The Memoirs

And Clark was all about battling Lex to get to his ashimel. Yeah, he knew it wasn't his business, and yeah, he knew it would come later, but the need to protect was NOW, and he wanted TO TEAR PEOPLE'S HEADS OFF for hurting his sha'nauch! He could feel Chloe just breaking down and Whitney terrified and he snarled at his lover, even as he kept himself at bay, trying like fucking mad to stay calm.

Lex was struggling to keep Clark inside one of the other trailers. "Clark. You can't. You can't go. You have to stay here. You have to stay here and be calm. You can go to them later; we both will. I'll go to Chloe and you'll go to Whitney and we will find out what is going on but for right now you have to stay here and stay calm, because you cannot hurt anyone."

"THEY ARE HURTING MY SHA'NAUCH!" He roared, and the wind that had picked up outside rocked the trailer. "They are HURTING my sha'nauch and I will be GOD DAMNED if they will HURT THEM!" He was screaming. He didn't. Fucking. Care. He was wild to help them, to be close and stop Whitney's heart from beating out of his chest in terror, to hold Chloe close and have her stop crying the way she was and he was wild with it, his fingers dragging through what was left of his hair.

Lex felt the trailer shake and he grabbed Clark's shoulders, shaking as hard as he could. "I know how you feel!!! I feel it too, but you can't let the rage control you, Clark!! You have to be calm, for their sakes! If you can feel them, then they can feel you, and you have to be calm for them!"

Alien fury, pure and simple, and he prowled like a lion after Lex shook him, going back and forth as he fought to breathe. Instinct was wild and he had to fulfill what it was telling him, but for now... calm. He would be as calm as he possibly fucking could. Calm. He prowled the trailer, back and forth, working off energy, his eyes half slitted as he breathed.

Lex watched him pace, feeling the trailer shake with the wind that had suddenly kicked up and the force of his lover's footsteps on the floor. He stayed out of the way, knowing that Clark would never mean to hurt him but accidents happened. Instead, he exerted as much calm as he could through their bond.

"Won't hurt." He choked as he walked, his body thrumming with energy as he did so, grasping onto the link with his lover as he walked. Over and over, calming himself as desperately as he could, and he growled softly as he did so, panting quietly.

Lex walked over to his lover carefully. "I know you won't," he said softly, and his hands touched Clark's back. Stroking, rubbing, kneading the tense muscles he found there, doing anything he could to help Clark relax, to calm down.

He breathed. Finally. Lex touching him had Kal-El inside of him slowing down, calming, and he closed his eyes, shaking his head. "Our sha'nauch, Lex. Oh, God. What are we going to do? They got caught in the worst way. Stupid Reynolds. Stupid Reynolds and his stupid head."

"The man despises me, Clark. I told him to back off of you, and he's picked someone else close to me to pick on now." He growled softly. "We'll do the best we can by them, but in the mean time, you have to go back to work and school, when this project is over, because you can't help them if you don't help yourself."

"I know. Just... I know." Clark glanced up, then, from where they...had actually been making out like bandits, and winced, gently tucking his lovers cock back in his pants. "Sorry, baby. Did I bite through your lip? I didn't mean to." His fingers came up to gently stroke over a slightly swollen lower lip, and he stood to kiss softly as he started to straighten Lex's, and his own, clothes.

"No, you didn't. I'm fine." He didn't stop rubbing shoulders, forearm, hands, whatever he could reach to keep the calm going. "Just it sucks that we can't help." He grimaced. "I know."

He rose, carefully to his feet, and gently stroked Lex's head tenderly, pulling it softly towards him so they could press together. He held his sweet lover as closely as he could, shhing him tenderly, his palm stroking ever so softly across warm, petal pale and scented skin. "I'm sorry I scared you. Come on. There's nothing we can do. Lets go... go find Pete and Shayla and let them know our friends got dragged off like common criminals."

Lex rubbed his hands over Clark's arms. "Yeah. We should." He nestled his face into Clark's shoulder, rubbing his cheek against it. "You didn't scare me. I was just... agitated."

"I don't want to agitate you, either." He said it softly, rubbing his thumbs over Lex's cheek bones as his lips spread, and he tried for a soft joke. "However, it was amusing to see you flutter around trying to chase me. You did the Lex-is-afreaked dance."

"I don't do dances," Lex said. "And I don't flutter. I'm not a butterfly."

"You're TinkerLexie." Clark said softly, kissing his lovers nose, underneath each eye, then each cheek bone, and a soft, tender chin. "TinkerLexie, with the power of flight. Spread your lube to no one but me."

Lex, for a moment, had a vision of himself as a bald pixie with wings, sprinkling purple pixie dust.

And promptly cracked the fuck up. "Clark Kent, I am not TinkerLexie." He rubbed his cheek against Clark's. "But I'm okay now."

He smiled at him and nudged his nose against a soft indented cheek, licking the hollow under his cheekbone before hugging him tight. "Come on, before Reynolds catches us making out, and I have to flatten his teeth." His nose wrinkled as he took his lovers hand, winding their fingers and opening the trailer door. "You notice he's got really teeny, beady eyes? He looks at you and I swear you'd think--you were looking at a handsome, tall, beautiful man." Finished on a swallow, as he sent huge eyes up at Principle Reynolds. Clark was... 6'4, probably 6'5 by now, and the man was still a head above him. "Mister... Reynolds. Hi. Principle! Reynolds." He snatched his hand from lex's quickly. "I...was..."

"Going to go work?"

"Yes! Is that which was what I was going to. Er... do." Cough, a glance at Lex with a big grin, and he skedaddled.

Lex bristled. "Mr. Reynolds, I assume you have a good reason for harassing Clark while he's on his lunch break?"

"Not harassing." his eyebrow came up again, and saw Clarks reflection in Lex's sunglasses, as he made smoochie faces at Lex… and just, rolled his eyes. "I came to use the phone once again. I need to tell Mr. Luthor and Mr. Senatori about our progression. Since yesterday, twenty four more houses were put up. The juniors are really enjoying themselves, and are working hard."

"Right. Not harassing." Lex went into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. "Dad and Dom are on their way back here, and should arrive within the half hour."

"Call them and let them know, if you could. I have some paperwork to fill out. Today, we're hoping that with all of our teams going strong, at least thirty houses will be up."

"I'll call them and let them know. Mr. Reynolds, I'd like to know what you intend to do about Mr. Fordman and Ms. Sullivan."

"And I believe that is none of your business, Mr. Luthor." A nod at him and off he went, back down the steps and towards his car.

Lex followed him. "It is my business when it interferes with my work, my father's plans, and affects my friends. It happened on my premises; that makes it my business." He was dialing his father's cell phone as he walked, listening to it ring.

"Mr. Luthor, it is against the law to discuss what happens with my students outside of my office, regardless if it was a makeshift one. If you'd like to know, you'll have to ask them yourself." Joe said calmly as Lex followed him, and he took his keys from his pocket as they walked passed the makeshift gate the police, which were standing gaurd, had set up.

