Action Time (Chapter Seven)

I got it in before three weeks had passed. Go me! The delays are getting shorter. So that's good, right?

Still spoiling Escape

Chapter Seven

It was kind of everything she'd expected. Oliver made jokes to try to break the tension, Clark mostly pretended nothing was going on, and Lois wouldn't stop poking at the gigantic elephant in the room. She started to see why. Hell, Lois had more than once warned her away from Clark in the old days, way before the two of them were even an inkling. It was possible that she was trying to do that here, the way she was needling the situation. She was almost relieved when Lois yanked her away. Lois could get it out of her system and Chloe could set her straight. This is casual. I know what I'm doing. No one needs to protect me. And, for the love of God, don't tell anyone. That was actually priority number one, so she started before the patio door even closed behind her.

"Okay. Look, Lois. I know what you're gonna say. With Ollie's less than perfect track record, I should really just cut my losses and..."

"Or," Lois cut in, dashing in front of her, "I could say that this is one for the win column. I think it's great that you and Oliver are together."

"You do?" Maybe Lois saw things a bit differently, not having played Big Brother all over Oliver during his own personal lost weekend... or summer. Really, he'd never been unfaithful to Lois the way he had with... well, any other woman. Also, only a few months ago, Oliver had been declaring his love for her. As much as the thought of it still irked her, it could mean Lois saw him as relationship material. She'd better set her straight on...

"Yes. And the best part is now we can double date. How awesome is that?"

Oh, Dear God. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Lois, before you book us up for the next two months, Oliver and I are not a couple."

Lois crossed her arms. "Okay. Sure. Then what are you?"

"We're having fun. And we're not complicating things by using labels and definitions," she said levelly. She'd practiced this in her head several times this morning, after all.

"This is a relationship, Chloe, not a spelling bee."

Chloe decided not to even try to untangle that metaphor. "Look, I'm glad you have found someone that makes you happy. But we're not all cut out for coupledom. And with Ollie, I don't have to worry about that. We're no flowers, no presents, no pressure, no strings," she finished. There. Done.... or not. "And, with you, we're no comment," she added hastily, pointing at her.

Lois didn't like that any more than Chloe thought she would, by the pinched look on her face. But Chloe wasn't moving on it. What she had with Oliver was supposed to be an escape, not another thing to tie her in knots and that's what would happen if Lois was constantly nagging her about it. Maybe it was all coming from a good place, a protective place, but she knew Lois would be in her ear constantly, picking away at her because gray areas just didn't exist for her.

When Lois mimed locking her mouth, Chloe knew that still wouldn't be the end of it. But maybe that would buy her the rest of this weekend, at least. "Good," she said, heading for the door and the buffet. She stopped short of opening it. "And no telling my dad... or yours... or anyone."

"Oh, come on!"

*******************************

By the time dinner rolled around, she felt like she was back on level ground. They hadn't seen Lois or Clark since brunch, except in passing. At the end of brunch, she'd joined Lois' pointed raptures about how cozy and romantic this place was for couples with her own pointed agreements about how she thought couples must love all the intimate walks for two and alone time. Considering how little Clark was still acknowledging that this was happening, he must have taken in some of it because she could swear she saw a tall guy dragging a girl with a long ponytail away from their general direction to multiple protests several times that day.

She wasn't about to turn this into some couples weekend, and not just because she and Oliver were not, not, not a couple. She and Lois lived together and it wasn't unreasonable to expect some time apart, away from the Talon's tight quarters. She didn't even get a lick of privacy at Watchtower with someone always needing something. Right now, she had privacy of a sort. She could do what she wanted, how she wanted, with who she wanted without unwelcome visitors or unwanted advice . Luckily, the who she wanted seemed to want the same thing. About halfway through dinner and all the way through a nice bottle of Pinot Noir, he relaxed as well and this weekend became, again, what it was supposed to be - something just between them without expectations or preconceived notions. On level ground again, if just a little tipsy.

"I must say," she said, dragging him into the room as they stumbled, just a little, into each other's arms. "I think your taste in wine is almost as good as your taste in women."

"Why, thank you." He spun her around just a little. It felt light, like dancing. Why hadn't they gone dancing?

Maybe because going dancing was for couples, which they were not.

