Complicity (R) Tomb missing scene *complete*

Complicity (1/1)
R-rated Tomb missing scene

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Spoilers: General up to Tomb, but nothing too revealing about other episodes.

A/N: I couldn't sleep. This is the result. I think I overidentify with dead girls, but the whole Mikey-Gretchen relationship had a lot of similarities to the Lex-Chloe deal in season three. Angst, violence and creepy imagery warnings.

Complicity

She liked it - the bright, cluttered room filled with the girl’s things. If she’d had a dorm room, or a life at all, it would probably be the same. But that admiration was fleeting. She was grateful to the girl for releasing her, and wouldn’t waste the few hours among the living. The girl was screaming loud and ten years was too long to wait.

Chloe Sullivan didn’t keep her taser in her purse or her pretty red car. It must be there. She looked through the dresser and found it, learned how to grip it solidly and push the button with one hand. Tried it and imagined.

Mikey would pay. He had never gone far away from her. Sometimes he had driven past the building and smiled up at the window. He had laughed at her and driven away and she couldn’t stop him.

But now she could.

She felt the blond girl’s lips curve in a smile and marvelled at the idea of once again being flesh. She didn’t want to hurt the girl, but Chloe had wanted to help her find peace. It was hard to remember her own name, hard to remember all except her killer’s name. Chloe - her name was so hard to keep in mind, Chloe Sullivan - might be frightened and a little banged up afterwards, but she’d be fine. People had hurt her, too, and she knew why revenge was necessary. It was why Gretchen had chosen her.

It would be easier to walk, breathe and see through a body again if the screams would end.

"Where do you think you’re going?"

She twisted around to see a tall, bald man in the doorway. It was late and the room had been empty when she got there. The hallways were deserted. She should have locked the door but hadn’t, and the girl shrivelled in new fear. He looked like a bad man.

The girl stopped fighting her and spoke inside her mind. He is a bad man, she agreed. Don’t let him catch us.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that," she asked coldly.

His face took on a look of astonishment, as if no one ever spoke to him like that. He was quick to smile mildly and crumple his brow in concern.

"Chloe, you need help," he said, taking a slow step forward. "You should be in a place where people have the expertise to take care of you."

Lex shut the door and leaned against it, watching her bristle. She was holding her purse in one hand, her other hand down by her side. There was a window in the wall opposite the door, but it only opened a few inches for safety. She was trapped.

He had a look in his eye like Mikey had the day he killed her. She had thought it was lust or happiness, but knew it now. He was going to hurt her, thinking he was hurting the girl. She’d lost all her chances to learn anything more, but she would always know that look. Taught Chloe how to see it in the empty gaze.

"I need justice," she hissed.

He looked genuinely confused for a second and covered it by taking another step. There were only six more to go before he would be able to grab her.

"Justice? I don’t know what you mean. Explain it to me and I can help."

A burst of rage welled up from Chloe and Gretchen gave it words.

"You don’t care! You pretend! It’s all lies!"

She was trembling on her feet and he saw something violent shift in her expression. He wasn’t prepared to capture her like this. Chloe - in her right mind - would have been too smart to be in her own dorm room. She was so tense the room practically vibrated and hairs stood on his arms.

"I’m not lying, now," he promised softly. "I’m not always honest, but I am really worried about you. I remember how strange and confusing the world was before I got help. I want to make sure you don’t hurt yourself."

She snarled with teeth bared, like an animal, one hand clutching at her hair.

"No, you couldn’t know what I need. You can’t imagine what he did to me," she said hoarsely.

Lex froze in the middle of one of those small, easing steps, his mind catching on the statement. Some man had made Chloe this fearful, insane woman. He didn’t want to imagine how horrible the acts must have been to break her. She had been strong and getting stronger with each year.

"Who did it? What did he do?"

She folded in on herself, mouth crumbling into a child’s pout. She had backed up against the bed and didn’t have anywhere else to go.

