The Memoirs

He was such a damn hunk, and it was an even worse damn shame that he was gay as a maypole, or so was Lucy's thoughts as the Talon, busy as always, demanded them to work hard. 6'5, at least, all his shaggy hair shorn into a sexy, hip style that all the actors had begun to wear in Hollywood, only he'd worn it first, and oh, my. Those hips, that ass that filled his jeans, the little apron... she was in heaven.

Such a damn shame he was gay.

As she worked though, she sang the music going on on the small stage. Nell had done wonders with the little rocking cafe, and as the singer, a petite woman, sang loud and clear with a lovely pop beat going on behind her, Lucy danced along, weaving around Hunka Burnin' Love whenever she could to brush up across that nice, NICE body.

Clark, for all intents and purposes, was completely oblivious. The local band was doing a great show, he was serving latte's left and right, and the coffee house was packed. He was almost tempted to use his powers, even if the rush of getting everything right made him so, so happy. He was a creature of scattered organization, and nothing could have suited any better.

Lex was orchestrating their entrance into the coffeehouse, himself, Chloe and Whitney. The Lamborghini was parked in the side parking lot, and Whitney's wide shoulders were bulling their way through the crowd, to the empty corner table that nobody ever sat at because it was Lex's table.

He was well aware of the little child brushing up against Clark at every possible opportunity, and his nails were digging into Chloe's arm as he steered them through the packed little cafe.

"Good thing you're not claustrophobic!" Whitney yelled as he slid into the table first. "Christ almighty, this place is packed!"

Chloe knew he was jealous. Who wouldn't be? Of course, if Clark hadn't worn the jeans he was currently sporting so snug, and the t-shirt, washed one too many times in the dryer, than maybe he wouldn't be getting the looks he was. Not that she minded, of course, because he was definitely a step up from the ugly flannel. Pair it with the short curls, the killer dimples and the gorgeous smile, and he was a work of Grecian art.

And he was hers. Hee!

A tumble of curse words through his mind brought Clark's head up… searching... ahh! He beamed as he saw his lover, and the surprise of his sha'nauch, and sucked his belly in as he squirmed through Alice and a chair holding a couple, and moseyed and wound his way through the crowd. "Hey guys!"

"Hey, Clark!" Whitney beamed widely at the look his lover had. "Lookin' good, man."

"I hope you don't mind, Clark, but I brought my latest kidnap victims out for bread and water--or in this case, pie and latte." He pushed Chloe into the booth, closing her between himself and Whitney. "Looks like you've got a full house tonight." He kept the smile on his face as the jealous swearing escalated in his head.

Clark heard it and couldn't help cracking up, as he leaned over and put one too many rumors to rest and one too many hearts to jealousy as he kissed his lover. Slanted his head slightly and dove, kissing him thoroughly, so that when he finally pulled away his eyes were slightly glassy, his smile crooked, and he had to wipe his mouth a little so he wouldn't look so kissed. A chuckle, another kiss, and he straightened slightly as he winked at his sha'nauch. "Apple pie, peach pie, pecan?"

Dopey giggle. "I want pecan. Its your mom's, right? Definitely... definitely pecan."

Lex kissed him back, just as possessively, and as soon as he was done, he sat back, and smirked, self-satisfied. "Apple, please, with ice cream. And cappuccino, with cinnamon sprinkles."

Whitney stroked his girlfriend's leg under the table. "Make it two pecan."

If Clark was surprised by his lovers request... well, he showed it outright, eyebrows wriggling as he looked once more to his lover, and wrote it down on the little pad he had in hand. Not that he even needed it, cause he could memorize things for entire months at a time and not forget a bit of it, but it was a formality he had to do to fit in.

Plus? it was fun.

He grinned again at his lover, kissed his forehead, gave the warning eye wriggle at Whitney's frisky fingers, and scooted off.

Lucy? Yeah, she was really jealous, really... outrageously so, because nearly everyone had seen the spectacle, and she glared at Lex Luthor like he were the plague, fluffing her hair over her shoulder, holding her head high, and walking off to her next table.

Who's the bitch with the attitude problem? Lex asked his lover silently, following his lover's body as it cut through the crowd. "How does it feel, being out in the real world again?"

Whitney caught the warning wiggle, and just smiled, instead linking his fingers together and resting them on top of the table like the good little boy he was--well, most of the time--and turned to Lex. "You wouldn't believe it. God, it feels like I've been out of the world forever."

