Don't Touch

Over the years, as the League grew and became more well known, a rule was set in place after various mistakes made by misinformed members and bystanders. When Chloe Sullivan became Chloe Queen, she was officially named off limits. Being married to the boss made her untouchable under almost every circumstance. Some had warned Oliver that it was showing weakness by putting her in such high regard, but instead it became something to be recognized and feared by trespassers of such unwritten law. There were incidents in the past and some still happened to this day. As Bart sat with Clark, AC and Victor in the living room of Ollie and Chloe's Metropolis apartment, he thought back to such times, grinning at his favorite. "Remember when Lex made the mistake of touching Chloe?"

The other members grinned in reminiscence.

It was another 33.1 attack; search and destroy. Lex had been searching the building for a quick exit and just happened to get in Watchtower's way. After some hand-to-hand combat where she had was on the winning end, he knocked her into a wall behind her with the butt of the gun he had at his hip. She was hidden in her red leather gear, dark sunglasses and a voice distorter, much like that of her husband's. Lex slid in close, his expression one of intrigue. It was rare that women were part of the many infiltrations of his warehouses. The Black Canary appeared on occasion, but this was his first time up and close with the red leather beauty.

Breathing heavily and panting as she sat on the floor in a heap, a dribble of blood sliding down the curve of her neck, she stared up at him defiantly.

There was something completely engrossing about her. He knelt down next to her, body ready for whatever strike she might make. He still had his gun at her temple, however, and didn't expect her to do much. He reached out in fascination, his fingers spreading out and tracing her cheek. Her skin was soft as satin beneath his touch. The hard personality shown as she fought with him and defied him seemed to melt away when faced with such a delicate feeling. They didn't mesh right. Her body was lean but curvy and he knew from her fighting style that she was no pushover. But such a soft specimen seemed entirely opposing with the idea of this cloaked woman in red.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," she warned, her voice distorter keeping her identity safe. Her lip curled with revulsion as Lex's hand fell lower to graze her red leather covered breasts.

If her arsenal of weapons was closer, he'd be a eunuch by now.

Lex smirked. "Beautiful, unarmed and at my will. I'm inclined to think you don't have the upper hand."

"I'd be more worried about your hands," a voice called out.

Turning around abruptly, Lex was taken off guard as his hand was twisted and broken within seconds. He felt his wrist shatter and the tendons of his arm stretch before he was thrown back against the wall.

The infamous Green Arrow leaned over him. "Touch her again and I'll break a lot more than your hand."

Lex cradled his arm against his chest, his expression wide as he stared up at the man in green leather before he took his crimson bride's hand and swept her away, back to foiling his business once more.

"I'm surprised Oliver didn't do more," Bart said, shaking his head.

"It'll probably happen again," Clark said with a sigh. "Lex is a slow learner."

They were waiting on the couple to arrive home, seeing as their group was more close knit than some of the other members. Metropolis business was usually dealt with just between them and Oliver apparently had big news so he called a meeting. The four men sitting on his couches were the only people he trusted with his wife, as they knew well enough just how much she mattered to him. While Bart had an ongoing crush on her, he never passed the invisible line set forth. He flirted and made the few innuendo's, but it was all in good fun and Oliver knew that. It was the rest of the world that Oliver didn't trust. While he loved his wife, her tenacious personality and natural beauty tended to blind others to their actions and they often tripped over their tongues to get her. After the first few times, he quickly learned that his presence wasn't doing anything to deter them and neither was the wedding ring on her finger. So he changed tactics. The only thing that seemed to get through their thick skulls was brute force and threats that he was willing to back up and they knew it.

"Remember that business associate," AC reminded, brows lifting and his mouth quirking with a smirk.

Clark frowned. "That one didn't turn out well at all."

"They never learn," Bart said with a smirking sigh.

Oliver and Chloe were at yet another business related dinner. Dining with the rich and arrogant, purposely avoiding the turned up noses and disdainful expressions at every cost. But he was forced away by an uppity worker and so Chloe was left to guard herself. A man she barely knew, but recognized faintly as one of Oliver's many business associates. He sent her a lecherous smile, his eyes perusing her off-the-shoulder gown, settling on the cleavage shown before falling lower to take in the flair of her hips. She hid her sneer well. It was amazing how uncouth this man could be even when face to face with someone.