"You have a little bit of pinot right there, actually," he said softly, tapping at her lips before meeting them. "Look at that, I got it."

The floaty feeling came back and she giggled as he moved to a spot on her neck, wondering if he'd claim she'd dribbled. Like he needed an excuse to kiss her. She turned her head to give him better access when she saw it on the bed. A present, with a bow. "Unless Christmas came early this year, that better not have my name on it," she said, slowing with each word as she realized it had to be for her and from him and that floaty feeling was going away and her level ground was shaking.

"Oh, well... Maybe you've just been especially good this year." He said lightly and she started to feel herself unclench. "Maybe a guy shouldn't take someone like you for granted," he added in a lower voice.

"I didn't think you were, Ollie," she said, worried now, but strangely giddy underneath. She'd said no presents. But if he came here with this, wanted her to have something badly enough to break that rule, it must be something special or... She turned it over, saw the golden MacDougall Inn sticker smacked on the damned ribbon. "Clark said something, didn't he?" She knew he'd been too quiet about this.

"It's just a gift," he whispered, not denying it. It seemed worse, somehow, now. If Oliver bought it because he wanted to, that would be one thing. But for him to get her some gift because he was basically told to...

"No, no, no, no. It's a slippery slope. Just because gifts are never just because. There's always some unspoken part like 'I'm sorry' or 'I feel very strongly about you,' both of which are complicated. Oliver, I wanted to keep things simple. You know? With, like, no strings... or ribbons." She grabbed her jacket from the chair and strode to the door. She had to get her head back on straight.

"Wait, wait... Hold the... Where are you going?" she heard behind her.

"I'm going for a walk.” She turned in the open doorway, “When I come back, can we just hit the reset button and play our favorite indoor game again?" She moved down the hall. That would straighten things out. She’d take a walk. They’d both have time to think. Then they could just go back. Really, this was nothing. With Clark and Lois here, one of them was bound to interfere in some way. Lois was a given, though she’d headed her off at the pass. But Clark... She’d had years of Clark jammed in every corner of her life. Of course he'd butt in. Though, to be honest, she hadn’t expected it anymore. The two of them had grown apart. It was to be expected. And, really, it was mostly Clark’s doing. She’d tried several times to reach out and had been brushed off pretty abruptly. So what the hell right did he have to interfere in her... business?

Well, she’d just tell him to stop butting in and that would be an end to it.

She lit one of the lanterns on the porch, probably meant for all those couples into intimate, moonlit strolls. Well, she’d take it solo and get her head together and everything would be fine. So why was she still so upset? It was a present Oliver had dropped on her, not a grenade.

Something was still nagging at her and it pulled harder as she walked the moonlit path and stepped onto the oh-so-romantic footbridge over the enchanting, idyllic stream. Why the hell had she chosen this place? Sure, it was off the beaten path, but it was a little full of... couples. All through dinner, there was this haze around them of nuzzling and secret footsie. Even the brochure had been pretty full of couples, which is probably why Clark, part of an actual couple, had thought Lois wanted this, as he'd said at brunch.

She pushed it away. Really, it was about that beaten path this place was... off. Though this tiny voice inside nagged at her. How many romantic get-aways have you even been on? It sounded suspiciously like Lois. Not like Jimmy ever swept you off anywhere. He hadn't. He'd even gone away with Kara to Coast City, but her... Maybe this is what you wanted, maybe you were secretly hoping...

No. She wasn’t and she wouldn’t. This place was just... secret. Maybe not as secret as she wanted, but that was still why she chose it. Not for the scenic forest views or cozy decor or the strange women standing alone in the woods...

That stopped her thoughts cold. Nobody should be standing alone in the woods in happy couple land. “Hello?” She crossed the bridge slowly as lightening flashed, which was nuts because there didn’t seem to be any rain falling on her.

She amended her thoughts to reflect that nobody should be venturing alone into the woods, strange women or not. Hadn’t she watched enough basic horror movies to know that?

Still, curiosity, as always, won out and she found herself moving in the direction of that woman. But she didn’t see her, just little streams of rain falling from the trees ahead, though she couldn’t feel so much as a droplet on her.