Talk to him, Chloe urged. If you’re talking to him we still have time.

Gretchen knew bad men liked to talk, liked to take your secrets before they took everything. She looked at him directly and Lex nodded in encouragement.

"He was nice to me at first. We talked all night and he made me feel better. He gave me this."

She held up the bracelet on Chloe’s arm and smiled wanly, voice straining with emotion.

"But he was just pretending. Waiting."

He felt an involuntary shudder down his back from the hatred in her voice. He had used her more than once, and seen Clark do it many times more, but the man she was gunning for this time had gone much further.

"What happened then," he asked.

She let out a loud, painful sob.

"He said he had a surprise. Something I’d like. His smile was . . . different. He closed the doors, all the doors. I thought we might be going to-"

Gretchen flung the girl’s arms up and clutched at the skull, trying to dig at the pity she felt from the girl. She’d been so stupid, so easy to hurt. So simple-minded to be seduced by a cheap bracelet and a few conversations.

"He had ropes and a knife and he didn’t care when I cried that time."

Lex took a jerky step toward her, but her eyes blazed at him in threat. He had wanted to hold her, to try to offer some sort of comfort. Whatever problems he was having with her, Chloe hadn’t deserved that brutality.

"When he cut me up he told me it was peace," she whispered. "He was a liar. He deserves to die!"

He found himself nodding vehemently. Whoever had done that to Chloe did deserve to die in agony. She didn’t hurt anyone in the world, not even the people who had wronged her.

The girl was watching his face with awe, amazed at the sick horror it showed. She wanted to believe in it, but Gretchen knew better. Sympathy was worthless. Only justice mattered.

"I - I want to help you," he said. "He had no right."

Her head jerked up and she screamed into his face, startling him.

"He was like you. He wanted to kill me but he wanted me to help him do it. He wanted me to kill myself."

Inhibitions were at work every day in every human being. They held people back from the limits of their ability. When Chloe’s small hands drove into his chest, Lex knew she was beyond holding herself back. He stumbled back and she reached for her purse. Wrapping her hand around the taser, Gretchen jammed it into his torso as she ran into him. His hands closed around the wounds on the girl’s wrists, but she kept the button down.

They hit the door and he slumped, knees folding.

"Chloe," he gasped, terror in his eyes.

She smiled, viciously. Lex fought but his body was giving out. His eyes closed and he felt Chloe let his weight drop to the floor.

"You deserve to die, too."

His body shook, his eyes closed, and she felt Chloe Sullivan quake as he stopped moving. But the dead know death, and he was still breathing. She was only happy to have a demonstration to savour until she could do the same and worse to Mikey.

The girl was panicking, some stray sentiment making her want to call an ambulance for the bad man. Gretchen ignored it. Ten years was a long time to feel guilty over your own death.

She put the taser in the purse and rolled the man over so the door would open. Mikey wouldn’t get away.

Wow. That was really good. But you can't stop there please.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nonky

Gretchen flung the girl’s arms up and clutched at the skull, trying to dig at the pity she felt from the girl. She’d been so stupid, so easy to hurt. So simple-minded to be seduced by a cheap bracelet and a few conversations.

"He had ropes and a knife and he didn’t care when I cried that time."

---

This was the most powerful part of the story for me. I'm not sure why, but something about the intensity of the self-hatred--for something as natural and inevitable as stupid faith in someone who didn't deserve it--really struck home with me too. Probably with most of us to some extent or another.

This was a really great story. It's too early in the morning and I didn't get enough sleep to do a lot of quoting, but I loved the development of the scene and the mirroring levels of significance among the characters. I've stopped watching Smallville and am not even reading spoilers or commentary anymore (even hearing about it second-hand is too sickening for me), so I don't know exactly how this scene works within the episode as a whole. But it works very effectively as a stand-alone story. Very powerful and emotionally compelling.

And there's something fitting (even if tragically so) in the way you build up to her tasering him at the end it.

Thanks for writing this.

Like it, cannot help but love ALL tomb Chlex scenes, even the ones that didn´t happen :blinkkiss

Wow that was great. I would have felt so much better if Lex wanted to help in this ep for his own reasons not for Blana

Great add on to the show. How it should have been.

Nonky, this was excellent!

I liked that you had Lex being truly concerned for CHloe's well being--his motivations were shown so ambiguously in that episode.

And I liked that you had Gretchen realizing that Chloe had been hurt in the past, too, and that was why she chose her to possess.

Wonderful work.

That was scary. :eek: but good.

I agree with hfce! Scary, but good, and well written. Great job!

I was wishing somebody rewrote the scene of Chloe teasering Lex , because in my opinion it was one of the more powerfull scenes in the ep. I still can see Lexes expresion after everything happened, the shock. I'm glad you put your spin on it. It was as always a very insightful look into the characters. I like the fact that Chloe could, to some degree, interact with Gretchen. And the fact that Lex was so angry at the man who "broke" Chloe, and that afterwards she wanted to call an ambulance for him gives me hope for them having at leas some strong emotions towards oneanother. Great story.

Good job. That was an interesting look into the characters.

That was an interesting look in what could have been Chloe's thoughts in those moments, it's weird to think of all the anger that might be festering inside of her because of how Lex has treated her but with Gretchen dictating her movements it was kind of weird. Good job, I liked it it alot.

Steph*

I love it....................Please update soon!!!!!!!!!!!!

wonderful i can't wait for more.

I don't watch the show anymore so I'm kinda lost but this fic was very powerful, scary and intense. Great job!

Excellent job!

Loved it!

mmm. fantastic. that episode was the only one i could really stand this past season, and even then i threw pillows when lana told lex to have chloe committed.

sweet insight. good job

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nonky

She felt the blond girl’s lips curve in a smile and marvelled at the idea of once again being flesh. She didn’t want to hurt the girl, but Chloe had wanted to help her find peace. It was hard to remember her own name, hard to remember all except her killer’s name. Chloe - her name was so hard to keep in mind, Chloe Sullivan - might be frightened and a little banged up afterwards, but she’d be fine. People had hurt her, too, and she knew why revenge was necessary. It was why Gretchen had chosen her.

---

My frustration with Smallville increased as I rewatched 'Tomb' last night. I've used the phrase "if only" one too many times with this show. Really wish Smallville had shown a scene like this. Very well done. I really enjoyed the way that you compared Chloe and Gretchen.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nonky

Gretchen flung the girl’s arms up and clutched at the skull, trying to dig at the pity she felt from the girl. She’d been so stupid, so easy to hurt. So simple-minded to be seduced by a cheap bracelet and a few conversations.

"He had ropes and a knife and he didn’t care when I cried that time."

---

This part just made me want to cry. :puppydog:

I have read this fic a LOT of different times, but i guess i never seemed to leave a comment which is stupid! lol.. I loved it. Great job :)

Wow that was very good!! I loved the intensity of it!! And I liked reading a Chlex story again; I hadn't done that in a while. :)

I just discovered this and I have to say I really, really liked it. It had depth, darkness, and deliciously Chlexy undertones. I especially liked the way you described Gretchen memorizing the look of Lex's face, comparing it to Mikey's and making sure that Chloe would recognize it in the future. Oh how I wish this scene existed. Thank you for writing it.

This was an amazing ficlet. It was short, but intense and powerful. Besides the Chlex undertones, I ALSO liked the way Nonky built up the Gretchen character… how she was made out to be someone to be pitied rather than (only) feared.

Quote:

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He had a look in his eye like Mikey had the day he killed her. She had thought it was lust or happiness, but knew it now. He was going to hurt her, thinking he was hurting the girl. She’d lost all her chances to learn anything more, but she would always know that look. Taught Chloe how to see it in the empty gaze.

