Title: Breaking Chloe Sullivan

Summary: Her strength is intriguing him, her fire captivating him, but can she survive his interest? Lex decides it's time to find out, what exactly will it take to break Chloe Sullivan?

Shipping: Chlark Chlex mostly Chlark

Major Characters: Chloe Clark Lex

Author's Note: So this chapter was extremely rushed, but still good I think. I don't know when my next update will be, hopefully not more than a few weeks away... Hope you like the new chapter!

Reviews:

Kit Merlot: This chapter should clear up some of the questions you brought up, hopefully. Your review is actually responsible for a lot of this chapter btw.

CYTstagepenguin: Thanks, and here's your chapter, although it may seem a little rushed, lol.

Lvswtht: Oh thank God, that last Lex part took me forever to get it the way I wanted! I'm so glad you like it. As for Shaun, who knows.

Ayana45: Thanks! I updated but I'm afraid this chapter may also leave you hanging...

Previously:

Chloe

She wanted to be like them, wanted to be so lost in someone else that she could forget all the bad in this world, all the bad in her life. Tears stung her eyes as that feeling came back. That hopeless, desperate, lost feeling that she just couldn't shake. Just breathe Chloe, just breathe, it'll be okay. Come on Chloe, you're a fighter. When he finally left, telling her she did a great job, telling her thank you, Chloe wanted to throw her lamp at him. Instead she waited until he left, until she heard his bedroom door shut. Then she went down the hall to the bathroom, and retched in the toilet until it was just dry heaves. What did I just do?

Clark

It was their relationship, it was this thing that they had, this perfect thing. And sometimes it made him want to scream. He didn't know what to do, and most of the time, he went to Chloe. With his Lana problems, she was definitely his go-to friend. She always understands... A bruise. It was dark and angry looking, and immediately Clark felt something twist in his gut. How could I not have noticed this? I see Chloe all the time... But do you ever really look at her?But he didn't mention it to Lana when she came over for dinner, and he didn't mention it to his parents either. It just... it felt private, secret.

Lex

He couldn't tear his eyes away from her. He saw her face, he saw her anger, trapped behind those eyes. It was in the tightness of her sweet mouth. It was in the way her beautiful eyes flashed. And it was barely contained, this rage she had. Lex wanted to see it, he wanted to release it. He wanted to make her weak. He wanted to make her helpless. He wanted it, he needed it. Lex was terrified, because he knew that he was no longer trying to break Chloe to test human limits. He no longer needed to break her to see if he was stronger than she was. He needed to break her because he needed her. He needed to break her... so she would need him back.

Ch. 8 Get Through Tonight

Three Months Later

Christmas. It was a time of year that always brought back painful memories for Chloe. Even all that time ago when her dad was alive, it had still made her think of her mom, and all those Christmases without her famous hot chocolates. Now, it was worse, much worse. Everywhere she looked there were bright, cheery messages about family and togetherness and being merry. It made her want to scream at the world for trying to force happiness on everyone, for trying to force it on her.

Claudia had picked up so many extra shifts so she could buy presents to wrap and put under their tree. Their tree... Sitting in her corner booth at the Talon, Chloe thought about that day, that time last week. It seemed so out of place in her messed up life. Because it was nice... it was a nice, happy memory. Chloe sipped her hot coffee slowly, remembering.

"So guys, who wants to go find a Christmas tree tomorrow?" Claudia was hopefully looking at everyone across the dinner table. Chloe could see the desperation in her eyes, and, even though she really didn't, Chloe smiled her affirmation. Ally and Conner couldn't have been more excited.

"So do we go to the store?" asked Ally, and I looked at Claudia, wondering where she was planning on getting a tree.

"Well you know Ally there are these big farms with rows and rows of Christmas trees just for us to have." Ally's face lit up and Conner's smile could have split his face in two.

"All for us!" said Conner.

"No, sweetie, we only get one. And besides, I had a better idea. We can go get our Christmas tree in the backyard."

"The backyard?" asked Ally, sounding concerned. "But we don't have rows of Christmas trees back there."

"Well we'll just have to find the one that's hiding back there won't we?" Chloe whipped her head sharply to look at Shaun, amazed that he'd even heard the conversation from the living room, much less decided he wanted to come along.

"Shaun? Honey are you going to come?" The hopefulness in Claudia's voice was breaking Chloe's heart. Claudia wanted so desperately for them to be a real family again, and Chloe knew from the sobs she would hear late at night from the bathroom, that Claudia missed Shaun terribly.

