Chapter Twelve: Instinct

Davis sat in the corner of his townhouse, the blinds were shut and the lights were off. It was pitch black, almost as dark as he was feeling lately. He was forgetting how to smile, he found it took great effort to muster even the smallest of smiles. His felt as though his heart was as black as coal. The realisation had hit him gradually over the last few days, first he assumed he was feeling down because Chloe spent a lot of time with Jimmy and wasn't interested in Davis they he wished she was. But it wasn't just seeing Chloe smile at Jimmy that darkened his moods, it was anyone smiling, the thought of happiness and contentment left him feeling frustrated lately, it was as if there was a darkness growing within his core, one he couldn't control even if he wished to.

He glanced at his pale skin, he looked at his blood covered hands, he had awoken four hours ago in his apartment, his shirt torn, his hair ruffled and his cheeks were stubbled, but this wasn't what concerned him most. His concern was focused on what once looked like his green veins barely visible beneath his skin, those same veins now looked as though they were as black as ink as they throbbed hungrily throughout him.

He needed to stay away from people, he had realised why he remembered the names of the victims, he realised what was killing them, tears filled his eyes at the thought.

It was him.

Lois studied the officer, 'wait-what vehicle was found near the victim??'

'An ambulance...'

'Can you tell us the license plate number?'

Clark studied the officer, he x-rayed the folder in the officer's hands as the officer told Lois he wasn't allowed to release that information. Lucky for Lois, her partner in crime was a Kryptonian.

Clark smiled as the officer walked away, Lois yelled after him, 'what do you mean you're 'not allowed'?!'

'Lois, I got it...' Clark said as he wrote it on a piece of paper so he wouldn't forget, Lois frowned at him, 'how'd you do that?'

Clark smirked, 'I have my ways...'

Lois gave him a look, he shrugged, 'it was sticking outta his folder...'

Lois raised an eyebrow, 'good work Smallville.' She patted his shoulder and yanked the piece of paper from him-

Clark frowned, he was reading it-'hey!'



Lois's curious expression turned into something else as she recognised the plate...

'Clark...' Clark looked at her, worried by her concerned expression.

'What is it?'

'I know this license plate...'

Clark stared at her as Lois said his name.

'Davis.'

'We have to find Chloe,' he said urgently, Lois nodded, grabbing his arm, 'we'll take my car.' She said decisively, Clark groaned, cars were so slow...

'Uh, I'll meet you there-I'm gonna go find Jimmy-'

Lois nodded, 'Alright.' As Clark turned to leave, Lois grabbed his arm, he studied at her nervous smile, 'what?'

Lois pecked him on the lips, 'be careful.'

Clark smiled against his own will, 'you too.' They held eachother's gaze for a moment before turning away and heading in their separate directions.

Chloe spoke to Lana on the phone as she prepared her engagement party, the dinner was at the Kent farm, she hadn't cleared it up with Clark yet, but he wouldn't mind. She knew her best friend was a pushover.

'Lana, the guests will be there by 6pm, it's 4pm now...it'll take me another hour out here, I'm just getting ready, I'll ring Clark and Lois to let them know.'

'Okay Chloe, is there anything you need me to do? The food is ready, house is clean and decorated...'

'Actually, there is something...could you drop by Davis's place and check in on him? He didn't RSVP for the engagement dinner party...'

'Sure, hold on, I'll just get a pen...' Lana said as she grabbed a pen.

'Okay,' she said, leaning against the fridge with a piece of paper. 'Got it.'

'Its 253 Clay Avenue,' Chloe said, 'right off the dirt road near Metropolis. He should be coming tonight, but, we're the only friends he has and he hasn't RSVP'd...'

Lana smiled at Chloe trying to justify her concern, 'don't worry, I'll check in on him, I'm heading there now, see you later Chloe.'

'Bye Lana.'



With that Lana hung up and grabbed her car keys. She was hoping by being on extra good behaviour, Clark might just forgive her.

Clark burst into the daily planet, 'Where's Jimmy?' he demanded from Tess, 'I gave him the day off-their engagement party's tonight-he didn't tell you?'

Clark frowned, 'do you know where they're having it?'

