The Memoirs

Greyhound Metropolis was packed. There were families, many impoverished and taking this less than even partially convenient route across the America's, and it just so happened that Melissa was both impoverished, and looking for a way to get out fast.

She was dressed in a simple green cord dress and jean jacket, and held a trashy romance novel and a Pepsi in her lap. All the things she ever loved were being shipped to Ontario, where her mother was waiting for her, and what few things she'd decided to take on the trip across the America's were packed in a small suitcase clutched tightly to her side.

If she looked suspicious, no one would ever know it. Dark, curly black hair that went everywhere, honey skin, warm eyes. And guilt, in her heart.

She was running, like a rat ditching ship. Who ever thunk it that a Rogers, all the deadbeats that were her blood, would get into her blood too. Courageless and full of fear, more like it.

Nine months from today, she was supposed to have Lionel Luthor and Dominic Senatori's child.

....Or would have. If she wasn't running like a bat out of hell and getting the hell out of dodge.

Dan the cameraman had been following this woman all day, ever since she'd snuck out of the women's clinic and Diane had gotten hold of her discarded wrist bracelet.

Even now, he picked up the pay phone he was standing beside, and dialed his boss's cell phone, and left his report on her voicemail. "You were right; girl's high-tailin' it outta down. She's here at the Greyhound terminal; can't see what bus she's waitin' for though. Gonna see if I can find out." He hung up the phone, and sauntered over to her. "Hey! Ain't chu that Rogers lady, gonna have the baby for dem rich fags?" His voice was heavy with a fake Brooklyn accent.

Her eyes came up, wide, dark, full of anxious fear. She'd been getting it since the story came out... her apartment had been ransacked, her name ridiculed, and her throat bobbed as she carefully, carefully, ignored the man.

"I don'ts blame youse fer runnin' a'tall." He pulled out a business card that was appropriately tattered. "Yer ever in New Yerk, ya gimmie a holler."

"I don't know… w-what, you're talking about. Please... leave me alone." Melissa said it quietly, shaking like a mouse as she grasped her novel and her ticket close, as if terrified he'd snatch them and run.

Dan was trying to crane his head and see where the ticket was, but she was just clutching it close to her chest. "Jus' tryin' to be frin'ly there, missy. Looks like you could--"

"Bus 143A to Metropolis, Kansas City, and Topeka now boarding at Gate 16." The boarding call boomed out over the loudspeakers.

She didn't say a word, just climbing to her feet, tiny little briefcase in her arms, and headed towards the gate, not looking back as she clutched all that was important to her and nearly fled.

"Gotcha, honey." Dan flipped the card over and scribbled down the information, then shoved the card back in his wallet, and whistled on his way out. He was going to have to hustle his ass to get back in time to set up and block out the interview space.

- = - = -

He had a Whitney Houston song stuck in his head.

Pete had come into first hour singing it, and he and Shay danced at the back of the class till class started, and now? Clark had the damn thing running in his head. Was writing it into a scene in his story, in fact. He was on page 200, officially, here in fourth period, where they were supposed to be reading quietly. Pfft. He never read quietly, cause he'd read all 8 text books in ten minutes at the beginning of the year. Knew the materiel by heart. Blech.

Class was about to let up, Mr. Allen was asleep at his desk again, and he never, ever, ever, expected something to buzz against something much too close to his crotch for comfort.

"GRAHHHH!" He shrieked, leaping so that his ass came off the seat and he almost tumbled himself and everything on his desk to the floor. He was a big guy, so shrieking and leaping caused the entire class to look back at him, as he yelled. "A bee! A BEE!!!!"

....There wasn't a bee.

His cell phone was vibrating against his hip bone.

Shayla had been startled, as she was sitting a desk over from Clark, and when a six foot tall guy who weighed nearly three times as much as you jumped up screaming and dancing? You jumped out of the way so you didn't get crushed.

"A bee?"

Mr. Allen just barely woke up during the commotion, and blinked sleepily at the class. He just opened his mouth to say something, and the bell rang instead.

"Damn, Clark. There was six feet of space 'tween you and that chair when you jumped up like that!" Shay bent over and started picking up books as the other students filed by.

He stared at the desk, face flushing absolute crimson, and grasped his stuff up as he uncapped the cell from his hip. Never. Again. His cock was much too important to him, and as it was it had shriveled and hidden away in terror. Didn't blame the poor little guy, as he pushed the on button and whispered, "In class. Reynolds catch, dead." To his tiny companion. "It could have been a bee. Gotta protect, Shay."

"When the fuck do you have lunch? Midnight?" Lex's voice was teasing.

"Protect what? Any bee tries to sting you, it's just gonna bend it's stinger!!" Shayla tossed his notebook back on the desk and picked up his book bag as she shoved his books in it. "Hi AJ!" she stage whispered, and then she started making kissy noises.

Clark gave her a glare she soon wouldn't forget, though he was pretty sure the power of it was lost on his blush, and looked at the teacher before snagging his book bag from Shayla and grasping her with his elbow, shooing her along before him. Jesus Christ. "My cock is now officially sitting in my small intestine, Lex, jeez. You could have warned me you had the buzzer on it."

Shayla stuck her tongue out at him, and wiggled her ass against--well, if he'd been the size of a normal person, it would have been his hipbone. Instead, it was right above his kneecap. As soon as she did it, she pranced right out of his arms' length and beamed at him.

"You had your telephone on your cock. Clark, you're kinkier than I realized." A dry chuckle. "These things do come with belt clips for a reason."

"I had it on my belt. I just... didn't want Reynolds knowing I had it, so I...yeah. Shut up." He snarled it, but he couldn't help grinning as he pulled his backpack on both shoulders so he could catch her and all but haul the little blond pixie up a foot or two off the ground. "What's up?"

"How do you feel about being nineteen?"

"Its Seventeen, baby, and its a chick magazine. …I'm not posing for a chick magazine."

"No, Clark. How do you feel about being nineteen years old?"

Shayla kicked him. "Oooh! yeah! 17, in the buff!!!!!! They'll hide you behind a palm tree... or something!!!"

Clark grinned down at her, but the smile was lost on him as he peered into the phone... and ducked into the men's bathroom, when he spotted Reynolds down the hall. "What? Say what?"

"Oooh, I've never been in here before," Shayla said, peering around at the urinals. "Ewww. Remind me never to be jealous about the whole peeing-standing-up thing--how do you not hit your shoes?"

Lex sighed on the other end of the phone. "It's a long story, Clark, but suffice it to say, we've missed a few birthdays. You're nineteen."

