I disclaim. I own nothing.

Chapter 9

Clark could accept that Chloe was under some kind of spell, it was Smallville; what was a curse among the other weird crap that went on. Davis, obviously, had something to do with it. The girls had a habit of attracting the wrong type of guy. He hadn't known Lois all that long, but he figured it was just a matter of time before the weirdos started flocking her way.

What he didn't like, couldn't accept, and didn't understand was why everyone was just letting Davis get away with what he'd done. The whole school was talking about Chloe and Davis as if they were this hot new couple and not some poor girl and the bastard who'd taken advantage of her. And Lois-who'd been all 'my cousin' 'my Chloe' 'mine, mine, mine'-was playing happy families with Davis. Lex, too if he stopped to think about it.

It had gotten to the point that he kind of didn't like hanging out with them anymore. Davis and Chloe spent the majority of the time whispering to each other, while Lex and Lois alternately sniped at one another and trying to gain their relatives attention. He was beginning to feel that he was the only one concerned about this curse. At the very least Lex and Lois could try to keep Davis and Chloe apart.

"You're in denial, Clark." Lex stated dryly. "And you're bordering on obsessive."

"Actually, I think I'm the only one handling this like it should be. Look, I get that Davis is your brother-"

"He didn't do anything to her, Clark." Lex fought the urge to rub his hand over the top of his head in exasperation. "You don't know my brother. He'd cut off his own foot before he hurts anyone, most especially Chloe. And I think Lois and I have learned that trying to come between them before we find a way to fix whatever's been done to them is pointless. That's life is Smallville, Clark. It sucks, but what are you going to do."

"And when she gets hurt by this." Because as far as Clark was concerned it was only a matter of when. "What am I suppose to tell my friend?"

Coming around the desk, Lex sat on the edge facing Clark. "I'll be honest with you. When Lois barged into my office it occurred to me, briefly, that my brother might have done something. He was crazy about her long before any of this happened. I think the only reason he decided to stay or even enrolled in school was to be around her." Lex knew his brother and what he wasn't telling Clark was that he firmly believed Davis had loved Chloe upon first sight. And seeing Davis light in a way he hadn't been since childhood, well Lex couldn't honestly say he was in a rush to see whatever spell they were under ended. "I talked to Davis. I tried to steer him away from Chloe."

"Yeah. I can see how well that worked." Clark mumbled.

"Don't interrupt, Clark." Lex just managed not to laugh at the petulance on the boy's face. "When I talked to him, I realized that his feelings were genuine. He needs her, Clark. I can assure you that regardless of whether or not we break this curse, Davis is not going to just give her up."

"And don't you see the problem there. He's like this unstable, possessive, lunatic." Clark pushed out of his chair to pace the room. "Give her up? He won't let anyone within ten feet of her. Chloe isn't his. She was my friend long before he showed up. But she has no time for me anymore. You think it's okay for him to treat her like some sort of possession, to keep her away from her friends?"

This, Lex thought, coming from a boy who actively stalked a girl. Right. "Listen to me, Clark, because I'm talking to you as a friend. Not just Davis' brother. Let Lois and I handle this. Davis isn't going to give her up easily. And Chloe is not exactly the best of help trying to find a way to reverse whatever it is that was done to them." It was becoming painfully obvious to both Lex and Lois that breaking this curse wasn't going to be as easy as they thought. "I think you should stay out of this. I understand you're Chloe's friend. But I think this situation is best handled by family. I can assure you, it's being handled."

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With a spring in his step, Clark headed to The Torch office where he knew his girls were having lunch. As usual, Davis took off after first period, and Clark no longer had to share the girls. When Davis wasn't around it felt like he had Chloe back. Sure he didn't like the large marks that covered her neck, there always seemed to be marks (Lana called them love bites, Lois called them hickeys, and Chloe called them none of his business) on her neck, but once he accepted that her behavior was simply out of her control, his poor mood would pass. And when Lois and Lex figured out how to reverse what had been done that relationship would be over and Chloe would be back where she belonged.

Clark was glad he'd gone to Lex. Sure his friend hadn't told him everything he wanted to hear, but he was assured that things were being done to get Chloe back. And at the moment it was the best he could ask for.

