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: I know I know it's been forever since I've posted and I'm soooo sorry! Senior year has been kind of busy! I hope you like this chapter!

Reviews:

Previously:

Chloe

There was still so much she hadn't told him, and she held her tongue as all those secrets threatened to spill out. Still, as hard as it was for her to come to terms with that missing year of her life, Chloe knew she couldn't go digging for the answers to all her questions. Because then he would come back... This time the shiver running down her spine had nothing to do with the cool night air. And she could feel his hands on her arms, and his breath on her neck and he was back. The truth made her want to cry until she had no more tears. Made her want to scream until she could scream no more. Made her want to die rather than feel like she had felt then.

Clark

It had always been like that. Life and death he could deal with. Chloe was a different matter entirely. He couldn't bring himself to believe she hadn't missed anyone. Come on Clark, you just don't want to believe she didn't miss you.

Lex

Ch. 11 You Are Never Safe


Chloe walked into the Daily Planet the next day filled with a sense of dread. She hadn't been able to sleep at all last night and was sure that the dark circles beneath her eyes were causing whispers and gossip as to what she'd been up to. However, the only one who would know it wasn't because she'd been working on a story was Clark. If he made a scene and messed up her life now, Chloe would kill him.

Sitting down at her desk, Chloe logged on to her computer. Waiting for it to bring up all her files, she leaned back and took a drink of her coffee just in time to watch Clark get off the elevator. She couldn't help the twinge of satisfaction deep in her gut as she noted the tiredness around his eyes. Apparently Clark hadn't gotten much sleep either. Turning back to her computer, Chloe refused to look at him as he crossed the room to sit at the desk opposite hers. Damnit Perry why'd you make us partners?

She just knew Clark was sitting there trying to think of what to say when she heard Perry call their names. Unable to stop herself, she glanced up at Clark as she rose to go to Perry's office. He was looking at her, and as their eyes locked she felt her heart thud deep in her chest. Shit... His eyes were so blue. Last night she had been too caught up in the fact that he was forcing his way back into her life to actually look at him. But she was looking now. And she was noticing how age had refined his handsome features, made him seem less boyish. When he finally turned and walked away, Chloe noticed how his suit fit him snugly in all the right places. God time had been good to him.

Following behind him, Chloe tried to gain some sort of control over herself. They walked into Perry's office and Chloe shut the door. Perry was talking on the phone, his back turned to them, and for once Chloe wasn't eavesdropping. She was standing next to Clark and trying not to feel the warmth of his body next to hers. Every little move he made she was aware of, every shift in position, every breath that made his chest rise and fall.

Finally Perry hung up the phone and turned back to them. "Alright guys, I have a new assignment for you, something I want my best reporters on. Kent you're new here so take all your orders from Lois and try not to get in her way." Chloe tried and failed to hide her smirk as Clark opened his mouth to protest and was silenced by Perry's raised hand. "No buts kid. Just do what she says or she'll kick your ass, trust me on this." He handed the folder to Chloe and she took it with a grin. She opened her mouth to ask a question but then Perry's phone rang again. After talking into it angrily for a minute or so, he slammed it down and stormed out of the room, leaving Chloe and Clark alone.

"So Chloe-" Clark had his hand on the door waiting for her to leave first but when he said her name, Chloe slammed it shut.

"Listen Clark, I've worked too hard to get here to have you fuck it all up now. So call me Lois, do whatever the hell I tell you to without question, and maybe I won't have Perry fire your ass." The last part was almost an empty threat. Not because Chloe couldn't get Perry to do it, but because she didn't think she actually would. Deep down she knew she'd probably just leave and run somewhere else before she messed up Clark's life. At this point she was jabbing Clark in the chest with the file folder she held in her hand, and she had his back pressed up against the wall. Now, Chloe hadn't seen Clark for ten years but, thinking she still knew him well, she was unprepared for what he did next.

He took her by the arms and spun her around and pushed her up against the wall. And when he spoke his voice shook with anger. "I might call you Lois but I won't be some push over who asks permission to breathe around you. And don't even pretend you would do that Chloe, I know you better than that."

"You don't know me at all Clark!" Chloe struggled in his strong grip but it was all for nothing, she wasn't going anywhere. She glared at him, but the next angry words ready to spew forth from her mouth got caught in her throat. Because he was so close. And his hands on her and his body so close to her were doing weird things to her mind. And her body. So tense against the wall, it was waiting for him. Waiting for him to do something... explicit pictures of what they could do in this office flitted through her head and Chloe swallowed hard as she felt warmth pool between her legs.

