Smallville 1. Chapter 1

Smallville

The Beginning in the End

Pairing: Tess Mercer and Oliver Queen

Summary: There were seven years that we never got to see. This is the journey that Oliver and Tess took during those seven years. The beginning in the end is the moment that Oliver finds Tess clinging to life on the floor of LuthorCorp.

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

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><p>Watchtower was silent when Oliver burst through the door. He was focused on changing out of his green leather and bounded up the staircase. Within a few seconds, Oliver was inside of the walk-in closet which housed a couple of extra outfits for everyone working with Watchtower for emergency purposes. The closet was used quite frequently and was organized into sections by each person's name, so Oliver immediately sought out his part of the closet.<p>

As he was pulling back his hood and tearing off his glasses, Oliver happened to glance over at Tess' section of the closet and he stopped suddenly. There were a few empty hangers sticking out at odd angles which caused Oliver alarm but also, relief. Tess was neat and tidy… only when she was in a rush did she leave things in such a state. But it was also a relief to see that Tess had been here and was well enough to change clothes.

Oliver had no idea what had happened to Tess after she was kidnapped on her way to warn them of the planet heading toward them. And in all of the chaos, he had not thought about her since leaving the farm in order to return to the city to finish off Darkseid's allies since he was the only one who knew where they were. And Clark and Lois had decided to figure out what had happened to Tess.

He slowly took off his green leather as he walked toward her part of the closet. He lightly touched the hangers and hoped that Lois and Clark had been successful in their attempts to rescue Tess. Except, there was no sign of either Clark or Lois having been at Watchtower recently… it appeared to Oliver that Tess had been alone when she had changed clothes hurriedly.

Oliver glanced toward the laundry hamper and when he saw something inside, he walked over and picked it up so that he could get a better look.

His heart sank at what he saw. It was a dressing gown that one would find in a hospital. Suddenly, Oliver had something in his gut tell him that he needed to find Tess. Wherever she had been was not good and sometimes, Tess could act rashly in order to settle her curiosity and find her justice.

And something in his gut was telling Oliver that wherever Tess was she was not with anyone that could help her.

He finished getting changed quickly as his heart was starting to pound loudly in his ears. He pulled on a pair of pants, and threw on a t-shirt while he was turning toward the door of the walk-in closet he pulled a jacket off the hanger and was out of there in mere seconds.

Oliver put on the jackets as he flew down the stairs in a blur. He rushed over to the equipment and started barking out orders.

"I need to find Tess. Bring up the tracking device on her cell phone. I need the coordinates of her location." He said as he reached one of the computers and started punching in codes on the keyboard as the system completed its search.

"Location found: Tess Mercer's cell phone's GPS indicates it is currently in the Arctic..."

Oliver shook his head without looking up even though the information was bizarre. "No—Tess is not in the arctic. Bring up the surveillance of the building for the last eight hours. I want to know which way she came in and which way she left."

"Surveillance found two images on subject: 1st image was 5 hours, 36 minutes, and 32 seconds ago Tess Mercer entered building from Main Entrance. Tess Mercer spent 34 minutes, and 26 seconds inside building before exiting from Main Entrance. 2nd image was 28 minutes and 16 seconds ago Tess Mercer entered building from South East entrance. Tess Mercer spent 19 minutes and 54 seconds inside building before exiting from north exit and heading west on Maple Drive."

Oliver saw the images on the screens as the automated voice of the system described her actions in detached detail. His heart was beating inside his chest and his anxiety only increased by the way he saw her the first time in a distressed state wearing the hospital gown. The second time Tess was wearing what Oliver assumed were the clothes she took from the closet upstairs and she looked like she was physically okay which made him feel only a little better.

"I want every image from West Maple Drive from the last half-hour that you can find. And search each and every face that the cameras pick up for Tess. I want to know where she went."

Oliver only had to wait a few seconds before the search was completed. "Subject found: Tess Mercer seen heading West on Maple Drive for three blocks. Tess Mercer cannot be seen on West Maple Drive after Maple Drive and 34th Street."

"Wait… what street?" Oliver asked as dread flew through his entire body.

"Tess cannot be seen on West Maple Drive after Maple Drive and 34th Street."

"What is on West Maple Drive and 34th Street?" Oliver asked although he knew the answer.

"West Maple Drive and 34th Street is the address of LuthorCorp International Headquarters." The system replied in that same automated tone that was making Oliver sick to his stomach.

"Tess… what are you doing at LuthorCorp?" Oliver knew that on any other day it would be a simple question because she was still the CEO of that company and it was now technically a part of Queen Industries but today was not any other day and Oliver was sick with worry.

And without any other warning, Oliver ran out the door of Watchtower with only one mission in his mind.

Find Tess.

When Oliver exited the building the exact same way that Tess had only about a half-hour ago all he found was chaos outside. The ground was shaking just a little bit from all of the activity; there was a buzz in the air from people in a near panic from what they were seeing in the orange-red sky that was heading right for them.

He started running along the street and was constantly bumping into people as he tried to maneuver his way through the crowd. But Oliver could not stop picturing Tess' face in his mind and he knew that he had to get to her as fast as he could. So he just started shoving people out of his way because he knew in his heart that time was not on his side.

After what seemed like an eternity, he rounded the corner on 34th Street. He had LuthorCorp in his sight and started to make his way through the crowds that had gathered in the street. They were all staring up at the planet as it began to seem like it was closer now more than ever to colliding with Earth and as Tess' face continued to flash in his mind, Oliver saw something flash out of the corner of his eye.

He turned his head to get a better look and immediately he found relief in knowing that Clark had the situation under control… and when he next saw his friend he would have to congratulate him on the whole defying gravity part that Clark seems to have finally mastered.

"Come on, Clark. You can do this." He whispered as he watched his friend flying higher and higher and getting closer and closer to the planet. And only seconds later, the massive object in the sky began to move away from them.

He started smiling a little as the people around began to cheer and rejoice as the darkness and the planet were conquered by his friend, Clark. But Oliver did not get lost too long in celebration and he was not happy with triumph.

Because Oliver still saw Tess' face in his mind and knew that he had no time to celebrate anything until he found out that she was okay.

So he started to push his way through the crowd that was preoccupied by happiness instead of the anxiety that had been on their minds only moments before they witnessed the heroic efforts of someone they did not even know.

Oliver ran toward the doors of LuthorCorp and knew that he would not have anyone to contend with as soon as he crossed the lobby floor because the building was practically deserted. He rushed toward the elevator and hit the button. He waited anxiously for the car to arrive.

"Come on!" He whispered under his breath. He felt like he was not going to make it there in time.

Finally, the doors opened and he ran inside. He pushed the button for the top floor and was thankful that the elevator was on its way as quickly as possible. The elevator cart raced up the building and he felt the dread build up inside him.

'What am I going to find when I get there?' He thought.

The doors opened only a few moments later and he was out of the door instantly. He raced toward her office and found what he had been dreading since he saw Tess leave the Watchtower building on the surveillance cameras.

"Tess!" He called to her as she was slumped on the floor with no movement whatsoever. "Oh my god, what happened?"

He leaned down next to her on the floor and picked her up into his arms as he inspected her body. She did not look to be conscious and he saw the blood from her abdomen dripping onto the floor. "Tess, please! You can't leave me. Okay? You hear me? Do not leave me!"

Oliver looked around the room. He did not see anyone around and he had no time to figure out what had happened to her or who had done this because there would be time for that after he got help.

But he was not sure what do because an ambulance would not get here in time to save her life and in that moment, he just let out a blood curdling scream that would be heard by only one person in the entire universe that could possibly help them.

He just hoped it would work.

"HELP! MY GIRLFRIEND IS DYING! SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME! MY GIRLFRIEND TESS' IS DYING! HELP! HELP ME NOW!" Oliver could only hope that Clark had heard him. "HELP! PLEASE, SOMEONE! HELP! TESS MERCER NEEDS HELP! WE'RE AT LUTHORCORP! SHE'S DYING! HE—"

His screams were cut off by a rush of wind flying through the room and as he looked up, Clark Kent was standing before him wearing red and blue spandex but that was just another thing that Oliver and Clark would have to discuss later.

"What happened?" Clark asked with concern lacing his features as he took in the scene before him.

"I don't know! She's dying. You have to help her."

Clark nodded and bent down next to Oliver to take Tess from his arms. There was no time for talking or anything like that so the only thing that Oliver knew was that one second Clark was standing before him with Tess in his arms. Then they both disappeared in a rush of wind and color as Clark rushed Tess to safety.

And Oliver was left standing alone in the middle of the room hoping that Tess would be just fine.

He had no idea what he would do if she wasn't.

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><p>End of Chapter 1.<p>

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	2. Chapter 2

The Beginning in the End

Chapter 2

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><p>Clark left LuthorCorp with Tess in his arms and instantly flew her to Metropolis General Hospital with trepidation and nervousness in his heart. He focused on listening to the sound of her heart beating but it was so soft that it scared him that she was quickly running out of time.<p>

He saw the hospital only a few seconds after he had set off and then he the closer he got the more anxious he became. Clark landed in front of the hospital with a thud that shook the ground causing everyone in the area to stop what they were doing and look at him.

Clark found the first person he could and approached them with his friend still in his arms. "Please, you have to help this woman. She's been stabbed and she's bleeding to death."

That seemed to trigger the emergency response from the doctors and the nurses around. "When was she stabbed?"

One doctor asked him as he pushed a stretcher in front of Clark and he immediately placed on top of it but made sure to do so carefully. "I don't know when she was stabbed but she's losing a lot of blood. Please help her."

"Do you know this woman?" The doctor asked.

He shook his head. He hated to do it but Tess had not yet been publically connected to any of the superheroes besides Oliver and he needed to keep it that way for her safety and the safety of everyone else.

The doctor started looking her over as did a few nurses and in the rush to save this woman's life they completely forgot about the man that flown in with her that was dressed in spandex. "Prep OR 1 and get the surgical team set. Let's move her in ASAP! Let's go, people."

The team gathered around the stretcher and rushed Tess through the doors of the Emergency Room and left Clark standing there waiting.

"Excuse me?"

Clark looked around and found that while the people that were attending to Tess had forgotten about him that no one else had that was standing outside the hospital. And now, one woman had come up to Clark and was in front of him.

"Young man," The little old lady began with a warm smile. "You're the one that saved us from meteor, aren't you?"

Clark nodded, "I was just trying to help, ma'am."

"May I ask who you are?" She replied with another warm smile. Clark could see the others around him were coming in closer to get a glimpse of him and to hear what he was going to say.

Clark really did not know what do because while he was calm on the outside, his mind was on Tess and her wellbeing. So he just smiled back at the woman and the others.

"I am a friend." Clark said and then he took to the skies as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

He left in his wake a crowd of people staring at him in amazement.

