Doomed

Disclaimer: Shucks…

Inspiration: "I'm Outta Time" by Oasis, "Romeo and Juliet" The Killers (Dire Straits cover)

Pairing: Chloe/Davis implied.

Storyline: Cursed with a fondness for the gorgeous and gifted, Chloe attempts to go the distance to save Davis.

A/N: Slight AU, takes place late season 8. LOVED this season, but wanted badly to rewrite a wonderful story for Chloe and Davis. I also took a stab at writing it in first-person, which was easier than I thought it would be :] I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter One: Going Nowhere

The solution was obvious. Or I was delusional.

Easily won over by smoldering warm eyes that melted my heart in my chest, ridding me of that rhythmic beating that signified the countdown 'til Doomsday. It was an awful burden to be solely aware of, save Clark and the JLA, and made me sometimes thrive with the curse for bending over backwards for handsome fellows who, for a reason I wish I knew, opt to confide in me.

I could not escape the curse of being a girl: fool for the tall, dark, and otherworldly handsome.

And I was drawing towards the conclusion, that being smart paid off a lot more than playing dumb. The old saying "Guys don't make passes, at Girls who wear glasses" had always rubbed me the wrong way. However, after living in Smallville, I learned that stereotype was as factual as Humpty Dumpty, and how all the King's horses and all the King's men had failed to put him back together again.

I never had to dumb myself down, to win the attention of the otherworldly Gods I speak of-my intelligence, exhibited through years of gold stars earned in K-12, were no longer silly but great, twinkling starlight that guided lost, and gorgeous, souls to me faster than blinking neon lights beckoning the perverted.

First, Clark Kent.

My first crush, not my first kiss, or other unmentionable partner in acts that cause me to blush even in private thought…

Ridiculously cute, but strong, farm boy who happens to be my best friend.

His great love, Lana Lang, came close to stealing the Torch-no pun intended, but my shopping buddy was also a spineless fool for the opposite sex. I hate considering the fact that her ex-husband Lex Luthor could be the reason for the permanent wedge between us, but, I can't find any other explanation as to 'why'.

The second intrusive THIEF who invades my thoughts and steals the healthy pace of my heart?

Davis Bloome.

Hearing his name is similar to hearing there is a 70 percent chance it will rain, hail, and storm fiercely on the day you don't want it.

But, boy, is he cute. Cuter than Clark….almost.

Clark is like a sweltering hot day that you can't escape because his country shack doesn't have air conditioning… Davis is… rain.

I love seizing the opportunity to head down to Crater Lake to soak up the sun, maybe take a dip in warm waters.

I also love cozying up at home with a good book on a rainy day, let the moisture outside intensify the scents outside, making everything smell clean, and refreshing. Even my car benefits from the action, I drive a shiny clean car the next day.

Lately, Clark's warmth had begun to burn me.

I haven't grown annoyed with his company, I love the guy, but much like Lex in the picture with Clark and Lana, my "friendship" with Davis had begun to broil Clark overwhelmingly hot.

My great sun can't shine through with the rain clouds screening him from me.

The distance between Clark and me could rival the earth's length from the sun.

Unaware of Davis's true identity, honesty, I'm still a bit fuzzy on the subject myself…me not being Kryptonian and everything…I do remember little from being possessed by Fine, Clark disregarded our "friendship" to do his own thing in Metropolis, but eventually, the chase for his Planet stories had begun to tail Davis's own personal demons.

Pleading with Davis to leave the city and stay with me in Smallville while we try to sort it all out was really a favor to Clark.

With so much on his plate, I didn't want to spring this all on him now, especially when he'd come to me for help in the first place. Which is what I'm doing, fighting the odds of "the monster in my basement will kill me" for the sake of Clark's sanity, and more importantly his life…it's a selfish act really, I can't go on living, and fighting, without him.

"Do I remind you of Clark?"

Davis's inquisition startles me, but not really…I remember wondering about a resemblance once before.