"Do you?" His voice was soft as he asked the question and then he loosened his grip, stepping back. He let the question hang in the air between them, and Chloe wanted to cry because she didn't have an answer for him. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to her, Clark moved away from her and Chloe felt her body slump against the wall. It was like a weight had been lifted off her, and oxygen filled her lungs as she drew in a deep breath.

"Chloe I know you didn't tell me everything last night." She opened her mouth to correct him, to defend herself, but he kept talking, not giving her the chance. "But that's okay. You'll tell me when you're ready." Ha, right. That's never going to happen. "But I want to know what you've found out about that missing year." Shit.

"Nothing Clark, I haven't found out anything."

"What? You? You can find out anything."

"I appreciate your high opinion of my investigative skills Clark, but I haven't uncovered anything."

"Why don't I believe you?"

"Clark, look at me. I am telling you the truth. I haven't found anything." I haven't looked...

"Okay... then let me help you." Chloe froze. She hadn't expected this, hadn't been ready to tell him why she wasn't trying to find out what had happened in that missing year. How many times had she been up all night sitting at her computer ready to start looking only to find she was unable to begin? How many times had she woken up with nightmares about what was keeping her from finding out? She looked at Clark, standing there, honestly wanting to help her and she dared to hope.

What if he could protect her? What if he was her way past this thing holding her back from following every single instinct that screamed at her to find out what she was missing? Could we actually do this?

"Chloe, let me help you." He moved closer and her thoughts became scrambled again as she looked up at him. His voice was so soft and she wanted to say yes. And somehow him being there was giving her strength, or maybe Clark was just making her lose her head all over again. Maybe he was pushing back the darkness that had loomed over her for so long. Maybe she actually thought Clark could keep him away. But for whatever reason, something inside of her made her give him the answer he wanted.

"Okay."

For the next few weeks, things were jumbled. There was work, where things were actually going so well Perry was giving himself a pat on the back for putting the two reporters together. They worked well as a team, bouncing ideas off each other, Chloe postulating wildly and Clark bringing her back into reality when her overactive imagination would create paranoid scenarios of whatever case they were working on. A lot of their work was centered around LutherCorp and the articles they were writing had begun causing a stir, especially among the higher levels of Metropolis' rich and powerful. Chloe couldn't have been more pleased.

Then there was everything else.

For awhile they didn't make any progress figuring out anything about Chloe's missing year. But Clark was relentless, even while Chloe was hesitant. She couldn't do any research on her own, he always had to be there with her, close. Otherwise the fear would overwhelm her, she would choke, gasping for air, unable to continue.

Clark came over almost every night after work, either to do actual work for the Planet or to dig into Chloe's past. And there were times when their easy going friendship was strained to the breaking point. It was at least once a week that Clark asked Chloe to fill him in on the things she'd omitted before. And it was at least once a night that things crossed from friendship into something else.

Clark looked over at Chloe, sitting next to him on the couch. She was leaning forward, a pen in her mouth, typing on her laptop resting on the table in front of them. Her hair was falling down across her face and her fingers flew across the keyboard. A shock wave of déjà vu hit him so hard and fast that he had to close his eyes. How many times had Chloe sat at his couch back home, that same look in her eyes. And how many times had he sat next to her, their legs almost touching, so close he could feel her body heat. How many times had he thought about moving over, so that they would be as together as he felt they should be. Another moment of eternity passed before he shook his head.

"So Chloe why don't we go back to Smallville, back to the bar where you went?"

"Clark how many times do I have to tell you? I'm not going back to Smallville." She didn't even look at him anymore when she delivered this statement. It was a line he heard so often he could recite it from memory, including every inflection that she used, and the amount of annoyance and frustration in her voice.

"But Chloe that may be the only way we can get any farther!" He turned to face her as she rotated around to look at him, flipping her hair back over her shoulder.

"Clark no."

"But Chloe-"

"Clark! Just stop!" It was the desperation in her voice that made him actually listen. He just didn't understand, it was so unlike Chloe to let something go without knowing the truth. The only exception she had ever made had been with him and his secret, and she had only barely made one there. It drove her insane, not knowing. So why was she just letting this go? It didn't make any sense.

"Look, why don't we just… take a break?" Clark sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Okay, yeah, sure."

