Note: Spoilers for Transference and a small departure from canon. In the previous chapter, I spoiled Jinx, which actually happened after Transference. But the damage is done and, rather than change anything, I'm just keeping it as is. Canon's hard.
Chapter Ten
They were done. She'd never let him in again. Not after what he pulled. Or was it they?. It had seemed like neither... and both. He'd been smooth and cruel like Kal, but he'd rejected her just like Clark.
She wished she had another place to be alone. Why did she have to sit in this office? This where it had happened.
She closed her eyes, still seeing it, hearing it so clearly.
"Clark, what are you doing?"
"What I've wanted to do for a very... very long time."
He leaned in, closing his eyes. Chloe turned her face up and closed hers as well, ready to accept the kiss. Their lips almost touched, but suddenly... nothing. Chloe opened her eyes only to see him look at her so coldly.
"Don't you wish," he sneered, leaving her. "Miss Sullivan."
She groaned and swiped at her eyes. It didn't make sense. She hadn't seen a ring on his finger. She'd thought it was Clark. She'd already ripped Clark a new one, but he swore he wasn't himself. It was only later that she had the answer. There hadn't been a ring on his finger, but that didn't mean he didn't have it somewhere else.
Still, it made no sense. Why would Kal reject her? Would she be invisible to both of them now? Had he found someone else? Lana? Lois? And why would Kal look at her so coldly? Kal was a lot of things, but cold? And "Miss Sullivan"?
It didn't matter if it made sense. It was over. She wiped her eyes one last time and stared at her computer. It was nearing nine. She'd better get out of here before he came looking for her. Somehow, he always found her. But the least she could do is make him work for it.
Outside, she jumped a little as the lights in the parking lot went out. It usually didn't faze her, but tonight she was on the edge. One more push and she might fall off and take someone with her. She saw sky-blue eyes and eyes that flashed red. She'd like to scratch both out. She couldn't play the game anymore. She couldn't pretend Clark was her only her friend, even a downright lousy one, when he willingly placed that ring on his finger, knowing where he'd end up. She couldn't pretend Kal was some evil twin when she knew Clark was inside, watching from his eyes like some sick, voyeuristic...
"Chloe," she heard behind her.
She ignored him and fished her keys from her purse. Her hand shook with rage as she tried to get it into the door, but she managed.
"Chloe," he tried, softer this time. "It wasn't me."
"Fuck off," she said calmly, pulling her door open. His arm shot out and he shut it before she could even think of getting in. "Why'd you do it, huh?" she demanded, refusing to look at his reflection in her window. "Getting tired of me? Wanted to play Clark's game for a minute? I mean, grinding me under his heel almost daily must be some fun if you want to join in, too."
"I have nothing to apologize for. I've never hurt you," he said harshly. "Don't take it out on me when he..."
"He?" she shrieked. "He is you! God!" Her fists banged on the roof of her car. "I can't do it any more. It's all fine for you to fuck me," she spat. "To use me because she won't have you." She took a deep breath. "But for you to mock me..."
"It wasn't me."
"Then who was it?" she said through clenched teeth.
"I don't explain myself to you." He grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around. "Do you trust me?"
"What?" She laughed harshly. "Since when are you trustworthy?"
"I've never lied to you."
"You lie every day, Clark."
"Kal!" he growled.
"Clark!" she shot back.
"Okay." He let her go and paced away. "I'll let that slide for now."
"Oh, thank you," she said sarcastically.
"It wasn't me or him and you're just going to have to trust us. We can't explain. We have our reasons."
She gaped for a moment, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "It's 'we' now? What are you? The Queen of England?" She took advantage of his distance and opened her door again. This time, she made it in. But she couldn't close the door, not with a large, psychotic male blocking it.
"Chloe, you don't want to do this," he warned.
"Oh, don't worry," she sneered, staring her engine. "I'll play nice with your other half, but as far as we go..." She glanced at the ring. "We're done. Bury it. Throw it in the lake. I don't care." She fastened her seat belt. "Move," she ordered, staring through her windshield.
