four times davis let chloe go willingly and one time he didn't

Reccing Notes: Okay posting some earlier stuff, before getting into beast trailer inspired. um. wallfic. This is davis focus, focusing on his feelings, how he sees Chloe and what he's give up so she'd be happy (even before Eternal). Pretty darn spot on. Also, happy/hopeful ending.

tobywolf13 is one of my favorite authors, kind of legendary in the chlark world (and awesome at crafting plot, ie her series crusade). The fact that this is Chloe/Davis is just icing on the cake.

by tobywolf13 at her livejournal
569 words, pg, abyss and prey

So, smiling, he guides her gently to his car, buckles her belt for her. He promises that it'll all be alright.
And it's only half a lie because it will be for her.


I.

He watches her back as she gets up from the table, watches the smart blazer, the way her hips move as she leaves him. She's beautiful. She's smart and loyal and she's been this light for him in the last month or two. She feels like salvation and he's not even completely sure what he's being saved from, not sure if it's after a life of never having a home, or even from an empty apartment with nothing more there for companionship than a fish tank and stale pizza. She made his days easier---her smile, her wit, her compassion.

And he has to let her go.

Because even though she can feel it too, she's not his and she might never be.

So he'll wait.
***

II.

He wasn't going to come back. He wasn't going to bother her. He keeps his promises and she was so adamant. He respects her, doesn't want to make things awkward with her and her fiance, truly he doesn't. But it's not about that. It's about getting to the bottom of his past, of finding a way to cope with the blackouts that just won't stop, that only come on more and more frequently. To put to rest suspicions he's had growing since Clark accosted him.

He doesn't think he's involved.

But if only he knew more.

So he goes and sees her and the sunny smile and witty banter makes him want to grab her, hold her in her arms, and kiss her until she says "Jimmy who?" But instead he makes a crack about her reporter's hat and keeps it professional, makes it a deal between them.

He's desperately trying to be the better man.
***

III.

She's crying on his shoulder. Her memories are all gone but he's the one she remembers. It has to mean something. No one has ever cared about him like this, trusted him with all the raw naked faith she has. It means the world to him, but he made his promises. There's a best friend and a fiance waiting for her and he tries to be a man of his word, tries to be the kind of man Chloe thinks he is.

So, smiling, he guides her gently to his car, buckles her belt for her. He promises that it'll all be alright.

And it's only half a lie because it will be for her.
***

IV.

It's out there now. Those words.

He's going to wait and he means it.

He wanted to be better, but he's not. Hell, he's met Olsen, seen the way he's insecure, doesn't trust Chloe. Davis does. He'd always trust her. He just doesn't deserve her. Davis knows he could take care of her, would do it happily for the rest of his life.

Cherishing would be easy.

But he doesn't break up marriages; he won't.

So he offers her a promise and tries to keep it together as she walks away again.
***

V.

She's in his arms, and he's kissing her now. She's finally relenting, finally accepting what they have, finally ready. It helps a lot that a month ago, Lois caught Olsen in the Ace of Clubs with a blonde that wasn't Chloe. Helped more that he had a friend in the court system who could speed through divorce proceedings.

But he waited for her, because she mattered.

He waited for her and now he can feel her soft and warm beneath his hands, can enjoy the soft pressure of her lips on his.

He loves her and now he's never letting her go.