"You husband asked me to tell you he'd like to meet you in the office," he informed her, lifting a brow and smiling in a way she was sure he thought was charming but failed miserably.

Happy to get away from him, she hurried toward the office mentioned and entered in hopes of finding said husband and talking him into leaving as soon as possible. She wanted to get out of the too-tight dress, preferably with his help.

However, as she entered the office it was noticeably empty. The door shut behind her and she knew as her stomach tightened that she'd just made a rooky mistake.

She could hear his footsteps behind her, slow as if stalking his prey.

Finally, he was behind her and she flinched as his cold hands slid over her shoulders. "You know, I was surprised to find out that such an intelligent and beautiful woman such as yourself had become yet another notch for Oliver Queen."

"Notch?" she repeated, voice dripping with disdain. "My wedding ring says different."

He laughed rather coldly. "A playboy like him, settling down? You don't really believe he's faithful, do you?" He tried massaging her shoulders, as if to put her ease. "No, he's the type. You need somebody more stable, more… like me."

She lifted a brow, wondering whether she pulled the knife strapped to her thigh and used it to castrate him, it'd be classified as an act of kindness to the female race. "You've got the wrong girl," she told him with a sigh.

"On the contrary, Mrs. Queen, I believe I've found the perfect woman," he said, his voice dripping with false adoration.

She rolled her eyes, her body tensing as his hands slid over her shoulders and lower, destination obviously her breasts. She moved forward to get out of his grasp but his hands tightened around her shoulders, holding her in place.

"Trust me," she said, her voice low. "If you want to stay rich, let alone alive, you'll remove your hands."

He laughed. "Why? Planning on suing me for sexual harassment?"

"Paul?" Oliver's voice interrupted,

She hadn't even heard the door open. Chloe pulled away from Paul as his attention was taken from her. She watched as the previously cocky man before her turned scared, face paling dramatically.

"I see you've found my wife," Oliver drawled, brow lifting.

"Yes," he sputtered in a choked voice. "She's a fascinating woman."

"I know." Oliver held a hand out and Chloe slipped hers into his, sidling up to her husband and leaning into him. His eyes narrowed as he stared at the squirming Peter. "I've recently decided your company just doesn't suit Queen Industries. Our shares will be cut off Monday."

"B-But you're our biggest supporter!" he cried. "Without Queen Industries, my business will fall apart!" His face turned from white to a bright red, veins bulging.

Oliver frowned before leaning in. "A little tip that all businessmen should learn early. Never try and seduce your biggest client's wife." His expression darkened. "It's just bad manners."

Paul swallowed tightly, breaking out in a sweat.

"Ollie?" Chloe said, her hand reaching up to straight his tie. "Are you ready to go home?"

He smirked. "Very."

"I heard his business plummeted after that. He works as a secretary now," Victor said, lifting a brow.

"Serves him right, if you ask me," Bart said, frowning.

"Do you guys remember Freddy?" AC wondered, tipping his head to the side.

"Yeah…" Clark winced. "He didn't last long."

"He was a jerk anyway," Bart said, frowning.

Freddy was new to the League and on probation given his disorderly behavior on a daily basis. Oliver had inducted him for his heroic activities, but he had a tendency to stray from the big picture and so the rest of the League wasn't sure he'd be staying along. They knew he wouldn't last a week when he set his eyes on Chloe Sullivan and saw gold.

Swaggering over to her, he reached out, taking a lock of her hair and wrapping it around his finger. "So what's your deal, Goldie?"

She turned to him, brow lifting at his audacity. She stepped away from him with an exasperated sigh, going back to what she'd been doing at the computer and ignoring his presence all together.

He leaned against the desk, drawing her attention back to him. "Shy?" he asked, mouth turning up with a smirk.

Bart intervened, stepping in between the new guy and the blonde reporter scowling at him just as his hand reached for her. "You're gonna want to set your sights somewhere else, partner," he told him, nodding.