And the press went insane.

"Mr. Luthor! Mr. Luthor! Is your father really married to Dominic Senatori?"

"Are you aware that Mr. Senatori is only after your fathers money?"

"How do you feel that your father is gay?"

"When are we going to see family pictures, Mr. Luthor?"

"Do they really want to have a baby? We talked to Metropolis Surrogate Families and Mothers!"

"How long until we get to have an interview? Are you hiding something?"

Lex just sighed. "No comment, no comment, so am I, when hell freezes over, no comment, when hell freezes over." He knew he'd catch heavy flack for it later, but dammit... they were annoying him.

The screaming from the reporters was a roar, the police trying to keep them back as best they could, and Reynolds just shook his head and pointed Lex back in to the safety of the work sight. "I'll talk to you later, Mr. Luthor." And off he turned, disappearing through the crowd.

Lex gave a violent curse as Reynolds escaped him, and he made a mental note to have the man murdered.

"Lex?" Only then did Lex notice the voice coming from the cell phone. "Lex!! What is going on there?" Lionel's voice was almost a yell. "LEX!!"

Lex put the phone back to his ear. "Sorry, Dad. I was trying to talk to Mr. Reynolds when the press swept in."

Dominic's green eyes were very wide as he watched his lover all but bellowing into his cell phone, and he paused mid getting dressed. Polo shirt and jeans, boots as well, because he'd be damned if he had to watch his step for any more nails. He was just tugging on a sweater when Lionel began yelling into his phone, and he peered out of the closet at him as he held up a sweater for his lover.

"Lex, did I hear you tell the press to go to hell?" Lionel glared at the phone. "Don't you know better than that?"

Lex shook his head as he slammed the security gate to the site shut. "No, you heard me tell them they'd get family pictures when Hell froze over," Lex clarified. "Also, you're going to have to call Metropolis Surrogate. because someone there is leaking information."

"What do you mean, Metropolis Surrogacy is leaking information?" Lionel's brow furrowed.

At that Dominic's eyes went serious, and he stepped out of the closet completely, tugging the head of the sweater over his lovers head and taking his cell phone from him, pressing it to his ear. "I won't tell. Telling the press to go to hell is a liberating experience, especially if its that same pack of wild hyena's that attacked me yesterday. Vicious vermin. I'll give the agency a call, and let them know that if they continue to tell anyone information I will personally be responsible for their going out of business."

"It's the same pack that's been camped outside the site for the last three days. I was good; I told them no comment to everything except asking for family photos." He sighed. "They're telling that you and Dad are looking for a surrogate mother there; one of the reporters specifically called out the agency name."

"Fuck." Dominic said softly, and watched his lover put his sweater on like a good boy as he talked to Lex. He sat himself on the bed, pushing into his boots, and began to lace them as he spoke to his step son. "I'm going to have words with Diane Sawyer today to get the interview she wants to do ready. Would you be willing to speak to her, Lex?"

He nodded. "Sure. Anything you or Dad need me to do, I'll help."

"Alright, good. Here's your father. Do tell him to wear his sweater, will you? The doctor said for him to keep his back warm for the next few days to promote good circulation, but the man is all but leaving the house naked as a fucking jay bird."

"INFORMATION I DIDN'T NEED TO KNOW!" Lex bellowed into the phone.

"You're over-reacting, Lex. I'm not going out naked. I'm wearing a shirt and slacks with a tie." Speaking of it, he buttoned the cuffs at the wrist and balanced the phone on his shoulder. "We'll be there ourselves in a few minutes."

"Dad, put on the sweater and stop arguing with Dominic. Take off the tie, put on the sweater, loosen the top button, and get your ass out here. Tell Dominic the kids have up thirty more houses, and the contractor teams have forty more frames up that will be homes by the end of the day."

Lionel turned his head over his shoulder. "Lex says to tell you that the kids have up thirty more houses, and the contractor teams have up forty frames that will be homes by the end of the day," he relayed.

"WOOO!" A whoop and he stood up, did himself a little dance, and smacked a kiss on Lionel's mouth as he danced out of the room. Thank. GOD. There was nothing he liked better than good news, and he whistled all the way down the steps. 70 more houses meant 70 more workers he could contact about coming to live out here, and he danced again as he walked down the steps.

Snagged Maria, who'd just come back from Venezuela that morning, and dipped her low, dancing with her cheerfully.

The old Hispanic woman just... blinked, staring at the blond man--Mr. Luthors assistant? And stared after him as he whistled down the steps like he lived here. Ohhh and she was going to have to ask Hilde about it as she rolled her eyes after him and came up the steps with her suitcases.

"All right, that's very good news. Dominic just danced out of here like he's Fred Astaire. We'll be at the site in half an hour, and I'm sure he'll be just as happy to see you. Beware, son, he's in a kissing mood."

Lex grimaced. "Thanks for the warning." He hung up on his father, tucked the cell phone away, and growled.

Lionel hung the cordless phone in the bedroom back up on its base, and nodded at Maria. He hadn't even realized the woman had been gone so long, but he just nodded as he went about his business and picked up his briefcase.

...Mr. Luthor?! What the HELL? But she just stared after him as he went down the steps, getting his things, and yeah, she shouldn't stare so she kept right on walking, up to the third floor where her bedroom was.

Dominic swung into the kitchen, kissed Ms. Bird on the cheek with a smacking sound, and went right about making himself a cup of coffee, hitching the now too big jeans up on his hips as he over caffeinated, over sugared and over milked his coffee, sipping on it as he caught a bagel and plopped down on the nearest stool, as he watched her cook. Something akin to sin. "Mmm. What're you makin', Ms. Bird?" Full mouth as he asked, shifting and tugging a leg up onto one of the rungs on the stool.

"Maria es home now, und I am meking her favorite, pollo con arroz."

"I just saw. How's her mama?" A frown, because he knew she'd gone for a death in the family, and he took another bite of his bagel, climbing to his feet to go into the fridge for sour cream.

"I haven't had de chanse to talk to her boot she has called and her brutter is with her mutter." She was rolling out flour tortillas as she spoke, laying them flat on her cutting board as she flattened and cut each one out.

Dominic simply nodded and spread some cream cheese on his bagel, instead of the sour stuff, and dropped the knife in the dishwasher, bagel between his teeth as he worked before he bit and held it again. Plopped back on his stool for a moment as he ate, taking a sip of his coffee as he stretched a shoulder absently. "Has me own mama called?"

"Nein, boot we haf gone togedder to see Martha in de hospital." She smiled. "Martha es doing vell, and shood be home soon. Rosaleen es her usual self."

"Mmm." It bothered him, but he didn't let on, as he took another bite and looked down into his coffee, shifting a little bit.

Ms. Bird took pity on him. "She ast after chu and de udders." Flour flew again as she dusted the tortillas, and then set them on top of a warm burner to lightly toast. "I said, dey were doing vell."

"Has she said anything about coming back?" He asked, tipping his head as he looked up, and rubbed a palm over the side of his temple.