"Hit the shoes, and the pant leg, every time, Shay." Clark said idly, as he leaned against the stall and listened to his lover. He... oh crap. He didn't… really know how to wrap his mind around the concept of actually being nineteen, because he'd been waiting to be 18 his entire life, and he missed it? That fucking sucked ass hairs. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because this is what I wanted to talk to your mother about. Clark... it's not permanent." Lex felt the disappointment, anger, and confusion from the other side of town and shifted into the it's only temporary mode. "Once the bitch from hell stops sniffing around, we can change everything back the way it's supposed to be."

"Am I really nineteen, Kenep?" Asked quietly but strongly, because he wanted an explanation.

Lex didn't answer verbally. Do you want the truth, Kal? Or do you want everything to be able to stay the way it is?

"I want the truth. Why... why did they lie to me? Why, Lex?" He had missed his eighteenth year. Completely. CHRIST that SUCKED.

A deep sigh. "Yes. You're nineteen, Clark."

Crap. "Wow. That... that bites, Lex." He looked at Shayla sadly, and his eyebrows furrowed and fell.

"I know, Clark. We'll talk about it when you get home."

Shayla peered at the telephone in Clark's hand, then at his sad face, and she hugged him. Tightly as she could, arms around his waist. Clark was... kind of her big brother now, because she'd never really had one close to her age like this before, and she liked it. "Tell AJ I'll kick his balls in," she said against his chest.

"I like his balls." Clark answered quietly back, as he closed his eyes. "Do what you need to do, Lex, I understand. And yes... yes, we'll talk about it when I get home today. We will. I've got work this afternoon, so I should be home about six instead. My hours changed from 3 to 6."

A soft sigh. "I understand. Dad's interview will be airing tonight, about 8. We'll talk after? And, do you want to call Whit and invite him over? I'm going to invite Chloe. If we're going to watch it, we might as well do it together."

"Okay." Softly said. He loved his aushna', very much, but he needed to be alone with his thoughts. "I'll see you tonight, aushna'. I love you."

"I love you, Clark." A pause. "I'm not far if you need me."

"I'll scream if I need you." He said quietly, and hung up.

Fuck. Take the good out of his day.

"Shay? Lets go get something greasy. And fatty. And with sugar."

"Okay. I know just the thing. Funnel cakes. Fried angel food cakes, dipped in powdered sugar and filled up with whipped cream or stuff."

"Mmm. Sugar. Lots of sugar." A soft, quiet sound of pleasure, even if he didn't feel like eating at all, and his eyebrows drooped. Sure, it was the coolest fucking thing ever, being almost 20... but he MISSED 18!

"Kay... I just gave you everything you said you wanted, and no smile. What's up with you being nineteen instead of seventeen?"

"My birth records are wrong. You don't tell a soul, Shay." Clark murmured quietly, and gave her the hawk eye. "I'm really 19."

"Hell you are, Clark. Okay? Age is like... how old you feel. You're seventeen. Fuck what some piece of paper says. I mean, let's face it. You're..." she paused. "Not exactly from around here, you know? So whatever they come up with is a load of shit anyway, so you're seventeen until next year, when you're eighteen."

"I know. I don't even know how old I am, just what my parents... guessed." his throat bobbed down at her. "The only thing? Do I look like a 17 year old guy, Shayla?"

"No, you actually look like a thirty year old stud. But that's just me."

He whimpered softly, his eyes fell, and he just grasped her up in one arm and walked with her half off the ground into the hall. "This bites."

- = - = -

Lionel sighed. He had been groomed, made up, prompted, wired, and led to his spot in the board room like a five year old child. The wardrobe person had straightened his tie three times, and had attempted to get him to remove his rings or at least switch them to the other hand.

He'd all but bared his teeth and growled like an animal before she'd backed off and left him alone. The lights were up and in place, just turned on and flooding the area with brightness. His fingers drummed impatiently on the table as he looked at the list of questions he'd been given only moments ago. Half the questions on it borderlined on intrusive and offensive, but he and Dominic had agreed to answer anything that came through.

Charlie was dancing in the background, a crumpled note in his hand. He was trying frantically to get to Mr. Luthor, because this was a fucking important message, but he couldn't get through. "Mr. Luthor!"

Lionel sighed. "Not now, Charles. Please... go and see if you can be of assistance to Dominic."

The cameraman popped a wad of gum in his cheek. "You! Yeah, you with the ants in your pants! Get outta my shot, buster!!"

"Charlie, please."

"--and don't touch it anymore!"

Dominic's bellow sounded through the hall, and a series of stomps… then he entered, and glared at everyone who managed to look at him. His hair had been....mangled, he didn't know what the fuck, he didn't have enough of it as it was and they were combing it this way and that. Didn't they know a Dominic's hair did what it wanted, and looked fabulous while doing it? At least they hadn't gelled it.

He stroked his fingers through the short hair, letting it spike as it wanted to when finally out of the constraints of that vapid bitches combs, and glared, darkly, as he plopped beside his lover. "I'm going to commit homicide. Can you explain to me what the bloody devil is wrong with my hair, other than that I don't have enough of it? They put bloody lip stick on me. Lionel, I'm about to have a fit."

Lionel just held his hand out. "Then here, read this, while you're already in fettle. This will just make you that much happier. How in the name of God we're going to keep from strangling this bitch on national television tonight is beyond me."

"At least it would be a speedy trial, and why the fuck does she want to know about Lex?" Hissed half under his breath, shooting green eyes like emerald knives at his lover. "Lionel, I'm going to strangle her. Alright? I'm going to put her out of her, and our, misery."

"You're asking me?" Lionel's freshly-shined pinky ring glinted in the spotlights. "I have--"

"Mr. Luthor! Gonna have to ask you to either take off the ring, or stop movin' your hands s'much cause you're blinding the camera!"

"Don't worry!" yelled one of the other cameramen. "We can cut it in on three!!"

"Cut it on three? " Dominic's eyes came up. The temptation to remove both men of their genitals was warring violently in his brain, and not even the earlier jack, and giving Lionel a blow, hadn't helped his Irish temper any. He was fighting to keep his accent out of his speech, but it wanted to explode out of him.

So he bit his tongue, hard.

"Third camera, mac! Got one on your face, one on Mr. Luthor, and one behind ya for Diane. Whatever footage one doesn't get, three will."

Lionel's fingers only drummed more impatiently on the desk as one of the little gofers brought in a pitcher of iced water and three glasses with the LuthorCorp logo on them. "Be calm, Jiminy," Lionel murmured softly.

"I'm very calm." His voice, devoid of lilt, sounded even strange to him, and he cleared his throat softly as he sat back, breathing deeply. They'd made him change his tie. WHAT THE FUCK WAS WRONG WITH HIS TIE GOD DAMNIT?! Sure, it had been lilac, but it had matched! DAMNIT!