“So much for a relaxing walk to calm my nerves,” she said shakily, aloud. Really, she needed to hear something even if it was her own voice. She’d just head back. Maybe it was just a trick of the lightning she saw or... She stumbled slightly on what looked like blackened roots in the near-dark, but had felt slightly squishy against the toe of her shoe. What looked like part of a log was right near it.

She leaned down, grabbing hold of the strangely loose bark. The queasy feeling in her stomach told her she wouldn’t like what she found. Really, no girl alone in the woods at night ever did, as countless horror movies attested. Unfortunately for her, she’d never been one to leave any stone... or log unturned.

She gasped as she saw a face.... or what was left of one. It looked black and flaked, like it had been burned or petrified and... “Definitely not calm,” she said loudly, again. Just to know she was really there. This was really happening. It felt strangely like a nightmare. Her weekend getaway gone awry. With Clark and Lois and presents and dead bodies showing up. Unfortunately, the rest of her life up till now told her that she wouldn't be waking up in the next few seconds. Of course it would all go to hell.

Of course, when she turned to run back to the safety of the inn, a woman with a skeletal face that flashed in the lightning would grab her. Of course, she’d be unable to get away. Of course, she’d lose consciousn...

********************

She stared at the box, thinking she should be more bothered about the evil spirits, possession, and Clark seeing her naked. But no. Here she was, obsessing about a box. She hadn’t slept, and not just because of last night’s little adventure. If she couldn’t sleep after each time something otherwordly happened to her, she’d have been an insomniac since thirteen. That was just life in Smallville... or Metropolis... or about anywhere she chose to go.

So much for getting away.

Of course, last night’s shenanigans did have a part in it. Being around Clark, even investigating with him, left her feeling uneasy these days. There was a tension that couldn’t be cut with snarky comments and a coldness that never seemed to go away. But that, she supposed, was nothing new these days.

No. It was mostly this present that had her staring at the ceiling next to an equally silent and still Oliver. Since he wasn’t rolling into her and practically shoving her off the bed, she was sure he hadn’t slept, either. He had a better excuse, having nearly been killed, although he should be used to it. Still, near-death was certainly a better reason to lose sleep than a slim 5x2 box with a blue ribbon.

She wasn’t sure what to do with it. Rejecting it would mean she absolutely rejected the possibility of anything more. Accepting it would mean she was probably hoping for something more. She wasn’t sure why such a tiny box would have this much power over her, but there it was. Maybe if she just opened it, acknowledged that it existed, that crazy possibility that there might be more. Then she could decide what the hell to do about it... She started to pull at the ribbon, then stopped herself before it fell away. What if opening it meant she accepted it, that she was secretly hoping for something more? Or maybe that secret was out, considering she picked a woodsy inn that even she had to admit was just this side of honeymoon material.

She took a deep breath and tucked it into her bag, trying not to think of what that meant because she really couldn’t keep obsessing over...

“It’s a spoon.”

A spoon? She turned toward the door and there he was. She gave him a questioning look, wondering what about her screamed that she needed a spoon. But she saved most of that look for herself. You just lost a night’s sleep over a spoon.

“I bought you a spoon, one of those little... People collect them. I thought about getting you... uh... some of those little decorative soaps,” he added in an awkward rush. “Then, ultimately, you didn’t need either one of them. Did you?”

“I don’t know about that,” she said, getting up moving toward him. “I mean, I’m more partial to sporks, myself,” she tried to joke, feeling even sillier about her freak-out and with no idea what to do with her hands. She shoved them in her pockets. “But a girl can never have too many... spoons.”

“Yeah, well... I never should have wrapped up that Pandora’s box to begin with and second guessed myself... or us,” he added firmly. “From now on I won’t.”

“Maybe we’ll just say that next time you won’t take advice about relationships from Clark Kent.” The man had gone from Lana to Lana to Lana again for eight full years with no success, after all.

He nodded and his jaw tensed slightly. “You know, speaking of Clark,” he began, moving closer. “For future references and, you know, strictly for environmental purposes... The next time you want to take a shower with someone, Chloe, you can just ask me.”

She was wondering what had him sleepless next to her and just a little sullen as they dressed and packed. She’d kind of thought the possession aspect had been clearer, that he'd know she wasn't driving, so to speak. So he’d been jealous. Again. The idea of it made her slightly giddy and she repressed a laugh. "I can't remember blacking out and I wish I could forget waking up," she said, rolling her eyes at him, at herself, at the silliness of all of this.