Chloe barely kept herself from laughing at the little blond's glare at her Lex. "Here we all thought people would be jealous of Clark." But she was just teasing, as she leaned over and kissed her boyfriends stubbly cheek, snuggling up to him as she looked at Lex. "Very good. Very... very good. World! People. Are Shay and Pete gonna come too?"

"Man, speak of the devil and her unknowing boyfriend." Amusement filtered through Pete's voice as he kept his fingers firmly in Shay's, smiling at them as he offered his hand to Whitney. "Long time no see, man."

"Shaaayyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!" Chloe all but leapt over the table with the shrill.

Which one? Clark asked right back, glancing up to smile at his lover.

"CHLOE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Shayla dragged Pete against the table as she climbed over it, plopping herself all but in Chloe's lap, and Lex grunted as he scooted over, letting the little blur pop in beside him. "What the hell are you doing here? Why didn't you tell me you'd be here! Oh my God I missed you!" She wrung Chloe's neck in a huge hug. "If I'd known you were here I'd have... well, like, been here earlier!!!"

Whitney clasped Pete's hand in his, and brought him in for a hug. "Yeah, missed you too, man." His hand slapped Pete's shoulder once before letting go and he scooted down, making room for Pete to sit down beside him. "How you doin' with the chick from hell?"

The one that's been rubbing against you all night and just looked at me like I was the bastard son of the Devil--which I am, but that's an entirely different matter.

"SHAAAAAYYYY!" Chloe squealed right back, hugging her as tight as she could, squeezing tightly as they rocked back and forth, squealing and starting to squeal and giggle in girl talk that sounded like a word or two here and there but was complete gibberish aside from that. "Oh my God, Shay! Shay! I missed you so much! Lex stole me for the night to see Lionel's thing with Diane Sawyer, have I MENTIONED I missed you like hell??!?!?!?"

Physical wincing. "Christ, girls, its called decibels." Pete rolled his eyes to heaven and snorted at Whitney. "Man, alright. Muddling through the brimstone and fire, ya know."

Someone's been rubbing against me? How did I not know? Clark rose a briw over at them as he nodded at Nell's questions, answering them and easily holding twin conversations. He added two more pies and cappuccinos to his set for Pete and Shay, knowing just what they liked, and carefully hoisted the tray up onto his shoulder. The last of the night, as he was off the clock already, and he added a cappuccino for himself as he made his way through the throng, carefully balancing the tray as he did so.

"Bite me, Pete!!" Shay just laughed as hard as she could as she hugged onto Chloe. "I can't wait. I can't wait to see big daddy and my big brother up on that TV telling that bitch off. Morgan promised he'd behave, though. I can't believe AJ stole you away!" She leaned over and switched sides, hugging Lex. "Thank you, AJ!!!! Thank you so much, you are so cool!"

Lex looked as though a drowned rat were hanging off his neck, but he petted her gently as he peeled her arms from around his neck. "Yes, well, you're welcome. Lower your voice, because we don't want to pierce the eardrums of everyone in the place."

"Oh, shut up, Lex. Nobody's gonna hear me anyway." She snuggled between him and Chloe, leaning against her best friend.

Whitney was wincing. "Don't even bother. They're not shuttin' up for at least a half an hour. I've seen this before. It's fascinating. Kind of like... you know, the whole birds of a feather thing, squawking together."

Lex buried a snicker at that, but it earned him a punch from Shayla in the ribs.

"Clark!!" Shayla looked up, and then grinned. "Had any more... bee attacks today?" she asked sweetly, just beaming at him.

Because, Clark, you never notice. However? I did. That little bitch has been touching you every chance she got, and I'm going to rip her fingers off if she doesn't stop.

Clark glared at Shayla's innocent look, even if a blush creeped up his neck at the bee comment, and he pushed Pete over with a hip as he leaned a knee down on the seat and lowered the tray. Heaped with pie and ice cream, coffee for everyone, and he spread it out easily, forks and spoons too, his own cappuccino set to the side because he'd had his fill of pie for the next eight years. He rolled his eyes at the lot of them, kissed Lex on the forehead, and disappeared to hand off the tray to someone who needed it. I never notice, but I can't help it. I was born gay, y'know. Oh! You mean, Lucy? She's not that bad. Innocent expression.