"No, you're not. You're simmering." Lionel finally smiled. "We will prevail as we always do."

"Of course I am." His voice lowered so only his lover could hear it. "I'd love to rip her goddamned head off and shove it up her arse so deeply that she can truly live the life she was meant to live, as a donkey."

That brought a chuckle from Lionel, but his response, whatever it might have been, was cut off.

"All right, gentlemen!" Diane was all smiles as she swept into the room. "Are we ready to do this?"

Dominic plastered on a polite smile. Had to, because the immediate feeling was revulsion. She couldn't have chosen a frumpier, more lesbian outfit if she'd tried. He had quite a few lesbian friends, but none of them ever managed to look as dyke as she did, no matter how masculine they were in their hearts. But he kept that particular rude comment to himself, wishing for the telepathy that Lex and Clark shared in that moment as his shoulders came up and straightened.

Lionel sat up just as straight beside Dominic, and tucked the paper with the questions on it under his elbow. "Ms. Sawyer."

"Mr. Luthor, Mr. Senatori, how are you today? I was beginning to wonder if we'd ever get to see you." She sat down on the chair across from them, and waited patiently while she was being fitted for a microphone. "Now, remember, this is going out live, and will be fed to affiliates later tonight, so no slip ups. That goes for all you on the crew, too!" she called out, raising her voice.

Aside from yours that I can see through your blouse, you fashionless twat. He nodded rather than speak anything that would surely be a stinging insult, and turned to his lover, gently fixing the curls around his beautiful husband's face as looked the most lovely and attractive, and mouthed, I love you, my prince.

"Five minutes on stage." A tiny little bopper with big teeth and spunky raven hair handed Diane her notes, smiling at the two with sunny rosy cheeks and walked over to them. "Just answer to the best of your ability. Don't look in the camera... watch Diane. Cameras are recording from 3 different angles, sweeties."

Defiantly, Lionel leaned over and kissed his lover softly. "I love you, my cricket," he whispered softly.

Diane watched it with a critical eye. Their cameras were rolling, and if she was lucky, she could cut the kiss into an intro, or even a promo piece.

Lionel growled as he pulled away and looked at the little girl. "Thank you."

Dominic gently kissed him back, softly, setting their foreheads together for a moment before carefully clearing his throat and sitting back up, situating himself more comfortably and more domineering in his chair, as he watched the woman carefully.

The young lady smiled and nodded, wielding her directors catch, and snapped it softly as she slid behind the camera's and nodded at Diane, silently counting off the numbers with her mouth and fingers. Three. Two. One.

Diane smiled brightly at the camera behind Dominic and Lionel. "Hello, and welcome to this very special edition of Tonight with Diane Sawyer. We are live in Smallville, Kansas with one of the most well-known multi-billionaires in the world, Mr. Lionel Luthor. Also with him, and the reason for this interview, is his husband, Dominic Senatori." She turned from the camera to the two men sitting in front of her. "Mr. Luthor, Mr. Senatori, thank you for taking the time to speak with us today."

Lionel fought the urge to wave his hand dismissingly. "It's no problem at all, Ms. Sawyer."

"Please, both of you, call me Diane."

Dominic had been involved with more than one televised program, had spoken in many for Lionel, but had never had it be about their private lives. Nevertheless, he was quiet, calm, serene with a look he'd gained from his darling Meggie, who could look blank, quiet, serene as a morning on the runway. He wanted to grasp Lionel's hand tightly, but right now... was most certainly not the time. They were seated closely, though, so that helped, as he watched the woman quietly with a small smile.

"Well, there's quite a few things we'd like to know about you, but before we begin, is there anything you'd like to say?"

Lionel gave a gracious smile. "Nothing that I'm sure your viewers would want to hear."

Dominic just barely held back the laugh, though his lips twitched as he glanced at his husband, and back to Diane. "Nor I, madam, thank you."

"Well, let's get started then." Her smile grew a bit more predatory. "We'll start with a simple question. How long have you two been together?"

Lionel looked at his lover. "We've been informally involved since almost a year after my wife's death. We didn't formalize the arrangement until earlier this year."

"Indeed." Dominic answered, looking back at his husband and seeing the thousand thoughts reflecting in those deep hazel eyes. She was attempting to find a les crude way to ask how long they'd been having sex, and he knew the Whore-Bitch would just have to come out and say it if she wanted to know.

"Oh, I see. So you've actually been a couple for the last... what, thirteen years or so? Well, that's quite an accomplishment in a world like today's where separations and divorces happen almost before the ink is dry on the marriage licenses!" A laugh. "Well, you said that you made it official earlier this year? Exactly when was that?"

"The twelfth day of January." Answered easily, quietly, as he gazed at the woman steadily.

She noticed Lionel was particularly silent about the intrusive question, and she gave him a smile as she moved to the next question. "If you and Mr. Senatori have been together for so many years, and made it official in January, why didn't you go public before now, before you were forced to? Were you afraid of the public backlash?"

Lionel steepled his fingers and brought them to his lips a moment before answering. "Absolutely not, Ms. Sawyer. I'm not ashamed of Dominic in any way, and I don't believe I like the implication that I am. Dominic and I chose not to go public, as you say, because we like our private lives to be precisely that. Private."

"Indeed. We also didn't want our relationship exploited in the ways we knew it indeed would become, and its quite lucky we didn't, as everyone has seen what became of this little bit of knowledge becoming...public knowledge." Dominic answered, and smiled just a bit. "Because we've become the official spokesmen for several products and societies, not for the good things that Lionel and LuthorCorp have done for the world, but because we're gay men living together."

"Quite so, and even yourself, Ms. Sawyer, must concede the extent to which our privacy has been violated lately, with the excessive attention on our lives." Let the bitch worm out of that one, Lionel thought angrily.

"Well, Mr. Luthor, I certainly understand where you and Mr. Senatori are coming from, and that's why we're here today. I hope after you've answered our questions, there won't be a need for anyone else to pry into your life." A blinding smile. "I'm happy to help two gentlemen as obviously attached to each other as you two are. You were married in Italy, is that correct?"

Fucking slut. "On the beach my parents were wed." Dominic answered, and this time he smiled at his lover. "At dusk."

"It was quite beautiful, actually. The pictures that were leaked by whomever leaked them didn't do the ceremony justice at all." Lionel smiled back at his lover and touched his face tenderly. "We were barefoot on the sand as we walked back to the hotel after the private ceremony. It was witnessed by Dominic's sister and her fiancée."