"Really? Well, it couldn't have been that bad, right? Wasn't there a time when you would have given just about anything to stare at that farmer's tan in all it's glory, I'm guessing?"

"That was a long time ago, like, in a Smallville far, far away," she said decisively. He didn't look too convinced. "I mean... Okay. Yeah. I did love Clark. A lot. And I waited for years for him to see that... to see... me," she mused. "But even with his x-ray vision, he never did. And, even more than that I just wanted someone who would... get me. And as good a friend as Clark is," she said soberly, "he's never going to be that person, which is fine. Really." She told herself that, too. She didn't pine after him, not that way. Not now. But maybe for the friend... But that had nothing to do with her and Oliver. She'd try not to let it. "I mean, those wounds healed over a thousand super-saves ago. Now there's just scars," she finished, giving him a slight smile.

He returned it, leaning in to whisper "It's Clark's loss," giving her that slightly cocky smile that she always just wanted to kiss off him.

But not before she asked it. She just had to. Maybe it was a needy question, but, damn it, he'd asked first. "What about your loss?" she asked, keeping her smile steady as she moved to the railing, perching on it. "I'm sure Lois didn't have to drag you into the woods, kicking and screaming."

"Ah... It's..." He started awkwardly as he moved to perch next to her. "The funny thing about scars. They're always there."

She nodded, trying and failing to murmur some kind of reply before her eyes met the floor. She had to ask, didn't she? Hadn't he been declaring his love for her only a few months ago? Still, it wouldn't change anything. Except for how now she just knew that, under everything, Lois would be the one he...

"It doesn't mean they haven't healed," she heard and chanced a look at him, all smirky smiles that she felt the renewed urge to kiss right off him. "Sometimes they can be kind of cute, too." She rolled her eyes. "You have one in particular that I'm kind of..."

She gave in and grabbed him by the lapels, laying one on him before pulling away with a soft "Shhh."

He leaned in. "What? There's no one out here." He met her lips again.

"Mmmm... We shouldn't start anything," she said, muffled against his lips.

"You started it." He pulled her closer and planted small, soft kisses on her jaw and lower. "Can't just go around kissing guys on porches," he murmured, "and not expect to get kissed back."

"We have a long drive back," she gasped.

"Does it have to be now?" He lifted his head. "What time's checkout?"

"Noon," she breathed, catching on. "No. Definitely not. Bart's been in town with full access to Watchtower and..."

"One more night. Not even a whole night. You can be there first thing tomorrow morning." He stood and pulled her to her feet. "Come on. Our weekend away was totally hijacked by unwanted entities."

She nodded. "The Silver Banshee."

"Her, too," he said, grabbing her bag and his own and backing away. "We need a little rest before we go back."

She had to laugh. "How much rest are you actually planning?" But she followed.

"At least some." He turned at the door, nudging her through and down the hall. "I don't know about you, but I hardly slept."

She whirled on him short of the door. "If you want to know about me, then take your sleeplessness and multiply it by a billion." She tilted her head. "Have you ever shared a bed?"

He gave her a funny look and moved ahead. "Never had any complaints before."

"I mean sleeping."

"Well, it's rare, but..."

"Let me clue you in, then. You're the worst bed hog ever."

He stopped in the middle of turning the key and regarded her. "Come on. I don't..."

She batted his hand away and turned it herself. "I barely escaped with my life," she said, moving into their reclaimed room as he picked up their bags and tossed them in. "It's like all of the bed belongs to you and any other party is an intruder, quick to be pushed right off."

"Come on." He closed the door. "I sleep on a couch, for crying out loud. If I was that into taking space, I'd be on the floor every morning."

"Well, you did. You kept rolling right into me, over and over. If I moved, you rolled that way. It's like I couldn't escape."

He snapped his fingers. "You should have just stayed there, be the barrier."

"What?"

"I'm used to a couch, used to a little something to lean on."

"You mean suffocate."

"I'm serious. Maybe I was searching for the back of the couch. If you just stayed still..."

"With you pushing at me?"

"Okay," he said, taking a deep breath. "I wasn't going to say anything, but you started it." He pointed at her. "You know what I did while you slept?"