"Good… are you hungry?"

"Starved actually."

"Umm… I don't know if I actually have any food…" He watched Chloe walk over to her kitchen, opening up cupboards and looking in her fridge.

"You never have any food."

"So? What's wrong with that? I am fully stocked on coffee, I'm good." She was also fully stocked on her supply of alcohol, vodka in particular, but he never mentioned that. It was one of those things that he noticed that kept him up at night wondering what had happened to change the Chloe he had known into the Chloe he was with now. It got folded up and shoved away into the back corner of his mind alongside her new taste in music and her new fear of the dark.

"Pizza?" she asked, holding up her phone.

"Sounds great, top of your speed dial?"

"No!" He laughed as she rolled her eyes, dialing the number. But his smile faded slightly as he felt his own cell phone sitting in his pocket. Because she was listed first on his speed dial, right after the preprogrammed voicemail number one and right before Lana's cell at number three. Then his phone started ringing… speak of the devil.

"Hey Lana."

"Hey Lana? Really Clark? You forgot didn't you?"

"Forgot? What?" Chloe caught his eye and he shrugged, turning away from her.

"Clark! We were meeting Aunt Nell for dinner! An hour ago!"

"I thought that was next week! Lana I'm sorry, I just got so caught up with work I-"

"Clark stop! I've had it with your apologies and excuses! Just- I'll talk to you later okay?"

"Lana I-" He stopped as he heard her hang up the phone.

"Everything okay Clark?" Chloe walked over and put her hand on his shoulder. He sighed, his entire body sagging as he remembered how angry Lana had sounded.

"I think I just messed up big time."

"Clark she loves you, it'll be okay." She pulled him into a hug and he closed his eyes, holding onto her. It felt good. Holding her like this… it felt right. Without knowing it he tightened his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. It was like he'd been missing a part of himself, and when he'd found Chloe that part had come back, reattaching itself as if it had never been gone in the first place. If he ever lost her again-

"Clark! I can't breathe!" He immediately released her, stepping away.

"I'm sorry! Sorry sorry sorry! Did I hurt you?"

"I think you might have bruised a couple of ribs, but other than that I'm okay." She was trying to lighten the mood but her joking tone was lost on Clark. His expression remained tortured, reminiscent of all those times back in high school when he'd been hurt for one reason or another, coming apart at the seams, and she had been the one to stitch him back together.

"Hey Clark?"

"Yeah?"

"What if we throw away the work for tonight? Pizza's coming… we can run to the gas station down the corner and get some pop and ice cream? Maybe watch some movies?" Clark couldn't help but smile, he had missed movie nights with Chloe.

"That sounds great Chloe…"

Two Weeks Later

It was just a feeling, a sixth sense of some sort. She had come in and set her bag down before she realized it. Something was wrong. Immediately, Chloe wanted the light on, anything to chase away the chills racing down her spine, the panic threatening just behind the surface. But as she crossed the room, someone grabbed her from behind, took her and shoved her face first into the wall.

"Hi there sweetheart."

Chloe felt her heart stop. Not him... Please God not him! His hand gripped her arm almost painfully, but she preferred that. Preferred it to the one that was gently brushing the hair off her neck. He was pressing against her, and she could smell him. An overwhelming stench of alcohol and cigarettes. And his cologne... it was still the same. God the memories... they threatened to bring her to her knees. Tears stung her eyes, but she wouldn't cry, she wouldn't give him that satisfaction.

"Been awhile... miss me?"

She could feel his hot breath on her neck and she strained to get away from him. Anything to get away from him. Clark! Clark where are you! His hand was running down her side now, lifting the bottom of her shirt and then it was on her skin. He trailed his rough fingers across her stomach, and when his confident mouth kissed her neck, Chloe felt her skin crawl. A whimper threatened, but she forced it down.

" You know the rules sweetheart, you can't go breaking them." His fingers dug inside the front of her jeans and Chloe heard herself cry out. "Then again, I did miss you..." All of a sudden he spun her around, slamming her back against the wall, pressing into her, coming in close. "Come on sweetheart, scream for me." Even in the dark she could see the smile on his face, stretching those hated lips into a malicious curve. Don't do it Chloe, don't do it. She glared back at him, refusing to let him win. But he just laughed, and he covered her mouth with his hand as he dragged her kicking and fighting down the hallway to her bedroom.

"You always were a fighter, it's why I love you so much."