His smile widened, softly, as he touched the hand on his face quietly and squeezed the fingers. "Very beautiful. We didn't have any pictures done, though, so in part I'm grateful for the Paparazzi." Dominic's eyes went to Diane's again. "I don't think either of us knew it would be as private as we'd hope, so the pictures of our wedding surfacing a few weeks later weren't quite the surprise."

"I see," she nodded. "Was this intense desire for privacy the reason you had your wedding in another country?"

"No, it wasn't," Lionel said, after a pause to master his temper. "As we've just said, Dominic's parents were wed there, and it was the sentimental reason that took us to Italy, nothing more. The privacy would have been instituted had we wed here in the States."

Dominic wondered, vaguely, if she knew that their was nothing on paper, that they weren't married by any court and not under any law, solely their love for one another under God.

Decided? Best not to explain that part.

"Just as Lionel said... sentimentality. I believe you're under the impression, Ms Sawyer, that we're ashamed of who we are. We're not. We love one another, and it was our fear that one day, when we did come out to the world, people would assume we were ashamed of our sexuality and of our partnership and marriage to one another. We're not. We're comfortable with who and what we are, and I'm sorry to those who choose not to understand such a union." His words were quiet but strong, and he looked at her evenly, and almost... tenderly.

Lionel nodded proudly. "And I don't think that I could have said it any better," he replied softly.

Diane nodded. "Well, on that lovely note, I think that it's time for our first commercial break, and when we come back, more with Lionel Luthor and Dominic Senatori."

Three. Two. One. "And, we're clear. Five minutes, check the footage, and block off the next shots! Let's hurry, people! Jeanie, get me the tape in the splicing trailer, now! Let's go!!"

Dominic turned to gaze at his lover, and he had fire in his eyes. He was going to kill her. What he'd give for Jonathan The Human Punching Bag to be here right now. Holy fuck. His lips twitched, once, twice, cause he couldn't do much but laugh at their tension and anger, though he didn't dare let the sound out.

Various techies raced around them, moving lights, refilling water, getting new notes on certain angles they wanted to Diane. Polishing the camera lens, fixing the lights to soften them just a bit, plump pillows from the soft, thick chairs the three of them were seated in.

Lionel just turned and crooked an eyebrow, eyes sparkling but mouth firmly planted in the disapproving frown he'd had it fixed in ever since the interview had started.

Charlie darted in between the break. "Mr. Luthor! Mr. Senatori! I need--"

"Not now, Charlie," Lionel snarled.

"But sir!"

"Somebody get the kid outta the shot!!" bellowed Camera One. "Can't set up with him there!!"

"Charlie." Dominic said it quietly, but forcefully, in the type of tone that usually melted the spine out of his young assistant, for all its gentleness. "Please go stay in my office until we're through here, and take the calls." Very. Very. Calm. "Please."

"Come on, chicklet." The same tiny woman, Bonny said her "My name is" sticker on her shirt, took Charlie's arm and hustled him out of the room, letting it close behind her as she did it.

"That boy is going to be the death of me." Dominic said softly, shaking his head as he turned his gaze to Diane, steadily. Didn't say a word. Just watched her in the uncomfortable stare he knew he could have,.

"But sirs!!!!" Charlie had to get this message to them! It was urgent!! But he let himself be hustled out of the room.

"Kay, we're comin' back!!! And... go!"

"Welcome back. For those of you just joining us, I'm here today with Lionel Luthor and Dominic Senatori." Back to the questions. "Mr. Luthor, what does your son Lex think of your new arrangement?"

"Lex doesn't have any problems with it, Ms. Sawyer. He and Dominic have never been the best of friends, at any rate, but that has been slowly changing the more he's gotten to know my husband, and I'd like to think that Dominic is coming to accept Lex as well."

"Definitely." Dominic nodded, quietly. "Most definitely. He's a good" boy "person, and will go far in his life. His father taught him well, for what lessons Lex took from his life."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that there's peace in at least one side of the family. Mr. Senatori, I hear that's not quite the case in your side of the family?"

"I'm sorry?" She talked about his family and he was considering skewering his Jiminy Cricket pen through her fucking eyeball.

"Well, I have it on record here that your mother doesn't care much for your union with Mr. Luthor."

His mother. "Oh." A soft laugh. "My mother doesn't care for many things, I'm afraid. She's an overprotective woman, as dear as she is. She didn't like any of the marriages my brothers and sisters went into, and I was no exception."

"Do you mind if I play a bit of a tape for you?"

SHIT. "No, of course not."

Rosalyn's heavily accented voice rolled out of the tape recorder Diane produced from her pocket. "Aye. An' outta all o'th'children I produced, six of 'em in all, not a one of 'em's been a bad seed. My boy Morgan, though, he's done gone to bed with the Devil himself, in that Luthor man. Poisoned that sweet boy so's he doesn't know the right from the wrong o'things."

Diane stopped the tape, and looked sympathetic. "I know that must hurt to hear that, Mr. Senatori, but I was hoping for your reaction to that."

Dominic cracked up. Couldn't... couldn't help it, rolling with silent laughter as his mother finished spitting her words. "I'd love to know how many times you had to edit that to get the profanities out." Another grin. "My mother... she's sweet. But as I said, she can't stand any of the marriages my brothers and sisters have gone into, including my own. She was actually being nice, in compared to some of the commentary she's made on my siblings' marriages."

Lionel couldn't help adding his own commentary. "I've come up in the world, Dominic. The last time she ranted about me, I was the Anti-Christ. Now, I'm simply the Devil himself, though I'm not sure that there's a distinction, and I'm a corrupter. Rosalyn must like me more than I realized."

"She has to." He smiled at Lionel in adoration, then grinned, rolled his eyes, and glanced at Diane. It seemed to be kind and gentle on the outside, but firing in his eyes was, that's all you've got?.

She couldn't quite mask the surprise. "Well, I'm glad to see that this little surprise wasn't at all as bad as we've feared." A little smile that was sour. "Since we're on the subject of your family, Mr. Senatori, can you tell us why you kept your familial associations a secret and concealed the fact that Gina was indeed your twin sister?"

"Funny enough, it just never came up. She had her career, I had mine, and it was just never mentioned. I've got so many brothers and sisters that our relationship was lost in the melee, and whenever anyone mentioned her roots, it was just that she was Irish and came from a family of six. There was no point, really."

Lionel leaned forward. "If anyone cared to know, it was written right there on their faces. The two of them look so much alike. As do he and his brother Riley, who also works for my company, come to think of it." He sighed. "I'm actually quite glad that Megan decided to, because if she hadn't, she might have taken her brother to the top with her, and then, where would I be without him." A soft smile to his lover as he sat back.

Dominic's own smile crossed his face as he looked at him, rolling his eyes good naturedly even as he chuckled at him.

Oh man. Bonny? So in love. She sighed softly at the camera, where the two of them, handsome as could be in their lovely suits, smiled at each other, and she beamed at the screen, head held in her hand and clipboard to her chest.

When no other comment was forthcoming, she nodded. "All right. That brings us to our second commercial break, and when we return, more with Lionel Luthor and his husband."

"Aaand... we're clear!" Todd, the director, wandered around in front of Diane. "Darling, you're doing wonderfully well." He turned around. "You two? Perfect. You're doing perfectly. Just one teensy thing." Todd pulled out a roll of masking tape from his pocket, and taped down a square on the table, and on the floor. "That's your mark. Don't lean out of it, like you did just now. Stay up and in your box, and we're fine. Don't worry, we covered it with a shot from C2, and we're good."

Charlie showed up not half a moment later, pounding on the door. "Mr. Luthor!! Please! I need to see you!"

"Our... box." Dominic was busily glaring down Todd the Snot Nosed Coke Glasses Idiotic Ten Year old with one eyebrow up high, the other low, and his nostrils flared.

When Charlie came back, for the third fucking time... shit. "Tell him he can come in. Just... the world better be ending."

"Tell the kid to get in and stay quiet for the next break! We're back live in two!"

Todd jumped up and went to the door. "Hey, kid. Yeah, Mr. Luthor said to give me the message and I'll pass it to them next break, okay?"

Charlie wasn't nearly stupid enough, despite what people thought, to fall for that. "No, sir, I'll wait and give it to them myself." Desperate now to get their message to them.

Dominic saw Charlie fidgeting out of the corner of his eye, and oh, shit. Something bad was happening while they were in here, and crap, he was going to start putting a bell on his little guy to ring every time disaster was in the make. He met his eyes, trying to understand what he was so frantic about, even as he looked at Lionel and curved a brow upwards.

A little makeup girl, equipped with enough makeup colors on her smock to make Crayola orgasm, blotted some foundation on the both of them to get out a teensie bit of shine, and skedaddled out of the shot, taking with her the tissue she'd tucked into their collars.

Charlie was almost jumping up and down, and then, as the cameras started rolling and Todd called action, he had a brainstorm.

He rocked his arms like he was cradling a baby.

"Would you tell Todd to get the fuck out of the way," Lionel hissed softly. "I can't see what Charlie is doing!"

Diane smiled again. "Here with me today, Lionel Luthor and his husband, Dominic Senatori. Gentlemen, let's move on to a slightly less personal topic. What's your reaction to the huge media fervor over your relationship?"

Dominic stopped watching Charlie out of the corner of his eyes and focused back on Diane, demure and calm. "Surprise. Definite... surprise. Going to dinner has become quite the spectacle, which it wasn't, before."

"I can just imagine. I have some pictures of you and your husband at a dinner of some sort with friends, if you'd like to see them." She fanned them out on the table in front of the two men.

Pictures of Ethan and Felicia, Graham and Toni, but especially of themselves, kissing, smiling and laughing.

Lionel leaned forward, careful of the tape-outlined "box" he was supposed to be staying in. "Oh, yes. This was shortly after my accident this winter; this was to thank Dr. Braxton and Ms. Etheridge for their assistance in getting me moved back to Smallville."

The invasion of the privacy of his friends and family hurt worse than the invasion of himself and Lionel, and he looked at them calmly for a moment. "Indeed, it was. We celebrated with this dinner party, my brother and his girlfriend, Felicia and her fiancé. We were aware of the Paparazzi... though didn't know it pertained to us, and not just merely Lionel being there."

"If you'd like, I can see to it that you're given these pictures after the interview," Diane said smugly. "Well, we realize that it's affected you personally, but how has this affected your company, LuthorCorp?"

Dominic looked to his husband for the answer, as he looked at Diane with the same calmness.

Lionel pondered for a moment. "I don't believe it's affected LuthorCorp at all, actually. I've had several health crises lately, and taking that into consideration, along with the destruction of our processing plant here, I think LuthorCorp was more affected by those issues than by anything else; that's why we spoke with Mr. Wayne and he agreed that now was the time to create a new powerhouse by combining both of our companies. After that, it was quite easy to persuade LexCorp to join and create a triumvirate of power."

Meaning we're rich as fuck, you old, disgusting bitch of death, whore harpy TRAMP!. Dominic nodded, softly. "And even in the move, and the crises, our numbers have stayed high and our public relations are still good. I don't think our coming out has affected business whatsoever."

Another smile that didn't quite cover her sour expression. "Well, you seem to have anticipated the next question, as to whether or not the merger was caused by your coming out, so let's move on to the next pressing question... which is, why Smallville, of all places?"

"Have you seen Smallville?" Asked, softly. "Its a small sized, residential, homey town. It has values here that are what we both loved. Its peaceful, its beautiful, its calm, and it has a positive energy flowing through it. Not to mention, one of the largest plants in LuthorCorp's itinerary, and Lex, of course."

Lionel nodded again. "It could have been simply because I wanted to, Ms. Sawyer. However, I have seen my son flourish here, and I believe that it has many good qualities. Furthermore, I think that Smallville and LuthorCorp could benefit from each other, in that they are complimentary; Smallville is small, quiet, and dedicated. LuthorCorp could, in turn, bring in much needed revenue, employ more residents, and bring the quality of life up. We're not here to destroy Smallville's idyllic nature; merely co-exist with it."

Diane flipped a look at Todd to see if they would be breaking, but he was giving her the keep rolling signal, so she smiled again, and smoothed her skirt over her knee. "Is it true that you spent over eleven thousand dollars on your last antique shopping spree?"

Shit. "Indeed, madam, it is. Though I don't think I see what that has to do with this interview, I'm afraid."

"There's no need to get testy, Mr. Senatori. I was just wondering what all you bought for that much, in a single purchase."

"I'm not testy, madam." He gave her an incredulous expression. "We bought an antique writing desk for my niece, a lamp for Lionel's office, and a vase." His voice caught at the end though, because he wasn't sure if Lionel wanted to say anything about their daughter, and he looked over at him quietly.

Lionel put his hand on Dominic's thigh. "It's all right, Dominic. They're going to find out soon enough anyway." He squeezed gently, and turned back to the harridan of their lives. "We bought a cradle for our child, Ms. Sawyer."

Diane blinked at that. "Now... so the rumor is true? You are going to have a child?"

"Yes, madam." A certain measure of pride in that. "A beautiful antique crib, with carvings and soft designs." He set his hand on his lovers own, and squeezed tightly, because hew was going to leave over the space separating them and rip her head off with his bare hands.

