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Chloe sighed deeply when her phone rang again, she picked it up and looked at the screen then shook her head, this time it was Oliver. Bart had already called, Lois had called three hundred times, and even Clark had called once or twice although, if she had to guess, she would assume her cousin had twisted his arm into calling.
She knew they wanted to know if she was coming to the farm the following day, or in the boys' case, to the Clocktower. She had gotten the emails inviting her to both celebrations, but she had ignored them. She didn't want to celebrate Christmas, it didn't feel right, she didn't feel like she deserved to considering everything she'd done with Davis and to Jimmy and not listening to people when she should have. So she'd locked herself up in the Watchtower. She planned on spending the night there, working, and she planned on ignoring Christmas day all together.
Somewhere around eleven thirty, the calls had stopped, or seemed to have, and in the warmth and silence of the Watchtower, she was starting to get tired. It was snowing heavily outside and driving back to Smallville had never been an option anyway, so she grabbed one of the blankets she'd kept there, wrapped it around herself and went to lay down on the couch. She hadn't really been planning on sleeping, but as she looked out the big window over her head and watched the snow falling steadily but silently outside, her eyes began to feel heavy and just before midnight, she fell asleep.
"Now, is this really a productive use of your time, Miss Sullivan?" A familiar voice asked, pulling her from her slumber.
Chloe shifted on the couch and blinked a couple of times, the only light around Watchtower was the light from the monitors, so it took her eyes a moment to make out the silhouette of the person standing next to her and apparently she was still dreaming because this wasn't possible, "I haven't seen you in my dreams for a long time."
"How unfortunate." He cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow at her. "You need to get up now. We have places to be."
She shook her head and took a deep breath then sat up, "no, I don't have places to be, that's the whole point of being here."
Lionel Luthor sighed heavily, shaking his head. "You've always had to do everything the hard way. So stubborn. Admirable sometimes, but quite annoying and purpose-defeating at others. Now, we need to get going. I only have so much time before the others."
Chloe frowned at that, "go where?" She asked, shaking her head, "what others?"
"You'll see soon enough. Come along, Miss Sullivan."
She shook her head and stood, the blanket still wrapped tightly around herself, "I really must be losing it."
He smirked faintly at that. "There are lessons to be learned from the past."
"Yeah, one of the ones I learned was to never trust Luthors," she told him, raising her eyebrows.
"Fortunately this lesson doesn't involve trust, then," he said with faint amusement, reaching out and putting a hand on her shoulder. "Shall we go?"
"Sure," she sighed, making a face and shaking her head, "let's go."
With a flash of white light, they disappeared, leaving the Watchtower to silence.
* * *
A moment later, they were standing outside a small house, peering in the front windows to where a familiar man and woman were sitting on the sofa, watching a little blond girl opening her presents on Christmas morning.
Lionel looked over at her. "Recognize them?"
Chloe stilled at the sight and took a deep breath, taking a couple of steps forward for a closer look, "that's me," she said quietly, "and my parents."
"Indeed," he said with a slight nod, watching her for a moment, then moving to look in, as well. "I believe you were about five here."
She took a deep breath and nodded, "I think it was the Christmas right after my aunt died."
As if on cue, a girl just a little older than Chloe charged into the room, carrying a big stuffed bear. Her long brown hair was tied back in a ponytail and she moved to sit down next to Chloe.
Chloe's chest tightened a little when she saw Lois, who despite her new toy, had a very upset look on her face, "yeah, this was it," she said quietly then shook her head, "why am I remembering this?" She asked, looking up at Lionel, "why am I seeing this now?"
"Just watch," he responded with a raised eyebrow as he nodded back to the window once more.
A moment later, Lucy and the General follow behind, an uncomfortable look on the older man's face. "Sorry to drop them off on such short notice," he said gruffly, glancing at Moira and Gabe.
Lucy instantly moved over to sit down beside her aunt on the couch, curling up against her.