"Only dat Hell vould freeze over ferst." She bustled around the counter and hugged him around the shoulders.

Hard, but silent, sigh. "She's stubborn as a mule, and twice as disagreeable." A shake of his head, and he rubbed a palm over his face, before cupping Ms. Birds on his shoulder. "I should probably talk to her, mm?"

"Ja. Det vould be a good idea." She petted him gently on the shoulder. "She vill come round vhen she sees dat Mr. Ross es more den de color of his skin."

"He's..." Say 'good boy' and you die, Dominic. "in love with Shayla. I'm afraid there's nothing any of us are going to be able to do about it, either, so hopefully she'll... play it by ear." A moment. "Does she knew Toni is a black woman?"

"Nein. No idea, und I hef not tol'her so. Dat is for yer brother to do."

"An' just what would be for me to do?" Graham grinned as he came into the kitchen. "Should have known I'd find ye down here, little brother, stuffin' your face and harassin' Ms. Bird." His arm was tight around Toni's waist, snuggling her close as he walked in.

"AHHHHHH!"

Bagel forgotten, coffee too, and Dominic launched himself at his lover, giving him a huge, huge, huge bear hug. His brother was BACK! Oh dear Jesus, Shane was going to have himself a heart attack, and he just hugged and then had to include Toni in too, hugging them both hard.

"Oomph!" But Toni giggled and hugged her little eccentric Irishman tightly, kissing his cheek and shaking her head. "Hello to you too, Dominic."

"You're back! Thank God! I don't think I could handle this big brother shit anymore! So much happened! Ah! HELLO!" Another big hug.

Graham just laughed as he hugged Dominic, the air of dark brooding that he usually carried around gone as he smiled. Dominic was all but lost in his arms as he hugged, and then when Dominic included Toni, so did he. "Aye, I'm back, an'I'm not even sure I wan' to know what ye mean." He kissed Toni lightly as he glared at his brother. "Hello, little brother, and what have ye been up to?"

"So much! Half of it you don't need to know about!" But he was smiling at him, broadly, and beamed as he heard the loud, loud squealing of a Shane who had heard his father. "And I believe, your son is bellowing for you."

YESSSSSSSSSS! He was humping and bumping and climbing down the steps as fast as his tubby little legs could carry him, crawling down the steps as quickly as he was able too as he squealed in happiness. He had HEARD a DADDY! And the furry things were helping him as he plopped and thumped down the steps as fast as he could, squealing and power crawling as fast as he could. "DAAAAAAAA'YYYYYY!"

"SHANEYBOY!!" Graham pushed his brother out of the way to get to his son, and lifted the boy up high. "Hello, me boyo!" He swung Shane around, over his head, and flew him like an airplane. "Daddy missed his boyo, yes he did." He planted a big, wet kiss on his son's cheek.

Shane squealed on top of his lungs, and his expression... elation. HIS DADDY WAS HERE! FINALLY!!!!!!!!!! He squealed and then promptly burst into tears, grabbing him hard so he wouldn't let GO of the Shane! Don't let go, nonnonono!

Dominic just cracked up, shaking his head and kissing the babies head as he did the same to Toni, kissing and hugging her tightly as he took her crutch that had toppled to the floor and led her gently towards a stool. "Beautiful woman, and how be you?"

An eye roll, but her face was graced with a smile. "Fine. Helping your idiot brother move, and have you ever known he treats women like princesses? He wouldn't let me do almost anything."

Graham just hugged his little boy. "Sssh, hush now, m'boyo. Your daddy's home and he's not going anywhere, except maybe to the new house we saw coming into town." He snuggled Shaney against his chest and turned to Dominic. "Did ye see the big farmhouse as ye come in from Metropolis? Tis for sale, an' Toni and I checked it out. I like it; it's three levels and it's beautiful, inside and out."

His lips spread all over again. Christ, the day would be so much more livable now. There was something so comforting about having his family close, something he hadn't realized he'd sorely missed until they'd come back into his life. And having his brother here, holding his son and what would surely be his future wife, and Dominic just... he grinned, like a big idiot. Didn't hear a word his brother said. Just beamed.

And couldn't wait to tell Lionel.

Toni grinned and reached over to give Dominic's dopey smile a pet, his cheek a kiss, and rolled her eyes as she hobbled up from the stool and hugged Ms. Bird around the waist. "I have missed your apple strudel more than words can express, Hilde."

Ms. Bird cackled. "Den you chuld know ve chust got a new crate of apples from de Kents, de first of their crop, und I vill be making it tonight, for chur velcome home."

YES! Big beam at her and she hugged gently, tipping her head to watch Graham play with his baby boy and sigh.

Shaney stopped crying. Sort of. His pops had been gone FOREVER, and his bestest friend was the greatest, but there was nothing like a daddy. So he just snuffled and snuggled up tight, even though his Unca Ommie had put him in new pants and EWWW they sucked. Even if his Sperge Bob shirt was really cool and it had the yellow guy on the front!!!! And his hair was brushed. Ugh. Dumb Ommie and Bestest Friend. Making him look clean. Dumb.

Ms. Bird hugged Toni back, and then shook a flour-covered finger at Graham. "Chu should hef called me und let me know chu vere comink home!" she scolded. "I could hef had et ready to eat!"

Graham shrugged as he boosted his son up on his shoulder and then flipped him over, cradling him and rocking him back and forth. "I wanted it to be a surprise." Each rock swung Shaney's up and down, back and forth.

Shaney snuffled and huffed as he took big handfuls of daddy's shirt even as he was rocked, and yeah. He felt better. SO much so that he gave a big smile at him, even if it was big and teary, and cuddled in close, rubbing his tears on his daddies shirt.

"I...oh. A house? Darling, that's fabulous. I want to see it--but I've got a proposition for you."

Graham looked down and kissed his boy's head, and then looked back up at his brother. "What proposition?"

"Before you begin house hunting just yet." Dominic tipped his head, and his brow came up. "If I gave you a crew, would you like to carpet the houses we're having built?"

A blink. "How many houses y'got that need carpetin'?"

Dominic's brow crooked up even higher. "Eight hundred. Give or take."

Graham kept rocking his baby boy as he thought. "I'd need about forty people who know what they're doin', and four other men who're capable of supervisin'."

Business men down to the core and she watched the brothers talk, a little smile playing on her lips. The truth be told, the trip had depressed her very, very much. She loved a man still broken, and though it was typical of her to, she just...it broke her heart. They'd talked more than they ever had over the five days of blissful quiet, packing...helping him as he closed away his dreams. So she didn't say much of anything, as she pulled the stool over to Ms. Bird and helped her with what she was making.