Lionel reached out and squeezed Dominic's hand with his own. "It's a beautiful thing, Ms. Sawyer. If we have time at the end of the show, perhaps you'd like to see it."

She was getting better at hiding her surprise. "Well, this brings an interesting question, then... Mr. Senatori, if you and Mr. Luthor are going to have a child together, then why is it you're left out of his will entirely?"

"Because I chose to be, Ms. Sawyer." Dominic said it, almost quietly, as he squeezed Lionel's hand tightly. "Our children, as well as Lex, will be included in it, but I will not. I didn't enter this relationship for Lionel's money, and on the event of his death, many, many years from now, I want what he has to go to our children."

"But shouldn't there be enough to provide for all of you? Mr. Luthor is a multi-billionaire."

I have some money too, you heartless hag. He simply shrugged. "Like I said, I didn't enter this relationship for his money. He hates my decision, you realize." he turned his eyes to give him a grin.

Lionel returned the smile. "I absolutely detest it, as a matter of fact. And it's no secret that I detest it. In fact; I had started the legal proceedings to have him included, and he specifically asked not to be. Despite the fact I disagree, I have chosen to accept his wishes in this case. And, if you don't mind, I'd like to keep all other financial discussions private."

"Of course, sir, I understand." Then she shook her head, seemingly puzzled. "Could you tell me... what changed?" She rested her elbow on the table. "You, Mr. Luthor, had a wife and a family, and now, you're here, with a husband and a future child on the way, if I understand correctly."

Lionel answered slowly. "I don't know that anything changed, exactly, Ms. Sawyer. If you're asking me, why did I suddenly switch orientations, the answer is, I didn't. Though it might be hard for you and the rest of the world to believe, I didn't set out with the idea of finding a man. It just so happened that what I needed--who I needed--happened to be in this man, right here." Lionel squeezed his husband's hand gently.

Dominic looked across at him, for a long moment.

He'd never loved Lionel more in his life than in that moment, when he proclaimed it to the world, and his fingers squeezed back softly, their rings rubbing softly against one another as he smiled, quietly at him and felt a quiet brush flushing his neck and up into his cheeks.

Lionel turned into the smile and leaned over for a quick, chaste press of lips and another touch to his cheek before turning around.

"Mr. Luthor, Mr. Senatori, I'd like to ask you a somewhat unpleasant question, prompted by this display and of what it might mean to our younger viewers... do the two of you have a problem with exposing under-aged children to what is termed now as an alternative lifestyle? I ask this in view of the fact that you have two under-aged youngsters living with you; Mr. Senatori's youngest sister, and a Mr. Clark Kent, both of whom are under the age of eighteen."

Dominic tipped his head, the soft brush of lips still fresh on his mouth, and he fought the sensation of wanting to lick them desperately. Licking ones lips while on national television was not appropriate... even if he wanted to. "I don't, myself. Our union is in love, not lust or greed or power. I don't see how it would be a problem exposing who we are to anyone... in fact, I hope we're a role model, for teenagers, that its alright to be who you are no matter the risk and the ridicule you could receive."

Lionel nodded. "I agree. And, Ms. Sawyer, your information is partially incorrect. Mr. Kent is not underage; he is, in fact, nineteen years old. But, to answer your question, I don't believe our lifestyle is any more alternative than say, a single parent home, or a home with abusive parents or a foster home. All of those are alternatives to your standard nuclear family, and what Dominic and I can and do provide is love, and stability. The young lady in question quite probably knows more about the mechanics of what Dominic and I do than we ourselves. I agree also with Dominic that I hope we are role models, in that it shows that no matter who you are, you can be yourself."

Bonny held up a hand to Diane from behind stage, signaling the need for a commercial break, counting off the seconds until break, starting with ten.

Diane looked down at the birth records and adoption records she'd just obtained an hour or two ago for Clark Kent. Sure enough, it had his birth date listed as 1984. "All right, and when we come back, more with Mr. Luthor and his family." She smiled until the cameras cut away.

Dominic let out a long, silent breath and grasped his lovers hand firmly in his own, bringing it to his lips to kiss as he looked across at him and reached over, cupping his cheek and hiding their kiss from prying eyes a little bit as he kissed him softly but deeply. His fingers stroked through all that lovely hair as he pulled away, bringing him close to their foreheads touched for a moment, and he murmured, "I love you, Luthor."

"I love you too, Luthor," Lionel echoed softly, leaning his head against his lover's for as long as he could.

Okay. Charlie wasn't about to be stopped this time. "MR. LUTHOR!" he bellowed at the top of his lungs, and looked as though he were about to start elbowing his way through people.

Meanwhile, Diane had Todd cornered in the board room, and was chewing him out royally. "I thought we had information on this Kent kid that had him at seventeen, you asshole! Now I've gone out there and made a fool of myself with that accusation, and it's not even solid! Is this what you're going to keep doing to me throughout this whole interview! Dammit, give me something I can use here, Todd, Now!!"

Green eyes flickered up as Charlie came and Dominic sighed, softly, motioning him forward as the wardrobe lady fussed briefly with their ties. He finally smacked her hand and glared at her, sliding his Jiminy tie tack back into place before he spoke. "Charlie, darling, please. Is it that bad?"

"Yes!! It is!" He scrabbled through his pockets for the message, and handed Dominic the piece of paper. "I'm sorry, it's--"

"Young man, excuse me." Diane sidled up to Dominic and Lionel. "I'm sorry for the abrupt break in the middle of the segment. When we go back on the air, we'll finish up the segment about your family, and then I've got just a few questions about your upcoming daughter, and then we wrap up with some general questions. Shouldn't be more than another hour or so, and then we'll have the live feed ready to go out."

"That's fine." Dominic answered quietly, as he took the piece of paper in palm and didn't bother explaining to Diane what it was, as he looked up at her. "How long until we go back on?"

The ink was all but burning a hole through his hand, as he handed the piece of paper to his lover and never once left Diane's eyes.

"Thirty seconds."

Lionel opened the paper, but didn't get a chance to read the message as he heard the thirty second call. All he got to see was who had called; the clinic where their surrogate mother was waiting. Lionel leaned over and shook his head. "It's nothing. Just making sure the appointment is set for tonight," he said, assuming the message to be a confirmation of their implantation appointment, and tucked it in his pocket.

"Alright." Dominic murmured back, and settled himself comfortably in the chairs he was going to have burned as soon as he had the chance, watching Diane quietly as the red light flashed three times on the camera, then went green. He was going to kill Charlie for interrupting them this way for a confirmation, and he just watched Diane quietly as she began to speak once more.