Clark was back at the emergency room sooner rather than later because after he had placed Tess in the care of the doctors he had set out to find Oliver. He found his friend back at Watchtower in a frantic state of panic and anxiety.

When Clark had told Oliver where Tess was the two men were out of the door again and back on their way to the hospital. Clark followed Oliver all the way down to Metropolis General and he was torn between concern for Tess' life and wondering how close Oliver was to completely losing his mind because it appeared to Clark that Oliver was well on his track to freaking out.

They walked through the doors of the Emergency Room about a half hour after Oliver had found Tess on the floor of LuthorCorp. Clark trailed behind Oliver just a little when the blonde was walked right up to the receptionist and started blurting out words.

"My name is Oliver and my girlfriend was brought in a little bit ago. Her name is Tess Mercer and I would like to see her right away. She needs to okay, is she okay?"

Clark was startled not only by the urgency in his friend but by the fact that in the last half hour or so, Oliver had referred to Tess as his girlfriend quite a few times. He really hoped that it was just a slip of the tongue during his panic because if it was anything more than that things were about to get very complicated.

"Okay, sir I need you to calm down. I can look at our patient information but I need you to calm down."

Clark stood next to his friend at the counter and watched as the receptionist typed things into the computer. "Ma'am, I think she may be in surgery. She was suffering from a lot of blood loss."

The receptionist looked up from her computer screen. "Were you here when she was brought in?"

Clark panicked. He started thinking of anything that he could say besides how he had been the one to fly her in. "Uh—"

"Our friend works at the Daily Planet and was working on a story here when Tess was brought in so she called us."

The receptionist looked satisfied with that answer and turned back to her computer. "We have two people currently in surgery from the ER and one is a female Jane Doe suffering from loss of blood and one stab wound to the abdomen."

"That's her! She is okay?" Oliver asked.

The receptionist looked back up at him and Clark to give him a sympathetic look that made his heart clench in his chest. "I am sorry but it's too soon to tell anything and she is still in surgery so it could be a while. But I will let the doctors know that the two of you are waiting for word on her condition. Please take a seat."

Clark tugged on Oliver's arm as they made their way into the waiting room. It was full of people but they managed to find a place with two chairs and sat down.

It was hard to get Oliver still enough to sit down because he was practically bouncing off the walls. "I don't know what I am going to do if she's dies."

Clark sighed. "She's not going to die."

Oliver paced some more up and down the aisles of the waiting room while Clark sat down. "You don't know that, man. You are not a psychic, you can't see the future. She could die. And what I am I going to do if that happens?"

Clark shrugged and tried to repeat his earlier statement.

But Oliver continued talking. "Do you have any idea what it was like for me being on that island? I saw nobody, touched nobody, spoke to nobody for _years_, Clark. You remember what it was like for you to be without Lois, right?"

Clark nodded unsure where this rant was going to but he knew that Oliver was not going to be stopped.

There was panic mixed with desperation in his voice, and his body. It seemed to Clark that Oliver had something to get off of his chest and the fear that was inside was propelling whatever that something was out into the open.

But a part of Clark knew that also that whatever this something was would not be able to be put back inside again when everything settled down and he feared what might happen next for the friends he held so dear.

"You were lost without her, right? I was lost on that island, literally, for years. And by some chance of fate, only one person found me. It was Tess. She was the first person I saw after I had spent years alone on that island. I carry that image of her with me every day. It's in everything I do because I figure that if at the end of the worst time of my life I find the woman I love then hope always exists. She's my hope, Clark. I can't live without that."

Clark had to close his eyes when he heard it but the action went unnoticed by Oliver.

_The woman I love then hope always exists. She's my hope, Clark. I can't live without that._

Oliver, his best guy friend who was married to his best childhood friend Chloe, had just confessed his love for Tess who was another close friend. This was surely going to get complex but for now, he could not focus on that.

Oliver had finished his rant by sitting down next to Clark and he decided to show his friend some support and comfort in his time of need. If Oliver's heart really belonged to Tess then the next few months of their lives would not be easy… add on top of that his new found level of publicity and Clark just hoped he would be able to find time alone with Lois in the next few months.

Clark sighed.

"Man, she'll be okay. You have to have some faith." Clark pleaded with Oliver as the man next to him tried to fight back tears. Clark saw as his friend calmed down a little and nodded his head in response.

"After everything I've seen today… I can go on a little faith." Oliver said with a soft voice as they both stared at the doors marked for surgery and knew that beyond those doors Tess was lying on a metal table clinging to her life.

And they waited clinging to their own faith that she would be able to survive.

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><p>End of Chapter 2.<p>

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	3. Chapter 3

The Beginning in the End

Chapter 3

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><p>Lois ran into the building only stopping briefly after the automatic doors opened in front of her and she was through them to put on her other shoe. Only a few hours ago she had gotten off a plane and had had only one goal since then which was to reach the hospital as soon as possible.<p>

She flipped her brunette hair out of her eyes as she looked up towards the elevators. Her heart sped up as she noticed that the doors of one were about to close and she saw the arrows indicating it was on its way up.

"Hold the elevator!" She yelled out as she sprinted toward the elevator. "Wait!"

A hand shot the doors stopping them from shutting. Relief flew through her whole body as she reached the elevator finally.

And she was even more relieved to find Clark sticking his head out from the elevator. "Lois?"

She beamed at him and catapulted into his arms. He willingly caught her. The comfort and warmth she found in Clark spread through her body as she closed her eyes. Lois felt the elevator lurch into action as it took them up the building.

And thankfully, they were the only two in the elevator.

"Oh, Clark, you have no idea how good it is to see you." Lois said as she wrapped her arms around him and the doors closed behind them.

"Tell me about it." Clark replied. "It's been an awful couple of days."

Lois enjoyed the safety of his embrace for a few more seconds before she leaned back as the elevator started to rise up.

The lines in his face relayed the stress Clark had been under and her heart clenched in her throat with the anxiety that began to build in her system. It had been hard to hear all of the information second hand from Clark about what had happened to Tess.

"So how's she doing?" Lois asked and her eyes searched his frantically for information while he ran one hand through his hair.

He kept his arms around her waist and held her tightly. "She's doing fine. When Oliver found her she was bleeding profusely. Someone stabbed her and she lost a tremendous amount of blood. I don't think that she would have survived much longer if he had not found her and called for me. I don't even think she had enough time for an ambulance."

Lois shook her head. "Oh my god, but you got to her in time. What did the doctors say when you brought her in?"

Clark flashed her half of a smile. "Well, that's the interesting part of this story… I had to bring her to the hospital while I was still dressed in my suit so…"

"Look, someone has to keep tabs on you because goodness knows the best lies you can come up with to excuse your frequent absences is that you had to return your movie rentals. So you just leave your sudden appearance to me and I will come up with something to knock the socks of this city. But back to little miss spitfire."

Clark nodded. "The doctors worked on her for a while, seven hours, but they are confident that she's going to be okay. She has been awake all morning but wouldn't tell us anything until you got here. We don't know who did this or where she was when she went missing the day of our wedding… that's another thing we need to talk about."

Lois nodded and released herself from his grip. The elevator dinged indicating they had reached their floor. She turned around but held Clark's hand in hers as the doors opened. "I know, we should already be Mrs. and Mr. but instead we are stuck saving the world. Once everything settles back down we can strut down the aisle once more and say I do. Sound good?"

Clark smiled at her as they began to make their way down the hallway. "It sounds perfect."

Only a few moments later they were opening the door to Tess' room. The couple stopped short as Oliver sat next to her bed with his head on the mattress and his eyes shut. Tess was wide awake and looking out the window.

She turned her head slowly toward the door. Lois could see the pain in her friend's every movement. Tess tried to crack a smile but it was stiff. Her hair was matted and dull, her skin was pale, and she was bandaged around her middle as well as hooked up to multiple machines.

But what amazed Lois was the ease with which Tess was handling the sleeping Oliver. She was obviously comfortable with him being there. She wanted to chalk it up to their friendship but something inside her was telling her differently.

Before Lois had time to analyze it any further, Clark cleared his throat so loudly it caused Oliver to lurch into alertness.

"Huh? What?" He groaned out as he fell back into the chair he was sitting in. Oliver looked to the door.

Lois saw slow recognition come across his face and she smiled. "So… taking a little cat nap? I think that between you and Tess, she is the only person that deserves the rest. Why don't you just throw Tess out of the bed? Sleeping is so much better when your covered up, you big baby."

Oliver snorted. "Hello to you, too, Lois."

Lois and Clark walked into the room further. Clark shut the door behind them as Lois made her way to the side of the bed opposite Oliver and sat down in another chair. She looked at Tess and smiled the best she could.

"How are you doing?"

Tess shrugged but Lois could see she immediately regretted the decision. She winced in pain and hissed in a quick breath.

"Are you okay?"

"What's wrong?"

Oliver and Lois both asked their respective questions at the same time. They looked at each briefly in annoyance but turned their attention back to the patient as she answered them both at the same time as well.

"Yes, I am okay and there is nothing wrong. I just shouldn't be moving as quickly as I am used to."

Oliver sprang to his feet and began to adjust the pillows behind her. "Do you need the nurse or the doctor?"

Tess said softly. "No. I am fine."

Lois watched as Oliver continued to fuss with Tess' pillows and in his sincere attempt to help Tess in her recovery process, she could see on Tess' face that he was not helping at all. Tess cringed as he kept on fluffing pillows until Lois rolled her eyes and snapped.

"Okay, that's it. Oliver, would you please stop fluffing her pillows?" Lois looked at him sternly and he backed away suddenly and sheepishly.

He blushed. "Oh, I am sorry."

Oliver sat down in his chair as Clark stepped up to the end of the bed and put his arms over his chest. Lois could see the warm look in his eyes but knew that he was ready to get down to business now that they were all gathered in the same place.

And that is exactly what Clark had in mind. "Okay, so… can you tell us now what happened to you, Tess?"

Tess looked each of her friends in the eye as she nodded her head.

The anticipation of each person seemed to fill the room with nervousness and anxiety as all eyes were on the young redheaded lady that had been through as much hell as any of them had in the last few days. While they had all been fighting for the world, she had been fighting for her life and everyone was happy that there had been success all the way around.

But now they were going to find out exactly what had happened to Tess that had resulted with her lying in this bed in front of them. She took a deep breath and then said…

"Lex stabbed me."

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><p>End of Chapter 3.<p>

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	4. Chapter 4

The Beginning in the End

Chapter 4

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><p>"Lex stabbed me."<p>

What surprised Tess the most as the words tumbled out of her mouth was not the shocked expressions of Oliver and Lois… but the lack of expression from Clark. He was standing toward the door a little with his arms over his chest and not even a flicker of expression spread across his strong features at the news.

It dawned on Tess that perhaps the news, to Clark, was not a surprise.

And before the two others had time to register the news and react to it, Tess had her eyes focused on Clark and nodded toward him with an eyebrow raised. "Did you see him?"

