Note: As of the writing of this, I couldn't remember who the Swanns were, so I just made the Swans like a superhero-ish band of people. I suppose you could think of them as being named after the Swanns if you want to. In reality I only fixed things to fit my plot. Yay plot.

XXXXXX

The real reason Oliver hates Clark is because of what happened to Chloe.

Or, the real reason he hates "Ultraman"—which will never cease to be the lamest name for any villain or superhero that Oliver has ever heard of.

It was years ago, and he's waited so long for this moment. Just this moment.

He has him at his mercy.

He can kill him.

This is it.

But then he feels a sharp pain to his head as he gets knocked out, and everything goes black.

XXXX

It doesn't stay that way.

In the few minutes that he's out . . . he sees her.

He'd almost forgotten how beautiful she was.

"Oh, Oliver."

The way she says his name makes him wish—for what seems like the millionth time—that he were with her.

He gave up on that a long time ago though.

XXXX

Oliver had met her during her senior year—and they'd just clicked. He'd taken a trip to complete some unfinished business with the Luthors—god, how he hated them—and he'd met the cute blond who was desperately trying to escape the pouring rain.

He'd offered to help her, and she'd nearly destroyed his family "jewels."

He wasn't a fool though, so he'd blocked her. "Most girls wouldn't try to knee a billionaire," he said conversationally.

The girl had looked up at that, "You're Oliver Queen. That's just great." And with that she'd spun around on her heel and left him staring after her.

He'd been so soaking wet he'd thought he'd never feel warm again . . . but he'd also been enraptured.

Somehow he'd managed to meet up with her again and again, and he'd fallen so hard he thought he'd been knocked out into paradise. Corny, he knew, but so true.

They'd waited until she'd turned eighteen before they started dating, and he'd known that his life had taken a very, very important turn.

She was everything.

As their "relationship" progressed—she refused to label what they were exactly—she started to become obsessed with starting her own team of superheroes. She'd wanted to save the world. Oliver had gone along with her, inspired by who she was, and everything she wanted.

He became a hero for her—her knight in shining leather, she liked to say as she felt him up while he was wearing his "Green Arrow" costume.

XXXX

Chloe giggled—her face breaking out in the widest smile he'd ever seen on her face.

"Is that a yes?" He asked nervously. It had only been two years.

They'd been the best damn two years of his life.

"Of course!" She jumped into his arms. It's completely strange and uncharacteristic, but she's engaged.

She was getting married to Oliver, and no one could take that away from her.

"Have you told your family about . . . us yet?" Oliver asked. She hadn't told anyone last time he'd checked.

"Just Lois. She doesn't think it's anything serious." Chloe looked up, and into his eyes. "It is though," she said softly.

"I'd like to think so," Oliver smirks before capturing her lips with his.

XXXX

Oliver was worried.

He was terrified, actually. He had a bad feeling about this. He'd been halfway around the world when he'd got the message from Chloe that she and the Swans were busy with a mission.

He had a bad feeling.

He'd rushed back, but he hadn't been able to find her at home.

His heart filled with dread as he rushed of to the Watchtower—a beautiful building Chloe's close friend Jimmy had recommended as excellent real estate during a lunch the two men had had together.

He loved it. He and Chloe had made it a headquarters of sorts.

It was perfect.

But as he rushed off to it, he felt dread.

Something was not right.

He walked in, and he knew. Chloe was there on the makeshift hospital bed, and she looked like she'd been . . . damaged.

He rushed to her side, "Chloe—"

She didn't respond.

"What happened?" he demanded of the woman trying to bandage one of her many, many wounds.

Chloe looked like she'd been torn apart and she was barely holding together. At that moment he noticed that she had the mark of Ultraman burned into her skin.

"Ultraman. We brought her back here as soon as we had the chance. She's in bad shape."

Oliver's eyes hardened. "I'll kill him."

"I hope you do, one day," the woman replied. Oliver couldn't even remember her name, though he was sure he'd seen her before.

"Ollie—" Chloe croaked.

Oliver knelt down next to her, taking her hand. "Chloe, hey. You're going to be okay."

Chloe smiled sadly, "No, I won't.

"I need you." Oliver realized he was crying when tears dropped down onto their linked hands.

"You'll be okay," Chloe assured him. "Make me proud, Ollie."

"Chloe, you're going to be okay."

Chloe closed her eyes.

Oliver felt her slipping away from him. He buried his head on the bed next to her and sobbed.

XXXX

A few days later at the funeral, Oliver met Lois for the first time.

He didn't think he'd like her, considering everything he'd heard about her . . . but he did.

He and Lois mourned together—because even as strangers, they'd been brought together by the wonder that was Chloe.

The ache in Oliver's heart never went away.

He never stopped hurting, but he never stopped fighting either.

He and Lois became quite the team—but there was always something not quite right about their relationship.

At first they thought they were betraying Chloe's memory, but then they'd had a moment of clarity . . . and they'd known she would have wanted them to find solace. And if it just so happened to be in one another . . . then that would be okay.

She'd want them to heal.

And they did, somewhat at least. They fell in love.

But it was never quite right.

XXXX

When Oliver saw that he had the opportunity to kill Ultraman, he'd jumped on it.

But when he was lying there on the ground, he saw his Chloe.

His beautiful girl.

"Hey, Ollie."

"Chloe—" he reached out to her.

They stood, surrounded by bright lights.

"Ollie, I need you to do something for me." Chloe cut into his reverie.

"I miss you," he said instead, hugging her, almost crying when she seemed to fade away.

"Ollie." Chloe repeated sadly. "I—you can't."

Oliver wasn't listening.

There were honestly times when he'd rather be dead—if only to be with her.

"Oliver, this isn't Clark Luthor. He's—another version. He's a hero. He needs to get back to his world."

"It's always business with you." he knows it isn't fair to say it, but he does it anyway. He's still hurting, even after all this time.

"I loved you, Oliver. You know that. You need to move on."

"I'm marrying Lois, isn't that moving on?"

Chloe smiled slightly, "You two are going to make each other miserable. You're settling, both of you."

"There's no me without you, Chloe. She's all I have."

"Oliver," Chloe sighed. "If she makes you happy, then go ahead." Chloe didn't seem in the least bit jealous.

Oliver wanted her to be. He wanted . . . he sighed. It didn't matter. "Why are you here, Chloe? Just to bother me?" he bit out.

"To tell you to save him." Chloe seemed hurt.

"That's all?"

Chloe smiled, "It's time, Ollie. Let me go. We'll be together again, I promise."

"I can't—"

"You have to."

And with that Ollie felt himself become conscious again.

XXXX

Without even really thinking, he saves Clark.

And when this apparently "non-evil" Clark leaves and the evil one was back . . . he is ready.

This Clark isn't a man. He's a monster.

And Oliver knows what he has to do.

For Lois.

For Chloe.

For himself.

For the world.