"I can give you thirty five. And three supervisors." Simple nod, as he watched his brother. "There's not a lot of people to spare these days... when you see what's going on on the north side of town, you'll realize why. We have ten construction crews, with about... five hundred men a piece, give or take, working over there. We have I-78 completely blocked by what we're doing, what with the moving trucks. Four moving companies, and Dell's over there today getting our computers installed. its...a zoo. Add to that the six hundred high school students, and Lex and I are going insane trying to keep people in order. Lionel... he's been sick, with a kidney stone. Better now, but today's the first day back on the job, if you will. We'll take you with us so you can see what we've done. We've got two neighborhoods completely finished, with another three on the way. And the buildings... are looking fabulous. They're putting in another highway and exit for us, so... its a zoo. pure. Simple." Dominic nodded, propping his chin on his hand as he smiled at his brother.

Graham slowly stopped rocking his son as he looked over Dominic's shoulder at Toni. "Darlin', how would ye feel about goin' back to Canada?"

"Sounding better every second." Holy. shit. What the hell had they been DOING?

Dominic just snickered as he climbed to his feet. "Let me know. Lionel kept the job for you, and its there if you'd like it. Some of the houses, the ones for Houses for Humanity, were carpeted already because that was part of the legal bits of our affiliation with them. However… that leaves about three neighborhoods right now for you. We have the money, you just tell us when and where. And if you'd like hard wood, tile, linoleum, let us know." Another smile. "What do you say?"

He kept his eyes on Toni. "Means I'll be stuck here for a while, until I can get a line on that farm... may lose it, darlin', if I don't get moved fast enough," he said softly. "You mind being seen with a man who doesna have his own home yet?"

A simple shake of her head, but she reached forward and took a snoring Shane in her arms, carefully tucking him close to her chest, and he was just so big. She got her crutch and hobbled out the door, gently petting Graham on the way. "Talk to your brother. Manly business." A soft chuckle. "I'll be in the living room, okay?"

He caught her by the waist and kissed her cheek. "Be done in a minute."

"Okay." Another smile at him and off she went.

Graham turned to his brother. "What in th'name of all holy Gods have ye been doin' while I was gone!" he blasted out.

A sigh, and he offered a seat to his brother, sitting back down to his bagel and cooling coffee. "Got an eviction notice. And rather than be out on our very asses, we've got...four more days to have LuthorCorp in Smallville. Operating. So as you can imagine...we've got employees moving in... we brought about ten thousand people to Smallville for the week." A short chuckle. "The Rubensteins are ecstatic. Haven't had this much business since the seventies."

"Holy God." Graham dropped heavily onto the barstool beside his brother. "What in the hell got ye moving? Why'd--all right, dinna mind. I didna ask. O'course I'll do it. Damned but I wouldn't give my nuts to have Gideon Gallagher here."

Dominic's lips just spread, and he blinked at his brother innocently.

"You didna!"

Another big smile. "He's working in our main building with Shayla's boyfriends oldest brother, Dogwood Ross. He's the original painter of the buildings, and there you have it. He's our main coordinator, and a damn fine job he be doin'."

A grimace. "She isna still with that boy?" But then he sighed, and his grin widened. "Aye, and I'll be glad to work with ye, Morgan. Sign me up, and I'll go out with ye today to look, and tomorrow to work!" He slung his arm around Dominic's shoulder. "When did ye bring Gideon and why didn't ye tell me!"

Dominic beamed at him and hugged tight, and damn he was glad to have his brother back. "Aye, a week or two ago, m'think. We haven't been able to go anywhere, what with the workin', but it'd be good for the boys to go out on the town, aye? Though we're quite old and stuffy." He grinned at him though, and hugged tight. "I missed you, you big oaf. How did everythin' go with selling the house?"

"It went great. Twas sold by the time we left, an' the papers are on their way here for me to sign. Didna have to worry or anythin', the money's being wired inta the bank, and once it's in there, I'm movin' the account to the saving and loan to get the house." He smiled. "It was a good thing to do, and havin' Toni there, was a godsend."

"How are things going with her?" innocently asked as he turned for the rest of his bagel, winked at Ms. Bird, and strolled out, motioning for his brother to follow him as he heard his lover rustling about in Lex's office. He bit into his bagel, glancing back at his brother as he walked, munching happily.

"It's amazin'. I didn'a think I'd ever find a lady like her. She's s'beautliful, and fun, a'I love her so. And she drives me insane. It was such a hard thing t'do, sleepin' beside her without touchin' her." He sighed as he slid off the stool and followed his brother. "I'm losin' m'mind."

"And I'm sure she's enjoying every single moment." Dominic said with a snicker, shaking his head as they walked across the big house. "Why haven't you, brother?" A moment, and he touched his arm. "Because of Missy?"

Nosy. But that's what brothers were.

"Aye. No. I dunna know. I just know... that it isna right yet. I don't wan'to keep her waitin', but I don't know what's... not right either."

"You do what you feel in your heart to be right." A simple nod. "If waitin' is to be had, than let her wait, and you do, as well. Having her will be much sweeter when you do, laddie, and you know it well as I. However... as a man who hasna had sex with a woman in about fifteen years, I canna really vouch." A chuckle and he pushed open the door. "Lionel? Lionel, Graham is here!"

"Bring the man in then." Lionel's voice was muffled through the door. His head was buried in a book, and he was standing on the upper level of the small library in Lex's office, pacing back and forth on the small balustrade.

Dominic stepped in, boots silent... blinked, and then looked up, at his lover. Oh, and God he was so very, indecently beautiful, standing like some Grecian god of the sun, with the warm morning light flickering across his hair. And he sighed, softly, in warm pleasure as he beamed at his lover. The man who would have babies with him, the man who had held him through his nightmare, the man who had given him such exquisite pleasure. "Hi, baby."

"Hello, Jiminy." Lionel didn't look up until he'd underlined something on the paper balanced against the book, and made a half a paragraphs worth of notations and references to the volume in his hands. "Welcome back, Graham. I trust the rest of your stay was uneventful?"

Graham looked up at the man on the balcony. "Yeah, it was mostly uneventful, unless you consider Toni driving me insane eventful. I'm going to be working for you, by the way, at Dominic's request."

At that, Lionel snapped the book shut and leaned over the balcony. "That's excellent news!"

Dominic was... well, busily smiling like an idiot. Just...dumb as a post, beaming at his lover as everything zoned out but him. Hearing Graham's problems only excited him further about the joy of which he was in possession of, the joy his lover gave him each and every single day, and a soft flush hit his cheeks before he beamed back at Graham. "Its going to be so fun, laddie."

"Fun. Yes, well, that's one word for it. Not the word that I would have chosen, but yes, that's a word for it." Lionel started carefully down the steps. "I assume that Dominic's filled you in on what all is going on?"

"Ah...I did, indeed." A smile at him as he went to get Graham a scotch, just like he liked it. Never too early for scotch, and he filled a glass half, soured it with a bit of lemon, and handed it to his brother neat as he got himself a glass of orange juice and slid onto the couch amongst the books Lionel was getting, wincing. "I'm surprised you didn't hear the bellow of horror, my love."

"I did wonder what that noise was." Lionel pulled the paper out of the book as he got to the bottom of the steps, and tossed the other book onto the pile beside his lover, pausing for an orange flavored kiss. "You ready to go, Jiminy? Graham, are you accompanying us?"