"Welcome back." A smile to the camera. "Before the break we were talking about how this has affected your families, and I'd like to continue in that vein. Mr. Luthor, isn't it true that your son is also involved in a homosexual affair?"

Lionel just blinked at the woman's audacity. He'd been hoping that Clark and Lex had been overreacting when they'd thought she'd bring their relationship up, but now that she had, he couldn't believe it. "Ms. Sawyer, I can't see what that possibly has to do with the content of this interview, but the answer is yes. Yes, he is."

"I second said comment." Dominic answered, quietly. "Lex's affairs are his own, as he's a man grown with his own business and home, madam." Dominic swore on the sweet head of baby Jesus that he would not lose his temper. He wanted to lash out; a thousand barbs and comebacks flashed through his minds eye, but he kept calm... cool. Pleasant.

"Do you believe that your situation has in any way influenced Lex's choices?"

Lionel actually laughed at that. "Madam, if you think me in the least capable of influencing Lex about anything, then you are sorely overestimating my powers of filial persuasion and underestimating Lex's stubbornness and independence. No, Ms. Sawyer, Lex's choices are entirely his own."

"He's very much a self opinionated, strong young man." Dominic smiled, himself, as his fingers squeezed his lovers. "And he would be influenced, least of all, by myself." A low chuckle. "Though, I should say, its him you should be speaking to about this, and not the two of us. He is his own man, madam."

Another soft laugh, that was entirely and obviously fake. She'd had to ditch her questions about letting an underage boy live in the house in a sexually active atmosphere, and she was cranky about it. "Let's move on to something a bit more pleasant, and talk about your child. How do you feel, exactly, about raising a child with the lifestyle you've chosen?"

Diane was getting extremely repetitive. Dominic was all but basking in the glow of her incompetence, and he smiled, cheerfully. "Ecstatic. We've enrolled in most, if not all, of the birthing classes here in Smallville, many in Metropolis, and a few in Edge City. We have most of our child's room rolled out… name chosen. We're ecstatic... who wouldn't be, with a child on the way?" A no duh edge, not to his voice, but to his eyes. "We'll raise our son or daughter with all the love we are capable of, in a warm environment with friends and family nearby."

"And how many children do you intend to have, Mr. Senatori?"

Lionel fingered the note in his pocket carefully. Something wasn't computing; Charlie knew how important this interview was, and yet, had risked life, limb and job to bring this message to their attention. He resolved, then and there, to read the note on the next break.

His thoughts tuned out Diane's harping, for the moment.

"As many as fate will give us, Ms. Sawyer." Dominic answered back without a hitch, meeting her stare for stare. "I love children, and always have. To have a family with Lionel would be a dream finally come true." He glanced at his lover, saw him spacing, and squeezed his hand tightly to get him back to where they were.

The touch on his hand brought him back to the present and he nodded, having half heard Dominic's answer. "As is rather public knowledge, Diane, I lost one child during my marriage, and my relationship with Lex has been... less than cordial, at times. I would not be averse to having a family, to experiencing the things I missed, the first time around."

"I see. Quite an admirable goal, Mr. Luthor." She smiled fakely again. "If you have other children, will you continue to use Metropolis Surrogates?"

HOLY FUCK. Dominic blinked at her for a fraction of a moment, before smoothly speaking. "Yes, of course. They've been good to us this far, and I'm very pleased with both their work and the atmosphere they have for the parents seeking to have children when nature is unable to provide for them."

"However, their security and privacy safeguards obviously leave much to be desired," Lionel added acidically. "One would hope that their other patients are given more consideration and privacy than we were."

Dominic had nothing to add that, just squeezing his hand again gently and linking their fingers as he nodded, quietly.

Score. Diane nodded, a small smirk crossing her features at Lionel's loss of equanimity. "I'm sorry to have touched a sore spot with you, Mr. Luthor. Perhaps you can tell us why you chose this agency, then?"

"Because they came highly recommended, and were willing to work with a doctor and personnel outside of their own facility."

"Yes, indeed. We were also drawn to the quality of people, and the quality of business, that they run." Dominic added, softly, as he gently stroked his thumb across the back of Lionel's hand softly. A seed of worry and panic planted in his heart. If Diane had found out so easily, than who else had?

Oh, fuck.

"And of course its a sore spot, Ms. Sawyer. You can only put yourself in our shoes, to know a news anchor was able to get information on the agency with which we're going to have something so deeply private and beautiful as our child."

"I see. You said, personnel working outside their facility? Would that be referring to your son, Lex?"

More irritation, because that had been confidential information that had been imparted to the facility under privacy, and Lionel was going to have someone's head for this. "Actually, yes. It is."

Oh boy. Dominic stayed quiet.

"Why, then, did you choose your son to perform this procedure, Mr. Luthor? Are you attempting to genetically engineer the perfect child?"

Lionel's voice, when he answered, was ominously soft, which was a severe sign of danger. "No, Ms. Sawyer. We asked Lex to perform the procedure because he is one of three scientists on this planet who was able to create an embryo that contained my DNA as well as Dominic's, because I want there to be no doubt that this child belongs to both of us. If you wish to know any further details, you can discuss them with your source at the clinic, which will be hearing from our attorneys very shortly."

Dominic heard the quiet intensity and tried to soothe with his fingers, the only source they had, clasped hands and oh shit. "We wanted the child to be both Lionel's... as well as mine. Lex is a genius, certified, which you know by your paperwork, Ms. Sawyer. He did this for us over the course of many months, because he cares for us and wanted us to have this joy. I'm saddened, however, that you're taking something that was borne of love and compassion into a disgusting, dirty thing. We don't want a perfect child, not by any regard. We just wanted a child that was ours. What he did was well within moral parameters, as a gift to us. That's not something to be cheapened, even with the slightest of questioning in anyone's mind."

"Not only is Lex a genius, Ms. Sawyer, but he has numerous degrees, equal to my own in biochemistry, and is more highly certified than the engineers working for the clinic. We were well within our rights to use all resources at our disposal, and my son was generous enough to show his approval of our relationship by giving Dominic and I our child. I do not appreciate your attempts to make this something to be ashamed of, Ms. Sawyer. The discussion of our child is at an end."

Dominic squeezed Lionel's hand very gently and tenderly, and nodded, softly. "Indeed." He looked at him then, trying to take some of his anger and hurt away, as he gently stroked their intertwined hands tenderly.

Diane blinked at the vehemence of the declaration, and she looked over at Todd, looking to see whether to push.

He was shaking his head frantically no.

She nodded. "I understand, Mr. Luthor, and I'm sorry to have upset you. Let's take our final commercial break, and when we return, we'll be wrapping it up with a few final questions."

