Surprise meeting for dl_greenarrow

[chloesullivan]

Chloe had heard about this place the night before, when she heard on the police scan that the cage fighter Carlos Mendez had been beaten to death outside the underground cage fighting club.

The place was exactly what she expected; dirty, disgusting, it smelled horrible and it was filled with men who smelled even worse. For a Monday night, it was crowded. She tightened her hand around the pepper spray in her jacket pocket, the other hand tightening around the small knife that she held around her other hand. She was wearing a hoodie over her head, the least attention she attracted to herself, the better.

Chloe pushed her way through the crowd and what she saw when she looked into the cage, that she didn't expect. Her breath caught in her throat, it was the first familiar face she had seen in half an year, but she wished she hadn't see him like that. Oliver had just been punched, full on the face, and his nose was gushing blood. She felt sick.

Comments

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

The pain from a broken nose wasn't something he'd wish on anyone, but as soon as that thought hit him, so did another punch--this one to his gut. He stumbled backward, falling against the cage bars. One arm came up protectively around his already injured ribs and he threw a half-hearted punch at the other man whose name he couldn't recall at the moment.

Possibly from the pain.

"Come on, pretty boy," the guy snarled, taking another swing at him and just clipping his shoulder as he made a small attempt to duck.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

Without thinking, Chloe pushed her way further in, until she was glued to the bars, she wanted to call out for him about as much as she wanted to get in there and help him knock the other guy out.

But she didn't she didn't think it would be safe to announce herself and probably him, like that.

So she waited. And watched, trying to catch his eyes.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

Two more hits and he was down on the floor of the cage. Everything hurt. For a moment he lay there, wishing for the other fighter to just finish him off. He heard the whistle blow, and knew the match was over, but he made no attempt to move.

The guy leaned down and smirked. "See you out back, pretty boy."

He barely heard him over the screaming crowd.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

Chloe then realized Oliver wasn't even trying to, he was just taking it, just letting the other guy beat the hell out of him. Like he deserved it.

When he didn't more, she didn't move either. She had heard plenty of stories about him catching guys before, she knew he was better than this, knew that guy wouldn't stand a chance if Oliver had made an effort. But he hadn't.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He lay motionless for several long moments, even as he listened to the sounds of the crowd dissipating. He shut his eyes, breathing slowly, then reluctantly he rolled over onto his back, grimacing as his ribs screamed at him for the movement. Resting a hand on his stomach, he opened his eyes once more, and found himself staring directly at a face he hadn't seen in anything but his dreams and nightmares for the past six months.

"Chloe."

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

She let go of the objects that were inside, her hands holding on to the bars and she met his eyes, her own wide. She wanted him to move, she wanted him to get up. She just held his gaze, the way he was looking at her, he looked like he had seen a ghost.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He felt like the wind had been knocked out of him--again. For a moment he thought he might actually be hallucinating--that all of the beatings had finally caused him some sort of brain damage. He blinked slowly, closing his eyes for a second, then opening them again.

She was still there, staring at him wide-eyed.

This wasn't supposed to happen, he thought, grimacing painfully as he sat up, still staring back at her.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was rough and when he coughed, he could taste blood in his mouth.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He simply nodded. "So why are you here?" he asked again.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"Why are you here, Oliver? And why where you in there?" She stepped closer as she spoke, eyes still on his face. He hadn't looked at her yet and she had noticed.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He drew in a painful breath and let it out slowly. When she got that close, it was pretty difficult to avoid looking at her. He swallowed hard, reluctantly meeting her eyes. Even in the darkness of the alley, he could see the bruise on her temple.

"What happened?" he asked, lifting his hand up to her face.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

She flinched away from his touch and kept her eyes on him, "you can barely stand, Oliver. I'm taking you to a hospital."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"I don't think so, Blondie," a man said from behind her, sneering. "Your boyfriend and I have a little unfinished business to take care of."

Oliver looked past her to the same fighter that he'd just lost to, tensing at the sight of the knife in his hand. "Get out of here," he ordered Chloe, pushing himself away from the wall.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

Chloe turned to look at the other man, without thinking she grabbed Oliver's arm with one of her hands and pulled him towards her, "I don't think so." She told the other, much bigger guy.

She knew there was no way Oliver could take around round of what had happened inside, let alone protect himself against the blade. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a small spray can, holding it behind herself.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

The other man grinned down at her sardonically. "Oh, you wanna play too? I think I'd like that a lot." He took a step toward her.

"Chloe, get back," Oliver said, not seeing the can of pepper spray.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"Carlos," he murmured, closing his eyes once more. "That place is dangerous, Chloe." He knew his words held no weight at this point, and knew she knew it too.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

No, they didn't, his words were just her opening to ask him more questions, "what were you doing in there, Oliver?"

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

If ever there were a loaded question, that was it. And if anyone ever deserved an answer--and an honest one at that--it was Chloe Sullivan. "Atonement," he said simply, looking away once more.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

Chloe frowned, eyes glancing at him before back on the road as she made a turn, "for what?"

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"My life," he murmured, slinking down in the seat a little more as he felt unconsciousness beginning to tug at him.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

She noticed his voice slurring and frowned as she pulled over in front of the building, "Oliver, stay with me, you can't fall asleep and I need you to help me get you upstairs."

It would be a while before she would be ready to discuss what she thought he was referring to, so she didn't push it.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"Watchtower," he repeated in a murmur, his eyebrows furrowed. "But you are the watchtower." His eyes slid shut once more.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

As soon as his eyes were closed, she was touching his cheek lightly, "open your eyes, Oliver. Not much longer." She glanced towards the stairs, wishing it wouldn't take Dr. Hamilton so long to get to them.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He sighed heavily, turning his head toward her touch instinctively. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

Chloe stood up when she heard the door opening downstairs, she walked towards the railing and was relieved to see the doctor, "up here," she told him.

"What happened?" the doctor asked as he walked over to the bed and started to exam Oliver.

"He got into a fight." Chloe answered shortly, not wanting to get into details, "I think his nose is broken."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

Oliver heard the voices around him, but the pull of sleep was too much to keep fighting. Especially when it was what he needed most at the moment. The voices faded away as unconsciousness finally took over completely.