'Its either at yours or theirs, it's on the invite, one minute-I'll get it for you.' She said with a sultry look, Clark checked his cellphone, he had put it on silent mode earlier, he flipped it open to find three messages from Chloe and two voicemails from Lana. He decided to check the voicemails later, Lana could wait. He read Chloe's message, 'Yo how's my neighbourhood friendly Kryptonian? The party's tonight, I know, short notice-but Jimmy and I don't wanna wait anymore, life's too short. See you at 7pm.' Clark erased the message as a 'message waiting' logo flashed on his cellphone, he deleted some messages from his inbox, he let out a sigh as the message that was waiting was now in a queue, it could hours for it to come through. Knowing Clark's luck, the location would probably be in the incoming message.

When Tess returned from her office, Clark was gone.

Lois knocked on Chloe's door loudly, 'Chloe!?'

'I'm comin...I'm comin! I hope you're ready for tonight Lois-!'

Lois frowned, 'what the heck is she talking abou-'

Chloe opened the door, revealing her cream gown, she looked beautiful, Lois's jaw hung open for a moment, 'Chloe...what-'

Chloe looked annoyed at her cousin, 'do you and Clark EVER check your cell's??'

Lois looked sheepish, 'It was on silent,' Chloe rolled her eyes.

'Clark and I were talking...'

'You two haven't...' Chloe wiggled her eyebrows at Lois, Lois scowled, 'Cut it out Chloe-you're worse than me!'

'oh come on, both of your phones were on silent-what were you two doing that didn't require interruption?'

'We just talking...hanging out...'

'Oh my god, you guys really haven't done it yet-'



'Okay, this is uncomfortable territory. So i'm just gonna cut right through the small-talk if ya don't mind. Where's Jimmy??'

'Getting dressed.'

'Look cuz, your new best bud? Davis?' Chloe nodded, 'His ambulance was found abandoned at one of the crime scenes last night. He's been AWOL from work since...No-one's seen him-'

Chloe shook her head, 'there's no way he did what you're implying he did-'

'I'm sorry Chlo-but the truth is the truth-'

'I'm sure he has an explanation-he's such a gentle guy-'

Lois groaned, 'Chlo...just-don't see him until we get proof of his innocence...if he's innocent.'

'We?'

'Me and Clark.'

'Right...' Chloe froze, 'Lana...'

Lois looked at Chloe, 'what about her?'

'I sent her to Davis's to check on him-'

Lois and Chloe looked alarmed as Jimmy strolled into the room, 'hey ladies, Chloe you look stunning-and Lois...you look like you're not ready yet.' He frowned. 'Okay what did I miss?'

'Let's go!' Lois ordered as she led Jimmy and Chloe out of the apartment and towards her car.

Davis's townhouse:

Lana studied Davis, 'I'm a friend of Chloe's...she asked me to check on you.' Lana said as her eyes drifted over the shuddering man.

Davis felt a hunger in the pit of his gut as he gazed at her, Lana felt her head hurt slightly.

'You should go-' Davis ordered.

'Are you okay?'

Davis felt the transformation coming on, 'You need to leave now-ARRGH-' he buckled, Lana grabbed him.

'Do you have a first aid kid!?' she asked desperately.

Davis shook his head violently, his heat felt as though it was turning into rock, he groaned in agony, 'Get OUT!'



'I'm not leaving you! A friend of Chloe or Clark is a friend of mine-let me help you!' she said firmly, Davis groaned, he was no longer able to form words, he did his best to close his eyes, maybe not seeing her would make him less sensitive to her energy, his mind felt as if it was splitting in two.

'Davis, Let me take you to the Kent farm...Clark's got all sorts of first aid and medication in the bathroom cabinet-it's a twenty minute drive from here-'

Davis moaned in pain, Lana took his pained grunt as consent, she helped him to her car, laying him in the back seat, she slammed the door shut and climbed into the driver's side.

Davis groaned again as his vision zoomed in on heat waves being emitted by the car's battery, he forced his eyes shut, trying to control his hunger for power and destruction. He was no longer the person he had been raised to be, he was becoming the monster he never knew was capable of being.

Lana drove straight towards the Kent Farm, her heart racing in her chest, Davis was completely out of it, he kept groaning and keeping his eyes shut. He looked like he was in agony, his eyes had dark circles around them. If Lana had glanced in her rear view mirror for a moment, she would have noticed the way his veins were coming to the surface, and how they look as though they were painted black. Lana had no idea what danger surrounded her. Davis did. Davis knew exactly what would happen if he lost his silent struggle against his mind and his instincts.

End chapter twelve: