I. Double Mint Gum Action

"I want you, Davis."

He gulped and resisted every urge he'd ever had. This Chloe (Clark had tracked down the other) was grinding against him. Her black dress was cut in all the right ways and he loved how amazing her cleavage looked in it. Something feral and possessive rose in his throat, and he pushed the Beast away, disgusted with himself as always.

It wasn't completely Chloe, not really.

She'd be injured in some LuthorCorp incident. Chloe had been investigating a lead on meteor rock testing and, somehow, she'd managed to be split into her two halves, her good side and the bad girl. Davis wasn't sure what it said about either of them that Chloe's baser instinct had made a B-line for his rig and was trying to seduce him in the back of his ambulance.

Clark and the cooperative half were already on their way from Met Gen, but he had to keep this Chloe busy. After he and Clark rendezvoused, they'd get the "twins" back to LuthorCorp and find whatever machine to reverse the process.

Of course, he hadn't quite counted on not wanting to return her. This Chloe was not taking no for an answer. Lithe fingers stroked his hardness through his pants and Davis's vision went red. Davis hopped up from her and she laughed, something throaty and rich, like he'd never heard from her before.

"Davis, you're ready for me. We've never slept together, why is that?"

"You know why."

"I'm on the pill. You can learn to temper the strength. A broken bone or two is worth the price of admission," she hopped off the gurney and reached up to run long nail over his neck and down his chest. "You'd be the best fuck, I'd bet, put whatever Clark did in Gotham to shame."

"Chloe-"

"I researched that all summer, even if your bitch mom threw me out. Clark was a very bad boy. Don't you get tired of the restraint? Don't you get tired of being the damn martyr. I'm here, I'm ready...and wet."

Davis backed up again even if he was already pressed close to the shelves. He needed space, this was messing with his mind and his instincts. For whatever reason and he'd never questioned it, his Beast was as protective of Chloe as he was, and his instincts didn't see any reason not to jump Chloe.

"Chloe, wait, you're not yourself. There was an accident."

Her hand dipped low again and he ground into her, despite himself. "I'm more myself than ever. I'm tired of waiting. Two month and normal guys will never do. You should count yourself lucky. Who else is going to fuck a thing like you?"

Davis reached behind him while she was distracted with nibbling at his collar bone. The needle pierced easily and she was out in seconds. He laid her on the gurney until Clark and the "good" one could arrive.

He knew this half, that no part of Chloe could mean that. This one was using anything she could to get him to fuck her, even if it hurt.

Still, it had driven home the point so harshly, that it redoubled his resolve. He was just glad when it was all over and Chloe was whole again that she didn't remember what she'd done. There was no point in telling her anyway.

II. Superlative

"Davis, I really don't think you should pawn the credit off on me," his brother said, fidgeting. He was doing that Clark thing again, being so honest and naive for someone almost off to college.

Davis resisted the urge to punch the brick wall behind him. He'd just end up cracking a load bearing wall with his luck. "I'm trying to give her space. Besides, you're the one who would have saved her. You were right about that like Wendell guy, that transfer from Smallville, being a weirdo."

His brother cracked his back and grimaced. "And his power worked on me. I'd have been a frozen duck."

"Squirt, you're losing your metaphors."

"You know what I mean. I'm glad you showed up."

"Yeah, one more thing I'm immune to, amazing even," Davis griped.

"But you saved us both and the rest of the best of St. Stephens and St. Agnes. This future physicist and Ms. Most Likely to Succeed owe you a ton."

He paused and fought the urge to run to the nurse's office where Chloe was resting after being thawed our or unstiffened or whatever. It was one of the odder powers he and Clark had come across, that was for sure. "I don't want her to know. She'll think I'm watching her."

"But you are!"

"I can watch her, Clark. I can't have her. I don't want to confuse, Chloe. She deserves better. I...just help her find a normal guy, okay? She needs that, not me."

He was gone before even his brother could react.

III. Things That Go Bump in the Night

"Hey, I came to congratulate the newest tip line girl," Davis said, handing her a balloon and a gourmet collection of coffees.

Chloe sighed. Clark had brought her tulips, but she figured Davis wouldn't, mostly because he was scared of ever, ever giving her the wrong impression. She got it. She'd gotten it for nine months. They were only just friends. If he told her that one more time, she'd kill him.

Plastering on her best fake smile, Chloe beamed for him. "Well you know me better than your brother. What I need is caffeine on an IV."

"Maybe I'll talk to my favorite doc about inventing that for you."

She took the loot and then her smile faltered. "Davis, did I hurt you like I hurt Clark? I'm really sorry. I had no idea that I'd go all Bela Lugosi after investigating a sorority. Stepford, sure, but I had fangs and tore through Clark. I mean, it was really scary. If he hadn't stolen the antidote from LuthorCorp..."

Davis sighed. "I know. I wonder what the Hell Luthor, Jr. has been up to since his dad died. I thought things would get easier in Smallville with Satan dead, but maybe I was wrong about how bad the line ran."

"All I know is that Clark recovered and found what I needed."

"And you're not one of the undead. It's just another week for us."

"I remember it," she said, shaking a bit and Davis held her, steadied her just until she calmed and she wished it could be longer. "I liked it, the blood, especially Clark's cause of how much power it had. I can't remember everything."