Graham nodded. "Aye, I am. I'm coming with you. I'm ready, and I'll need a tool belt from one of the guys at the site."

Okay. He thought he'd be able to hold it in, but this was Graham, and he adored his older brother. And he was practically bouncing in his seat but he had to ask Lionel first, so his eyes skimmed to his, asking if he could tell his brother the good news as he grinned like an idiot.

Lionel nodded. "Go ahead."

"We're going to have a baby!" He blurted to his brother, grinning like an idiot as he beamed like he was... well, four. And he felt like a little boy in his excitement, beaming at his brother like the biggest dork on the planet.

Graham just... very slowly turned around and raised an eyebrow. "You're... going to have a baby? Did ye grow a body part I'm no'aware of, brother?"

"No! YES! But no! Lex… he's been doing this for us, and in the next few weeks time..." Babbling, but did he care? NO. "We're...we have? A surrogate mother! And she's going to have the baby for us and we're going to have a baby. A baby, for us, that's ours." A big, big, HUGE smile as he reached up to squeeze Lionel's waist, and just..HEEE!

Graham blinked again, and tossed back the drink Dominic had given him in one swallow, then filled it himself from the bottle on the table. "Well, that's a shock. Not as much as if ye'd been pregnant, but still. I'm happy for ye, brother. It's about time Shane's got another cousin."

And Dominic just... adored children. Adored them and he beamed some more, just smiling like a big dweeb and squeezing Lionel's waist, climbing to his feet to kiss him. He let go a moment later and grasped the books Lionel had marked off. "I'm ready, Lionel. Laptop, tool belt...have you your briefcase?"

"Yes, little mother hen, I have my briefcase." He kissed his lover back softly and then lifted the accessory in question. "Right here. And there are tool belts at the site, provided for the students and crews."

"I've the palm pilot, and my cell, so we're good there, and you know?" He peered at Lionel as he motioned for Graham to come along as he started out the door, books in tow. "I have yet to hear from my shadow this morning." A glare of general disdain, and begrudging respect, as he pulled his cell from his pocket and dialed young Mr. Siegel up, pressing the phone to his ear as he headed towards the front door.

Charlie was jolted out of his thoughts, and nearly spilled the coffee in his hand all over his papers at the desk in front of him. "Charlie Siegel," he answered, balancing the phone on his shoulder as he mopped up coffee.

"Charlie, its Dominic. How are things holding up over there?" Dominic demanded, opening the already cracked front door with his big toe, tugging it until he could open and start down the steps...and turned, stopped mid-sentence, and peered at his lover. "Go put your sweater on right now, mister." Back around to Charles and the car Enrique was waiting in to hand off the keys, and the trunk popped for Dominic to dumb his things in. His little deep blue jag just looked like sex on a stick in the sunlight and he beamed in pride as he carefully shut the trunk.

"They're holding up fairly well. We... had a small incident with a couple of the children--seems two of them were caught having sex in one of the houses, and they've been suspended and sent home. I'm taking care of the paperwork on our end of that now. There's coffee--real coffee, from the Talon--here for you and Mr. Luthor, sitting on a warming plate."

"Fabulous. ...Not the sex, the coffee." A sigh, a shake of his head as he motioned Enrique out, thanking him before sliding behind the wheel and waiting for brother and husband. "Who were the kids?"

"Um... hang on, let me see." Charlie shuffled papers on his desk. "Ah, here we are. Chloe Sullivan and... Whitney Fordman."

Lionel picked the sweater in question up from Enrique, who was offering it with a quiet grin. He folded it over his arm, and followed Graham out to the car.

Dominic... slapped a hand over his face, and sighed. Damn. Which he repeated the sentiment softly, as he pulled his seat belt on without looking. "What did Reynolds do? Creepy bastard."

And he glanced up enough to see said sweater in his lovers hand, giving him the eagle eye to get it on as he cranked the car, foot on the brake as he took off the emergency brake.

"Um... suspended them for a month, sent them home from the site. There's also something here about Fordman being off the football team and Sullivan off the school paper."

Lionel climbed into the front seat of the car, giving his lover an unreadable look as Graham got in the back.

"Damn." Another soft shake of his head as he shifted gears and pulled forward, checking his mirrors, and that his brother and husband were buckled in, before he pulled out. "Alright, Charlie, we'll be there in ten minutes."

"I'll be here, sir... not like I've got anywhere else to go." Charlie made another scribbled notation on the paper as he talked. "You're going to have to sign these when you get here, you and Mr. Luthor. And, just so you know, the younger Mr. Luthor has already lodged his complaint too, so you'll have to deal with that."

"Delightful. What a wonderful Wednesday morning to wake up to. Clarks friends having sex and the blasted wind. Speaking of, where on earth did you get coffee from the Talon? Did you actually go to the Talon? Charlie, you might need a raise. "

"Yes, sir. I ran by the Talon this morning, about... an hour and a half ago. Ran into Mr. Ross' assistant there... literally, in this case. Poor girl, I almost ran her over."

Ah. Hah. Blond eyebrow came up, as he passed his lover a grin, and spoke into the phone as evenly as he could. "Sounds wonderful. I'm sure she was happy to see you. However, we can discuss it when I get there, for I'm driving. Alright? We'll be there soon." Click and he set his phone in the coffee holder beside his elbow, chuckling as he stopped and waited for four trucks and a cement layer to pass before he could pull out into traffic. "The parking lot was finished yesterday. Dry by last night, and we can park there now."

"That's excellent news. Are the electricians done rewiring the Zeus building? I intend to work from there today, if at all possible." Lionel already had his briefcase open in the car. "What was our Mr. Siegel saying that was so amusing?"

"Indeed. The wiring is done, the computers are in, the only one left is the Apollo building." He kicked it up to forty five miles an hour and chuckled at his lover. "Mr. Siegel met Emily this morning. Give it till the summer, and we'll be going to their wedding, you just wait and see."

Lionel snorted. "Those two... children? I'd be surprised to find that either of them knows the meaning of the words dating or flirting." He paused. "Which of Clark's friends are in trouble?"

"Chloe and Whitney. Reynolds, that creepy bastard, found them going at it like rabid hyenas, and now..." A shake of his head and a roll of his eyes heavenward as he drove carefully through all of the traffic, keeping away from the gravel trucks so he wouldn't end up with dents or anything on his baby.

"Reynolds." Lionel rumbled the name. "I do not like dealing with that man, and I do not know what in the name of God possessed the Smallville school board to hire him. However? I will use all possible influence to see that he is fired, posthaste."

"As I recall, my darling, you didn't enjoy dealing with him when Lex was in school, either." A glance in the mirror, at his brother. "You need to show me the house on our way back this afternoon, Graham. We might be able to convince Century 21, since we've given them so much business, to hold it for you when you're ready. If you like it, and you want it. Don't feel obligated just because I said something, ass."