Lois and Oliver whipped their heads toward him and both were still trying to process the information that they had just received. Neither could say anything yet so Clark and Tess continued without them.

"I saw him at the Mansion. I went there to look for you and… I found him instead." Clark said.

Tess nodded. "What did he say to you?"

Clark just shrugged. "He basically talked about our destinies. His is the villain of the story and mine is the hero and then he urged me to save the world from the darkness. In a very weird way… he was actually supportive."

Lois flew her arms around in the air and her brunette hair shook around her shoulders. "Okay here! The two of you need to switch gears from totally calm to completely freaking out. You cannot… I repeat that you cannot just calmly talk about a man coming back from the dead while Oliver and I freak out… which in case you two were wondering is the appropriate response to such news, thank you very much."

Clark smirked. "I'm sorry, honey. Where would you like us to start from?"

Oliver finally chimed in. "The beginning seems to be a pretty good place."

Clark nodded his head to Tess. "If she's up to it then I think Tess should tell us her story… from the time she went missing to the moment she was found by Oliver. What do you say?"

Tess looked up between her thick eyelashes and even in her distressed state replied, "As long as the morphine keeps flowing… then I don't have a problem."

Oliver suddenly became concerned again with her wellbeing and walked closer to her bedside. "Are you in pain?"

Tess wiggled her eyebrows at him and shook her head. "No… it was just a joke. Perhaps you should take a stroll pass the nurses' station and see if they can give you a valium. I think you could use one and perhaps if that does not work… next time, try decaf."

Oliver smirked at her. "You know if you weren't recovering from life threatening injuries I would tell you how unfunny you are but I don't want to hurt your feelings when you are in such a delicate condition."

Tess was just about to open her mouth to speak but Lois apparently had enough. "Okay… we get it. You two can bicker like cats and dogs under any circumstances imaginable. It's cute and touching, really but you have to stop now because we have to get back to story time. Tess… you can begin."

So Tess told her story of how she had discovered that Apokolips was heading toward Earth and that she was on her way to the wedding in Smallville to warn everyone when she was cut off by two large vehicles and kidnapped.

"They threw me in one of the cars, blindfolded me, cuffed me, and sped off." Tess said. Each one of her listeners had a distressed look on their faces at her ordeal but she failed to notice the fear and anger that flashed over Oliver's face as he listened intently.

She went on to explain that they injected her with something that must have made her lose consciousness because the next thing she remembers is being drug inside a room wearing a hospital gown. Tess described how they strapped her to a table, and how horrifying the sound of the electric saw was.

Lois quietly asked. "What—what were they going to do?"

Tess was beginning to shake with the enormity of the memories and what she was about to describe.

All of her life she had wanted to belong somewhere. She had always been searching for people that would accept her and as the tears began to well up into her eyes she had remember that she had found it in these three people before her. It was strange but in these three people she had found what she had always wanted her entire life… a family.

And if she had any lingering doubts that she belonged with them… when Lois came to her side, sat down in the chair next to the bed, and held onto her hand… those lingering doubts vanished once and for all.

She glanced at Lois and offered a weak smile. All Tess found in return was a slightly tearful gaze and a shining smile that gave her nothing but support and acceptance.

"They… were going to remove my heart… to give to Lex. Lionel was going to give my heart to Lex because it was the only part that he was missing to complete a perfect clone of Lex that was compiled out of all the best parts of other Lex Luthor clones."

"Gross." Lois quipped and everyone in the room relaxed just a bit.

"What happened next?" Oliver pressed gently.

Tess smirked. "What do you think? I masterfully maneuvered out of the straps they had me in, overpowered all of the doctors in the room, knocked out the security guards, stole one of their guns, and shot Lionel in the chest before getting the hell out of there."

Lois laughed out loud at Tess' cheerfully delivering of the account, Clark shook his head with an amused expression, and Oliver just smirked as he said, "That's my Mercy."

Tess was stuck between beaming proudly at hearing her nickname, something that she always secretly loved but would never say that to him, and blushing. She found herself stuck in the middle of those two but quickly pressed onto her story.

She told them how she returned to Watchtower, changed clothes, and then decided to try to find Lex.

"Why?"

It was Clark who asked this question and he repeated it before Tess could answer. "Tess, why would you go after Lex on your own?"

Tess stared at him. "I knew you would figure out a way to save us, Clark. I didn't know you had seen Lex but I knew he would come after you eventually. As a Luthor, I inherited all of the knowledge Lex had about you… and I am sure he kept even more hidden for only him to know about, and I could not have him be a threat to you. He knew too much, Clark. I had to do something and the only time I would be able to do something without you or anyone getting on me about the morality of it or about the dangers of the slippery slope… I had to act."

Clark advanced toward the edge of the bed and stood towering over her. Tess knew that he would be upset her with. She also knew that he would never harm her… or at least, he never would now but still, he was intimidating.

"What did you do?"

Tess stared at Clark. He may be intimidating but there was no going back and she knew that in the grand scheme of things… she had done the right thing. And it was the only thing that would save Clark and everyone dear to him. "There was a neurotoxin. Lex started its development and I finished it. When this neurotoxin makes contact with someone's skin… it paralyzes all cognitive recognition."

"Or to put it into English, you just erased Lex's memories." Oliver said.

Tess nodded.

"Why?" Clark asked. "You had no right to erase his memories… even if he was a clone of the real Lex. It doesn't make it right."

But before Tess had a chance to answer his question, Oliver threw a question at her that left her much more frazzled than any morality questions from Clark ever could.

"You knew he would try to kill you, didn't you? Before going to see him, you knew how dangerous it would be to try this!" Oliver snapped.

Tess looked down at her blanket. "It was certainly a possibility but I had a small window of opportunity and I knew you guys would never let me do this if you knew about it before hand—"

"Of course I wouldn't let you confront Lex Luthor! The fact that you almost died after one brief encounter is all the proof I need!"

Oliver huffed. "Don't you realize how close I was…I mean how close we were to losing you? If I had gotten there even a few seconds later then all I would have found is your body, how could you think that was a chance worth taking?"

Tess looked up and stared at him. The electricity between them filled the room and all she could do was try not to get lost in his intense eyes as they poured long forgotten emotions all over her.

"Saving Clark or anyone of you is chance I will always think is worth taking. You're my family. And whether Clark agrees with the morality of it or not is hardly the point. Lex Luthor no longer remembers anything of his life before the last couple of days and that makes everyone in this room ten times safer than we would be if he still had those memories. I took the risk for us all and I knew it could end badly for me but I was willing to sacrifice my life."

Oliver shook his head. "No."

"Excuse me?" Tess asked.

Oliver looked her in the eye and her heart stopped at the raw expression on his. He was wearing his heart on his sleeve and she felt like he was letting her see into his soul with that one single expression of terror, anxiety, and heartbreak.

"No, you don't get to make that sacrifice. As long as I am still breathing… you will never get to make that sacrifice."

He turned on his heel and walked out the door. The sound it made as it shut behind him echoed in her ears and her heart.

It was only then did she realize that she had forgotten Clark and Lois were still in the room with her.

She felt Lois squeeze her hand in reassurance. "I am sure he will cool down, Tess."

Clark nodded. "I am sure he will… it's just that you have no idea how afraid he was that we would lose you. And hearing you knew the dangers going into it… he's just freaked out that is. How about you rest and I will go see how he's doing?"

Tess nodded. Clark walked out the door after his friend and Lois leaned back in her chair. She grabbed the television remote from the bedside table and turned on the television that hung on the wall across from the bed.

"A little Jerry Springer and we girls will be as right as rain." Lois said with a shaky voice that did not hide the fact that she was almost as shaken by the entire conversation as was the redhead.

Tess nodded her head but was not paying any more attention to her friend or the television. She had no idea what to make of what had just happened between she and Oliver. His reaction was stronger than she had anticipated and the last thing she needed was for the implications of what that could mean messing with her already cloudy mind.

So she decided it was best to leave those matters of the heart for a time when she did not have a plastic hospital identification bracelet wrapped around her wrist.

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><p>End of Chapter 4.<p>

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	5. Chapter 5

The Beginning in the End

Chapter 5

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><p>Oliver was having an all-out battle with a vending machine when Clark found him. He could see him approach out of the corner of his eye but he was in no mood to talk to anyone. And he could only imagine what the conversation would be like with Clark after he had exploded at Tess.<p>

"Come on!" He yelled as he punched the vending machine. He hoped his candy bar would stop hanging on the end of the shelf and would fall to the bottom. But when he didn't he punched the offending machine and again.

And he had to admit it felt good just to hit something.

There were so many emotions coursing through him. He was angry at Tess. He was unbelievably pissed off at how she could be so reckless. She had taken the biggest risk by confront Lex alone and he did not care at all what her motivation had been.

He also did not care that he would probably have done the same thing in her position. He was angry because he could have lost her. He was angry because that scared him. He was angry because he had no idea why it scared him.

And he was just pissed off that it took this for him to realize how important she was to him and he was angry that there was nothing he could do about it. He could not do anything because… he had a significant other.

Oliver stopped punching the vending machine and all of the energy and emotion he had was sucked out of him and he leaned against it as tears sprung to his eyes once more.

Mostly, he was pissed at himself for being stupid enough to let her go in the first place. He was pissed at himself for never listening to the voice inside his head when it told him that no other girl could ever take her place in his heart. He was pissed at himself for not realizing that fighting with Tess could turn him on and make his heart swell more than making love to anyone else ever could.

Oliver was all around pissed off.

And he was about to get a lecture from Clark. He just knew it.

He leaned his forehead against the vending machine and shut his eyes but said to Clark, "Go ahead. Say what you came here to say."

Clark chuckled. "Am I that obvious or that predictable?"

Oliver smiled, "A combination, actually."

"Well, I would hate to disappoint so here it goes. Don't you think you were a little tough on Tess?" Clark sighed. "I don't like what she did because… well, it's not right but I can still appreciate that she did it to protect all of us."

Oliver hit his head on the vending machine once before pushing himself up and turning to face his friend. "Was I hard on her? Probably but you don't understand Clark—"

Clark shook his head. "No. I think I do understand. She scared you. She took a big risk with her own life and the possibility of her dying scares you. I get it. You can't imagine how your life would be without her and you don't want to have ever face the fact that she could be taken from you in an instant so you lashed out."

Oliver furrowed his eyebrows and was stunned for a moment. Clark's words hit at the very heart of why he had gotten so upset with Tess. He shook his head a bit confused at how easily Clark could read him.

"That's it exactly. How did you know?"

Clark gave him a sad smile that held an odd bit of hope and his eyes held sympathy and understanding which confused Oliver even more.

Clark shrugged his shoulders then hit him on the arm and said, "Because every time Lois puts herself in danger because of one of her hair brained schemes to land the next front page story I feel the exact same way."