---

I especially loved this part, and what it said about Gretchen’s character. Gretchen was self-involved and obsessed about the idea of vengeance… to the point where she felt it was all right to place another innocent body in danger to get her satisfaction. But, she STILL made a point of instructing Chloe on ‘how to look for and recognize bad men’. Gretchen retained enough of her humanity to make sure that the horrors that happened to her were not repeated on another innocent.

Quote:

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She was trembling on her feet and he saw something violent shift in her expression. He wasn’t prepared to capture her like this. Chloe - in her right mind - would have been too smart to be in her own dorm room. She was so tense the room practically vibrated and hairs stood on his arms.

---

I really liked this part. It spoke volumes about the depths of Lex’s care and consideration. I loved that he was not willing to wrestle Chloe to the ground and ‘force’ her into anything, because he was afraid of the psychological damage that ‘might’ be caused by mishandling her.

His selflessness was actually made better by the fact that he didn’t really have any ‘special regard’ for Chloe. He wanted to help her, just because she was a person in trouble, nothing more special than that.

Quote:

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"No, you couldn’t know what I need. You can’t imagine what he did to me," she said hoarsely.

Lex froze in the middle of one of those small, easing steps, his mind catching on the statement. Some man had made Chloe this fearful, insane woman. He didn’t want to imagine how horrible the acts must have been to break her. She had been strong and getting stronger with each year.

---

And I loved that he was actually struck frozen with horror at the implication of Chloe being victimized like this.

Quote:

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"But he was just pretending. Waiting."

---

And then we’re back to Gretchen. I thought it was amazing that the hate she held for Mikey was only matched (and perhaps exceeded) by the self-loathing she was carrying around inside. How she ‘allowed’ herself to be fooled so completely.

It’s truly horrible when the victim ends up blaming her-himself for atrocities committed against them. Nothing worse than that.

Quote:

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Gretchen flung the girl’s arms up and clutched at the skull, trying to dig at the pity she felt from the girl. She’d been so stupid, so easy to hurt. So simple-minded to be seduced by a cheap bracelet and a few conversations.

---

The self-loathing was so intense over here. So much self-hatred for such simple and honest mistakes in judgement. THIS was Mikey’s greatest crime. The physical scars he left were only secondary compared to the gaping emotional wounds he inflicted.

Quote:

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He found himself nodding vehemently. Whoever had done that to Chloe did deserve to die in agony. She didn’t hurt anyone in the world, not even the people who had wronged her.

The girl was watching his face with awe, amazed at the sick horror it showed. She wanted to believe in it, but Gretchen knew better. Sympathy was worthless. Only justice mattered.

"I - I want to help you," he said. "He had no right."

---

Again, Lex displays his horror about seeing an innocent woman brutalized in such a horrible way. And I would see he meant every word he was saying here, about wanting to help her, about helping her find justice. And I liked how Gretchen kept vacillating between self-loathing vulnerability and such ferocious ruthlessness. It fit in perfectly with the character; what had been done to her, and what motivated her.

More than anything else, I LOVED the portrayal of Gretchen in this ficlet. Her actions were insane, but her motivations were understandable and clear. Amazing characterization, Nonky. I wish I could have seen more, but it’s too bad that’s not an option. I’m going to miss seeing more of this Nonky-Gretchen.

Hmmm. So how’s Trauma coming along?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by somethingeasy

Hmmm. So how’s Trauma coming along?

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Good and angsty. I'm writing a Chlex scene now, which is not really a spoiler because you knew I'd be throwing her to the hot, sexy, men-deeply-and-dysfunctionally-in-love-with-her wolves. Nice to see you in a finished thread of mine . . . I told you I'm not completely fickle. Just mostly. And I'm lazy. Lazy, mostly fickle . . . and very possessive of my Lexes. Notice I didn't distract the Nudge thread with a Lex of mine? Can't do it, it's bad enough sharing the sexy with Chloe.

Really intense. Great job