They were on the bed now, and his hands were everywhere. Chloe couldn't get him off, couldn't... God! He had the ropes... red, soft, velvet. And he didn't hold a gun to her head or a knife to her throat to get them on her. Because he liked the struggle... Sick bastard! So in control, not even hurrying, he was taking off her clothes and she was helpless to stop him. The first rope was looped and tied around her wrist before she could even think of how to escape him, the other end was tied to her bed post. Next came the other wrist... and then each ankle. God it was the same... everything, exactly the same.

And for a second she wanted to give up, because she had never won this fight. Always, always always always it ended with... Chloe choked back a scream as she felt his lips on her calf. He worked his way up until his lips were kissing her hipbone. She shuddered as he gently, God so gently, ripped her panties to get them off. Then he stopped, and he just looked at her, completely naked on the bed. She didn't want to but she couldn't help it, she looked back at him. His eyes glimmered in the dark, and his leering grin was so familiar it hurt.

"Mmm, I missed you..." His voice was soft, low, and his fingers gently probed... slipping in, slipping out. Chloe bit back a whimper as his lips ghosted over hers. And he watched her face, watched her react to him. He got up, watched her as he took his time slipping off his clothes. And that was when she looked away, because he wasn't fat or ugly. He was muscled and handsome, and it killed her.

"So... what are you in the mood for tonight sweetheart?"

When Clark knocked on her door hours later, Chloe was in the shower. And when she went to answer the door, her eyes weren't rimmed red from crying. The lights weren't on, and the vodka was where she had left it, untouched.

"Hey Chloe where..."

He trailed off at the sight of her. Her hair was wet, ruffled from a quick towel drying, and Clark couldn't help but have a purely physical reaction to how she looked standing in the doorway with her chin lifted and her oversized white T-shirt leaving her legs bare.

"Hey Clark, come on in." She turned and walked away from him. Hesitantly, he followed, closing the door behind him. He couldn't help but notice how the bottom of her shirt only barely covered her ass, and how her bare legs were more slender than they had been in high school. The muscles in her legs were defined as she walked slowly to the kitchen. "Want anything to drink?" Her voice startled him out of his reverie.

"Uh, no, no thanks I'm good. So I've got that file-"

"Clark."

"-and I was thinking-"

"Clark."

"Yeah?"

"Stop, we're not doing this."

"But Chloe I thought-"

"No. We're not doing this anymore. Just forget about it." She turned to go back down the hall to the bathroom and he grabbed her arm, spun her around.

"Chloe what's going on?"

"Nothing Clark. Just forget it." Trying and failing to yank her arm away, Chloe succeeded only in backing herself up against the counter behind her.

"I'm not going to forget it, I want you to tell me what is going on."

Chloe looked at his face, earnest, honest, open. She could feel his body heat, so close to hers, and he was looking down at her, wanting answers. Answers she couldn't give him. She had to do something, anything to distract him from what he wanted to know.

"Tell me-"

So she fainted, collapsing to the floor in a heap, not wasting time on gracefulness and suppressing a groan of pain when she hit her elbow on the floor. That bruise is all your fault Clark…

"Chloe!" His concerned voice was followed by his hands, urgent and rough, gripping her arms. Forcing herself to stay still and limp, Chloe concentrated on how good he smelled, bending down so close to her.

"Chloe wake up! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please wake up!" The level of desperation in his voice was almost enough to make her "wake up." But it wasn't his tone that made her act out her groggy, confused awakening. It was his hands. They were trailing so lightly over her skin. He was brushing the hair back from her face, his fingers were warm and gentle.

"You like that don't you baby?" Like a summer breeze, soft against her skin, his fingers drew designs down her stomach.

She opened her eyes, looking up at him with a confused expression.

"Clark?"

"Oh my God Chloe you're okay! Aren't you? Chloe you just fell, I don't- you just- I'm sorry- are you okay?"

"I think so… Help me up."

"Chloe, you just collapsed, I think we should call someone or something. I don't think you should be getting up." But she was already slowly climbing to her feet, leaning on him for support.

"Clark I'm fine, really. Just… help me to the couch."

"Chloe what about your bed?"

"No!" He stopped and stared at her. "I mean… the couch is closer." She smiled at him weakly, hoping to cover her mistake, praying he was as dense as he used to be.

"Okay…" He wrapped one arm around her waist, practically pulling her off her feet.