His words were soft and hit Oliver in the heart. Clark turned on his heel and walked away to leave his friend in quiet contemplation of what he had just said.

Oliver leaned back on the vending machine and hit his head on it again as he closed his eyes.

_Thud._

Oliver's eyes shot back open immediately. He turned to look over his shoulder at where the sound had come from.

His candy bar had dropped. Oliver sighed having completely forgotten about it. He bent down and reached through the slot and grabbed a hold of it.

He stood back up and just stared at it. He turned to look at where Clark had disappeared to just moments before.

He was still angry at her and himself and at the world. But Clark's words were every indication that this was not going to get any easier but a small part of his heart knew it would be worth it if he could just muster up some courage.

And he was sure going to need it because now he had to apology to Tess for how he had acted. If there was one thing he had always hated when it came to their relationship… it was being the first one to say sorry.

But Oliver smirked to himself as he took a bite out of the candy bar and started to walk back to her room.

Although, he really shouldn't have ever hated being the first one to admit defeat in their many arguments only got them to the making up so much faster.

He smirked wider.

God, he hoped that was going to be the case this time. The fact that he should not feel that way because he had a significant other was something he would deal with later.

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><p>End of Chapter 5.<p>

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	6. Chapter 6

The Beginning in the End

Chapter 6

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><p>When Oliver returned to the hospital room he found Clark on the sofa next to the window reading a magazine while the two women were watching the television hanging on the opposite wall.<p>

He took a deep breath and put his hand on the doorknob before slowly turning to open the door and enter the room.

All eyes turned to look towards the door and an awkward silence fell upon them as Oliver slipped back into the room.

He stood there in the entryway and waved. "Hey."

"Hey." Clark replied and looked down at his magazine once more.

Lois quirked one eyebrow up and formed a frown. "Did you come back to berate her some more or are you now going for the mea culpa. If I were a betting gal then I would say your best odds are in the second option."

Oliver glared at her. Sometimes, she really just got on his last nerve. And this would certainly be one of those times.

He decided going off on another one of his friends wouldn't be smart so he just took in a long breath and turned his gaze to Tess.

She was sitting up in bed and the color was starting to return to her face. As she was smirking with Lois with a twinkle in her eyes he could tell she was doing better. It would be a long recovery but just seeing a bit of her spark return made him optimistic.

Tess met his gaze. She raised an eyebrow at him.

He gave her a questioning look in return hoping to get through to her.

She evaluated him slowly and it made him even more nervous than he had been previously.

Tess said nothing.

She just stared at him.

And Lois joined her by giving him a glare of her own.

Lois assessed him with great calculation.

They were both making him feel like he was on display.

They were scrutinizing him.

And he had had enough.

So he cleared his throat and spoke. "Do you think that I could talk to Tess for a moment?"

Lois shrugged. "Give it your best shot, cowboy. She's not going anywhere anytime soon."

Oliver smirked but it faded from his face when Lois relaxed back into her seat and refocused her attention on the television. He waited for a few moments and just stared at Lois thinking she would take the hint.

She didn't.

Oliver could feel the frustration rising inside of him.

He rolled his eyes at Lois' stubborn attitude or maybe it was oblivion.

It didn't matter because he was fed up.

"Alone?" He questioned with a dramatic wave of his hands.

Lois threw him another of her calculating glares.

Oliver could feel the annoyance building in his veins.

Who did Lois think she was, anyway?

Lois had not known Tess for as long as he had and this time last year she couldn't stand in the same room as Tess without throwing a thinly veiled threat toward the redhead.

Now he was being kept from speaking to Tess for a moment alone by _Lois_ of all people?

Oliver huffed out a frustrated breath and formed a glare of his own.

"I'm not asking for your permission to speak to Tess alone for a moment, Lois. I am simply asking you to leave because frankly, I need to have a talk with Tess that you aren't welcome to be a part of. So if you would please leave I would appreciate it."

Lois raised an eyebrow at him.

Oliver crossed his arms of his chest.

The moment was tense and they were both too stubborn to let the other win.

Thankfully, they didn't have to because Tess finally spoke up.

"It's okay, you guys. I am not in a coma or anything. I am fully capable of speaking for myself and I frankly, would love to hear what Oliver has to say. I am sure the words "I am sorry" are going to pass his lips in the next few moments. Lois, you know that doesn't happen very often and if you make him leave the only thing I am going to have to look forward to is my morphine drip."

Lois looked at her friend and then smiled a genuine smile. Oddly, it made Oliver feel like he was on the outside looking in on Tess' life.

As Lois exchanged some words of comfort and support something struck Oliver like a ton of bricks.

Lois was by Tess' side.

Clark was by Tess' side.

And where was he?

He was standing in the corner.

And he was feeling very alone suddenly.

Oliver wanted nothing more than to be the person by Tess' side at all times.

His heart broke in his chest. He was going to need a drink sometime in the very near future because he was standing in Tess' hospital room with his best friend, his wife's cousin, and the woman he just realized he was still very much in love with.

If he were a religious man he would have thought that God had made him his personal play thing today because this situation was just ridiculous.

The anguish in his heart was pushed to the side a minute later when Lois sighed dramatically and pulled her legs from their resting position on the end of Tess' bed. She shrugged her shoulders and put the remote back down on the bed.

"Fine, I guess Clark and I will leave for a few hours. We can go home and discuss exactly what we are going to do about his sudden fame."

Oliver smirked a second remembering his friend's chosen attire. "And seriously Clark, what is with the spandex?"

Clark looked at all three of his friends who were all wearing the same weird and questioning expression on their faces.

He just smiled at them.

But he took it all in stride. "I really don't think any of you is in a position to judge me on my choice of disguise considering all of the questionable decisions you have made over the years or do I need to remind you all of how ridiculous your disguises have been? Have we forgotten about Stiletto?"

Oliver's smirk dropped from his face as Lois raised her hands in defense. "Slow down there cowboy! I never said anything about your primary colors and while I would prefer you in sexy dark leather it's something I can get used to."

"As funny as this exchange has been if you guys could pick up the pace I would appreciate it. Oliver still has an apology he needs to get around to and I am starting to get tired but in no way am I willing to pass up this opportunity to see him grovel. So…"

Lois nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I can take a hint. Come on Clark. We need to come up with a way to make your crayon colored costume so freaking awesome not even Chuck Norris will think about making fun of you."

Clark shook his head but he followed his fiancé as she walked out of the room. Oliver watched them leave as they were becoming embroiled in another one of their signature arguments and while he had wanted to be left alone with her when Oliver turned back to Tess he found himself at a loss for what to say.

She was wearing only a simple hospital gown but her red hair still sparkled. And the expectant gaze that she was regarding him with was typical of her.

Seeing her like that gave Oliver hope that everything was going to be okay. Tess was going to be okay.

Nothing else mattered to him.

Now he just had to tell her that.

"So… are you just going to stand there and stare or are you going to speak?" Tess asked with a smirk clearly enjoying his awkward stance.

Oliver swallowed. Hearing her voice only made his heart kick in to overdrive with nerves. He knew what he wanted to tell her and he did not want to waste anymore time but… he had no idea where to start.

His mind was fumbling with all of the things that had gone through his mind in the last few days.

His heart was racing with all of the emotions he had experienced in the last few days and his tongue was tied with all of the things he wanted to say but for some reason couldn't.

And Tess was just getting irritated. She blew out a frustrated breath and rolled her eyes.

"Look Oliver, I don't know what's wrong with you but I don't have time for you to just stand and stare at me like I am an exhibit in a museum. I am still in a great deal of pain and would rather spend time with my pillow and my pain meds than wait for you to figure out what you're going to say—"

And all of a sudden his mouth started to work and before he could stop them those three little words tumbled out.

"I love you."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 6.<p>

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	7. Chapter 7

The Beginning in the End

Chapter 7

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><p>Tess blinked at first.<p>

His words refused to sink into her head and they sure as hell were not going to sink into her heart. She was not sure what was happening but there was no way that she heard him correctly.

"What did you just say because I know what I think you said but there is no way that you actually said-"

"I love you." Oliver said.

His smile warmed her heart in the same way that his words pissed her off.

A lot.

"Who do you think you are?" She asked him and if she was fully in control of her body then she would have smacked him across the face just for good measure.

But an incredulous look just appeared on his face as he replied, "Excuse me?"

She threw her arms up in exasperation. "Who do you think you are? You waltz in here, a married man, and you just announce you love me like it's five years ago? Who in the hell do you think you are Oliver, the last man on earth?"

But Oliver was undeterred. "I don't think I am the last man on earth and I know that things have changed but I also know with absolute certainty that I love you."

Tess just shook her head and stared at him. She would have never believed him to be this cruel but here he was kicking her while she was down simply because he was having another one of his emotional mood swings. But she was not going to fall for it and she sure as hell was not going to let her hurt or her hope show.

She took a deep breath. "You know Oliver; you may want to speak to my doctor because you're confusing you're words. You're saying 'I love you' but what you're supposed to be saying is 'I am sorry' and you know that those sort of problems could be signs of a deeper issue going on inside of your brain… but oh wait. They can't fix stupid."

Tess smirked and Oliver looked down at his shoes with a look of indignation on his face and his snapped his fingers together a few times. She knew that she was getting to him but she had to give him credit because he was obviously resisting the urge to give into her taunts.

It made no difference. She would just have to keep trying. "Of course, maybe you're not stupid. You must just think I am because you think I am going to believe your lies."

And his head snapped up and he was looking at her with a fierce passion that almost punched her in the gut because it was just so sincere.

He stepped closer to her until he was standing next to her bed.

"I am not lying to you. I love you. Why can't you just believe me?"

Tess turned her head away from him because his sincerity was starting to chip away at her defense with his words. She really couldn't acknowledge the possibility that he might be serious. The emotions that would dig up would be too much for her to handle. The pain that would come with it and knowing that he would just be getting her hopes up would be overwhelming.

She had her masochistic moments but this wasn't one of them.

Tess sighed and attempted to run a hand through her hair in frustration but she tugged too roughly on her IV line. The pain instantly shot through her hand at the IV site.

"Damn it." She whispered furiously.

"Are you okay? Do you need the nurse? Here, let me look at that." Oliver said as he closed the distance between them and bent over the bed. He took her hand in his and loosely held it while he examined it with concern in his eyes.

She was so taken off guard by it that she just let him hold her hand. He was so close that she could smell his natural scent. It was a musky, manly type of scent that reminded her of the woods after it had rained.

However, she was quite sure he hadn't showered in days because she could still see blood on his shirt and his jeans.

It was her blood. And the gravity of the situation hit her. She suddenly understood his anger, his tantrum, his confession, and now, his concern. She had almost taken herself from him. Tess could understand it all. If something ever happened to him she wouldn't be able to handle it.

And if he were to put himself in danger knowing he might never come back?

She'd be pissed.

So she understood why he was saying everything he was right now.