"Like you guys could cut down and carry the tree back here without me." He had a beer in his hand, but a smile on his face. It was almost more than Chloe could comprehend, but it was happening.

Chloe grinned, remembering the next day, when they had all trekked out into the snow and found themselves the perfect Christmas tree. It had been fun, and very reminiscent of old times with the Jenison family. The afternoon had been filled with jokes and laughter, it had been filled with happiness.

But the happiness had been short lived, because yesterday Shaun had hit her again. Last night, after everyone else was in bed, he'd come to her room, saying he needed more pictures. While there had been a couple times she'd done it after the first, Chloe still hated herself for every photograph. Now he wanted her to pose nude, and Chloe had refused. So he had punched her in the gut, and smacked her head.

Reaching up, Chloe could still feel the tenderness. But Shaun never hit her so the mark was easy to see, and sometimes Chloe was grateful for that, so she didn't have to lie about the bruises. Tomorrow was Christmas day, and she was almost dreading it. Conner and Ally deserved the best Christmas ever, and she was worried that Shaun would ruin it. She was worried he would sully this innocent time of their childhood when all that mattered was what all that shiny wrapping paper hid.

So far, the kids had been very well protected from the darkness that resided within their own house. They had never seen their father hit their mother. Or me for that matter. However, Chloe was certain that that wouldn't stay true for much longer. Shaun's violent outbursts were not only becoming worse, they were becoming more frequent. Claudia had begged her not to go to the police, she'd said she didn't want the father of her children in jail. But Chloe had been thinking, and she'd decided that she had a solution to the problem anyways.

Realizing that most of their problems were caused by Shaun's new friends, who, she'd gathered, were drug dealers, Chloe had decided that the easiest way to take care of Shaun's violence was to expose them. She had already been doing a lot of digging and all she needed now was some hard evidence to take to the cops. The bar that they ran their business out of was just outside Smallville city limits and Chloe planned to go there tonight. Just some simple undercover work, no biggie. Chloe thought the risk minimal and well worth the rewards, so she just figured she'd make this a lock for the prosecutors and not risk these losers getting off on any technicalities. I'll just take some pictures and maybe get a voice recording, nothing major.

Another Christmas alone in the Luthor mansion. Christmas was not a good time of year for Lex, because it reminded him of his mother. Christmas made him lonely, more lonely than the rest of the year. Because no one wanted to be alone at Christmastime. He told himself he didn't care, but he did, he cared a lot.

He wanted to do something about that loneliness and as he studied Chloe from across the Talon, he realized he could have a solution to his problem. It was Christmas Eve, he could invite her over... and then she could spend the night. They would spend all of Christmas Day in bed together and it would be the first Merry Christmas he had had in forever. Come on Lex, get real. He grabbed his coffee off the counter and walked over to sit across from her.

"Hello Chloe." She looked like he had startled her out of a daydream, and it took a second for her to smile and respond. See Lex, she was probably just thinking about Clark.

"Hey Lex!" But that was happiness in her voice...

"So how is your Christmas season progressing so far?" Lex watched as she rolled her eyes and smiled at her predictable reaction. Not so great huh Chloe? Chloe leaned forward and motioned him closer with her hand, a conspiratorial look on her face. So, against his better judgment, Lex leaned across the table. Immediately the scent of her shampoo, her perfume assaulted his nose and it was all he could do not to close his eyes and groan.

"Don't let it get around, but I'm not a big fan of the whole Christmas thing. The presents sure, but the falseness of it all? To be honest it just rubs me the wrong way." Mmm, let me rub you the right way... God why do you have to always talk like that Chloe? Her breath hitting his skin sent shivers of sensation racing down his spine and Lex fought for control. Lex you just have a dirty mind... Why do you sound like Chloe now?

"Well as long as we're being honest, I have to agree with you." Chloe leaned back and smiled at him.

"Oh come on Lex, I bet you got the best presents." She was teasing him, and he settled back in his seat, never once releasing her from his gaze, holding the eye contact. But he refused to answer her, because he knew she didn't really believe that. So he just sat there, letting the silence stretch, waiting for her to break it. Chloe wasn't a big fan of silence, and she had something to tell him, he could see it in the way her fingers drummed the table top. He would just wait for her to tell him.

"Speaking of presents Lex, guess what? I have one for you! Despite my feelings towards Christmas, this is the one Christmas tradition I can't resist." That didn't take long. A plan began to form in Lex's mind, and it took him a split second to decide to follow his instincts for once.

"Really? Great minds must truly think alike because I have one for you as well... unfortunately though, it's at the mansion, I didn't think to bring it."