"You've got to be joking. Me turn down a job like this? Morgan, your head's up your arse. I'd be a fool to turn this down. This is more work than I'd see in probably a year, especially in a small place like Smallville. If I didna take it, I'd be a fool, and me Da wasna raisin' a fool when he raised me."

"Sure he was, he just didna' know it." But cause it amused him, he winked. "Not the job, arse, the house. The farm. Do you want it?"

"Aye, I think I do. I want t'take a closer look at it first, which'll be Monday at least, but if it's as nice as it looked when I just walked through it this morning, aye. It's what I want."

"Alright, then. Keep it in mind, and I'll make sure it doesn't sell." he chuckled softly at his brother, shaking his head a little as he cut into the parking lot, using his blinker, which he pointed to pointedly and yes! His point WAS pointy, thank you. Lionel never used his blinkers, and Dominic glared as he shifted into the parking lot, pulling the car into the VIP parking spot, amusingly enough.

It said Cricket.

"And here we are."

Lionel just raised an eyebrow at the point, and put his head back down in his papers.

Graham rolled his eyes at the sign on the parking space. "Should I even bloody ask?"

Big smile. Shake of his head as he glanced over his shoulder at his brother, and got his small butt out of the car, popping open the trunk with his keys as he went in for his things. The books, his own laptop, the hard hat and belt he'd stuck in the trunk the evening before, and took it all out before reaching up to close the lid.

Lionel looked up and smiled at the sign, tucked all of his papers and books back away into his briefcase and got out of the car. "We're very lucky the press hasn't figured out the back way leads all the way up to the site yet. Because when they do, we will have them up our asses."

"No we won't. Restraining order, my dear." He balanced his books and closed the trunk, plopping the hat on his head since he had no where else to put it and rounded the car towards his lover and brother, pushing the passenger seat up for his brother to get out. "Come on, man mountain. Gideon should be screaming in about ten seconds."

Graham was just too busy gawking for a long moment to do anything. "You... you... Mary, sweet mother of Christ." He rubbed his face and beard for a long minute. "Good God."

"Whaaat? What?!" Dominic turned around and demanded it of him, glaring as he handed his lover half of the books, beginning to walk with the hat falling in his face every five seconds. He spotted Lex walking towards the Zeus building and waved at him as he hooked his laptop bag across his chest.

"This was nothin' the last time I saw it. Good Christ, ye've done a lot." He just shook his head, looking around. "Doesna even look like th'same place."

Lex caught the arrival and waved, pausing in his angry stride and returning the wave.

Dominic's smile blinded before it fell, noting Lex's angry stalk and winced. Glance towards his lover and he hitched his shoulder for his brother to follow, pride in his voice. "Its beautiful, isn't it? The buildings are a true work of art. Dogwood Ross and Charlie's new girly, who's just about as adorable as anything, have been the main restorers, and my God, its beautiful. There's a painting in the Apollo building is of him, on his grand chariot, racing across the heavens and Jesus and God its lovely."

Graham just nodded. "Aye, I bet it is. Jus' point me in th'direction of Gideon's little hole in the wall, an' I'll be out of your hair for the moment."

"We're headed their ourselves, we'll drop you off. Come, now, this way." Dominic led him towards the Zeus building, on the ready to get down to business and didn't even remember to stay behind his lover as they met Lex halfway on their troop. "Someone either spiked your coffee this morning or you heard about Chloe and Whitney."

A slight snarl. "I've dealt with that bastard twice today, who will barely deign to give me the time of day because he doesn't like me, and he's been harassing Clark because Clark is my--friend, and now he's suspended Chloe and Whitney. He's removed Chloe from her spot at the paper, and he's making her choose someone else to be the new editor in her place, the fucking bastard."

A click and a sad noise in his throat.

He wouldn't let on that he completely agreed with the mother fucker.

He simply stopped to look over the buildings, his and Lionel's buildings, and took it in. The small part in the center of them was lovely, lush, with the fish pond and the gorgeous bushes and flowers, with enormous trees overlooking. The stone benches looked comfortably, the statuary normal, the bird bathes beautiful, and despite his stepson's anger... just beamed. Beamed like the biggest idiot and today. Was going. To be a good day. Even if it wasn't, he would make it a good day.

He was going to have a baby soon.

There was nothing wrong with today.

Lex just snarled again as he picked up his pace to the building. He was NOT having a happy day. He hadn't even been able to finish his lunch with Clark because of that bastard Reynolds and the rest of the day wasn't looking up either. "I'm going to kill that bastard."

Dominic passed a look at him, grinned like an idiot, and hugged his step son with one arm, squeezing him shoulder to shoulder as he hooked the books in his arms on his hip, following into the building.

And tugged Lex back two steps as a palette went crashing to the floor.

OH GOD. She hid her eyes and squealed, covering her face with both palms and all of her crazy curls. Oh. Jesus.

"WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" Lex thundered angrily as the palette missed him by inches.

"Lex, don't over react," Lionel said calmly. "It's just our resident artist."

"EMMIE! WHAT'D I TELL YOU ABOUT PUTTIN' SUPERGLUE ON YO HANDS!" Dogwood bellowed.

The bald guy yelled and Emily burst into tears, her hands against her face as she sobbed.

Except... the brush in her hand, covered with blue paint, smacked her face too, sending splatters all over her cheek and hair, and she just... sobbed. Oh, God. Today... was sucking. So. Much. First, Charlie and the cookie thing, though the everything after had been great, but... Dogwood, yelling? at her? And she just couldn't handle it as she sobbed.

Flying paint was not going to get him down. He just smiled up at the girl and Dogwood, shaking his head as he grabbed Graham's arm, looping his other through Lionel's, and whispering, "That's Charlie's bride."

Lionel barely hid the laugh. "Why doesn't that surprise me a bit." He looked up at the sobbing young girl, opened his mouth to speak, thought better of it, and closed his mouth again.

Graham just sighed. "Pansies, the bunch of ye. Look at ye, stupid enough to wear those fancy clothes to a work site. Ye bloody well get what ye deserve." Graham picked up the pallet, stepped onto the pulley, and hoisted himself up to the girl's level. "'ere you go, Miss."

And as Graham did it Dominic bellowed, "GID'ON!" and the girl screamed, bursting into tears all over again. Damn. Sensitive little girl, and he rolled his eyes, linking fingers with Lionel. "Leave them to all of their problems. Lionel, to your office. You've got to open your gift you've yet to. Lex, will you be joining us?"

At the bellow of his name, Gideon rolled out of the little office, and over towards Dominic. "An' wat in th'name of'ell d'ye be bellerin' aboot now?"

Graham's head shot up at that, and he rappelled down the wall, feet hitting the ground with a thud. "He's bellowin' about me, ye bloody arse!"

"Graham Senatori!" Gideon rolled over and met his friend halfway, giving him a hard hug and a handshake. "Barstid brother o'yers didna tell me ye were comin' back!"

"'e didna know. Barstid didna tell me you were 'ere either. Jus' asked if I could lay carpet and didn't say two words about Gideon Gallagher until I said I'd trade m'balls for ye!" He hugged his friend again.