If the situation was reversed she would have a hard time controlling her emotions too.

Actually, she was having a hard time of doing that anyway.

Her heart was pounding.

His touch was making her skin warm.

She stared at him intently.

The worry was written all over his face. She could tell he hadn't gotten any rest in days.

But his gaze was steady when he brought it up to hers.

And for the first time she noticed how close their faces were. Their lips were only inches apart. Their breathing became shallow. The air around them was thick with tension and everything that usually went unsaid between them.

She licked her lips.

Her gaze remained fixed on his.

Oliver was staring at her so earnestly and he had been so honest just a moment ago.

Tess let herself give in to the fact that maybe he wasn't joking around or trying to get her hopes up. He was just telling her how he felt. And now it was her turn. She wasn't as afraid as she usually was.

For the first time, in a long time, she felt safe. She felt like Oliver was there to take care of her and he wasn't going to let anything happen to her. It brought tears to her eyes.

He saw this and furrowed his brow at her. And then he brought one hand up to her face and touched her cheek gently.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

She smiled through her tears. "I'm sorry."

He furrowed his brows even more. "Sorry? What do you have to be sorry about?"

Tess shrugged. "I am sorry I scared you."

Oliver smirked. "Your spitfire, take no shit, never back down attitude is what I admire about you the most."

He looked down at her lips then back at her eyes. He slowly moved in and touched his lips to her in the sweetest and most loving kiss she had ever had. The warmth spread throughout her entire body and it lasted only a few seconds but she felt loved.

Tess felt like she was at home when he was around. She always had but it was so hard to let those feelings be voiced or shown because of the distance that had grown between them. But none of that mattered now.

Oliver pulled away but rested his forehead on hers and stared into her eyes.

There were tears in his eyes too.

She smiled at him brightly and he smiled back.

"I love you." He repeated.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Is that so? I was beginning to forget seeing as it's been a full two minutes since the last time you said that."

Oliver smirked back. "Well, what can I say? I get around you and I just can't help myself, Mercy."

"I thought I told you not to call me that." Tess countered.

He shrugged. "I decided to take my chances."

She nodded. "Well, I'll let you get away with one. Next time, I might have to put you in a world of hurt. Of course, after I get out of this ridiculous nightgown."

"We can get you out of that ridiculous nightgown right now, if you want." He smiled suggestively.

She laughed and shook her head. "I think that the nurses on rotation every fifteen minutes might make that a bit awkward."

He finally relented. "Yeah, well, don't say I never tried."

Oliver leaned back and just held her hand.

She looked at him awkwardly.

When she wasn't surrounded by his scent and his warmth, her mind was able to clear long enough to realize the gravity of the situation. And she remembered a blonde with a wedding ring that matched the one the man in front of her was wearing.

Tess pulled away.

Oliver tried to reach for her hand but she pulled back. Her anger and annoyance immediately resurfaced at the knowledge he had just let her be so vulnerable with him when it was all just a momentary reaction on his part to his fear.

Nothing would change. How could she have been so silly, even for a few seconds, to think otherwise?

"Tess?"

She glanced down at his ring pointedly.

"You're still wearing your ring."

He looked down at his hand and shrugged.

He tore off the ring.

He tossed it aside.

"Not anymore."

She looked at him with confusion.

He took her face in his hands.

She pulled her face back from him trying to create distance but she could only go so far and he was not letting go.

His gaze was too intense for her. She wasn't going to give in. She had been so foolish to do it a few moments ago.

Oliver held a certain power over her that she fought so hard to not let it affect her better judgment.

But he was _so_ close.

His touch was _so_ warm.

"I want you. Not her. I want you and me." Oliver said. "I will do anything to make you realize I am serious. I know this is sudden but damn it, you're the one."

Tess fought the feelings bubbling up inside of her.

His grip on her face was still intense and the emotions rolling off of him were so hard to ignore.

They just felt so real.

"I want to believe you." She whispered.

God, she really wanted to.

"Then believe me." He pleaded.

There was a long moment of silence.

She realized as she looked at him and he waited for her answer that she held his heart in her hands.

And she knew then that everything that was happening was real.

For the first time in a long time it was back to being them, together, for real.

So she let herself give in and believe.

She nodded.

Oliver smiled so brightly that she couldn't help but smile back at him.

Oliver was about to kiss her again. He was leaning in and her heart was pounding in her chest.

The door burst open at the precise moment their lips touched and it startled both of them. Tess flew back against her bed and Oliver fell onto the chair beside it.

A bouncing Lois was the last thing Tess had expected to see and the brunette was so distracted by her obvious good mood to notice she had interrupted an intimate moment.

But the ever observant Clark was shooting looks at Oliver and herself that let Tess know that he wasn't fooled.

"How could you not tell me?" Lois shrieked and pulled a very confused Oliver into such a tight hug that Tess thought Lois was going to break one of his ribs and Oliver just stood there sharing a wondering glance at Clark.

"What are you talking about!?"

Lois pulled back. "I am talking about the baby, of course."

Oliver held up his arms suddenly and pulled Lois from him.

He stared at her darkly. "What baby?"

"The baby you are having with Chloe, silly. Congratulations, Daddy."

And suddenly everything that Tess thought that she had gotten back just two seconds before was ripped from her grasp again.

She was torn somewhere between anger and despair.

It wouldn't have hurt anymore if she had been stabbed in the stomach and she knew exactly what _that _felt like.

She stared at Oliver who was now staring at her with a pleading look in his eyes.

Tess smiled sadly and managed to get out only one word.

"Congratulations."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 7<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

The Beginning of the End

Chapter 8

* * *

><p>Tess pulled the curl back from in front of her face and tucked it back into her elegantly messy up-do and stared down at the piece of paper in her hand. It was not the best "welcome back" packet she could have received.<p>

The sunshine of the early morning was fluttering into her office and the smell of coffee filled the air as her full cup sat next to her computer. Tess put her glasses down on the table and pinched her nose.

This was just going to suck.

She sighed and picked up her phone and was instantly connected to her assistant. "Could you please send in Ms. Lane and Mr. Kent? Thank you, Cindy."

Tess put the receiver back into its cradle. The door to her office opened almost immediately and in walked a smiling Clark and Lois.

"Tess!" Lois yelled as she made a quick line straight to Tess with her arms out wide in an inviting hug. The redhead was swept up in her friend's welcome and a part of her was really relieved to be back in Metropolis.

"You look fantastic! How was Europe?" She asked eagerly as Tess embraced her but with a little less enthusiasm. "It wasn't a vacation, Lois. It was recovery."

Lois pulled back. "I know but still, it's Europe."

Clark maneuvered around Lois and took Tess into his arms. His clean scent overwhelmed her and she felt like she was coming home to her family, in a weird way. Clark was like the brother that she had always wanted and she smiled.

"It's good to have you back, Tess." He said into her hair as he gave her a bear hug.

"Thanks, Clark." She said and pulled back as she smiled at both of them as they just stood there.

Apparently, they thought they had been called into hear stories of her recovery and return but unfortunately, there was business they had to attend to.

She cleared her throat.

"But this is not just a social call… if you could please sit down."

Lois gave her a confused look as Clark began to move toward the chairs in front of the desk.

"You've been back since only eight 'o clock this morning and yet, we're already in trouble? Gee, Tess, way to make a girl feel like she's gotten called into the principal's office."

Tess smirked at her friends and shook her head as she leaned against her desk. "Well, that's what happens when you two are caught making out in the supply closet like a pair of hormonal teenagers."

Suddenly, very sheepish the fiery brunette and her boyfriend grew rather red in the face.

They were both very quiet and she could hardly stay mad at the two for very long considering that they were supposed to be husband and wife. But as the Editor-in-Chief, she could not give them special treatment because they were like family to her.

She put her arms over her chest. "Look, you guys I know it's hard for you to be so close to each other all day long and not give into temptation."

Lois blew out a sigh dramatically and waved her hand over her forehead. "Phew. So you're letting us off with a warning."

Tess looked at her sternly with both of her eyebrows raised. "You're kidding me, right? From the reports, Lois, you guys were almost a few seconds away from needing a cigarette."

Lois rolled her eyes. "Now that is ridiculous Clark and I would never—"

"Make out in the stockroom? Elevator? Sneak up to the roof and not be seen again for hours?" Tess supplied. The reports had been on her desk when she arrived at work this morning. Her temporary replacement had not had the authority to do anything about the two lovebirds that were getting less discreet by the day.

Tess shook her head and pushed off the desk, walking back around to the other side and sitting down in her seat. She folded her hands together and placed them on the desk. Lois was getting visibly annoyed and Clark was still looking sheepish.

"So I am going to issue you the two of you a formal reprimand by putting you on a one week suspension—"

"What!? I am in the middle of the story on co-ed prostitution ring. There is some serious fall out from this. My sources tell me that some of the University of Metropolis faculty are clients!" Lois yelled as she stood up and slammed her hands down on the desk while bearing down on Tess. "You can't do this!"

Tess looked up into Lois' face. "I can do this and I am doing this for two reasons. The first is that the two of you can go home and if you want hole up in your apartment for three days and work off all of that tension that has been leading you into every spare corner of this building."

Lois sat down at this defeated that she was not going to be getting out of this reprimand.

Tess watched her slump in her seat. "The second reason is I want you guys to come up on a full blown cover story for Clark's debut as a superhero."

Now Clark's attention was raised. "Excuse me? What are you talking about?"

Lois looked just as confused. "I covered his world saving story for the paper when it happened. I even gave him a super nickname and everybody has been talking about him since. Nothing can touch Superman. The world loves him."

Tess nodded. "I agree. Now I want the world to _know_ him. The cover story was beautiful but no one knows this guy and I think it would be best that they do through an exclusive interview given to the one and only Lois Lane."

Lois shook her head. "What if he doesn't want to? What if he refuses? You can't just order him around, you know!"

Clark raised his hand a little. "Lois, it might be fun… just you and me for a few days with nothing else to do or nowhere else to go? Come on… Tess might just be doing us a favor, here, giving us that honeymoon we never got. What do you say to use going home and making those pancakes you've been craving… with all of that syrup and whip cream."

Tess rolled her eyes. "I think I am going to end this meeting right here and now. I want the article to run on the front page Monday morning. Now get out of here before you make me lose my breakfast."

Lois huffed and stood up. "Fine…"

Clark tugged on her hand and gave her an intense look that Tess could have sworn made Lois visibly melt. The brunette turned back to her. "But I have full creative license over how this exclusive goes down and what the focus of it is. Got it?"

Tess smirked. "Lois I would not have it any other way. Oh, and one more thing… you guys have to address each other as "Mr. Kent" and "Ms. Lane" from now on to keep things more professional. Think about it as a grammatical contraceptive. Got it?"

Clark dragged Lois out the door and was waving at Tess. "Sure thing, Ms. Mercer. Great to have you back."