"Well I don't have yours with me either, I didn't know you were going to be here." She paused, sipping her coffee as she puzzled this out. "I could go get it and come over later? Unless you have plans?" Hopefulness Chloe? Really?

"I think that would work fine, I have to take care of something for work, but if you could come around eight...?" He looked at his watch and stood up, making sure to pause and catch her eye.

"Yeah Lex, I can do that." Her smile was all he needed to see and then he turned and walked away, leaving her there with a promise of their next meeting residing deep within him. Lex be careful. You know what could happen, you know what you could do... Lex smirked to himself as he got in the car.

Being who he was, Lex was no stranger to the art of seduction. He knew the inner workings of a human being better than most, and he especially knew how to manipulate them. There were ways, he knew, to get a woman to do whatever he wanted. Some ways were universal, but others worked best if you knew the woman, and he certainly knew Chloe, backwards and forwards. Well, not quite as well as I want to know her... Lex felt his skin tingle with the thought and he could picture how the evening would go.

There would be hints, very subtle, but Chloe would catch on to them. He would bet his life that she would take his innuendos and offer some of her own. Seemingly innocent touches, a brush of his hand against hers, and she would be ready, completely in the mindset for what he wanted. She would already be thinking about it, it was simply his job to make her want, to make her need it. She'll resist, I know it, but that will just make it all the more satisfying when she gives in.

He would have her give her present to him first, waiting to make his move and give her hers. A fire would be roaring, the lighting set low, and maybe he'd have some music playing in the background. Cliché he knew, but it worked. Then he would give it to her, a gold necklace with a diamond eagle pendant.

His voice would be low as he said, "Not quite as amazing as you, but close...I know you want to fly away from here Chloe, let me help..." There would be a small smile on his lips for her to see when she looked up. Then he would brush her hair away from her face, lean in closer, tilt her chin up and be just close enough for her to have time to pull away. But she won't. Just a brush of his lips against hers, and then he would slowly capture her. Her lips, her body, her soul. His arms around her and she'd fall into him, give in to him.

Pull her to him, push her back against the wall, press against her, and take his time for as long as he could stand to wait. Which probably won't be very long. Kisses would become breathless and open, and his hands would go to work. Slip down to her hips, grip her shirt and hastily tug it up and off. Everything escalates, and she can't say no, she has no time for protest in between his kisses and her moans. Finally, finally he can touch her, he can feel her, the way he has wanted to for so long. They're on the bed now, and his lips trail down from her neck. Her hands grip his shoulders, and she shivers in delight the lower he goes.

But she is moving too much, her hands are driving him crazy. So he grabs them, forces her arms above her head, and now he's back in control. Except his fingers are interlacing with hers... his lips are gentle on her skin... his advances are slowing and now he's looking at her. Just looking. Taking in everything about this woman who has stolen the one thing he had never intended to give away. His mouth opens and now he's about to say something. Heart pounding, still trying to catch his breath and he's going to say something. Skin on skin, he has her, he has her! But he's going to say it, he's going to tell her that deep dark secret that she's unwittingly torn from the locked corner of his heart, of his soul. With her hands, with her lips, with her eyes, and with everything she is, she's taken it from him and now he's going to tell her. He's going to say, "I love you."

Holy shit Lex snap out of it! Lex shakes his head, his eyes coming in to focus on the back wall of his garage. What the hell was that! His breath came in gasps as Lex tried to gain some sort of control over himself, leaning his head back against the headrest and gripping the steering wheel tight with both hands. Are you scared Lex? Of what? Of love? Of rejection? As his breathing slowed and his head cleared, Lex got out of the car and went straight to his study, straight to his brandy. So what's going on Lex?

He has all these feelings running rampant inside him and they're going to tear him apart. Love, lust, want, need, anger, fear... So he does what he does best, he gets a grip, he gains control, and he shoves them in a box and locks it away. Lex regains his composure and his intentions. His want resurfaces, his need, his lust... the safe emotions. So what are you going to do? He can feel his body aching for hers, can feel his need coursing through his veins, his desire pounding in his chest, and Lex makes his decision. I'm going to take her, capture her, seduce her and have her. By the time I'm through with her, she'll be the one wanting it.

Clark looks at his watch and looks back at the driveway again. Chloe where are you? You were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago. It was almost 6:30 and he'd called her twenty minutes ago to ask her if she could come over and help him with research on the latest meteor freak. There had been several freak accidents of people suddenly hitting ice on the roads and crashing. Now it was the middle of winter, that wouldn't seem unusual except for the fact that everyone had also been robbed. There had been two fatalities and two others were still in the hospital. He wanted to solve this and get it out of the way before Christmas. Then he hears her car pulling up the drive and he sighs. Finally! Clark meets her at the door, holding it open as she rushes inside.