"Clark can you just- Shit!" Giving a sigh of frustration, Clark swept her up into his arms and carried her over to the couch. "Clark Kent you put me down right now!" He gently set her down, acting like she was made of glass.

"Thanks Clark."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, Clark, I'm fine."

"Chloe-"

"Clark! I'm fine!" She sighed, closing her eyes and running a hand through her wet hair and tugging her shirt down to cover her legs. He was staring at her, she could feel it. "I'm sorry, I just, I'm tired that's all."

"Do you… want anything? I can get you… something, but I don't know-"

"I'm okay Clark, thanks."

"If you say so… but I'm staying." Chloe froze. Clark stay the night? Good or bad? Where would he be? Would he sleep with her? She wasn't going back to the bedroom, would she have to think up some elaborate explanation for him? Would he want to turn the lights off? Would she have nightmares, waking him up with her screams in the middle of the night? Would he put his arms around her? Did she want that? She could make him leave. It would take some convincing, a lot of work on her part, and a lot of worry on his. Her mouth opened to tell him he didn't need to do that but the words wouldn't come out. She wanted him to stay.

She'd been alone for so long. Just anyone to lean on, just someone to keep her company, someone to chase away the monster in the dark. Of course it would be Clark. Her knight in shining armor, her superhero. Come on Chloe, his armor is tarnished and his cape is torn. You don't need him. Chloe drew her legs up to her chest, pulling her T-shirt down to cover them. Her fingers twisted the fabric as she looked up at him.

"Clark you can't stay."

"Thehell I can't."

"Clark don't make a big deal out of this please, just-"

"Chloe I'm staying."

"No you're not."

"Yes I am."

"Clark no."

"Yes."

"No."

"Chloe I don't want to leave you alone."

"Clark…" Chloe hesitated. Those were the words she'd been dying to hear. God they brought back so many memories. Her in his bed after the funeral, him promising to never leave her alone. She'd believed him then. But he did didn't he? You were alone for so long.

"Clark. I don't want you to stay."

Hurt made his eyes do that puppy-dog thing he did so well, and Chloe had to steel herself against it. She'd given in to that look way too many times. Not tonight Clark.

"Please leave Clark."

"But Chloe-"

"Clark! I'll see you tomorrow, please just leave." She couldn't bear to look at him any longer and she shut her eyes, resting her forehead on her knees.

"If you need anything…" He didn't finish and she didn't look at him. She listened, tears pricking the insides of her eyelids, as the door shut behind him. Try as she might she couldn't hear his footsteps. She wanted to get up and run after him, throw herself into his arms, let him tell her she was safe again. But you're not.

Chloe scratched at her arms, at her neck and legs, feeling him on her again. You are never safe. She looked around at all the lights blazing and got up to check the lock on the door again. It was still a mystery how he could get in with her deadbolt and her chain. He's a ghost Chloe, he can get you anywhere. A household noise made her jump and spin around, her heart racing in fear, her arms raised to fend him off. But of course he wasn't there. Come on Chloe, pull yourself together.

It took a few minutes to catch up to her. She started doing the dishes, and it was when she was drying them off that if happened. She dropped one on the floor, just a glass that slipped out of her hands, a simple accident. But when she reached to pick up the shards, she cut her hand. Chloe winced, and when she saw the blood begin to ooze out of the gash, tears began to flow with it.

Sobs tore through her body, it felt like her chest was going to be ripped apart. She stumbled back to the couch and curled up in the corner that Clark always sat in. It still smelled like him.

"Mmm…sweetheart you smell so delicious… I bet you taste even better." His tongue trailed back down her stomach, lower and lower…

"Ahh!!! Go away!" Her scream resounded through her apartment, drowning out her gasps for air as she cried even harder. Clark… Clark I need you… please.

Clark twisted around in his bed, shutting out the sound of her tears. Does she really hate me that much? Sometimes super-hearing got him in to trouble, and this was one of those times. He had heard her scream the words at no one, and it had to be him they were directed at.

He wrapped his arms around Lana, trying to forget about it, trying to shrug it off. But even as Lana kissed his neck, Clark felt a knife stab him, felt it twist in deeper. It hurt. Her refusal of his comfort… it hurt him. More than he could realize, more than he had thought it did. And still he told himself it didn't, it shouldn't have. He had Lana to take care of, besides, Chloe could take care of herself.

She doesn't need me.

So? I know it's been awhile but what did you think? I swear I am getting Lex in the next chapter!