Lionel's eyes widened fractionally as he stared at Dominic. "You... understand that?"

Lex just snarled. He snarled up at the girl who'd almost doused him in paint as he stalked through the building, through the plastic sheeting on the other side, and kept going towards the Zeus building.

Dominic just grinned, nodding at his lover as he reached up to kiss his cheek. "Leave them be to their conversing, I b'lieve. They'll go on about like that for a little bit, babblin' on, and there's much work to be done." He snickered at his brother and punched him in the shoulder lightly. "Remember, it be eight in the morning, and getting drunk at this time of the day isna quite the way to go about things, especially with the impressionable people around here." Motion up to Emily, who was still snuffling.

Graham flipped his brother off.

Lionel shook his head. "I don't think I shall ever understand how you all communicate with each other. It's like you're speaking an entirely different language. Not that I don't enjoy listening to it, but more than one of you tends to give me a headache."

Dominic kissed his brothers cheek too, and looped an arm about his lovers, walking towards the elevators which had been re-sanded and painted anew, and he chuckled at his lover. "You're sure you want to go to Cobh, then, my love? My name, for instance, isna Dominic, or Morgan. Its...'Marg-han"."

"I think that I can manage it." He gave a small grin. "For you, I can tolerate anything that I have to."

"Its worth it. And I'll decipher where I can." he beamed at him as they stepped into the elevator, the soft ding behind them quiet as they were alone for the first time since the night, and Dominic looked up at him… just... smiling with all the love he had in his heart, and squeezed his hand. "Our appointment with the psychiatrist is this evening. Want to take the chopper into Metropolis?"

"Yes, actually. It would be much easier than driving to and from. It would also ensure that we arrived back home in a timely matter, instead of lingering in front of nursery shops, which is what I know the both of us will be tempted to do. However, the shopping has to wait until next week, when the bulk of this work is out of the way."

"Indeed." But he looked up, just a little, tipping his head. "Except the part where we need to buy the crib tonight. Because..." He couldn't shake it but they needed that good luck, and he nodded stoutly. "We can put it in the helicopter with us."

Lionel understood, even if he didn't speak. "All right. You're right; no need to make a second or third trip later with the helicopter to carry it, we can get it while we're there and bring it with us."

"Of course. ...Plus all of the frilly things." Cough. "White lace. And pink satin. Because." A nod, even if he looked at his shoes in embarrassment, even though a grown man talking about wanting white lacey things and pink satin didn't seem dumb in this instance.

"White lace and pink satin it is. For our little princess." He paused. "Speaking of little princesses, we should be at least beginning to think of names."

It gave him soft fuzzy things in his insides and he was just... so... fucking… happy. He hadn't been this happy... probably since the moment Lionel had told him he loved him for the first time, and he just... he was so happy. "Names? We should just call her Beautiful, since that's what we'll be calling her regardless."

"No child of mine will have the name Beautiful entered into her birth certificate."

He snickered, then, up at him, eyebrow raised. "I was joking, dork."

"I sincerely hope you were." He looked down at the raised brow. "What did you have in mind?"

A moment. "I hadn't... hadn't really thought about it. Not in any official sense." A moment, and he pondered it, biting his lower lip.

"What about in an unofficial sense?"

He smiled up at him. "My sister in law took one of my favorites. Ariel. The little mermaid is an Irish tale, you know. My mama used to tell it to us all the time, and Meggie swore up and down for years that she'd seen her, and all of her rich red hair. I do like... Francesca." A wince up at him. "Gloria. Alice."

"Ariel." He rolled it around. "I can see why that is one of your favorites." At Francesca he winced in return. "No. No Francesca. Gloria and Alice and both entirely too plain for my princess."

He snickered at him, glancing up. "And she is a princess, in every sense of the word." He waited a beat, and looked at him curiously. "What did you have in mind, lover?"

"Of course she is." Lionel got out of the elevator, and held the door open for his husband. "I had several names in mind, none of which I like upon further inspection."

"Tell me anyway. Maybe we can figure out more possibilities?" Dominic's fingers wound through his lovers tightly as they moved down their hall, which smelled of lemons and fresh paint, and he waited for his lover to unlock the door to the office quietly.

Cynthia, which comes from Cytheria, birthplace of Venus. Grace, Hope, and Mercy, Venus' three attendants." Lionel withdrew the key from his pocket, and opened the door to his office. "Daphne, a beautiful nymph who's beauty caught the eye of Apollo himself."

"I like Daphne. However... as horrid as I am for saying this, Daphne is not beautiful enough for our child. Our baby, a gift right from the heavens." A moment. "What of Angel?"

"Angelique, perhaps. Or Angelina. Angel is too commonplace, too plain."

"Angelina Jolie. Creepy incest visuals, darling. Lets not go down that path." He stepped into his lovers office behind him, and grinned at the bright pink wrapping he'd hunted all over Smallville for, that said "GET WELL" on it, much to his utter amusement. His lover hadn't seen it yet, but it glared too much for it not too, and he tapped his side gently as he thought. "What of Galadriel?"

"Our daughter is not an... elf." He trailed off as he saw the paper. "Could you have picked a shade more obnoxious, or did you just use what was left of your sister's hair dye to color the paper with?"

Big grin. "I knew it'd amuse you." He thumped his books into one of the thick velvet chairs and pulled the laptop strap from over his head, setting the computer atop the books and rubbing his hands on his jeans. "She could be an elf. So suggesting Arwen wouldn't work, mm?"

"She is not an elf. We shall not name her Galadriel, Arwen, Eowyn or any other character from a Tolkien novel." He glared, and prodded gently and carefully at the paper.

"Oh, open it. It won't eat you, I promise." A chuckle at his lover, a roll of his eyes, but he sat on the edge of the thick, lovely desk, tipping his head. "Eowyn is very pretty."

"Absolutely not." Lionel sat in his chair, and poked gently at the paper again. "Are you sure about that?"

"I have...one suggestion. We should probably get this out, right from the beginning my love." A choke, a grin, and he nodded at him as he continued to speak. "Jennifer, Jessica, Tiffany, Stephanie, and Christina are out. I cannot stand them, for personal reasons."

"I would like to rule out Lillian." He looked seriously at his lover. "I know you would like it, but I don't. And we shall leave it at that."

"Colleen, as well, and Claudette. Two twins in high school who teased me without mercy." But at his lovers words he tipped his head, and reached a hand out, not saying a word as he squeezed his lovers fingers, and prodded him to open his gift. "What of Elena?"

"I don't like Elena." No reason given, but he squeezed Dominic's hand with his and then started to meticulously remove the paper from the package.

And within the eye blinding paper, was a statue of Zeus himself. Carved from white marble, with a mane of hair that only Lionel's rivaled, settled on a rocky incline.

It was a statue depiction of The Rape of Ganymede, with the mortal man, just as handsome, leaning at his feet, leaning against Zeus's legs bearing the thunderbolts the God was throwing.

