on her behalf...
"C'mon, Chlo," he cajoled. "Time's ticking."
"Yes," Chloe squeezed her eyes shut as the word escaped out of her mouth. "Yes, I'll take the offer, but only if you're sure you don't mind."
He snatched her hand back before it could render the napkin totally useless and smirked when one of her eyes inched slowly open. "I wouldn't have offered if I did mind."
The waitress smiled. "So it's a yes to your order?"
Chloe beamed at her. "Yes, please. Thank you," and waited until she left before speaking again. "You know what I said to you that day? About your friends waking up and seeing you for what you are?"
Oliver cringed inside.
Yeah, he remembered.
"Those guys have their eyes wide open."
XOXOXO
Her house was an ordinary house and why he expected otherwise, he didn't know. Maybe it was because an ordinary house didn't fit her personality or maybe it was because he was too used to seeing estates and mansions. Not that it mattered where she lived, because it didn't.
At least, not to him.
Chloe fished around in her purse until she found her keys. "Long time, no see," she muttered and walked up to the front door, noting it would be too narrow for Molly's wheelchair.
She sighed.
It was just one more on her list of things to get done in the coming months.
She heard his footsteps come to a stop and she glanced at him. "Welcome to Casa de Sullivan," she said and pushed the door open.
There was no stale air and the place was warm, so she figured Lois was back from her assignment and had popped over to do up the place.
Something she would be forever grateful for.
Chloe walked inside and flicked on the lights. "C'mon in and make yourself at home."
Oliver stepped inside and yup, there went the ordinary. The decor was not abstract or outlandish, but it was definitely different. She had framed pictures of optical illusions in the hallway and he paused to look at each and every one of them.
One of them had instructions for him to stare at the centre for thirty seconds and then look at the back of his hand.
So he did.
Not hearing him follow her, Chloe turned around to see what he was doing and shook her head. If he was fascinated with that one, then she'd never get him out of her lounge area.
Or the guest bedroom that had an entire wall painted with objects and scenes with a sign that said Where's Wally?"
She watched, amused, as Oliver quickly looked at the back of his hand and muttered, "Neat."
"Uh-huh."
His head snapped up to look at her, his cheeks turning red when he saw how she was looking at him. Whenever he got caught doing something, he always pointed out something stupid. "My skin went all twirly."
Green eyes looked to the ceiling. "Men."
Oliver merely grinned and continued to follow her through the house, his eyes taking in what made it her home. He could see the work she put in too making her mark on it, but yet there were things that weren't quite right.
For a start, she kept looking around like she was planning what to do with it and how she kept looking at the stairs in distaste, and how she seemed to measuring the space. Unless she had something against stairs and narrow hallways, then she...
Oh.
Right.
Molly needed a wheelchair because excessive walking would tire her out.
For the second time that day, his heart hurt and this time, it hurt for her because he figured she was going too have to sell and look for somewhere else to live. Not only did she have a daughter to worry about, but she also had this to worry about.
Oliver wondered how the hell she hadn't cracked yet.
Even if she owned the place, the cost of renovations would make it easier to simply buy a new one.
"Lois remembered to buy the basics if you want a coffee," Chloe hollered from the kitchen. "It's the least I can do."
He followed her voice and leaned agaist the kitchen doorway, his eyes focused completely on her as he beat around the bush. "You'll need to sell, won't you?"
She paused. "Yes, I will. My father has a few contacts who can help with that."
What was he?
Chopped liver?
"You do know who's standing in your kitchen at this very moment, don't you?" Oliver asked with a smirk.
Chloe paused in putting the wine into the fridge. "Yeah," she smirked back at him. "A guy who likes twirly skin."
He pulled face that simply made her feign a helpless shrug. "At Queen Industries, I'm in mergers and acquisitions. Know why? Cos I can negotiate one hell of a deal." He let out a laugh. "Honey, I could get this place sold like that," and he snapped his fingers.
Ollie was already doing more than enough.
She shook her head. "Honestly, it's fine. My father's contacts are already on the case." They weren't, but he didn't have to know that.
Granted he'd only known her for a short while, but he knew people and he knew when people lied. Yes, Chloe was better than most at hiding lies and fibs, but she wasn't an expert.
Still, he knew better than to push.
"Mind if I look around?"
Chloe blinked, slightly baffled at his request. "Knock yourself out."
Oliver grinned. "I'll pass, but thanks."
"Har har."
XOXOXO
He started in the living area and took a good, long look around. It was neat and tidy, with pictures of who he assumed were family and friends. The furniture looked comfortable and yet it was quirky, mismatched yet co-ordinated with various nik-naks here and there.
Hmm...
"Not a bad size," Oliver muttered as his eyes swept around the room once more before he left for the stairs.
Not too narrow, a little steep perhaps, but not dangerously so. He took his time and checked for creaking steps and sharp nails, but found none. The bannister was sturdy and made of decent wood and sure, it was in need of a little repair work, but that was neither here nor there.
He rounded the corner and his eyebrows rose as it became quite clear the house was bigger upstairs than it was downstairs. Curious, he opened the first door and nodded in approval at the bathroom.
Good size, well maintained, with both a shower and a tub, nicely decorated with no visible problems such as damp and uneven flooring.
Oliver closed the door and went to the next room and when he saw the butterflies on the wall, he knew he was looking at his daughter's bedroom. He swallowed as he walked further in, eyes taking in the toy box and he wondered how long it had gone untouched.