"Chloe." He caressed her name. It was one of his little tricks. And it would be working like gangbusters if this were a week ago. "You think you can stay away? You know it's good, Chloe. And you won't find any better."
"You're right," she breathed, twisting against her seat belt to face him. "What am I thinking?" She smiled sadly. "You're the only one that can make me feel this way, Kal." She lifted her face toward him. "I'm yours. Only yours." His lips were just a millimeter away. "Don't you wish," she sneered, shifting into drive and speeding forward. Her door slammed shut on its own as she turned out of the parking lot. She refused to look back.
***********************
"Bitch," he growled, staring at the marks her tires had left. "Goddamned, fucking..." He stopped himself, breathing heavily, shaking. He didn't care. He could get pussy anywhere. Hers wasn't so special. But he couldn't stop shaking. He sank to the ground.
"She broke the deal," he muttered, seething. "She can't do that."
Yes, she can, he heard a faint, annoying boyscout say inside him.
"Hey, shut the f*ck up," he hissed. "You never let me in on your time."
I've hurt her too much, the boyscout said, ignoring him.
"So let her punish you," Kal grumbled. "I was like a fucking angel. I gave her everything she wanted."
She wanted me. You could never give her that. Neither can I, the boyscout said sadly. I should have never let you touch her.
"Yeah, well somebody had to. You were always too much of a pussy to take what you wanted."
I never wanted to use Chloe, degrade her, treat her like a whore.
"No." Kal laughed. "You just treat her like your lackey, your little sidekick, and push her aside when your little princess walks by."
Don't you talk about Lana that way. You aren't fit to breathe near her.
"Trust me. I don't want to. I prefer a girl with a little more fire in her." He licked his lips, staring down the road. "And I want her back."
No. You're not hurting her again.
"Like you don't. We both fuck her, you know," he said, smirking. "At least when I do it, she has a good time." He prepared himself to speed his way down the road. He'd get her back. The boyscout couldn't take her away just because he was feeling guilty. "She's mine," Kal growled.
NO! NO! NO! NO!
************************************
"NO!" Clark screamed, tearing the ring from his finger. He dropped it and ran across the parking lot. Distance. He just needed distance.
He collapsed, taking in great lungfuls of air as the anger left him, the need to possess drained away. The memories. They faded, too. It was always this way. It was the ring that brought it all out. Brought him out. It was like there was another person tucked away inside him with his own actions, his own memories, his own will. It scared him.
So why did he do it? Why did he let him out? Why did he put the ring on his finger and let him do God only knew what... with Chloe? He squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't think about that. He couldn't. It made him angry, angry with himself and with her.
And she deserved that anger. She was the one who was fully aware of what she was doing. Sometimes he hated her for it. Sometimes he let that hatred show. Yes, he rejected her. Yes, he hurt her. Because she refused to reject him. If she would, then this would stop. And he could think clearly, live his life, be with the girl of his dreams.
He stood up. She'd done it now, though. She'd rejected him. It was over. All he had to do was get rid of the ring. He stared across the parking lot, letting his vision soar to it. He had to be careful. He wasn't at the barn. He didn't have his lead box. He supposed he could run back and get it. But in the time it took, his will might falter.
It had to be now. He scanned the area around him, searching for a denseness, something he couldn't see through.
he found it in the school's storm-cellar door. He rushed over and tore a small leaden strip from it, squeezing it in his hands as he approached the ring slowly. He had to be careful. If he got too close, he might not do it. If it actually touched his skin, all was lost.
He molded the lead to his hand like a bizarre half-glove. Only then did he let his hand near the ring. He squeezed the lead around it until something the size of a golf ball lay in his hand.
He closed his eyes and threw it far. He didn't open them again until he was positive it was out of sight. He didn't want to know where it went. He couldn't. If he knew, he might find it. Then he'd be back where he started.
And he couldn't go back. He was going to do the right thing for a change.
"Goodbye, Kal," he whispered.
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