I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun- Pride and Prejudice
Having made several horrendous mistakes in the course of her short life, Chloe Sullivan knew that she was knee deep in the biggest mistake of her life. A mistake that could not only change her life, but the world as she knew it. Yet as she made her way down the darkened Metropolis streets, she couldn't find it inside herself to care. She was in too deep now, given too much of her heart, needed as much as she was needed.
Very much to a fault, Chloe was an honest person. Honest enough to admit that Davis Bloome had her the moment he stepped through a cloud of smoke and dust and locked dark eyes with her. Instantly she wanted, she needed, she....loved. But even as she managed to turn Davis away, to talk herself out of continuing to see him, she hadn't been able to keep to that line of thinking.
He came to her, but it wasn't Davis. Not really. Not completely. He'd been half Davis, half his...other. Stepping out of the Isis building she felt him even before she heard him, but never fully seeing him. His harsh breathing cut through the still night air, red, yes red, eyes staring out at her from the shadow of the buildings. There'd been a stench about him, blood and fear. He was a monster, an inhumane thing. A body at his back, someone's child struggling, calling to her for help.
She knew she should have run. She knew that all she had to do was speak, whisper, murmur, Clark's name to have him there in an instant. But she couldn't do that. Not when she was looking at this monster and seeing Davis. Not when she was looking at this...thing that was Davis and feeling for him still. Not when she saw the evidence of what he'd just done when she walked up and knew instinctively that he'd never hurt her.
Slowly she pulled out her cellphone to call the Metropolis P.D. "Yes, there's a man here. He's hurt. Badly." Quickly, Chloe rattled off her location as she turned and started back towards the Isis building. Knowing she'd be followed.
She left the door open at her back, turning on a few of the lamps around the room. When she came back Davis lay face down on the couch. She started to go to him, but could hear the sirens off in the distance. Knew Clark wasn't too far behind. And somehow she knew, just knew, what had to be done. Going to her file cabinet she grabbed the small lead box and rushed back out to the street, leaving the small green rock just inside the door.
Davis could smell her before he realized where he was. The last thing he could remember, really remember, was the familiar feeling of the darkness creeping in on him. It had been happening for so long he could recognize it now. But unlike before he had a reason for keeping it at bay. He couldn't fight, understood that he wasn't strong enough on his own to fight it, but thought Chloe would know what to do. It was for her that he no longer wanted to slip into the dark, it was for her that he had to keep this thing within him from getting out.
So when he felt that oily darkness slip into his brain, so that his limbs felt heavy, and his soul seemed to disappear, he went in search of her. Because she was inside his soul, she was his heart. But then he got to her building and saw the man coming out. Thought of some strange man alone with Chloe, touching what was his, the darkness took over. And Davis welcomed it.
Now he was here on her couch. Covered in blood that wasn't his and comforted by the lingering scent of Chloe.
"I called the police, Clark." Chloe spoke in a low calm tone so as not to be heard by any of the emergency response team. "I figured between your super hearing and police scanner, the message would get through."
"You should have called me, Chlo."
"And just how would that have looked if I called you, a reporter, before reporting the crime to the police. I can't believe you're giving me a hard time about this."
Clark sighed but decided to let the argument drop. His relationship with Chloe had been teetering on a dangerous precipice recently and the last thing he wanted was to send it over the edge. "And you didn't see anything?"
"I didn't see anything attacking him." Chloe realized that she was splitting hairs. Yes, she'd seen Davis-some form of Davis-standing over the battered man. But no, she hadn't actually seen Davis attack him. She could feel the gap between herself and Clark widen.
"Ms. Sullivan," A uniformed officer approached her. "The Sargent says your free to go."
"Thank-you." Without a word to Clark, Chloe started back towards Isis. Towards Davis.
"Chloe." He'd barely taken two steps when the pain hit him.
Inside the door, knowing he couldn't come in. Knowing what she was doing to their friendship, Chloe turned back to him. "Don't worry about me, boyscout. You've got a job to do." She acted as if she hadn't noticed his discomfort. As if nothing was out of the ordinary. With an easy wave she started up the stairs. Away from him.
"Chloe," Davis spoke her name softly when she stepped into the office.
"No, don't try to get up." Chloe left him laying on the couch. Going to the bathroom in the back she wet several wash cloths and grabbed a few of the towels she had stored there.
"Chloe, I-"
"Shh," Chloe's voice was soft, soothing as she eased him back down. Taking one of the rags she began to clean the dirt and blood off of him. Battling back the tears in her eyes as she saw the anguish on his face. "I'll take care of you."
"Oh, God." Tears began to gather and roll down his cheeks. "Oh, God, Chloe. What have I done? I'm a monster."
"No." Tossing the rag aside, Chloe took his face in her hands. Such a darkly handsome face. "You're not a monster. You're..." She wanted to say cursed. He was cursed, just as she'd been cursed. Just as the poor kids who'd come to her for help and guidance. They'd done nothing wrong. Done nothing to ask, to deserve what they had become. "You're not a monster."
"Why is this happening to me?"
Chloe moved until she was beside him on the couch. Taking him into her arms, his head buried in her breast, arms locked tight around her waist. "I don't know. I'm sorry. But I just don't know."
Davis had no clue how long he lay curled into her. Drawing warmth from her body, strength from her presence. And thought, for the rest of his life, how he wanted nothing more than this. To be with Chloe. To be of her. After a time she began to clean him again. Using warm cloths to wash the blood and dirt from him. Gently removing his clothes and wrapping him in an emergency blanket she kept on hand.
"Stay with me." He whispered as he lay curled on the couch, his head resting in her lap. The nails she ran lightly over the back of his head lulling him to sleep.
Though he couldn't see her, Chloe nodded.
Now, as she had for the past month, a month where there had been no murders, Chloe walked into Davis' apartment building. Jimmy thought she was with Lois. Lois thought she was working late at Isis. Clark, she knew, wasn't sure what to think. None of them thought to ask about the single key she wore around her neck. The key she used to unlock Davis' apartment.
She could hear him inside, struggling against the change that frightened them both. With hurried movements she dropped her things on the way to the bedroom. She could see him now, curled up on the bed. He was fighting, trying with everything he had to keep the monster from getting free. It had been hard the first time, watching the thing inside him struggle to get out. Watching the rippling in his face and body, the battle between Davis and his other. But she never left his side. Would never leave his side.
Kicking off her shoes and shrugging off her jacket, Chloe climbed into the bed behind him. Her arms immediately went around his waist, molding her body to his as she pressed her cool cheek against his heated back. It wasn't instantaneous. It never was. But after a few minutes the shifting under her cheek stopped. The painful moans and animalistic growls quieted down. Soon his panting breaths slowed to match hers.
When she was sure it was safe, Chloe climbed off the bed to remove her clothes. Davis, as always, kept his back to her.
"You should go."
"You always say that." Yet he always set out a t-shirt for her to sleep in.
"I don't want you like this."
"You'd have me in any way."
"Damn it, Chloe." Angry, ashamed, afraid of what he was Davis turned to her. And was instantly silenced by the picture she painted. Her small body framed in the window, pale moonlight shining a halo around her head. A beautiful smile gracing her lips. He'd never understand, not in a million years, how she could see what was inside him, feel what fought to get out. And still smile at him as if he was worthy of love. Of her. "I shouldn't touch you."
Climbing back onto the bed, Chloe took his hand, bringing his palm to her cheek before kissing the center softly. "I need you to."