"It's freezing out there!" She turns to face him, taking off her gloves, unwrapping her scarf and slipping off her coat.

"Where've you been Chloe?" His tone is a little harsher than he had intended and Chloe stops, frowning at him. She takes a second before answering him, tucking her hair behind her ears and taking a breath.

"I'm sorry Clark, I didn't realize that I had to report to you." Her hands go to her hips and the sarcastic bite of her voice makes him shrink a little. It was always funny how Chloe, at 5'5" could always make him feel so small. "I had other things to do okay? Playing Nancy Drew to your Hardy Boys isn't always the priority in my life." She opened her mouth to say something else but stopped, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Chloe, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to jump on you, I just... I was worried." That admission caught her attention and Clark watched alarm cross her pretty features.

"Worried... about what?"

"Well Chloe there is someone running around crashing people's cars."

"Oh... yeah, sorry. I guess I'm just a little on edge because I haven't had coffee in like, two hours." Why do you seem relieved Chloe? "So do you want me to show you what I found or are we going to make Christmas cookies?" Clark laughed, glad to see her smile.

"Okay, show me what you have."

"Alright." Clark watched as she got her laptop out of her bag and sat down on the couch. While she was busy plugging in her flashdrive and opening up files, he felt a smile tug at his lips. This was Chloe in her element. Focused, with a purpose and a drive. She practically glows. The firelight played across her skin and Clark found himself captivated by the smoothness of it. Her hair looked so soft as she tucked it behind her ears again. It immediately fell back to its original place and Clark suppressed a laugh. Wait another ten or fifteen seconds and she'll tuck it back again.

"Okay... here it is. Are you going to stand there or sit down and take a look Clark?"

"Oh, yeah..." Clark hoped she couldn't see the redness blossoming across his cheeks and sat down next to her. Chloe turned the laptop to partially face him and pulled up a file.

"This is Garret Bennett. He was a junior this year, recognize the name?" Chloe looked at him questioningly and Clark shrugged his shoulders. "His dad was famous for making ice sculptors..." she said, pulling up another newspaper article. "When the meteor shower hit, he was with his dad in their basement." Clicking another file, Chloe showed him the police report. "His dad was killed by a meteor that hit their house, but Garret survived."

Clark reached across her and took the laptop, clicking through the pictures of the scene. "Is this their house?"

"Yeah, and his dad's basement-sized freezer where he worked on sculptors during the warmer months..." Chloe trailed off and Clark picked up where she left off.

"So Garret now has the ability to control ice?"

"That's what I'm thinking." Clark turned to look at her and was suddenly aware of their close proximity. One entire side of him was pressed up against her as she leaned in to look at the pictures. From this distance, he could smell her perfume... something flowery and intoxicating. He could reach out and brush the hair away from her face... His gaze was drawn to her lips and he began the game of what ifs. What if I kissed her? What if she kissed me back? Clark shook his head and swallowed. Come on Clark, you have a great girlfriend and Chloe is just your friend.

"So do you want to...uh..." Kiss me? "Go find him then?"

"Already did, Garret is living with his mom at their old house at 1028 Vince Street. But I was thinking, could we maybe wait, and go check out his place after Christmas? I have somewhere to be and besides, we should give him one last Christmas with his mom. I don't think he'll do anything until after that, he probably just wanted money to give his mom a nice Christmas." Clark nodded his head, marveling at how... nice Chloe was. She was so forgiving, so trusting.

"Okay," he said, handing back her laptop. "Oh Chloe, I have a Christmas present for you." Clark walked past her and went to the kitchen, grabbing the box off the table. Turning around, he hands it to her and shoves his hands in his pockets.

"Oh Clark, I don't have yours with me..." She smiles at him and he can't help but return it.

"Chloe, that's okay, I just wanted you to have yours now."

"So I'm guessing you did the wrapping huh?" Clark grinned and looked at the floor sheepishly, embarrassed at how awful the present looked. He waited, tense with anticipation as she tore away the paper, revealing a leather bound book. Chloe flipped through the pages and, seeing they were all blank, looked up at him with the most adorable puzzled expression.