"Santa forgot us," Lois whispered. "The General forgot to set out cookies."
Chloe shook her head and took Lois' hand in hers, "Santa never forgets anyone, even the kids who can't send cookies," she explained.
"Mom always put out cookies," she said, her eyes worried.
"I'll put out some for you and Lucy, Lois, do you think that will work?" Moira offered.
Outside, Chloe took a deep breath and shook her head then took a step back, "okay, I remember this, I don't have to watch it again." She told Lionel, "what is the point?"
"What do you think is the point?" he asked her, raising an eyebrow at her and studying her.
She took a deep breath and shook her head, "am I supposed to be there for her during Christmas?" She asked, "she has Clark and Mrs. Kent, she doesn't need me."
"As it turns out, Martha was unable to return to Kansas for the holiday," he informed her, watching her intently.
"She still has Clark," Chloe argued and shook her head again, "she's better off without me this year."
"Are you so certain of that, Miss Sullivan? Your cousin, annoying as she may be, may think she has Clark, but who's to say he'll be there when she needs him the most?"
"Lois isn't annoying," she told him, her jaw clenching, "and as much as I don't like her being with Clark and all the dangers that comes with being around him, he is what makes her happy now and he is better company than I am at the moment."
Lionel smirked faintly. "I had hoped I could persuade you to the right way of thinking, but apparently you are indeed as stubborn as I remember."
"I'm done being persuaded by Luthors," she told him tightly, looking back at the house, "especially dead ones."
"Well, perhaps your next visitor will be more to your liking."
"If it's your son, I will let you know ahead of time that I won't be going anywhere with him so tell him not to bother." She said, swallowing hard as she watched her five year old self hugging her cousin inside the house.
"I'm afraid that my son had other obligations this evening," he answered mysteriously, resting his hand on her arm once more. A second later they were back in the Watchtower.
Chloe blinked and looked around, pulling the blanket tighter around herself, "what now--" she paused, frowning and shaking her head when she realized she was alone, "and I didn't even drink anything." She said quietly then took a deep breath and rubbed a hand over her face.
A moment later there was a bright flash of light inside Watchtower.
She blinked and turned around, her eyes widening at the bright light and then she stilled as another familiar face appeared in front of her as the bright disappeared, she swallowed hard again, her eyes tearing up instantly, "Jimmy?" She whispered, shaking her head a little.
He met her eyes and smiled faintly. "Hey, Chloe." His voice was soft as he watched her.
Chloe shook her head a little and took a step back, pulling her blanket tighter around herself, "you can't be here," she murmured.
Seeming almost amused, he gazed at her. "Really? After all the things you've seen, ghosts are that much of a stretch?"
"No," she whispered, her eyes still on him, "but you being here of all places, why?"
He rose to his feet at that, turning and looking around at everything, taking in all the work that had been done since he'd last been there. Since the day he'd died there. "Someone up there owed me a favor and...you needed some help." He turned to look at her once more.
"I don't need any help," she told him, her voice shaking as she spoke, "I'm so sorry I let that happen to you."
Jimmy frowned at her. "You didn't let anything happen, Chloe. You can't control other people's actions."
"I should never have allowed you to become involved in my life, in that mess." She whispered.
"You missed that whole 'can't control other people's actions' thing, didn't you?" A small smile tugged at his mouth and he shook his head at her.
"You wouldn't have been here if it wasn't for me," she told him quietly then took a deep breath.
"Actually, I would have. Just from something else. It's how it works," he said honestly. "When your number is up, it's up and it can't be avoided. One way or another fate finds you."
Her eyes teared up more and she took a deep breath, "I'm so sorry, Jimmy."
Jimmy's expression softened. "I know you are," he said softly, holding his hand out to her.
Chloe's stomach clenched at that and she reluctantly took a step forward and took his hand. "Where are we going?" She whispered.