Davis, who'd stepped back from her let out a long breath. "Really?"

"Yeah, I can't...it's blurry but the taste stayed. It was seductive."

He nodded and she could tell it took everything he had to stay standing with her, to share this much. "Now you understand why I'm not good for you. I feel that every damn day, just like you did. Chloe, you're going to be great. I can't wait to see your byline."

"Sure, and I have The Ultimate and The Blur bringing me the best news ever."

"Don't expect inside scoops."

"Nepotism! I never," she said, bringing a hand to her chest. "You know what's funny though?"

"Not really."

"The CDC said what happened was basically a meteor rock enhanced form of rabies. Clark can't shake off meteor rock poisoning at all. We saw that after Jonathan announced he was running and I can't wait to see what awful but of rock he might bring with him next time we meet if that bastard realized it too."

"Don't borrow trouble."

"I'm just saying, I don't think he saved me."

"Chloe," Davis said, clenching his jaw. "Just drop it."

IV. Mesmerize

Maddie wasn't sure how she was going to explain what happened to Davis. She was going to play super dumb like her boyfriend wanted and pretend she'd stumbled upon Chloe and that weird dude with a pendant, realized the hypno deal-whatever that was about-and was just detaining him until she called the cops.

The fact that she damn well knew how to call it all in so Davis's rig would come first (she might have neglected to say it was criminal), well, that was all convenient and all Clark. He'd given her that info in case she ever got into a problem he couldn't solve. Since her boyfriend was visiting New York this week with his mentor, she figured that counted. This was a case for The Ultimate.

So when Davis showed up, she lied her ass off, let him take over, and breathed a heavy sigh of relief when Chloe snapped out of her funk once the necklace was crushed in Davis's grip. Of course being normal again meant that Chloe had passed out, but at least her eyes had gone back from grey to green before her trip to dreamland.

God, she needed to get out of Lowell County.

Seriously.

Davis eyed her and she hoped she imagined about his eyes seeming red. Clearly she couldn't merit heat vision, could she?

"So you're in the saving business, Maddie? Maybe getting a code name?"

"Sure, partner. I go by 'The Glass Menagerie' and I have my outfit being made."

"Funny."

"You're the one grilling me. She got in trouble. I happened to be eating at the cafe next door and when I left I saw this scuffle in the alley. I did the Good Samaritan bit, that's all."

"It's weird," he continued circling and she wondered if he knew how predatory he could be. She rather believe he did. "You know what Clark can do, how well he hears. Wonder why you didn't call."

"I called 911. It's the normal thing. You showing up was a bonus."

"Hope so," Davis said, his shoulders sagging. "Tell Chloe you did it. I was never here."

"Why?"

"Because she's in too deep and, really, Maddie, I'm sparing you a Hell of a lot of heartbreak. Clark and I? We're dead ends."

He was gone then and Maddie didn't believe it.

Almost.

V. Honesty

Clark sighed and shook his head. Gesturing to the side of his head, he said. "You think I can't hear you in Metropolis from here? Really? I can hear all the way to London, trust me I checked when mom was there last week. I'm good."

"Huh, I'm impressed, squirt. I'm part Beast, or all Beast, whatever, and I can't do more than Metropolis from Smallville on a good day. So what's with all the impressive powers sharing."

He turned and wished he could glare at his brother. Clark wished for so many things these days-for his vision to be what it was, to find the cures and answers they desperately needed, to be able to share the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to him with Maddie. It seemed that no matter what he did or how hard he tried, he was spending more time lying than ever before. It was no longer the necessities of his life, of what it meant to be an alien pretending to be other to survive.

Of course not.

He had to lie as much to his family because he didn't want to scare Davis about his changes or make his mom and brother pissed over Maddie. She loved him, deformities and weird alien bullshit included. He was addicted to that after four months and he was never giving that up. He just didn't want his family to make him choose.

Clark was scared of being alone more than anything. Life without his mom and big brother (screw biology they were siblings) would be hard, but if they kept trying to run his life as if he were three, maybe he'd have to.

"I'm not just saying it to brag. I heard you. Some Intergang thug cornered Chloe in an alley and got a shot off and suddenly she's just fine and dandy and then you're gasping back here. Do you think she's that stupid? That she always assumes it's me?"

His brother sat down on his bed; Clark could hear the springs creaking under his weight. It was a long time before Davis spoke, his tone measured and slow. "I love her. I'm always going to, but I can't be with her and we know why."

"You're not a monster."

"I'm a creature from outer space who can't be injured and tears apart dogs and humans for sport. What they Hell do you call that?"

Clark smiled, just a quirk on the right side of his face. "My brother. I...so you can't leave her to die or be injured, but you won't love her back or admit to it. You're an idiot. She's had almost two years to do normal and clearly she wants you."

"She's an idiot. We warped her weird-dar."

Clark stood and reached for his cane. He needed air and taking Shelby out would help too. "You must be right, somehow. Must not love her enough because you don't trust her or respect her enough to let her choose. If I had a girl like her, I just know I'd never let her go. Goodnight, brother."

With that he was off; At least the old golden listened to him.