As soon as the cameras were pulled back, Lionel shot up out of his chair and glared at Diane, still sitting in her chair.

Oh boy. Dominic winced, hard, letting go of his lover as he climbed up, as well, to soothe. "Beloved, beloved. Shh." He murmured, softly, attempting to… yeah. Murderous rage? Oh boy. He stroked his shoulder softly, giving his own venomous glare down at the little hateful woman, even as he soothed. "I know. Come now, come now."

"You, Ms. Sawyer, are a parasite. Nothing more than a bloodsucking leech who will attach herself to the fattest vein she can find and suck until there is nothing left. There is nothing left for me to say to you, except to express the depths of my detestation for you. You are nothing to me, and not worth the time I have wasted to speak to you." He gestured at the cameras. "Let the world hear me, I don't care, for once in my life. I am too old and I have wasted too much time. If people wish to judge me for telling you that you are a leech for sucking every evil thing you can from the joyous thing that is my daughter's birth, then so be it. I will gladly be the Anti-Christ."

Yeah. Okay. they were gonna say harsh words? Dominic had a stockpile. "That you would take such a thing as a child's birth and put it against us, because we use an agency to have children, because we are gay men, is unspeakable. You are the type of person I have fought against my entire life, Ms. Sawyer. You have no compassion, no understanding. You're a closed minded bigot who thinks the world of herself because she can bring out the anger in two human beings who are together in love. You, madam, are not worth anyone's time, and I'm truly sad that our coming out to the world, our speaking to the world, has come to this."

Christ, he felt better.

The entire room was oddly silent, except for the beeps of equipment. "Thirty seconds to roll people, marks, now," Todd called out, unsure if he was going to be complied with.

Lionel gave a mutinous glare all around, and settled back into his chair, drumming his fingers on the tabletop and giving no illusion that he was at all thrilled to be rounding out this interview.

Dominic sat next to him, calm, genteel, clasping his lovers fingers once more...the ones not tapping, of course, and looked at the woman with the same composure, the same dignity, as he had throughout the entire interview.

Diane was more than a little shell-shocked, but she cleared her throat and went on. "Thank you for rejoining us. We've just spent a very interesting evening talking to Mr. Luthor and Mr. Senatori, and I have just a few questions to wrap up with. Could you tell me why there was a restraining order in place, to prevent the media from contacting you or your families?" She was seriously unsure if she would get an answer from either man.

Lionel's glare was stone cold. "After this travesty of an interview, you really feel the need to ask that, Ms. Sawyer?" The kid gloves were off.

"We felt... the need to protect our families and our close friends because we knew that once word got out about us, they were going to be hounded and harassed. My family, all of my family, deserves the respect and dignity of a peaceful life, without the constant badgering of news anchors looking for a good story. We didn't want for their words of kindness and love to be misconstrued and twisted into things of vile hate, which we all know the media is quite able to do." A pause, and if his look was pointed, he masked it behind his shield. "The restraining order will remain in effect for as long as our choosing."

Diane nodded. There really wasn't anything left to say. "Do you have any parting words for our viewers, Mr. Luthor?"

He glared. Again. "No, I think I said everything that needed to be said during the break."

She cleared her throat. "And you, Mr. Senatori?"

Lionel interrupted. "It's Luthor, Ms. Sawyer."

"Yes, I--" His eyes widened as he glanced at his lover, and the smile flew over his face as he gazed at him for a long, long moment...before back to Diane. "It is indeed, Luthor. But as I was saying, I just ask that the media leave us to live our lives in peace, and for our personal lives to remain that--personal. However, I do hope to invite the world in to our home to meet our child, when he or she is born, and I hope that people have gotten something different from this than they presumed. I also hope that all the young men and women out there battling with their sexuality take comfort in the fact that being gay, or bisexual, or whatever isn't a bad thing, but something to be celebrated and explored. And I am grateful to you, Ms. Sawyer, for allowing us this venue for which to express ourselves publicly, even if it... didn't go quite as we'd hoped it would."

Another patently fake smile. "Thank you, Mr. Sen--Mr. Luthor, for those words of wisdom we can all learn to live by. This is Diane Sawyer, saying goodbye until next week."

"And... we're done!" Todd was running in a frenzy. "Pull the splicer up, and run key the intro in! Cut in the music in and out of each break, and roll it to the networks!!"

Lionel rose gracefully to his feet. "Get out of my office, Ms. Sawyer, this moment. Your welcome is officially worn out. I want you out of Smallville by tomorrow, or I will take action against you for violating our restraining order, is that clear?"

Charlie came bursting through the double doors, finally allowed in. "Mr. Luthor!! I'm so sorry--I did what I could but nobody knows where."

"We're suing you, we're suing NBC, we're suing whatever other company you work for, and if you're lucky? You'll be a beggar woman working penciled drawings out of a cardboard box under Columbine Bridge when we're done with you." He grasped his lover, giving Charlie the SHUT UP OR YOU DIE look, and whisked out of the room as he began dictating to his young assistant. "Get security in here. I want these people out as soon as possible. The chairs? Have them destroyed and burned. We'll buy more."

Charlie shook his head. "You didn't--Christ, you didn't read the message??"

He looked at him like he were an idiot. "Did you not see us battling with tooth and nail that harridan bitch in there, Charlie?" He came across, to the offices, where briefcases and coats awaited them.

At that question, Lionel pulled the paper out of his pocket, and read it over.

Then read it twice. He didn't move a muscle. "Dominic," is all he said.

"Lionel, come now, you're in the middle of the hall." Dominic paused in the middle of the door frame, motioning his hand for him to enter. "Come now, beloved, in the privacy of... my office." A little glee in the word, even if he was so mad his eyes were all but shooting bolts.

Lionel didn't move. Couldn't move. Just held the message out to his lover. "Read."

Dominic reached out for the paper, impatient, and skimmed it over.

One thing leapt out at him.

Melissa Rogers--gone. Skipped town, headed to Canada, harassed by media.

Dominic felt his stomach drop, and he stared at the note, all anger sliding from him and hitting the bottom of his belly like a tight fist. Nausea rolled through him, his face blanched, and he stared at the note, and its implications for a long, long moment.

And his words, tiny, quiet, were so full of pain and sadness that it broke his own heart. "Oh, no."

Lionel didn't say a word, his face was stony cold.

Charlie's shoulders shook. "Come on. There's a car, waiting downstairs. Basement access is clear, Sheriff Goodall cleared it himself. I--didn't know what else to do." The cold grief that was hard on both men's faces nearly broke his heart.

"Very good, Charlie." Lionel's voice was flat, emotionless. He just turned towards the door, not watching where he was walking. Nothing else mattered anymore.

Nothing.

go on to the next part