"Hardly slept," she shot back.

"I spat hair out of my face. For someone with such short hair, it's everywhere," he said, gesturing widely. "Every time I thought I could just breathe, there it was, choking me."

She scoffed loudly. "So is that why you were pushing me off the bed?"

"I never tried to push you, but since I was fighting for breath, maybe it was self-defense."

"If anyone couldn't breathe, it was me, with you smothering me every few seconds. Maybe sleeping in the same bed is just some huge mistake."

His lips thinned and he leaned into her. "You know? I don't know what the hell I do when I sleep. But maybe I wasn't trying to smother you. Maybe I was trying to get near you, but that's just not allowed, is it?"

She drew back. "You go from sleeping habits to..."

He stepped back as well. "I'm sorry. That was too..." He stopped himself and took a deep breath. "No. You know what? I'm not sorry. There."

She just stared at him. She could tell this was something he'd been saving up. "What the hell are you talking about? I've let you nearer than anyone this..."

"You've let me as near as you want and no farther. I can't even give you a spoon without you running off turning into a man-hating she-demon!"

"Because I was possessed by a man-hating she-demon!"

"Yes, but you wouldn't have been if you hadn't run off. We could have talked, Chloe. You could have stayed for us to work out this... God!" He paced away, running a hand roughly through his hair. "I don't even know what to call it. And that doesn't even matter and I know we're not defining this, but you have." He gestured to her impatiently. "Just, all by yourself. You've decided the boundaries and rules of our supposedly casual, undefined, relaxed relationship and you have from the start."

"Fine! Fair enough. You think I've been driving." She let out a deep breath. "Maybe I have. Maybe I've been a little too rigid, which is totally not in the spirit of a carefree... thing, so..." She sat on the bed and smiled. "If you want to sit down and set your own parameters..."

"God, no! That's the last thing I want to do!"

She shot up. "The what do you want? I mean, besides to pace around being dramatic..."

"Because that's your job?"

"Hey!"

"I don't know what I want! Okay? I just know..." He took a deep breath and hunkered down on the chair. "I don't know where this is going. I don't want to know where this is going, but I also don't want this lockdown on where this is not going. I don't want expectations, but I also don't want limits. I don't want to think I can't give you something, even if it is a stupid spoon. I mean, yes, I know that Clark might have put that particular spoon in my head, but... Damn it, Chloe, I don't want to think that I can't do something nice for you when I genuinely want to," he finished, staring at the carpet.

Chloe stared at the top of his head, trying to think of what to say to all of that. He was right. "I want... I mean... I could... not want those things, too... maybe."

He looked up. "Then maybe we can just... I don't know. Maybe start over."

She took off her jacket. "Let's start by sleeping together."

He shook his head and chuckled. "We already started that way. Besides, I'm not in the mood right this..."

"Neither am I. I mean we should sleep. I think we need it."

He stood and shrugged off his own jacket. "You think you can keep that hair under control?"

"Depends on if you let me stay in one place."

He toed off his shoes and crawled into bed, pulling her with him. "Maybe just stay right about here," he said, pulling her against his chest.

TBC

Done with Escape. I didn't deal with every moment because I want to keep this down to Chlollie as much as possible.

I'm just shooting up my little roadblocks to love as I come to them. I felt the end of Escape left things kind of static and I wanted to open it up a little more. Oliver agreeing she was right to freak out was kind of meh for me. So I added a little bit at the end. Also, I let them sleep because I really didn't want them to deal with a long drive home after all that banshee nonsense hijacked the whole damned night.

I did notice that she didn't mention Jimmy in Escape and I wanted to deal with it in Offscreenvillefor this ep , but I couldn't make it flow here. As much as I never shipped it, Chimmy should have come up between Chlollie on the show at least once just to really close the book on the idea that it was a love for the ages. So look for that to be dealt with and put to bed along with one final hammering in for Chlark after Checkmate's events.

So what was with the lightning and the rain about two feet from Chloe, but none on her? None on anyone, despite all the dripping around, actually. I’ll have to go with a (wizard) evil banshee ghost did it, I guess. Of course, I can’t explain why an all-powerful banshee decided to outfit herself at the local Halloween Adventure store. Maybe the economy is affecting the ghost world.

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CHAPTER EIGHT