Standing outside the closed door, he watched them through the window. As opposite as the three of them were, they looked so perfect together.

"Look, I'm not saying we hide a camera or anything." Lois was saying. "It's just that Clark and Davis together for a weekend is an event."

"Explain to me again how this became an 'us' weekend. I mean, Lana, don't you want to spend time with Jason."

Lana turned wide eyed to the other two girls in the room. "What? Jason...I...how?"

"Lana please," Chloe gave an exasperated sigh. "I'm a journalist. It is my job to know things, to investigate, to dig up the truth. And I saw Jason sneaking out of your apartment one night. So he was either with you or robbing The Talon."

"Oh." Lana sank back in her chair, really there wasn't much she could say to that.

"You hardly spend any time with us. Uncle Gabe is going away again, sleepover is pretty much implied. Especially with the new digs."

It was one of the things Chloe couldn't stop Davis from doing no matter how hard she tried. It seemed he was eager to spend his money on her, bucket loads of it. Odds were good, being she knew what he was thinking, that she could stop him before he dropped too much money. He never liked it, always arguing that it was his money and he could spend it any way he liked. Chloe couldn't really argue with that, but she had to draw the line somewhere. And Davis buying her a car, because she enjoyed driving his was just ridiculous and she told him as much. Which was probably why he went over her head in regards to the house.

Gabe had barely been able to contain his excitement, Chloe had come home from school intending to grab a quick shower before heading off to meet Davis. But her father had stopped her, telling her in a rush how Lex had called him into his office, apologized for all the trouble Lionel had caused them, and practically begged Gabe take the house as a peace offering.

Chloe didn't buy it, especially since she'd just had a conversation with Davis about her living arrangements. And Lex begging, it wasn't in his DNA. But her father had been so happy to finally move them out of their tiny apartment that she could do nothing but share in his enthusiasm. That's not to say she didn't let Davis have it when he came by a few moments later; he admitted to talking to Lex. Going so far as to tell her that he didn't even have to talk his brother into it, that both the young Luthors felt it was only fair. Then he flashed his dimples and offered to help them move. It was really heard to stay mad at him when he smiled.

"No. My father is going away, I now have a room bigger than a shoe box, sleepover is implied but just not the kind you think."

"Okay, technically, it's my house too, now." Lois sent her cousin a smug smile. "So, if I want to have a sleepover, I'm going to have a sleepover."

"You can't invite my boyfriend to a sleepover."

"I'm not. I'm inviting Clark and Lana over for a sleepover the same weekend your planning on shacking up with your boyfriend."

Chloe gave a displeased sigh, it's not that she could really complain. She and Davis spent plenty of time together, too much time depending on who you asked. And usually, as her father had been spending a lot of time away since starting back at Luthorcorp, she stayed with Davis. "Why can't you guys have a sleep over at Clark's?"

"Why would I have a sleepover at a house I no longer live at? How would I even explain that to the Kents?"

"Oh! I know." Holding up her arm, Lana began to bounce in her chair. "You just say 'You see Mrs. Kent, Lana and I really want to hang out together, but we need our sleep. And though you might not know it to look at her, Chloe's a screamer'."

Clark decided to walk in just as Chloe threw a ball of paper at Lana. His smile was a bit forced, but at least he tried. "What's going on?"

The three girls shared a look. "Nothing." It was Lois that answered. "We were just wondering what you had planned for the weekend."

Though he knew where this was going, Clark figured it was in his best interest to pretend he didn't. "Nothing. Why?"

"Chloe's dad is going out of town on Thursday, so we're going to have a coed sleepover. You in?"

Clark smiled brightly at Chloe. "Definitely."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "I know a whole weekend with Lana is the stuff of your dreams, but just try to contain yourself." Which was another reason she was counting herself out, she loved Clark and Lana, really she did. But if she didn't have to subject herself to the ridiculous game they played, she'd prefer not to. And clearly this was a lesson her cousin was going to have to learn the hard way. It would serve her right for ruining her weekend.

"Serve who right for ruining what weekend."

Chloe gave a frustrated groan. "Damn. It." Somehow she was going to have to figure this thing out. "Nothing. I want my boyfriend to myself this weekend."