"What's a matter, Impulse?" he asked, sneering his name. "Scare of a little competition?"

Bart crossed his arms over his chest, frowning. "Chloelicious is off limits. Trust me, you're lucky I'm warning you at all."

With a roll of his eyes, Freddy turned his eyes back to Chloe, only to find she'd left when his attention was elsewhere.

He spotted her across the room, though, and ignoring Bart's warning looks, he made his way over to her, an arrogant expression ready.

Before he could open his mouth to say something he would unjustly label as charming, Chloe interrupted him. "You don't know what you're doing, kid." She glanced up at him, her expression fed up. I am the last member of this league that you want to get close to."

"I dunno about that. You're more the member I want to get really close to" he suggested, brows lifting. Reaching out, he stroked her neck, fingers sliding over her shoulder. "What are you doing tonight, baby?"

"She's going home with me," Oliver interrupted, taking his hand off Chloe's shoulder and bending the fingers back slowly. "Bart, you want to refresh Freddy on the rules?"

"Rule numero uno. Never touch the boss' wife," he informed him.

"I- I didn't know," Freddy told him, wincing and crying out with pain.

"Bart?" Oliver's voice didn't waver and his grip on the boy's hands stayed strong.

"I warned him," he said, lifting his hands in a gesture of 'not involved'.

Oliver frowned. "Were going to make this simple." He stared at him seriously, unflinching as the younger man recoiled in pain, knees bending and body lowering to the floor. "You touch Watchtower again and you're going out the window."

He nodded jerkily. "Okay, I get it."

"They never learn," Chloe muttered, walking away to the kitchen to refill her coffee.

Freddy ended up leaving the League, rather uncomfortable whenever he was in Oliver's presence and the group didn't suffer with his exit. The rest of the League knew the rules and followed them. While Oliver Queen was a good man; a man who worked hard for justice and good in the world; he held those close to him tight and didn't risk them for anything. His wife was the most important person in his life; his only family; and anybody who threatened that was just asking for trouble.

The elevator could be heard opening in the distance and the League turned to see Oliver and Chloe walking toward them. Their hands hung entwined between them while their heads were bowed together as they talked quietly. Years ago, they'd been just the same. Always in their own little world, without a care for their surroundings. Oliver was protective, if not a little possessive, of his wife, but for good reason. She kept him up in a world where it seemed there were downs around every corner. Love was a fleeting thought for most in their line of work but they'd found it and held tight to it.

"We have good news," Chloe announced, smiling at them as she came to a stop and Oliver stepped behind her.

"In about six months, there's going to be a baby Queen," Oliver told them, grinning. His hand had settled over Chloe's abdomen.

The four men rose from theirs seats, expression widening in a mixture of surprise and happiness.

Bart knelt down by Chloe's side, leaning his ear against her hip. "Hey baby Queen; you can call be Uncle Bart!"

Chloe grinned down at him, patting the top of his head in a rather motherly fashion.

"You just found out today?" AC asked, brows lifting.

Oliver shrugged. "We considered the possibility, but it was confirmed today."

"Nice one, Papa Queen!" Bart said, standing up to clap his boss' shoulder.

"Hey! He wasn't alone!" Chloe said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"My apologies," he replied, smirking. "You really put you're all into this, Chloelicious. I'm so proud!" he said dramatically.

She rolled her eyes.

Oliver showed them all the ultrasound picture, smiling as only a proud father can. Chloe leaned into his side and his arm lifted to wrap around her warmly as he talked about the whole process and hearing the heartbeat.

The couple kissed deeply, uncaring of the audience who were not only used to their displays of affection, but distracted by the sonogram they were all looking at.

Bart stared down at the tiny picture of the baby and wondered what would happen if they had a little girl. She'd obviously become the little princess of the league. But as she grew up, he was sure that the one rule that was long known as being a label of Chloe would be handed down to her daughter. The never to be broken rule would change from 'Don't touch his Watchtower,' to 'Don't touch any Queen.' Of course, he'd be an exception to the rule, being an uncle and all. With how protective Oliver was of his wife, Bart couldn't imagine how much it might heighten with his daughter. He hoped it was a boy!