"There's something you need to see," he said quietly. "It's my job to show it to you."
With a deep breath, she nodded a little, watching him closely.
"I'm here to show you the present," Jimmy told her, giving her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Are you ready?"
"The present?" She echoed, frowning a little, "I already know what is happening during the present."
"Do you?" His voice grew more quiet, and he glanced at her sideways. "Let's find out."
Chloe's grip tightened on his hand as the Watchtower became darker and started to disappear.
A moment later, they were standing in the clock tower, back toward the large window panes. He glanced at her sideways and let go of her hand.
She frowned at the familiar surroundings and shook her head a little, "the Clocktower?" She whispered then frowned more when she heard the TV and turned to look toward it.
Jimmy nodded silently.
Oliver sighed softly, staring blankly at the television screen, watching some old black and white movie even as his gaze strayed toward an untouched glass of whiskey on his table.
Chloe took a few steps forward and as she looked from the television to Oliver and sighed softly when she saw the glass over the table, "I thought the boys were staying here with him," she whispered to Jimmy.
He looked over at her. "Things came up," he said softly. "Victor's on a mission in Costa Rica, nothing dangerous, but he won't be back til the day after tomorrow. AC's with his dad, and Bart's uncle decided to have a big Christmas dinner in Central City," he told her.
"So he's alone?" Chloe asked quietly, her eyes back on Oliver.
"Like he has been for most holidays," Jimmy whispered.
Her face fell and she took a deep shaky breath, "is that why he was calling me?"
"He's worried about you," he told her, nodding toward Oliver once more.
Oliver rose to his feet at that moment, phone to his ear. "Hey, Chloe, it's me again. I know I'm probably driving you crazy with all these messages, but I thought we could at least have dinner later or something?" He rubbed the back of his neck. There was a long moment of silence. "Okay, uh, just call me back when you feel like it." He bit his lower lip, hanging the phone up but not setting it down.
Chloe sighed deeply and pursed her lips together, hesitantly taking a step forward, "I can't leave him alone," she said quietly.
Jimmy watched her for a moment. "You're more tied to him than you realize," he whispered, almost inaudibly.
She stilled at that and looked down, if she had been feeling guilty before it was much worse now, "what do you mean?"
"You saved his life. It changed him, Chloe. Your paths are twined together now. For now at least."
"For now?" She asked, a little alarmed at the question, "why for now? What will change?"
Jimmy gazed at her. "You can make choices that will break that path. But nothing is concrete except the end."
"What is the end?" Chloe asked, this time pulling her eyes from Oliver to Jimmy.
"Fate. When you die." He shrugged a little. "And then it's only the date that's unchangeable. How and why...that's one of those things that changes with every choice and decision made."
"Is Oliver in danger?" She asked, frowning, "is that why you're showing me this?"
"Every day, everyone's in danger, Chloe," he said carefully.
She shook her head and stared at him, her eyes widening, "is something going to happen to him, Jimmy? You have to tell me."
Jimmy nodded back toward Oliver, who'd returned to the sofa, staring down at the phone. Then he set it down and reached out, picking up the glass and taking a drink. "He doesn't do loneliness very well, does he?"
Chloe's chest clenched and she shook her head a little, "this is my fault, I should have answered the phone then he called."
"There's still time," he told her, reaching out toward her with one hand.
She sniffed a little and kept her eyes on Oliver for a moment longer before reaching out and taking Jimmy's hand.
A second later, the clock tower was gone, and she was back at the Watchtower.
"Jimmy?" She called, her eyes wide as she looked around the empty Watchtower again, her heart beating fast as she stilled then started toward her desk for her phone.
Before she could reach it, a tall, dark figure stepped in front of her, silent and looming.
Chloe stilled and gasped as she almost ran right into him. She raised her eyes to his face slowly and her stomach turned. Blinking, she swallowed and took a step back, her eyes wide, "no," she gasped, "not you."