"More fascinating than anything in the world, dude." Pete snickered. "Maybe we should video tape 'um, and use it for our science final."

"Yes! I so heard that was happening, cause I listened to the radio and its been everywhere on it and I CAN'T BELIEVE we're sitting here together!" Chloe squealed, holding her tightly and hugging as they kept chattering.

Shayla just beamed at Clark. "Oh yeah. Morgan's been dying to rip off her head and shit down her neck, but he won't. Cause he's not rude like that. But he so should."

Lex glared. Yes, that would be the bitch in question. If she touches you again, or looks at me like I don't deserve you one more time, I'm not going to be held responsible for what I do to her. Nobody is going to look at you like that, not while I'm sitting here looking.

Whitney snickered. "Clark bought me a digital camera, we can use that. Course, I gotta save the pictures he took before we use it, cause they're kinda... for Whitney eyes only."

Pete let out a loud whoop as he took a drink from the mocha Clark had served him, snickering at his seat mate wickedly as he took the handle end of his fork and poked Chloe in the arm.

She jumped, glaring Pete down as she took his fork and wagged it at him. "No more poking, Mr. Ross!"

Clark made his way through the crowd again, heaving a soft yawn. He'd taken his little apron on, and he smoothed a hand over his slightly wrinkled green t-shirt as he plopped on the seat beside Pete again and stretched out. "I can officially say I'm tired." He tipped his head, as he settled his stretched out feet beside Lex's and watched the group. "You guys going to come over and see the special?"

"Well, duh, that's what we were hijacked for," Whitney pointed out.

Lex's feet tangled in Clark's, rubbing up against his calf. "Whitney does have a point. That was the idea behind the kidnapping."

Shayla squealed. "ALL RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She squeezed Chloe again. "This is going to be so great! Lex has this huge screen TV in the movie room upstairs, and we can make Enrique bring us popcorn and cokes and stuff!!!"

Clark was mid word when a slow song came up from on stage. The haunting, beautiful melody struck him, as he watched the woman beghin to sing, and his eyes skid across the table and met his lovers. He sat up...then stood up, and offered his hand without hearing a word from his friends. Several more couples were dancing, and yeah. Uh huh.

Uh huh.

Chloe bit her lip tightly as she tangled arms with Shay and watched the two bo--...no. Not boys. Men. The way they looked at each other inspired her on every level, and she bit her lip to keep the squeal in as she watched.

Lex nodded, and ended up swinging his legs over the back of the seat and sliding out behind the booth, reaching out and sliding his hand through Clark's as it was offered to him. Clark's eyes met his and as their hands linked, so did their thoughts and feelings, and Lex looked as his aushna', as though divining what lay in the innermost recesses of his soul. Didn't pay a shred of attention to anyone else as he started dancing with his lover, content to follow Clark's lead.

Clark gently shook his head and brought him in close, so that they were almost hugging, his arms around his lover and a single pair of hands clasped, to lay held against his neck. He held him close, kissing his lips so, so gently, so, so softly, as he let opposite temples touch and hold his lover with the gentle sways.

"Is it me," Chloe asked, after a long pause, "Or do they really just need to move in together and have a trillion babies?"

"They're already moved in together, dork," Shayla pointed out.

Whitney rested his chin on his hands as he looked at them. "Yeah. Yeah, they do. They really, really do." He kissed Chloe's hand gently. "Babies that live," he added softly.

"Babies that live." She answered back quietly, as she squeezed her boyfriends hand tightly. "And, dork, Clark and Lex don't really live together. They sort of... well, yeah, but in that big house, that's not really living."

"Man, agreed. Shit, people don't have no sense'a privacy 'round that place." Pete groused. Yeah. Still a little bitter over the Graham thing, and he grumped.

Shayla just snickered at that. "Awwwe, Pete, still holding a grudge over the whole Graham bustin' in on us thing? And yeah, that's a huge ass house. They need... like, one of those studio apartments like you see in all the MTV videos."

"Oh yes. With a paint studio, and… and… and a big bedroom, all funky-like." She sighed, it, softly, as they danced.

Clark didn't even say a word as they moved...not really dancing, just swaying together as the woman sang, and he held his aushna' close to his body, protectively almost, and whispered into his ear. "I love you, Lex. I haven't told you in a whole three hours."

