Hiding in Your Eyes

Lana stared in surprise at the man standing at the door in front of her. “Oliver?” she said, surprised.

Oliver’s brown eyes shined as he smiled at Lana. “Chloe wanted to see you. She was so happy to find out you were back that she asked me to come with her all the way from Star City right after you called.”

Lana looked at him and then past his shoulder as Chloe walked up the steps with her young son in her arms. “Lana, it’s so good to see you,” she said, handing the baby to Oliver before hugging her best friend. “I wish you would have told us earlier that you were coming. We could have helped you move.”

Lana hugged Chloe back quickly and shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I needed to do this alone. What are you doing driving so long, so late with a baby?”

Chloe smiled. “I hadn’t seen you in so long. I think I have a right to come see my best friend when I get back into town.”

Lana smiled back at her. “Want to come in? Clark’s here.”

Chloe’s eyebrow lifted at Lana’s words, but she nodded and walked inside. “How’d you find out, Clark?” Chloe asked, curious.

Clark looked up as Chloe walked in. “I was with Lois when you called.”

Chloe looked at Clark, wondering if her cousin knew he was here at Lana’s. Before she could say anything, Lana answered her question simply.

“Apparently Lois asked to have some space,” Lana said before walking over to glance up the stairs.

Oliver noticed the motion and smiled. “Got a man up there?” he asked, walking over to hug Chloe one handed, since his son was still in his other arm.

Lana looked at him and shook her head. “No.”

Chloe smiled at her husband and walked over to Lana. “How’s she handling the move?” she asked, looking at her friend.

“Wait. Chloe knew about your daughter?”

“Daughter?”

Chloe and Lana looked over at Clark and Oliver. “Yes, I knew about Lana’s daughter. I’m the only one who knew. How’d you find out?” Chloe asked, looking at Clark curiously. She really needed to talk to Lana alone. “Yes, Ollie. Lana has a five year old daughter.”

Oliver’s eyes locked on Lana’s, but Lana looked away from him and at Clark. “Chloe and I have some catching up to do. Do you two mind leaving so we can talk?”

Clark nodded, but both Chloe and Lana could see he didn’t want to leave. Chloe definitely needed to know what had happened before they arrived. Once Clark walked out, both girls looked at Oliver.

Oliver shook his head, frowning at Lana. “No, you and I need to talk.”

“Ollie, it can wait,” Chloe said, looking at her friend curiously.

Lana ran a hand through her hair and looked at Chloe. “Actually, it shouldn’t wait. You both need to know this.”

Chloe looked at Lana for a moment. “Know what?”

Lana looked at Oliver. “Did you tell her what happened?”

Oliver frowned and shook his head. “No. It was before her and I got together.”

“Tell her. I need to go check on my daughter,” Lana said, walking upstairs.

Chloe started to follow after her, but Oliver gently touched her arm to stop her. Oliver told Chloe about Star City, a year before they had become an item. A year before she had changed his life. And mere weeks after Lois had broken his heart. He told Chloe about his brief relationship with Lana, and also told her that he thought Lana’s daughter might be his. Chloe listened through it all, but couldn’t believe it. First Clark, then Oliver. Would there ever be a guy that she didn’t have to come second to Lana?

By the time Lana had seen that her daughter was still sound asleep and came back down the stairs, Chloe was gone. Oliver’s brown eyes lifted to lock on hers. “Is she mine?”

Lana nodded and closed her hazel eyes. “Yes, she’s yours,” she whispered.

“Damn it, Lana," Oliver said as stood up and started pacing. “Why would you hide this from me? I should have known something wasn’t right when you ran from Star City so quickly.”

Lana opened her eyes to look at him. “I didn’t know when I left. I left because I knew that we wouldn’t have a good relationship. Oliver, you were still in love with Lois, while I was still in love with Clark. We would only have screwed each other up worse.”

“Why didn’t you call to tell me when you found out? I missed watching my daughter grow up because you didn’t care to inform me that you were pregnant,” Oliver said, temper in his eyes and voice.

Lana looked at him. “I couldn’t tell you because you needed to have you own life. If you had found out about our daughter, what would you have done?”

“I would have helped you raise her,” he said.

“That’s not all you would have done. We both know that you would have tried to convince me to marry you. I wasn’t going to let this destroy the life you were meant to have. I left you for the same reason I left Clark, to make sure you had the future both of you were meant to have.”

Oliver stood up and walked towards her. “My future involves the little girl that you hid from me.”

“Damn it, Oliver. I didn’t hide her from you. I moved away and found out I was pregnant. I was not about to call you to and tell you cause I did not need another man thinking because he’s rich, he can buy my love.”

“I am not Lex!” he snapped, furious with her for the comparison.

Lana looked at him and frowned. “I know you’re not,” she said, running a hand through her black hair. “I know, but I wasn’t going to be forced, Oliver. You would have done everything to convince me to marry you, to become a proper family. I couldn’t do that. I’m glad I didn’t do that because I saw how happy you and Chloe are. I won’t stand in the way of her happiness again. I did it with Clark. I won’t do it with anyone else.”

Oliver nodded. “You’re not keeping my daughter from me.”

“No, I’m not. You can see her tomorrow though. I’m not going to wake her. Go fix things with Chloe, and if she wants, she can come her and say whatever to me. Good night, Oliver,” she said, walking over to open the door.

Oliver nodded as he took the hint to leave. “Goodnight, Lana. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He waited for Lana’s nod before walking out the door.