"It's a journal. I know how much you love to write... So I decided that this way you could express yourself in the best way possible." Chloe smirked at him and he realized what he'd said. "Not that I don't love listening to you! I could listen to you all day in fact, what I meant was-"

"Clark!" He stopped, nervous that he'd messed up something that he'd wanted to be special. But wait, she's smiling... Clark took in Chloe's glowing smile and relaxed a little. "Clark I love it, it's perfect." She took a step forward and stood up on tip toe, pulling him down with a hand on his shoulder, to kiss him on the cheek. It was going to be a simple, platonic, kiss... until Clark turned his head.

His pulse leapt at the sensation of her lips beneath his and when Chloe pulled away he felt her taking his breath. Still so close to her, Clark's hand went to her face, his thumb stroking her soft skin gently. Clark what the hell? He couldn't explain it, he didn't want to, it was just this feeling and he couldn't ignore it. "Clark-" Chloe started to say something, probably ask him what he was doing, but he cut her off with his mouth over hers. Clark what about Lana? Chloe's lips brushed his and Lana disappeared from his mind. God she tasted so good.

His lips traced over hers gently at first, and she didn't resist, she didn't push him away. Instead, he felt her hands press up against his chest, felt the hardness of the journal in her hand. It held all the innocence of how he knew a first kiss should be. Everything was new and yet familiar, comfortable. Still he was exploring, venturing into new territory and loving what he found there. He felt warmth envelop them, all he could sense was her, and she was overwhelming him.

Now Clark wanted her closer, he wanted to feel her against him, wanted to hold her tight. His hands gripped her hips and he turned the kiss passionate, not able to get enough of her. Her skin was so soft and he followed the smoothness up the small of her back, and then his arms went around her. It was all so perfect and he couldn't believe it. He hugged her to him and suddenly she cried out in pain.

"Chloe! Are you okay?" Clark loosened his grip and pulled back, terrified that he'd hurt her.

"Uh... yeah, it's just... Umm, I'm just a little sore." Chloe wouldn't meet his eyes and even though she was trying to get away from him, Clark wasn't going to let her go.

"From what Chloe?" She maintained her silence and Clark gritted his teeth. "Chloe show me, right now." Something in his tone must have reached her because her eyes snapped back to his. He held her gaze for a minute, letting her see how serious he was. You're not explaining this away Chloe. It took a second but then she slumped in his arms, and Clark watched the fight just drain out of her. Without meeting his eyes, she slowly nodded her head and Clark let her go.

Keeping her gaze averted, Chloe stepped back and lifted up her shirt. Clark gasped when he saw the bruise, dark and ugly, marring her perfect pale skin. It stretched around her side from front to back and when he reached out to touch it gently, Chloe flinched. She put her shirt back down and turned away from him.

"Chloe? Chloe tell me what happened." His tone was gentle, but prodding. Clark saw her shoulders shake and went to wrap his arms around her. "Hey Chloe..."

"No!" Chloe yelled, spinning around and holding her arms up as if to ward off an attack. She sounded so desperate that Clark froze, unsure of what to do next. "Clark it's okay, really it is. It was just an accident." Chloe looked at her watch and smiled shakily at him, backing away and grabbing her stuff. "I have to be somewhere, can we talk about this some other time?"

"Chloe, you have to tell me."

"I will, just... not now." She looked so shaken, so fragile. Well first you kiss her and now this, give the girl a break she's in shock.

"Okay, yeah okay, that's fine."

"Great, bye!" And just like that she was out the door and Clark was left standing dazed and confused. The taste of her lips still lingered on his, and the warmth of having her in his arms was already noticeably absent. Clark wanted to talk with her about that, and he didn't want to talk... he just wanted to kiss her again. But the image of that bruise was burned into his vision and Clark wanted to run after her and force her to explain it. Still, with all the other things racing through his mind, one impulse rose above the rest. He wanted to find whoever had hurt Chloe, and hurt them.

Chloe gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands, trying to fend off tears. Holy shit what the hell just happened? Her mind was still reeling from Clark's kiss and then she'd had to fend off his questions about her bruises. An accident... You sound just like Claudia. She took the road to Lex's and tried to gain some composure. Come on Chloe, let's go. All you have to do is get through tonight and then everything will be better.

It was just too much to deal with. Shaun's abuse, Lex's present, busting the drug dealers, and Clark's kiss... Shit... Clark's kiss... Chloe you know you give in way too easily. Chloe pulled into Lex's driveway and turned off her car. Just breathe Chloe, just breathe. Get through tonight, get through tonight and don't worry about tomorrow until tomorrow. You can do this. Just get through tonight.

A little short I know, but I was kind of rushed. And yes, it is a cliffhanger on purpose. I know, I'm evil.