Her bed was a cute little kiddy bed with pretty lilac covers.
He frowned.
A lot of pretty lilac covers and plenty of pillows that looked soft and inviting. So inviting, he had an urge to try one out.
Knowing Chloe, she would not have skimmped on her daughter's comfort and since Molly was four, the bed would have been bought just as she got ill.
A bearly used toy box and a much used bed turned his eyes hot. It hurt to know his daughter would have spent more time sleeping and not causing chaos as terrible twos were meant to do.
Oliver forced himself to focus on what he was looking for.
It was just the right size for a child's first bedroom, with a door near the window that he figured was a small closet and closets were always good things in bedrooms. The carpeting was good and soft enough to cushion footsteps, another thing buyers often looked for in a first-time purchase.
He backed out and closed the door quietly, then looked down the hall and paused for a moment. There were two more doors left, one of which would be Chloe's bedroom.
"Well?" A voice said from behind him and his skin jumped off his body.
Turning, Oliver glared at the woman who had quite literally just given him his first heart attack. "Are you insane? Seriously insane? Jesus Christ."
Chloe smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I thought you heard me. Here," and handed him his coffee.
"Thanks," his voice dripped with sarcasm.
"Wanna finish the ten cent tour?"
He nodded. "How much you asking for this place?"
Chloe glanced at him before she opened the door to the guest room. "You know how I said my father had contacts?"
"Yes."
"An evaluator isn't one of them. Unfortunately."
Oliver sipped his coffee as he looked around the room that had obviously been used as a study and thanked God his dad wasn't here. The place was a shrine to all things crime and her book shelves were actually bending under the weight. "Read a lot, do you?"
"A lot of what I read in here has more to do with research, not personal enjoyment. Those are my bedroom."
He walked around and took the room in in the same way as the others. This room was a good choice for a study. A large window facing the sun may have been a bit blinding, but there were a few trees outside that provided just the right kind of shade. It was small without being clostrophobic, the walls were smooth and the floorboards well-maintained and he could smell potential a mile away.
"Is there a garage?"
Chloe looked suspicious. "Yes, this part of the upper floor is built above it."
Oliver nodded offhandedly as he continued to look around. "That explains the size difference. Figured as much, but always better to have assurance." He turned to face her so fast, she jumped a little. "Can I your bedroom?"
She swore he was almost bouncing on the spot. "If you like..."
His grin was slow and calculating, his brain spinning a mile per second. "Oh, I'd like," he said. "I'd like very much."
Ohhhkay...
"Follow me," Chloe led the way, shaking her head and wondering what on Earth he was planning.
Oliver was at the other door before she could blink. "In this case, Miss. Sullivan, it's business before pleasure," and opened it.
While the room certainly wasn't the largest master bedroom, it certainly wasn't the smallest, and that made it perfect for what he wanted. There was a decent closet space, no creaking floor, and yes.
"I'm going to buy this place," he thought aloud. "I'm going to buy it, renovate, and sell."
Chloe was still staring at him when he once again faced her with an expression that clearly meant business. "We'll get the place evaluated and get the papers drawn up, and then..."
"Then I live on street?" She asked incredulously. "Where the hell am I supposed to live while you're... When did I say you could buy it, anyway? And didn't I mention something about you not needing to prove you're nuts?"
Oliver shook his head. "I'm serious, Chlo. This place would make a sound investment and if you want in on it, then I'm sure we can work it out."
"We can, can we?"
"Think about it! The housing market is in the middle of a crisis with overpriced houses of poor quality for first-time buyers. A place like this? Diamond in the rough, Chloe."
"Not to rain on your parade, Ollie, but I'm a writer and not a real estate mogul."
This time when he grinned, it was with victory. "I'm Oliver Queen, baby. More specifically, I am a mogul who could make this quaint little surburban home into a goldmine."
Chloe took a sip of her coffee and purposely paused for a few moments. "You're going to donate your marrow, spend the night with my daughter, be a father, and buy my house. You gonna write my next book, too?"
"Well if I get a mention..." Oliver half joked. "I wouldn't be saying this if there was no opportunity here and there is opportunity. A big one."
"We're friends, but..."
He pounced on that before she could finish. "We could be friends with benefits, Chloe. Big benefits. As in college fund big."
She narrowed her eyes. "What's in it for you?"
Oliver tensed a little, not really wanting to play share with his feelings, but earning trust went both ways. She was trusting him to take care of their daughter, he could trust her with this. "A chance to be more than just my father's son. I can make this work and it will pay off. That I can guarantee. Whaddya say? You could be like my sidekick."
Seeing she was very uncertain, "Look, take some time to think about it. We all need money to live..."
"Down to your last twenty billion?"
The smile on her face softened her words and he smirked. "Yeah, yeah. Funny."
Chloe beamed. "Aren't I?"
Oliver rolled his eyes. "You're so funny, I'm dying."
"Die quietly, please. People see a dead body in my house? I'll be suspect number one."
"I'll do my best," he said, smiling. "Just think about it, okay? It will be a great opportunity."
While he was thinking profit and college funds, she was thinking medical bills and aftercare. With those things in mind, it didn't take her long to make a decision.
"Sidekick to Oliver Queen, huh?" Chloe hoped to high heaven this was not a dumb thing to do. "I think I can live with that."
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