"You always have your boyfriend to yourself." Lois countered.

But not where she wanted him and Lex had a house full of people that they always had to be on the lookout for. "Hey, why don't you guys have your sleepover with Lex. There's a pool-"

"You have a pool now."

"A pool table."

"Again, so do you."

"A home theater."

Lois had to admit Chloe had her there. And when she stopped arguing with her cousin she realized what Chloe was getting at. "Wait. The whole point of this weekend is to spend time with you. You're shipping us off to the Luthor stronghold so you can screw your boyfriend on every available surface without the fear of being walked in on."

Well, Chloe thought, yeah. "Lo, we live together, we go to school together. People are starting to question the amount of time we spend with one another. I'm some really strange comments from people."

Because she'd gotten a few herself, Lois rolled her eyes. But most of hers came from Lex who made reference to her and Chloe showering together, and naturally she responded without thinking. Only later she realized that he was referring to recently and not when they were kids. When she tried to explain that to him, it was clear he wasn't really buying it. She figured he said something to Chloe as well. "He's a guy." And he may be rich, intelligent, with an air of dangerous sexuality, but he was still a guy. And all their simple minds went to the same place when they saw two girls together. "Our relationship is perfectly normal."

Clark started to respond, but held his tongue instead. He wouldn't consider any familial relationship in which showering together was normal. And if Lex were to be believed, the Sullivan-Lane cousins were no strangers to shared showers. Actually it was down right strange, hot, but strange none-the-less.

Unaware of the direction of Clark's thought process, Lois continued her argument. "And any free time you have that's not spent here," She gestured around the Torch's office. "You spend pressed naked against your boyfriend. I miss you. I feel like I'm losing you to him."

And if nothing else, that got through to Chloe. "Fine." Glancing over her shoulder, she could see Davis pull into the parking lot on his bike. "I gotta go." Instead of running out the door, she stood in front of her cousin who was perched on her desk. "You're not losing me. I promised." And with a quick kiss to Lois' cheek, she dashed from the room.

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"Is it possible that Johnny Depp is the most perfect man ever created?"

"Yes." Lana answered. "Long hair, short hair, red hair, blond streaks...."

"Eye liner, glasses, gold teeth, women's clothing, scissors for hands." Chloe picked up the thought seamlessly. "He's absolutely perfect."

Lounging in a chair with Chloe sitting on the floor between his legs, Davis watched the man on screen. "I don't see it."

With her head resting on his knee, Chloe looked up at her boyfriend. "Liar. Inanimate objects are attracted to Johnny Depp."

"She's right." Lois agreed from the couch. "And I can prove it. Hey Clark, are you attracted to Johnny Depp?"

When Davis began to laugh, Chloe slid her hand under his pant leg and pinched his calf. She knew he didn't feel it, but the point was made. "Sorry, baby."

"It's okay. Now, shh, Johnny's talking."

Hearing a challenge in her words, Davis pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. His lips brushed lightly, almost absently, over her neck. His fingers trailed up and down her arms. When she continued to stare at the television, he grinned.

Chloe knew what he was doing, but she wasn't going to let him win. That's why she continued to watch the movie. True she couldn't say what was going on, but he didn't need to know that. The light brushes of his lips soon became soft open mouth kisses. Her eyes fluttered when he found that vulnerable spot just behind her ear.

Willing to play the game for as long as it took, Davis angled her head to the side with a slight nudge of his chin giving himself better access to her neck. Alternating between little flecks of his tongue and open mouth kisses. Knowing what she liked, he spent a lot of time biting gently at her pulse. Then he'd go back to that spot behind her ear, using his teeth the way she liked.

Since all hope of following the movie was gone, Chloe concentrated on regulating her breathing. There was just something so wrong, but so undeniably hot about the way he was making her feel with Lois, Lana, and Clark sitting across from them. I hate you.

Davis smiled as he heard her words whispered inside his head. You think I'll be taking this too far if I stick my hand down your shirt right now.

"Don't you dare." When she turned her head to look at him, her eyes immediately went to his mouth. She missed the triumphant gleam in his eye, but she could feel the excitement rush through him. Unable to stand it, Chloe fisted both hands in his hair and brought his mouth to hers. It wasn't comfortable, angling her head back the way she was, but the discomfort was secondary to the pleasure his mouth created.