Lex's hands slid in small, aimless circles on Clark's back as his head rested on Clark's shoulder. "I love you, Clark," he whispered softly. "I thought you might be upset with me, after you found out how old you are." He tightened his grip. "But I'm glad you're not."

"I'm still kinda shocked." He murmured, quietly, as he rubbed his lips quietly over a slender cheekbone. "More than a little shocked. I just... why didn't you ever tell me, Lex? Why did you keep it from me?" That's what had upset him, more than the actual truth. Had he been told, he could have taken it, understood, and ran. It just put a meaninglessness on the last few years of his life that he hated, and he squeezed Lex gently close as they moved.

"Your mother told me while you were molting," Lex explained softly. "At the time, I agreed with her that telling you would be more harmful than beneficial, but now, though, now, with this situation, and everything's that happened... I think you're more equipped to deal with the information now than you were before. Not that you couldn't have, but... I just agreed that it was better for you, or I never would have gone along with it."

"I'm not some tender hearted child, Lex." He said it, quietly into his lovers ear. "It hurts me that you would have thought Id rather live in my bubble than know. It hurts me, because you didn't tell me, but I understand why you didn't. If it had been me, I would have done the same, in your shoes." A moment. "Is there anything else I should know?"

Lex stopped and thought. "Anything I know, you know. I don't have any secrets from you, Clark. My mind is yours; open and read."

"I don't want to do that." He said it, quietly, as the song ended, and he clasped their fingers tightly together. "I want you to tell me because you want to, not because I can look, Kenep." Softly whispered, as he rubbed his lips over Lex's knuckles softly, and he nearly jumped out of his skin as cheers erupted around them. His eyes widened as he looked around the room at the people watching them and clapping and he blushed crimson, gaping at his lover.

"I know, Kal. I mean, I don't have anything else to tell you, but that doesn't mean I haven't forgotten." He returned the kiss, or at least, started to, when he too was startled by the clapping and the applause. "Thank you, thank you all," Lex said calmly, nodding. "Thank you for being supportive."

Clark snickered at his lover, rolled his eyes at him, and dragged him to the table in embarrassment as the seriousness of their conversation was forgotten. "Thank you for being supportive?" He asked of his lover, and exploded into giggles.

"It's better than telling them all to fuck off and stop watching, isn't it?" Lex asked, eyebrow raised as he tugged Clark's arm around his waist. "Okay, guys? Move. Scoot. Compress together. Because I am not getting stuck with the girls again, and I'm sitting with Clark. Move."

"Sir, yes sir!" Whitney saluted and scooted, dragging Pete with him. The push down put Shayla on one end, then Chloe sandwiched between her and Whitney, and Pete sandwiched between Whitney and Lex, with Clark on the other end of the round booth.

"There, you see? Not hard at all."

Pete just stared with a mildly distasteful look at his seat partner, glaring at Lex with the disgusted look of the pool table saver. "Dude."

Chloe finished clapping and cracked up at the two red faced guys, offering them their coffee and apple pie with ice cream respectively, giggling as she hugged Shay and they began to chatter again.

"Yes?" Lex's face was carefully blank, even as his fingers looped with Clark's.

Shay just giggled. "C'mon, you guys were so cute. We think you guys need to get an apartment together and have lots and lots and lots of kids."

"Had to throw those damn shoes away, Luthor." Pete groused it, though he wasn't angry so much as amused. "Man, filthy yo. You owe me a pair of sneakers." A hard shudder as he just… shook his head at Whitney and made a face.

Talk of kids brought a sharp shard of pain through Clark's heart, but he smiled, anyway. "An apartment?"

Lex winced, feeling the echoing stab in himself, and growled softly at Shayla for even bringing it up. "Don't. Mention. Children," he said through the growl, gripping Clark's hand tighter.

Chloe's eyes widened, and she reached across to gently touch Lex's hand. "Sorry, sweetie."

Clark shrugged it off, throat bobbing once to get the knot down, and smiled, just shaking his head. "Its okay guys, really. Come on, eat and lets get out of here."

Lex brought his other hand up to squeeze Chloe's. "It's too soon," he said softy, fingers tightening around hers. "Just... too soon." He wished that she were sitting on his other side, rather than Pete, but it was enough right now for the moment. "I agree with the getting out of here sentiment."

Whitney reached over and brushed his fingertips over Lex's shoulder. Offering as much support as he could. "We can get this to go, right?" Kick to his girlfriend's shin.