The door slammed behind them before Lois could add anything else. Tess just smiled to herself over her two friends. It was nice to know that things could go back to normal so quickly between her and Lois. Their friendship was never going to be completely free of tension and teasing.

She ran a hand over her face. That was a rougher start to her first morning back than she had wanted but it was over and down with which was a relief. Tess turned her chair around and leaned back in it as she looked out at the bustling city. It was a starker view than the rolling green fields she had treated herself to during her recovery.

It had been a quaint, ultra private and highly exclusive recovery center in England that had nursed her back to health after her stabbing. The nurses had been wonderful, the doctors informative, the other patients quiet, and none of it had been enough to forget the real reason she had chosen it.

It was far away from Oliver. It had been three months and now that she was back in Metropolis, back to her job, and back at Watchtower, it was going to be a lot harder to avoid Oliver and hide her broken heart.

Tess just did not know if she was mentally or emotionally prepared for it. She shook her head and spun her chair around to her desk, fully prepared to head back into the work she had to catch up on.

That's when she noticed him.

Oliver.

He was standing in front of her desk looking very somber.

Yep, it was going to be very hard to avoid him now that she was back.

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 8<p> 


	9. Chapter 9

The Beginning in the End

Chapter 9

* * *

><p>Oliver stood before her like a criminal before an executioner. He looked repentant and remorseful. She did not want to begin to delve into why he looked like the heartbroken one because he wasn't. Tess did not want to hear any explanations from him either.<p>

She was torn between fear that he would inflict more pain and fear that she would give into her feelings for him that desperately wanted her to fight for him.

Tess knew the first was the more likely outcome and the second was just stupidity on her part that she was too stubborn to resort to.

Her inner conflict had allowed Oliver an opportunity to gather his courage to open his mouth and attempt to speak.

Tess stood up immediately. "Whatever you are thinking of saying… just stop it. I don't want or need to hear your excuses or apologies."

Oliver held out his hand and tried to start speaking. "I—"

She shook her head. "Don't."

"Tess—"

This time his words were cut off by the force of her hand on his face. His face immediately snapped to the right from the impact and he leaned back on instinct.

Oliver closed his eyes to the pain she knew he was feeling as her hand print glared red on his skin.

The tears were already forming in her eyes. Just to have him standing there with such an apologetic look on his face and trying to placate her with pitiful words was making her physically hurt.

How dare he barge in here like he had not ripped out her heart just a few months ago?

What could he possibly have to say to her?

Tess sighed and hated as she felt a tear slide down her cheek. Whatever he wanted to say did not matter because she did not want to hear it. Tess did not think she would be able to stand hearing it.

The fact was that he was having a baby with Chloe, his wife.

Oliver slowly opened his eyes and looked at her with eyes that reminded her of a wounded puppy. It wouldn't work on her this time, though.

"I guess I deserved that."

Tess snorted. "You think?"

His eyes were stormy and grave and he was staring at her like she held some sort of answer. The next words out of his mouth indicated that he thought she did have answers.

"Why did you leave?"

Tess stared at him blankly. "You're kidding me right? What did you expect me to do? Stick around and throw Chloe a baby shower?"

Oliver shook his head. "I would never ask you to do that but Tess… how can any of this get resolved when you just run away like that?"

Tess threw up her arms. "Resolve WHAT? You're having a baby with your wife."

"Ex-wife."

The words slapped her so hard that they forced Tess to sit back down her in chair. Oliver stood in front of her waiting for the words to have an impact. Tess was a lot of things but a home wrecker was not one of them. That's why she left because she could not stick around and watch the man she loved live out what should have been their happily ever after with another woman. Her world was spinning and Tess had no idea what do to or say.

She slowly looked back up at Oliver. It was the first time she had really looked at him since the last time she saw him which had been when she had announced that she was going to England to recover from her injuries.

He looked just as tired now as he had then. And on top of that, Oliver looked oddly broken and beaten down.

_Flashback_

_The room was full of flowers, balloons, and people as they all sat around her bed with her nurses checking her monitors. It had been three days since she had been stabbed and everyone was pleased at her recovery process thus far. _

_But that was old news. The big topic of conversation was the baby. Chloe was regaling them with the tale of how Lois had spilled the beans to Oliver before she had had the time to tell him. _

"_The reason I was waiting was because I wanted the moment to be perfect. But what with Lois and Clark getting married then everything that happened with the world ending, Tess getting stabbed, and Clark making his spandex splash… I just was waiting for things to settle down so I could tell him in person and it could be our only focus." _

_Tess smiled through the story but every single word was another pinprick to her heart. _

"_But when she arrived at the hospital and then immediately ran to the john to throw up so early in the morning… well, the reporter in me put two and two together!" Lois declared as she sat on Clark's lap then she got a little apologetic. "I'm just sorry I assumed Ollie knew before I announced it." _

_Chloe was sitting next to Oliver. The poor guy looked shell shocked. And Tess wondered if there was something else going on in his head than just their romantic hopes being dashed. His wife, on the other hand, was beaming, glowing, and could not stop talking about the baby and neither could her cousin. _

_The two were like busy little bees. Tess would have never guessed either woman was such a soft hearted person or if she weren't so devastated then she would find it funny how they were falling into a fit of giggles over the baby news. _

"_Maybe he'll have your crooked smile, and Oliver's green eyes." "Maybe we can name her after our mothers, honey." "Can you just imagine how wicked smart this kid is going to be! He'll be the next Stephen Hawking." _

_It had been like that for the past few days and all Tess could think about what how her whole future had shattered with the announcement of a little Queen-Sullivan baby on the way. It was becoming way too much for her to handle especially considering how many times Oliver had tried to hang behind the group and get some alone time with her but neither Chloe or Lois would let him be with their plans for baby showers and nursery themes. _

_The cousins' endless chitchat had chipped away every last bit of her defensive walls that Tess had built around her heart after Oliver had looked just as heartbroken about the news as she had because it did not matter what promises they had made to each other. It did not matter that they loved each other. _

_Chloe was pregnant and was Oliver's wife and that was his future. Tess knew it was the right thing to do to step back and she knew just the way to do it. It would save her pain and Oliver the hassle of having to actually break his promise and back out of their declarations. _

_She cleared her throat loudly as to gain the attentions of everyone in the room. "Listen, I have been thinking and the doctors and I have been talking—"_

"_Is something wrong?" _

_It was Oliver. The worry in his voice was too much for her to bear. _

_She waved it off. "No but they said the recovery will be longer than they originally thought. And it is longer than I care to stay in this hospital so I have made arrangements for a transfer to a private recovery facility… in England." _

_End of Flashback_

Tess does not remember anything after that but the disappointed and desperate look on Oliver's face as the news sunk into him. And now, all of that resolve she had formed in England during her recovery that she would come back and be happy for him in the next chapter of his life was for nothing apparently.

His words broke through her hazy and confused mind. "Listen, Chloe is pregnant with my child and we have decided to keep the baby but… I had to be honest."

Tess snapped her head to look up at him. "Honest about what? What the hell are you thinking? How are you even still alive; Lois must be so pissed at you! How could you leave her?"

Oliver sighed. "I didn't leave her. I was… going to try. I really was. I thought it was the right thing to do and you left so suddenly, I just threw myself into the upcoming daddy routine and I guess… I just was overcompensating."

Tess sighed. "Oliver, what are you talking about? Aren't you happy to be having a baby?"

Oliver finally slumped down into a chair and stared at her hard. "Honestly? I am scared, okay?"

Tess furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you scared of?"

Oliver shrugged and started picking at a piece of lint on the chair he was sitting in. "What if I am a bad father? Tess, I am so screwed up. I can barely take care of myself and I constantly put myself in danger and what if something happens to my kid? I would never be able to live with myself. Everyone knows who I am and what if one of my enemies wants to hurt me by hurting my kid?"

Oliver was in hysterics. Tess jumped up from her seat and ran around her desk before she knelt in front of him and took his face into her hand. His eyes were downcast and tears were spilling down his cheeks.

Tess shook him a little bit.

"Hey, look at me."

He did.

"You are going to be a wonderful father, do you hear me?"

He shrugged her off with a snort of laughter.

Tess forced him to look at her again. "You are going to be a great dad and this kid is going to be lucky to have you, Oliver."

He nodded dejectedly and she removed her hands from his face. But he caught her hands in his as they fell to her sides as she stood up. He stared up into her face and gave her a sad smile. It made her heart skip a beat and she hated it.

"I have to get back to work."

Oliver nodded.

"Have dinner with me?"

Tess sighed as she felt him rubbing circles on her hands.

Oliver pleaded. "Please? We have so much to talk about."

Tess nodded her head and removed her hands from his slowly. "Fine, pick me up at 7:00."

He stood up and the space between them was closed instantly. The heat rolling off of him made shivers run up her spine and she dared one look up into his face. Finally, that trademark smirk back in place and a sparkle in his eye.

"7:30 it is then."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 9<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

The Beginning in the End

Chapter 10

* * *

><p>The orange halo around the room was not noticed by Tess as she pecked away furiously at her computer. She had anticipated being behind on her work when she got back from recovery but she had no idea that her temporary replacement had proved to be completely incompetent and inept.<p>

Tess could already feel the tension in her shoulders from a long day of sitting down and her lower back was practically on fire. The glow of the computer screen was straining her eyes and the phone would not stop ringing.

She brought one hand up to her eyes and rubbed some of her tiredness away. The truth was that while she was recovered from her stabbing she was not yet one hundred percent when it came to her stamina.

Another truth that had never been told was that the newspaper business had never been of interest to her. She had taken over because she had inherited it with LuthorCorp. She had wanted to keep an eye on Clark back when she was unsure who… or even what he was. He had proved to be a true blue hero and now she was more intent on protecting him from people like Lex than exposing him as her half-brother had wished to do.

Now, she was knee deep in a job that held really no passion for her to keep her wanting to burn the midnight oils.

So Tess was ready for a break when she heard a light tapping on her door. Tess glanced up and saw Oliver standing there. He looked fresher than he had that morning. Dressed in a light blue button down shirt and grey slacks, Oliver looked comfortable and excited as he flashed a smile across his face.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked as he walked into the room.

Tess glanced at the clock on the wall and leaned back with curiosity. "You're early. You're never early… what's up?"

He shrugged and grabbed her coat casually from the coat rack. "You've been gone for three months and I have been anxiously waiting for a chance to talk. I couldn't stand an extra half-hour until 7:00."

Tess smirked again as she clicked the 'Save' button and quickly shut down her computer before rising to meet Oliver on the other side of her desk. "I think you mean you're an hour early… you said 7:30."

He laughed as held out her coat for her to put on. "I think we both know that this is one time I would have not been even a minute late."

Tess put her arms into the coat and he slowly slid it over her.

She could smell his aftershave. When he had finished putting on her coat his hands found their resting place on her shoulders and the two of them stood for a moment in the silence. She leaned ever so slightly back and he tightened his grip. Oliver placed his head next to hers and she turned her face to meet his slowly.