To prevent myself from blushing, the only resemblance I can remember making was that they both were capable of making me swoon and clutch the side of my warming face with lovesickness, and could quite possibly, make me drool in awe if they really tried to dazzle me with their alien good looks, I smirk and tell him, "Were you raised in a barn too?"

Davis smiles, his chuckle stifling through his perfect downturned nose as he looks up at me through his thick brow and says, "I hear the Kent's were lovely. No, what I meant was….the hiding, all the secrecy, the big alien mystery…"

My breathing becomes shallow, and too loud in my nasal passage as I shiver at Davis approaching me, towering high above me in a way that I never noticed or feared in Clark-he has a softness and warmth to him that makes his large build more protective puppy-like than Davis's, I praise the God's that he seems to enjoy my company too much to destroy me as we both know he is more than capable of doing.

Davis shrugs, unaware of the exhilaration and fear overworking my composure due to his closeness.

"It's just something I imagine you having to put up with… being friends with Clark growing up."

The hint of jealousy in his voice constricts me like a silky, warm material more tantalizing than lying naked and restful in thousand count sheets but also stabs me like a finding a shard of glass in that tangle of plush; I don't like to think of Davis jealous. Though it assures me he likes me, likes me enough to trust me with his life, his utmost secrets, it also scares me that his temper could erupt any second and he'd harm those close to me…I wasn't afraid of death anymore. But I had to remind myself I was doing this for Clark, my own harm would pain him too.

"Clark never trusted me with his secret… at first, anyway. Initially, I found out on my own."

"Naughty Clark."

My imagination is given a rest, the devilishly tasty grin that coats Davis's full lips isn't imaginary, and the nearness he fails to notice is on purpose.

I smile and look down, praying to the Gods above that the blood pooling the chambers of my cheeks drain and fail to burn a bright red. My face feels hot.

"I'm not going to lie. He hurt me, by keeping THAT from me. But…now, I get why he did it."

Looking up, my smile fails to diminish and only intensifies as I find myself gazing into a side to Davis I'd fight the impossible to keep. Shrugging, I say, "He thought he was protecting me."

"You smile at that?" Davis questions, my smile contagious.

Nodding, I smile again. "Yeah, I do. It's funny really. I'm the one protecting him now."

Careful with my words, I don't want to make Davis jealous. I look down, pretending to admire his broad shoulders that I want desperately to reach out and take a hold of, and say, "Does it bother you that I think the very same about you?"

Indulging him with another of my smiles, I look back up at him for a response.

He laughs this time. "No, it humors me."

I laugh too. "Yeah, I get that." It is rather hilarious that I should be protecting this man the size of a bear; a rather cuddly bear.

While admiring his unusual build, Davis was not the kind to spend his days in a gym, because of me, the poor guy now spent his days locked up in the basement, I ask, "Davis, can I ask you something?"

"Does it have anything to do with how much I bench?" Davis asked with a chuckle, not at all embarrassed by my straying eyes.

I smile, it is weak with the wretchedness of my next inquisition.

"Davis…If I had been ignorant of your origin, would you have shared with me your inner demons as well?"

My voice is very weak, fatigued not by my miserable day at the Isis Foundation, but my tiring part on the matter. Harboring secrets greater than the poorly anticipated contents of Al Capone's vault was more tolling than trying to catch an elephant with a butterfly net. A vacation, a well deserved holiday, was what I needed, and I hoped to get it.

Davis smiled, just briefly, and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. Was I right?

"Okay, I admit that your history with the extraterrestrial did help with the 'coming clean', but, I also have to tell you-" His eyes found mine. The tips of his toes clumsily touched mine. His secret was mine. "-I'd like to believe that, given different circumstances, and the same Chloe," His smile was mine. "-eventually, I would have owned up to my alien past. All in good time."