Clark couldn't believe what he was happening. From his place on the couch between Lois and Lana, he could see that Chloe's mouth was practically devouring Davis'. And he couldn't believe that Lois and Lana continued to watch the movie as if nothing out of the ordinary was going on.

Not willing to break the kiss, Chloe somehow managed to shift around on her knees to face him. When breathing became a must, she pulled back just far enough so that their lips continued to brush together. "I hope you're happy now."

"I am. But if you don't like it, next time you want to watch a movie don't go on a twenty minute gush-fest about Johnny Depp."

A slow smile spread across Chloe's lips. "Just to be clear, if I start to moon over Johnny Depp, you'll stop me by kissing me. Boy, I better think about this carefully." Smile still firmly in place, she closed the distance between them again.

"Don't worry." Lana leaned over to say to Clark. "Another few minutes and they'll be heading upstairs."

"Which reminds me," Leaning over the arm of the couch, Lois gave her cousin's hair a tug to gain her attention. "Hey, how are we doing these sleeping arrangements?"

"Don't care." When she would have continued kissing Davis, Lois placed her hand on her forehead and pushed until several inches separated the couple. "What?"

"Is Davis staying here tonight?" When her cousin gave her a 'well, duh' look, Lois rolled her eyes. "Of course. I'm taking the guest room then."

"Why?" Chloe started to turn to face Lois when she felt Davis' fingers slip under the hem of her blouse, he even managed to unhook the last few buttons. Fisting her hand in his hair, Chloe pulled his head back. "Play nice." So saying, she leaned in to bite his neck.

"But it makes you so hot when I play rough."

"That. That right there is why I'm sleeping as far away from your room as possible. Lana can stay in my room."

"You know it is possible for the two of us to share space and not have sex. We just chose not to." Chloe frowned, why in the hell would they want to. The man was perfect, it seemed wrong to be around him and not touch him. Unfortunately she couldn't get to her boyfriend before he opened his mouth.

"If it really makes you uncomfortable, Lois, I'll keep my hands, and other things, to myself this weekend."

Lois had to bite back a laugh at the absolutely gob smacked look on Chloe's face. One would think she was told she'd never be able to touch the boy again.

"I'm going to have to object." Have you lost your mind?

Lois is important to you. I want her to like me. I want her to know that there's more to what we are than sex. He knew she was pissed when she got to her feet as if to move away from him, but his hands went to her hips to keep her in place. "Support me on this, baby, please."

"Okay." She had no choice when he was looking up at her with those adorable brown eyes. "But when you say keep your hands to yourself...."

"Maybe I over exaggerated."

"No," Clark jumped in quickly. "You said you weren't going to put your hands on her. So, you can't touch her for the rest of the weekend."

Davis turned to Clark. Admittedly he'd never paid much attention to the flannel clad farm boy. He was a constant at the mansion, usually just barging in to bitch to Lex about something. He knew Chloe considered him a very good friend, even knew she'd been in love with him for a very long time. So, okay, maybe he couldn't stand the guy. But he put that aside, for both Chloe and Lex. He wouldn't, however, stand for anyone telling him when and where and if he could touch his girl. "What the hell do you care?"

Clark watched as Davis' hands moved around Chloe's waist to rest on her butt. "You pawing at her like that upsets Lois and Lana."

"It doesn't upset me." Lois corrected as she studied the farm boy curiously. "And I say this as a friend; catch her on the right day and cloud formations upset Lana. Besides, I wouldn't try to keep him from her. Luthors tend to blow things up when they're told no."

"Well that was uncalled for. I've never blown anything up in my life." Davis began with a frown. "I think you hurt my feelings."

"Aw, my poor baby." Chloe moved his head until it rested against her breast. "If you want, I could kick Lois' ass."

Davis shifted his gaze to Clark. "Yeah, let her know she can't pick on your man."

Catching the smug look on Davis' face, Clark fought hard to keep quiet. The guy really was a jackass.

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Clark ended up sleeping in Gabe's office. He hadn't been aware of how big the house was until tonight. He had offered to help Chloe and her dad move in, but she'd told him that Lex had taken care of everything. So he hadn't really gotten to see the place. Lois had called it a 'mcmansion' or something to that effect.