Their cheeks brushed and his face was smooth. Her eyes were closed and she was lost to him.

Tess wanted nothing more than to turn her head up to touch his lips with hers. It had been so long since they last kissed. She always had to overcompensate for how badly she wanted him by pushing him away, insisting he had no hold over, and in some cases was just an itch to scratch but in these moments that pretense fell away.

"Tess." Oliver groaned as he slid his hands down her arms and his hands found hers. They fingers danced together. Tess was a victim to the rhythm they were creating, it was stirring an aching in her belly, and she pulled harder on his fingers.

Then as soon as the moment started… it was over. It was broken by the telephone practically ringing off the hook for the millionth time today. Tess groaned and reluctantly let go of Oliver before she rushed over to the phone.

She looked at the caller identification and rolled her eyes. "The chef at that new restaurant on Madison took exception to the review Addison Brown wrote last week. He's been calling all day asking for a retraction."

Tess pulled the receiver from its cradle and then immediately placed it back down. She looked devilishly up at him. Oliver busted out laughing.

He motioned to the door and she happily joined him. He put his arm around her jovially and led her out the door.

"That's my Mercy."

A few hours and several glasses of wine later they were sitting quietly at a sidewalk café. Tess was enjoying the last of the crème brulee. They had chatted aimlessly about movies and books because neither had had the courage to turn the conversation to the important subjects.

Now the dinner was winding down and both knew that there were some things they needed to discuss. Tess decided that she would have to be the one to ruin what had been a relaxing and enjoyable evening.

So she took a deep breath, rested her elbows on the tables, and stared at Oliver with piercing eyes.

Oliver could sense the change in the atmosphere and sighed while folded his napkin over in his lap. It was a nervous habit of his that Tess had noticed years ago.

Whenever he was uncomfortable he would have to have his hands on a piece of paper or a cloth preferably something that would tear into pieces. When he could tear it then he would just folded it again and again just like he was doing now.

Tess smiled at him softly. He was one of the only people that brought out her caring and nurturing side. Oliver had saved her in more ways than she could count but all she wants to do sometimes is take care of him.

This was one of those times.

She whispered, "Tell me about what happened with Chloe."

Oliver shrugged and adjusted in his seat while folding his napkin again which made Tess smile.

He stared downward but he spoke anyway. "I was happy… about the baby. I had never thought about kids so I can't say that it was like a dream come true but it's certainly a surreal feeling to know you're going to be a parent."

Tess smiled and nodded.

Oliver looked up at her and stared deeply into her eyes. "As happy as I was about the baby I just could not get over what was happening between us. Tess—"

She did not interrupt him but braced herself for what he was going to say.

"I meant what I said in that hospital room. I love you. I don't want to live without you. And I would have damned the consequences if it had just been Chloe and I in our marriage but then the baby happened and I—"

Tess nodded. "I know. "

Oliver gave her a sad smile. "So I tried my best to throw myself back into my marriage… I have lived my life since I met you knowing that my feelings for you would never fade and all that I had lost was the hope that we would be together again someday which I had always had in a part of my heart. I probably could have gone on forever like that."

Tess felt her heart break a little hearing that he had hoped they would find a way back to each other all of these years even in their darkest days. It was something that Tess had given up on long ago but then again, Oliver had always been the more romantic. He had always been the fighter for their relationship even when he had cheated on her he had still believed they could work it out but his pleas had fallen on deaf ears.

Rightly so, she thought.

Tess furrowed her eyebrows. "So what went wrong… if it wasn't your feelings for me?"

Oliver sighed heavily like he was decades older than he really was and had all of the pain and regret of a long life lived. "Like I said, kids were never exactly a priority. I never imagined myself as a father but I was happy about it. When I really started to think about what me having a kid would mean… I got really scared. Everyone knows I am the Green Arrow. I have enemies, Tess. I can't imagine how I would feel if my child was taken as a way to get to me or if anyone wanted to hurt me that would be the easiest target. This child would be so vulnerable. I would worry constantly. I just became so preoccupied with all of the things that could go wrong if I had a child."

Tess shook her head. "Oliver just because there would be obstacles doesn't mean that you don't deserve the usually trappings of happiness. If anyone deserves a family, it's you."

Oliver smiled but said, "Well, Chloe finally nailed me down on why I had not been as eager as she was about our child… and I confessed all of the worries I had. She was surprised because she didn't think it anything that serious."

"What did she think it was?" Tess asked as she picked up her wine glass and took a sip.

Oliver laughed. "She thought that I had lingering feelings for you."

Her eyebrows shot up at that news and she slowly put the glass back down. She popped her lips together. "You're kidding, right?"

Oliver shrugged. "Nope, she said that when she had seen me after you were stabbed she couldn't help but notice the longing looks I was sending your way and then the nurses let it slip that I had called you my girlfriend a few times—"

"You said I was your girlfriend?" Tess asked never having heard that before. "When was this?"

Oliver sighed and embarrassed, admitted, "It right after you were stabbed and it just slipped out but I guess one of the nurses told Chloe that I was your boyfriend and when she had tried to correct the nurse she had just said she could have sworn she heard me saying you were my girlfriend. After that, it was pretty easy for Chloe to suspect something."

Tess couldn't help the blush that rose to her cheeks thinking that Oliver was so scared for her life that he had run around the hospital wing calling her his girlfriend. It had been a long time since she had been his officially but it was kind of cute knowing that he still thought of her that way.

She motioned for him to go on and he did.

"So when she said that… I had to confess everything. So she decided that not only would be best if I didn't have a child but that she could not be with someone who was in love with another woman so she filed for divorce. There was nothing to really decide over money or custody so it went quickly… it's already final."

Tess furrowed her eyebrows again. "So she's going to keep you from your child? That's not fair Oliver—"

He shook his head. "No she's not going to keep me from the child but we're going to put just the Sullivan name on the birth certificate and I am going to have a lot of visitation, I will be there for the birth and all of that but for the most part, Chloe is going to raise the baby. I feel it's for the best."

Tess sighed. "I still think that you should reconsider this idea of not claiming the child. It's just as much your baby as it is hers and you can't let your fear for the unknown lead you into making a mistake you're going to regret."

Oliver nodded.

"Chloe's the one that left."

"Only because you filled her head with the worst possible scenarios before you opened your big trap she had never even considered those. Of course she's going to run for the hills when you say, 'Gee, baby, do you think that if I have a kid that this will end up a real life version of that Mel Gibson movie where his boy gets kidnapped?' Can you blame the poor girl?"

He nodded. "Sure, I can see your point but I doubt that the white picket fence is an option after I confessed I am in love with another woman, always have been and always will be. I can't take that back."

Tess fidgeted as his voice grew lower. She began to fiddle with her own napkin as his eyes searched her face. This was becoming too heavy for her.

Then he had to make things even worse.

"I don't think I want to take it back."

Tess knew that this situation with Oliver was just going to get more complex. It already was making her head spin with all of these weird adult concerns like marriage and kids that they had all avoided thus far but then adding into the mix was the intense relationship between she and Oliver.

It could end up either really bad or really… perfect.

Tess steeled her nerves, lifted her eyes up to his, and Oliver seemed to be hanging onto what she was going to say next. She just flashed him a smile.

"Wanna go for a walk?"

Relief flooded over Oliver's features.

He nodded.

"Yes, yes I do."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 10<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

The Beginning in the End

Chapter 11

* * *

><p>Her first week back had been surprisingly quick and mostly painless. Tess ran a hairbrush through her auburn locks. She sat at her vanity, getting ready for her big date night with Oliver, and she was nervous.<p>

The evidence of said nerves was the shaking her hand was doing as she pulled the brush through her hair. Tess closed her eyes and sat the brush down on the marble countertop of her vanity.

She took in one measured breath.

The week had been really nice and it was because of Oliver's constant but never overwhelming presence that was reassuring but not clingy. It struck just that perfect balance between being around and not hanging around.

They had shared lunch dates and coffee breaks. It was friendly but never casual. Yesterday had proved that when he had caught her hand in his as they exited the coffee house near the _Daily Planet _and asked her on a date.

Tess had said yes and while she was not regretting her acceptance; she was getting really worked up over it which annoyed her.

She opened her eyes and stared at her reflection. "You are being ridiculous. It's _just_ Oliver."

Her nerves had settled a little and she assessed her reflection. Oliver had invited her to his apartment for a home cooked meal. It was romantic. He knew it and so did she. The possibilities for the night were exciting and scary to her.

Tess had opted for a casual look with her hair and her make up. Her hair was falling in soft waves around her face and she tried hard not to think about the reason she had left it down was so that Oliver could run his fingers through it. She wore very little makeup and it was because he had never liked her to.

The form fitting black dress wasn't all that much of a stretch but it was yet another thing she chose with him in mind. Black was his favorite color despite his affinity to dress in green leather and he had always loved the way it looked on her.

It had been a long time since Tess dressed only for Oliver and as she looked at the woman in the mirror she got an overwhelming feeling that she was seeing her true self.

Oliver only wanted Tess. He did not want Mogul Tess or Editor Tess or Watchtower Tess.

And it went both ways. Tess only wanted Oliver. That is why their relationship was so raw between them. They could be themselves around each other and still find acceptance.

Tess smiled.

As she collected her courage she heard Oliver's voice ring out across the mansion.

"Mercy? Your carriage waits…"

She turned her head toward the door, stood up, threw one glance back at her reflection, and grabbed her purse as she walked out of her bedroom. Only a few seconds later, she was standing at the balcony looking down on Oliver. He was sitting on one of the couches by the dormant fireplace and it took him a moment to notice her. When he found her the electricity that sparked instantly as their eyes locked made her weak in the knees. She gripped the railing harder and cocked her head to the side.

"Have mercy." Oliver smirked.

She raised an eyebrow and shook her head.

"Not a chance."

Oliver only threw her a cocky smirk and shrugged. "Oh well, I guess I will just have to suffer."

Tess smiled as she trailed her fingers along the railing as she descended the stairs. He met her at the bottom and the heat rolling off his body was already sending shivers down her spine. She had missed this. Their banter was like pouring gasoline onto their fire. It just made them explode with excitement and more importantly, anticipation.

She touched her hand to his cheek. His eyes were drawn to her lips.

"Oh, I think I can make you suffer." Tess leaned a little. Their breathing became intermixed, his eyes closed, and then she pulled away suddenly.

She took a few steps away from him and turned to look over her shoulder at him. He had not moved an inch but his eyes were open and he turned his head to look at her with a mock glare but a smiling playing on his lips.

"See?" She teased and she sauntered out the doorway knowing he would follow because he always did. It felt good to fall back into their rhythm. It was one that had been theirs for years but now it was finally getting a chance to become a full blown symphony.