A faint smirk touched his mouth, but he said nothing as he moved closer to her, reaching out for her hand.
She tried to pull back, but Davis was faster and next thing she knew, they were leaving the Watchtower once more.
* * *
A moment later they were standing in the middle of a cemetery, fog all around them. He was staring at her with cold eyes, but he didn't say a word. Then he slowly lifted one hand to point to a small group of gatherers a few feet away.
Chloe blinked a couple of times and looked in the direction he was pointing. Her chest tightened as she first realized they were in a cemetery and then as she looked at the group, all dressed in black, she first recognized her cousin. Her eyes widened and she had the feeling she knew whose grave that would be, taking a deep breath and without looking at Davis, she wrapped her arms around herself and moved closer to the group. She recognized Clark, Bart, Arthur and Victor and her stomach was tighter when she realized who it was missing, "no," she breathed, "no, Jimmy said it wasn't too late!" She demanded, looking at Davis, "he said I could still help him!"
Davis simply raised an eyebrow at her, nodding toward the group once more.
"I still don't understand," Clark murmured. "I could have saved his life."
She shuddered at the cold wind and stepped closer so she could actually hear them.
"It's not your fault," Lois assured Clark, before leaning down and placing a single white rose over the grave.
"It was his time," Victor added, lowering his head.
Bart, however, crossed his arms over his chest and just shook his head, Chloe could see the tears running down his face, his expression tense.
She stepped forward and looked down at the tombstone, her stomach turning at the confirmation, "Oliver Jonas Queen." She whispered, her eyes tearing up, "I won't let this happen," she told Davis, keeping her eyes on the group as her hands turned into fists.
Davis remained silent, even as he tapped her shoulder and began to move away from the group.
Chloe blinked and looked from the group to Davis, reluctantly following him, her jaw tight.
He led her to a freshly dug grave several yards away, and then stood beside it silently, staring at her.
She looked from Davis to the grave, blinking a couple of times when she read her own name on it, her eyes widened a little more and she lowered her head, "oh..."
A dark chuckle escaped his mouth and without warning, he reached out and shoved her hard into the grave, his eyes glowing red.
Chloe screamed as she fell and even as she expected to touch the bottom of it, it never came, she kept on falling, everything was dark for a moment so she closed her eyes tightly, and then she felt something soft beneath her. Slowly, she opened her eyes and realized she was back at the Watchtower, the blanket wrapped tightly around herself, her eyes wide as she looked around, it was much lighter than before, "it's morning," she whispered and without blinking she pushed herself up and rushed to the phone, her heart beating fast against her chest as she dialed Oliver's number and waited.
He answered on the second ring. "Chloe?" There was a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
"Oliver," she breathed, letting out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "You're okay."
There was a moment of silence. "Is...there some reason I shouldn't be?"
"I-- no," she took a deep breath, "I'm sorry I didn't answer your calls last night, I just, I guess I wanted to be alone for a while."
"Oh." His voice was soft. "It's okay. It's nothing you need to apologize for. There was no emergency or anything."
"Are you at the Clocktower?" She asked, holding her breath again as a plan started to form in her mind.
There was another brief pause. "Yeah, why?"
"Stay there," she told him, pursing her lips together and smiling slightly as she pulled her boots on in a hurry then grabbed her coat on the way out of the door, "I'll see you soon."
"Are you all right?" There was a hint of worry in his voice.
"Yeah," she took a deep breath, "I'm okay, just stay there."
"Okay." He sounded a little confused.
"See you soon," she said again before hanging up.
* * *
About forty minutes later, she got into the elevator carrying more bags than it was possible before with difficulty, but she managed to get everything inside, then she waited for it to go up to the top floor.
Oliver's eyebrows furrowed as he moved over to watch the monitor as she made her way into the elevator. Rubbing the back of his neck with utter confusion, he moved over to the elevator once it arrived at his floor and he pulled the grating up. "Chloe? What is all this?"