When he helped Lois move her things, the first thing that struck Clark was how close it was to the Luthor manor. And he had a feeling it wasn't entirely by accident. Davis seemed to know his way around the house pretty well. At least if the way he tossed Chloe over his shoulder and carried her up the stairs was any indication.

It wasn't that Clark was snooping around, he honestly couldn't sleep. Chloe and Lois kept the place too damn hot. They must have had the thermostat turned to a thousand if the heat was getting to him. All he wanted was a glass of water. So what if he stopped at Chloe's room door on his way to the kitchen. It's not like he looked inside. And-thankfully-he couldn't hear anything when he pressed his ear to the door. So, he kept going. How was he suppose to know they'd be outside?

Through the sliding glass doors off the kitchen he could see them sitting in one of the lounge chairs by the pool. Chloe sat between Davis legs, wrapped in a towel, her hair still wet. Being the middle of October, Clark understood that it was likely very cool outside but for his part Davis wore nothing but a pair of swim trunks and seemed completely oblivious to the chill in the air.

"Are you sure you're okay." Davis' voice drifted along the night breeze.

"I'm fine. You run hot so I barely feel the chill."

Davis adjusted the towel so that Chloe pressed against his bare chest, then draped the towel over her like a blanket. "That's not what I meant."

Chloe pressed her cheek to his chest. His skin held a hint of chlorine, but it couldn't mask that lovely dark scent that was pure Davis. The way she imagined the deepest part of the forest smelled just after a rainstorm, it soothed even as it aroused her. "I know what you meant. It was just easier when I thought she just left. When I could hate her for being selfish and self-centered, but now....I can't hate her now, Davis. I want to and sometimes I do. And then I feel terrible for feeling that way about her. It just seems like there's no one to be mad at in this and I want to be angry with someone. I think I need to be."

"Be mad at Lana, the way your thought process works sometimes, it doesn't seem like it would be that hard for you." As intended, she began to laugh softly. "Or Clark, I don't really know the guy, but it seems exceptionally easy to get pissed off at him. Lois seems like she can give as good as she gets." He pressed his lips to the top of her head. "Get mad at me. Scream at me, call me names. You can hate me if it makes you feel better."

Sliding one arm up to wrap around his neck, Chloe snuggled in closer to him. He was so solid, so soft; so strong, yet the hands that touched her were always gentle. And when his arms came around her, it all suddenly became too much, and there was no stopping the tears. Words began to spew forward in a jumbled mess so that she didn't know if she were speaking them or simply thinking them.

"I'm scared, Davis, I'm so scared..." That I might end up like her. That if I were to go see her, she'll look at me... "And she won't know me, she won't even really be seeing me. But I want to see..." But I don't think I'm strong enough... "And I wish I could go back, I wish I could just think she left again..." But I can't... "And I'm just so afraid..." Of seeing her... "Of not seeing her. And I just..." And she seemed to run out of words or steam or air, because the words stopped and she just continued to cry. And he held her. He didn't speak, but he didn't have to. Because it seemed like he opened himself up and let everything he felt for her to pour out of him and into her. And it was enough.

"Sometimes I wish I could just take you away from here. Take you away from everything that could ever hurt you." But Chloe wasn't the type to run away, to hide when things got bad. She faced them head on.

Yes, it was her nature to fight. To not allow herself to get pushed around. But even the strongest of people wanted someone willing to fight the battle for them. Someone to be strong when it felt like she couldn't be. "Where would you take me."

"Nebraska."

Chloe laughed. "Why Nebraska?"

"Because no one would think to look for us there. We'd stay until your dad called off the search party. Then it's off to Hawaii. We'd have a little place on the beach. You'd freelance at the local paper, while I surf all day and basically piss away my inheritance. And every night I'd make love to you under the stars."

"And you'll stay?" Because no one else did. Not her mother, not Pete. Even Clark and Lana had left her. "You wouldn't leave."

I'd never leave you. "Not for anything in the world."

Having heard enough, Clark backed away from the door. Heading back up to Gabe's office, he spent the rest of the night laying awake unable to think about anything but the scene he just witnessed.