A while later they were back at Oliver's apartment in Metropolis. It had a fabulous view of the park. The green, that was barely visible at night, would make a nice contrast to Oliver's modern style of decorating. He had always been into clean lines, neutral colors, and stainless steel.

She found herself at the island in the kitchen and sat on a bar stool. "I see your decorating skills have not improved much."

Oliver looked offended. "What are you talking about? I think this place looks rather homey."

"Oliver, give me a break, you don't have one picture out, not even a really odd looking who the hell knows what it even is expensive painting, and that couch looks about as comfortable as those metal slabs at the morgue."

He set down a wine glass in front of her and began to pour. "I doubt that the morgue has had many complaints about the comfort level of those slabs, though."

She smiled watching the red wine splash its way into the bottom of her glass. Tess touched the stem with her fingers. "True… but you might just get some complaints about the comfort level of that couch. And you know how much I love a comfy couch."

Tess looked at him through her eyelashes. He was staring at her mouth.

The air became thick in an instant. And just as fast his mouth was on hers.

Their lips crashed together.

He grabbed her by the neck to pull her close and she wrapped her arms around his torso feeling the heavy cable knit sweater under her fingers. It was navy blue and she loved that color on him. The thought of how good he looked in it spurned her on as she ran her hands up his back and the pushed her hips towards his. His hands roamed down her body and into her hair.

Their movements were frantic. Their mouths fighting for dominance over the other and their kiss was like they had been dying of thirst for years and were finally get a drink of water. She bit his lip forcefully and he pulled back a fraction in surprise. Tess opened her eyes and she could see he was pleased with her. He always liked it when she was a little rough. It was a turn on for him that she never took his guff.

She smiled playfully at him and leaned in for another kiss but Oliver pulled back even further. Tess tried holding him close but he put both of his hands on her face to steady her and when she saw the look on his face she sobered up.

"What is it?" She asked.

"I don't want to rush into this Tess." Oliver said softly. He pushed a lock of hair back from her face. "This is killing me but I think we should wait just a little bit… I want to do this right."

Tess sighed and mimicked him by placing both of her hands on his face. "Don't worry about doing this right like we're in a story. We're not. Oliver… we've screwed this up enough times in the past to know that the only we could not get this right is to let it go again."

Oliver smiled but he continued his protest. "I just think that we should do things the proper way. You know, dinner, dancing—"

She shook her head. "Oliver, I love you. And that's not us—we've been pretending for years that we don't feel anything… I have been pretending for years. I don't want to pretend anymore."

Tess thought that she would feel dread if she had to ever admit to Oliver that she loved him after everything that had happened to him. For years, she had lived her life thinking that she was winning some sort of game, the break up game; if she pretended not to love him after all of the ways that he had hurt her.

None of that mattered anymore if he was willing to put his heart on the line then so was she.

Oliver flashed the brightest smile she had ever seen on him in her life.

He rubbed his thumbs over her cheeks. "I love you, Tess."

Oliver then lifted her off the bar stool. She wrapped her legs around him instinctively and yelped in the process. "What are you doing?"

He started walking down a long white hallway and just looked up at her mischievously.

"I am taking you to my bed."

Tess wrapped her arms around his neck then placed her lips against his ear. She tugged on his earlobe with her teeth then whispered, "Good."

Oliver growled as she began to trace kisses up and down his neck. Tess was so preoccupied in her ministrations that she only heard him kick the door open and it slammed against a nearby wall.

The room was dark and there just a little hint of moonlight coming through the windows. The plush comforter hit her skin as Tess fell down on the bed and Oliver was immediately on top of her. He had one arm above her head and another slowly inching up her dress. Tess' lips found his again as her need for contact with him overwhelmed her. Her skin was hot wherever he touched it and there was an aching in her belly.

Tess pulled on his hips and then moved her hands underneath his sweater. Her fingers could feel the smooth planes of his back and she wanted more.

She tore her mouth away from his and tugged on his sweater. "Off. Now."

Oliver gladly obliged by pulling it up over his head and tossing it to the side. Her lips found his again as more clothes were shed the intensity began to increase.

His touch was like a drug that she had not had in way too long. It was a craving she had and Oliver was not something she could get enough of. Her body began to shake. His breathing became labored. And before long the two were reunited as two lovers should be and they fit like they always did… perfectly.

Hours later Tess was sprawled out against Oliver with her head on his naked chest. Only a sheet covered their bare bodies and he was running his hands through her hair. She smiled at the motion; it was a good idea to leave her hair down. It was early in the morning, the city outside was quiet and Oliver broke the silence inside.

"We forgot to have dinner… are you hungry?" He joked.

Tess smiled. "Sure…"

And they both headed toward the kitchen blissfully happy.

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 11<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

The Beginning in the End

Author's Note: I would like to say thank you to the people that are still reading this story. It has taken me about two years to finish but it is finally done. I ended it in a way I hope ties all of the loose ends in the seven year gap of the finale. There won't be an epilogue but I do hope you will review. Thanks so much again!

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><p>Chapter 12<p>

The moon shining the tinted windows gave everyone in the room a glow. The entire gang had reunited for the first time since Tess' arrival home. They all stood around the desk that was scattered with papers and pizza boxes.

"I love it Lois," Oliver says as he holds up the newspaper.

The headline reads **MY DATE WITH SUPERMAN **and underneath it was a picture of Clark in his full prime colored suit saving a woman and her newborn from a burning building. It was the first full length interview any news outlet had gotten.

"And now everyone in the world is wondering why a beat reporter snagged an interview with the latest American hero." Tess says as she twirls her chair and laughs at the irony.

Clark put his arm around Lois and smiled, "She got the exclusive."

"Oh, I am sure she does," Oliver deadpanned.

Lois hit him in the back of the head, "Get that mind out of the gutter, Queen. You'll soon be the father of my nephew and I won't have you raise him up to be the same quick lipped ladies' man that you are."

Oliver chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah, well, I am sure Chloe will be a fine mother so it will counter any damage I might inflict."

"Well she sure will be without you around messing with her heart and head." Lois snapped. She was still very bitter about the end of Oliver's relationship with Chloe. And she had yet to learn he had gotten back together with Tess.

Oliver shared a look with Tess and she had become suddenly very interested in the newspaper article. He did not want the future to be filled with sudden silences and awkward moments so he figured it was not time to face the firing squad.

He had to talk to Lois.

"Hey, Clark," Oliver started, "Why don't you take Tess upstairs to show her the information on our latest addition, Bruce Wayne. She will need to be very familiar with him now that she's leaving the Planet to cover Watchtower full time."

Clark nodded, "Yeah, why don't we go see if we can get him on voice chat. Although, he is not usually a very chatty person, the title the dark knight fits me so well."

Tess nodded. She stood up and ran a hand through her soft curls. Oliver was so mesmerized by the movement that he did not notice Lois shooting a glare with her mouth falling open in surprise.

"Yeah, I'd like to do that," Tess replied, "I talked to Perry today and he is flying in from Washington next Monday to take over. I understand that you know him well."

She stood up, made her way around the desk, and she was lost in conversation with Clark as they made their way up the stairs of Watchtower and within seconds they were out of sight and earshot.

Suddenly, Oliver felt the sting of Lois' palm connecting with his cheek.

"What the hell?"

"Yeah, I hope that hurts." Lois said as she rounded on him and pointed toward the stairs. "That red haired hussy is the reason you broke up with my cousin, your wife while she is pregnant with your child. How much lower can a guy get! Pond scum has more integrity than that."

Oliver stared at her through watery eyes.

"Lois, it's not what you think!"

Lois huffed and crossed her arms. "Of course it is. Why else is would you break up with my cousin, who is the like third most awesome person in the world!"

Oliver furrowed his eyebrows, "Third?"

Lois shrugged, "Yeah, behind me and Clark, of course."

Oliver cracked a smile and shook his head, only Lois.

But he quickly returned to the more serious matter at hand and he knew he did not have much time.

"Look, now I don't know what Chloe told you," Oliver started but Lois interrupted.

"She certainly did not tell me that you left her for another woman. Now, I know it was to save you from my wrath because that's the kind of person she is, loyal and caring."

Oliver put his hand up to massage his sour cheek. "I know that. And it's not that I don't love her, a part of me always will and I will love our child but Lois, it would have been much crueler to let her go on believing I wasn't pining for another. So when she confronted me about it, I had to spill my guts."

Lois growled a little but he continued.

"I know it sucks and I agree that I am lower than pond scum but my intention was never to hurt anyone. And when I told her everything, Lois she graciously stepped aside because she is that caring, loyal, and incredible person. Now, wouldn't you rather she get a chance to find her special guy than to let her think that guy was me."

Oliver pleaded with Lois through his gaze.

He was really hoping that she would be able to move passed her justifiable anger. He didn't deserve her forgiveness but he hoped for it because it would make this transition easier on everyone including the baby that was on the way.

Lois contemplated her next move while she chewed on her bottom lip.

Oliver's heart was pounding in his ears as Lois got a sad look on her face.

She spoke.

"The thing is Oliver; I think she already found her special guy. It was the same guy that gave her this very apartment as a wedding present and that guy is never coming back to love her again. So I just hope she's able to recover this heartbreak to find a special guy even if it's not _her_ special guy. So I am going to let this slide but you better stay the hell away from her from now on except in matters concern my future nephew, Jonas."

Oliver nodded, "Of course."

Lois leaned against the desk sending the conversation in a casual direction. "You know she is moving to Paris, right?"

Oliver nodded, "Yeah. She got a job at a magazine over there."

"Are you okay with Jonas being so far away?"

Oliver nodded as he leaned next to her against the desk, "We agreed that she would raise him for the most part and besides, I have my own private jet. And it's only a little fuel."

Lois bumped shoulders with him, "So you and Tess, huh? She is quite the handful. Are you prepared for that?"

Oliver did not get his chance to answer the question as Tess and Clark walked up to them.

"Prepared for what?" Tess asked as she came to stand next to Lois.

Lois shrugged. "Oh, it's nothing. Just a little girl talk without the chubby hubby,"

Clark laughed. "Oliver, I always figured you had a lady's delicate charms."

Oliver nodded as the three of them burst out, "Laugh it up, guys. Laugh it up."

Only a few moments later, while still catching her breath, Tess voice broke through the moment.

"Not to crash this laugh riot but we do have some business to get down to. We have a new matter to settle."

Tess approached one of the computers and started to punch sequences into the number pad.

The three of them formed a group behind her and the screen to get a better look at what she pulled up.

They were staring at the picture of a man.

"He looks harmless." Lois commented. "Kind of like Santa, actually."

"Well he does not have toys for all the good little boys and girls of Metropolis. Guys, this is Bruno Mannheim, the leader of the organization known as Intergang. It's the largest organized crime syndicate in the city."

The group fell into a buzz of activity as the moon continued to cast a glow on the four of them.

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><p>The End of Chapter 12<p> 


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