"Help me?" she asked, lifting up one of the bags and smiling softly at him.
He reached out without hesitation, taking a couple of the bags from her and moving out of her way so she could come inside.
"Be careful with that one," she told him, "I think that's the food," she explained.
He glanced down at the bag and drew in a breath before letting it out slowly. "The guys aren't going to make it after all, Chloe," he told her.
"I know," she told him, "but neither is Mrs. Kent so Clark is going up to DC to see her. I hope you don't mind that I invited Lois over too, she should be here in a couple of hours."
"Oh." Oliver raised his eyebrows a little at that news. "Yeah, that's fine." He watched her for a moment, then carried the sack of food into the kitchen and set it down on the table.
Chloe pursed her lips together and looked around then smiled a little and pulled a box out of one of the bags, pulling a small, battery-powered tree from inside, she figured Oliver wouldn't have a tree, so she got one. She turned on the switch quickly and then smiled when the built-in lights came on.
He stepped back into the main room and cocked his head to the side a little when he saw the lighted tree. A faint hint of amusement in his expression, Oliver arched an eyebrow at her. "Did I miss something?"
"A tree, obviously," she told him, holding out the small tree, "but that should take care of it, where should we put it? We need space under it for the presents."
Oliver raised his other eyebrow at that. "I guess we can set it on the coffee table," he suggested, nodding over toward it.
"That works," she told him, then proceeded to pull the wrapped gifts from the rest of the bags and pile them up under and over the coffee table.
He watched her for a moment, then disappeared down the hallway, returning a moment later with several wrapped packages of his own. He gave her a small, sheepish smile and tucked them under the tree with hers.
Chloe held his gaze and smiled softly, nodding, "looks a lot better now."
"Yeah, it does," he said softly, holding her gaze back and smiling a little.
She hesitated for a second then stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around him, "Merry Christmas."
A little caught off guard, he hesitated only a second, then hugged her back just as tightly. "Merry Christmas, Chloe."
She relaxed a little and closed her eyes, Jimmy had told her she couldn't change the day things happened, but that didn't mean she couldn't make things easier on him in the meanwhile, "I'm sorry I worried you last night," she said quietly. "I didn't mean to."
"It's okay," he murmured, rubbing her back. "I was just bored. It wasn't anything important."
"Yeah, it was," she said quietly, "you're always important," she told him quietly, pulling back enough to look up at him.
He gazed at her, his eyebrows furrowed a little. "Are you all right, Chloe?" He searched her eyes.
"I'm okay," she told him, her voice barely above a whisper as she searched his eyes back, "just keep that in mind, okay?"
"I will if you'll do the same." Oliver offered her a small smile.
"I will," she told him quietly, smiling softly before leaning in and kissing his cheek softly, "thank you."
He smiled a little more and kissed her forehead. "Ditto."
Chloe closed her eyes for a second then smiled and lifted her head to look at him again, "is there anything else we need to make it a perfect Christmas?"
Oliver gazed down at her for a moment. "Maybe just one," he murmured, searching her eyes.
"What is it?" she whispered softly, holding his gaze.
He hesitated a moment, then dipped his head and kissed her very softly.
Her chest tightened and she smiled a little, not hesitating before returning the kiss and tightening her arms around him just slightly.
"Thank you," he said softly a moment later, leaning his forehead against hers.
"Don't thank me," she said quietly then lifted a hand to cup his cheek, "this is what my Christmas was missing too."
Oliver leaned into her touch, nodding slightly. "Not anymore."
"No," she smiled softly, brushing her thumb over his cheek, "thanks to you."
"Thanks to us," he corrected her quietly.
"I'll take that," she agreed quietly, brushing her lips against his once more and pulling him close, she didn't know if she had dreamed all of it or not, but it didn't matter, she was going to make sure both of them enjoyed the time that they had as much as they could. Together.