And also? it was a very, very, classy lamp.

"What of Hannah?"

Lionel ran his fingers over the carvings. "This is exquisite," Lionel said softly, stroking the curves and the planes of the thunderbolts, the pinnacle of the mountain they stood atop, the gold cup held by the youth at Zeus' feet. "Simply exquisite."

"I paid fifteen cents for it at a flea market earlier this month." Dominic grinned at him, raising a brow. "I had Gideon look at it, clean it. The lamp part... see, how its not really a part of the statue? its because the statue is from the Renaissance, dated...about 1565, give or take a decade or two." He smiled at his lover and tipped his head.

Lionel raised his eyebrow. "You shouldn't tell how much you pay for things, you know," he said conversationally, long fingers stroking over the statue. "It's beautiful, and it doesn't interrupt the integrity of the piece at all."

"Of course I should. Because the farmers market is coming next weekend and you're going to take me shopping like the good husband you are." Bat eyelashes as he tipped his head and looked down at the piece. "This...I caught it stuck between a trashy sculpture of a dog and one of a serpent with a naked woman, and I just... nearly pissed myself. I contacted the Smithsonian about it, as well. Whenever you're feeling charitable, they'd like it for a few weeks to show with their statuary this summer."

"Mmm. I'm sure they would." He moved the piece to the center of his desk. "This would be beautiful in Luthor Hall, also. However? I refuse to part with it. It's going to remain precisely where it is, functional in my office."

"I remembered the tale you told me, about the mortal man Zeus kidnapped, to be his cup bearer. His second man, his assistant. More personal than any spouse. I liked it, and I love you, so..." A flush then, and since he did bad with thank you's, he plopped in the seat in front of the desk. "Alright, come on. Think. You're good at this, Lionel, the name giving and such. What of Belladonna?" Though he snickered a moment later, shaking his head and rubbing his goatee. "Never mind."

Lionel smiled at his lover, and stroked the head of the mortal crouched at Zeus' feet. "Aurora. The only daughter of a king and queen who had tried all their lives to have a child, and were finally blessed in their later years with a child."

Dominic stared at his lover, for a long, long moment. Aurora. Aurora, the most beautiful of all princesses, with rich, honey blond hair and deep eyes, of a maiden so fair of skin and light of heart. A beautiful girl, a beautiful woman, a child given to a king and--crap, he was all misty eyed as he nodded, hard, beaming at his lover as he reached for his hand. "Aurora."

Lionel reached out and met Dominic's hand with his own. "Aurora it is."

"And she is a briar rose, now isn't she? Oh, its perfect, beloved. Aurora. How sure was Lex that it'd be a girl?"

"In the 99th percentile."

"Did you know Megan and I were born of that one percentile?"

"No, I didn't." Lionel squeezed his lover's hands tightly. "I didn't know at all."

"My...mama didna' want any more children, lets just say. She had her boy, she had her girl, she was done. She....we were a condom breaking, I'm afraid." Though he snickered, loudly. "My auntie Belinda made sure to remind us of it all the time, and you've to know the woman is as old as fucking dirt but so very fun. I keep in touch with her. But regardless, after she had us, mama and my Da decided they wanted more, and there you have it. Its because we were angelic children." Innocent cough.

"Are you sure it isn't because you were hellspawn and your parents wanted to make sure they didn't carry the demon seed?" An innocent expression to match his lover's innocent cough.

"Oh, of course." Though he gave another snicker....and stopped, midway, looking up at his lover. "I should tell Lex about Megan and I. We both were colicky infants... Megan squished me while we were in the womb and she was born with a slight deformity in her skull. She grew out of it, but she's still got a tiny bump from it. I'll let Lex know when again we see him."

"I'm sure he'll be proud to hear that he's not the only lumpy-headed soul in existence." He leaned back in his chair. "What was his problem, by the way?"

"Dumb bitch. Overbearing even when we were still unborn." He muttered it, and tipped his head as he brought a leg up to tuck under the other. "Chloe and Whitney, I suppose. Be that, and Reynolds and he have a long history of hating, as you know. But he's a cranky soul, Lionel, you know it as I do. .I probably started it by insistently poking him yesterday."

"Yes, well, among the many things I can condemn my son for, hating that insufferable bastard Reynolds isn't one of them." Lionel pulled off his glasses, and tapped his lips with the earpiece. "I think he is mostly immune to your poking now; he doesn't get nearly so bent out of shape as he used to."

"Its because we're mates now. Even if he flies off the handle, he comes back quicker." A little smile, as he tipped his head and propped his hand on his chin. "Reynolds is....a prick, but I believe he tries his best for the students, even if they hate it." A moment. "Don't... tell Lex, but I believe suspending Chloe and Whitney was the right course of action. They've got to learn control. Sex at school is one of the big no-no's of life."

"I will reserve my judgment on that until Mr. Siegel brings us our papers to be signed, and we can see the entirety of the situation."

"And speaking of, where the bloody hell is he?" Dominic pulled out his cell, skipped down his list of numbers to 'Puppy', and hit send, pressing the phone to his ear and waiting.

For the second time that day, Charlie very nearly spilled coffee all over Emily. He had the papers in his bag, slung over his shoulder, and two foam cups of warm Talon coffee, one in each hand. He'd ducked to miss a falling paintbrush--better than the paint palette of yesterday!--and had ended up stopping to talk to the young lady.

The shrill beep of his cell phone ringing caused Charlie to jump and nearly spill the coffee in his hands as he tried to answer his phone. Finally, he got one of the cups of coffee down and picked it up. "Charlie Siegel."

Dogwood had told her to take a break. So... she had. With... Charlie. Because... you know? heeee? He liked her! Or maybe he didn't like her. Maybe he was gay. Maybe? She didn't know, cause even though her sweater had dried he was still checking out her tits. So... maybe not? Who knew. But she was dangling from the ceiling, her fingers a death grip on the harness, and she beamed down at him as she struggled not to fall. DIDNT CARE if she was perfectly safe. No.

"I know who you are. I wouldn't be calling if I didn't, now would I?" Dominic rolled his eyes to heaven. "We're upstairs in Lionel's office, buck-o. Bring the paperwork."

"Oh!! Oh, right! I'm sorry." He gave Emily an apologetic grin. "I'm downstairs in the lobby now, I got... hung up with a small distraction. I'll be right up." He hung up and looked at Emily. "I'm sorry, that was Dominic. I have to go, but I'll see you later, right?"

"S… sure." A big smile at him, though her cheeks pinked, and she shifted and blushed again, looking away and back to her paints. And then, when she remembered-- "Later. For... lunch. See you! Then!"

"Mm, they are most certainly not little." Soft snicker as Dominic hung up. "Though not as little as he thinks. Christ, that boy will be the death of me, Lionel."

"Charlie means well, I am sure. He is just a little... off. Time with you will rid him of that, I'm sure." He gave a small smile. "I remember when there was an exuberant young puppy working for me."

-fin-

go on to the next part