My smile pulled boldly across my mouth, and I prayed, his hearing was only shy, and not intrusive (like Clark's), to spare Davis the embarrassing sprint my heart was running.

"That's comforting to know."

Davis chuckled and shrugged, "I would throw in a few good fights and maybe a fabricated inheritance into the story, but I would have told you."

I chuckled.

"And I have to tell you, Davis…" I sighed, without the confidence I had slowly obtained descending the two flights of stairs from my apartment above the Talon to come down and visit him. "As much as I enjoy your company, and love that you allow me to help, I don't think this is working."

His frown made me frown.

"What do you mean?" The sudden edge my words have aroused in him was unnerving.

"Relax, Big Guy. What I meant was….the hiding, the secrets-which, by the way, will only backfire on us, I'd rather skedaddle before it all accumulates and becomes too much for us to carry. Which would also apply to what I'm trying to suggest as Plan B."

Davis folded his arms and continued to listen to my suggestion, the heavy brow framing his dark brown eyes made me become aware of the lump suddenly itching in my throat.

"Is any of this making sense?" I asked, pressing my finger tips together in your typical 'scheming' manner, and waited warily for his response.

Davis released a great breath that in a fraction of a second warmed my belly beneath the thin night tank I was wearing. I wish he were closer, my bare shoulders could have really used the warming up.

"I'm not following… Chloe, is everything OK??"

I forced a slight smile and approached him. Arching my feet, I raised my hands high to catch him by his shoulders reassuringly and say, "Everything's fine, Davis. I didn't mean to scare you."

"I'm more worried for you." He told me, the concern in his voice reaching his brown eyes-tonight I will imagine rolling over one day, waking from a night's rest and gazing into them… I wonder if the morning light makes them syrupy.

"And I'm going to argue the same thing. Look, Davis. We can't hide out here forever. Smallville by reputation is….miniscule, and I'm afraid that eventually Clark and people less kind and understanding than Clark will find you. I know we've been trying your to keep your inner… 'demon' leashed and out of trouble, but I'm afraid our home remedy is no longer working."

"I've been good. You've been good. Chloe, you alone have been keeping me from exploding, into a monster I search the dark corners for at night only to come to the frightening realization that he is in bed with me. I don't like the way you're talking… It's almost like… You're giving up."

He seemed to be on the verge of breaking down. I didn't want that. He didn't want that. There was dark laughter that existed only in our minds that mocked our struggle and I knew it was the monster poor Davis cowered from.

Taking advantage of his agonizing slouch forward, I leapt up once to noose my arms around his neck, forcing him to look at me.

"Davis, DAVIS. I'm sorry. You don't understand, you don't get it at all. My company is only a temporary fix. You and Clark will live forever, and I will.." I stopped myself from throwing the word 'die' at him, I knew that would only upset him further. I chuckled sadly, "I will try with all my heart to stay the path with you-"

He suddenly snaked his large and pale hands up to mine, wrapping one large hand around both of mine fastened behind his neck. It hurt, but it hurt more to look into his eyes and see how much…I believe, he loved me.

"-And I will do everything in my power to keep you here, with me."

"I know you will." I said, fighting the lump in my throat and the moisture escaping my tear ducts. "But I'm more interested, in finding your cure. And I'm afraid…it isn't here. I'm afraid of, sticking around long enough for our trouble to catch up with us. I say, we leave town. For how long??? I don't care. As much as I know you will argue, that my company will compromise this venture for your true cure, I am nothing more than flesh and bone, and a heck of a lot of meteor infected interaction to know that there is more to this than Smallville or meteor rock. It can't hurt to try." I plead.

Gazing down at me like the very last grains in his hourglass were already tumbling towards the center, he says, "And if it isn't out there?"

"You'll still have me." I promise, only through my deceiving smile, the unnaturalness of it giving away the ounce of doubt keeping me weighted to Smallville. I have Davis with me now, and I'm confident he can move mountains, and come away with me from this place.

(to be continued?)