Chloe turned a ferocious glare at her boyfriend and kicked him. Hard. Enough for the sound to echo.

Which of course had Clark cracking up, rolling his eyes as he slid out of the booth and reached for Shayla's hand. "Come on, Shay. These people are just too insane for any good to come from it. Want to run away to Kokomo?"

"Oh, hell yeah." She slid out of the booth with him. "I'll go home and pack, and you sweet-talk Lex into lending us a private jet. Or are you just going to sweep me off my feet?" She swooned dramatically, throwing her arm over her eyes and heaving a huge sigh.

"Ow, motherfucker!!" Whitney swore softly and rubbed his shin, which would be painfully bruised in the morning.

Clark laughed at her as he trailed out of the Talon, waving a hand at Nell as he held her close to him and stepped out into the balmy, cool night. "I heard your brother singing Beach Boys in the shower the other day. And I heard another voice joining him... but that's our little secret." A dramatic shhhh, as he chuckled down at Shayla with amusement.

Chloe glared at him, again, and tossed her hair back as she harrumphed and followed Clark and Shay.

"Doogghouuuuseeee." Pete hooted, snickering as he shoved at Whitney to go around the booth so he could get out and get away from sitting next to Lex, chuckling wickedly as he took a last drink of his mocha.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Whitney slid out of the booth, grunting softly as he put weight on his injured leg. "I live in the fuckin' doghouse, man. I'm used to it."

Lex slid out of the other side of the booth, glaring at the back of Shayla's head, and he tamped down the feeling of jealousy because he knew Shayla was absolutely no threat to him. Still didn't stop him from growling.

"Oh, you mean Papa Luthor? He belts that shit out all the time, he just thinks nobody knows."

"I think I'd pay good money and give up a kidney to science to hear that." Clark was chuckling as he began to sing badly. "Help me, Rhonda, help-help me Rhonda, help me get'er out of my heeaartt!"

Pete joined in when he stepped out, trying to salvage Clark's masculinity as they began the short walk around the way to the parking lot. "Heeeelppp help me Rhonndaaaaaa do do, Rhonndaaaaa..."

Chloe was laughing as she hooked her arm around Shayla's on her free side, giggling back at Pete as he doo-wopped to his hearts content. "You guys suck."

"Of course I do! Just ask Pete!" Shayla skipped out of his reach and hid behind Chloe for a moment. "He says I suck very well!!"

He stopped mid note and gaped at his girlfriend for a long moment before chasing her. Attacked her... grabbed her up and pinned her to his chest as he lifted her up off the ground, pretending to shake her as he hugged her. "Learn from Xander! Too much information!"

Shayla squealed as Pete attacked her, and she hugged him back, kissing his forehead and giggling. "No such thing as too much information!" she sang out. But she leaned complacently against him, snuggling.

Lex's long strides brought him up, and he caught Clark with one arm and Chloe with the other, situating them both against him. "You realize, not all of us are going to fit into the Lamborghini, right?"

"Dude, we brought Shay's car." Pete said over Shayla's blond hair blowing in the wind. "We c'n fit the Bobbleheads up in there."

"Bobble WHAT?" Chloe shrieked, and let go of Lex to thunk Pete in the arm and glare.

"Oowww!" but he was laughing. "Bobbleheads, dude, Bobbleheads."

"Screw you, you… you... butthead!"

"Good. Then we'll split up and meet back at my house?" He looked over at Clark. "Or do you want to squeeze in with them?"

"I want to be with you." Clark said softly, but he smiled and reached for his lovers fingers, tightly, squeezing them as he brought them to his lips.

"Man, all'at mushy shit." But Pete chuckled as he plunked his girlfriend down beside her rust bucket, and motioned for Whitney to come with them, glaring at Chloe as she sidled up next to Shay. "Harpy."

"Bastard."

"Bitch."

"Slut."

"Hey! I'm no--...never mind."

Shayla snapped her head up at that. "Peter Isaac Ross, you better not be thinkin' what I think you're thinking." Little girl glare that was all raised hackles.

"I want to be with you too." Lex was soothed by the calming presence of his lover near, and his fingers laced through Clark's. "You can drive my baby if you want to." He dangled the keys in front of Clark's nose, like a carrot in front of a horse.

Whitney paused behind Clark, stroking over his back first, and then Lex's. "I'm sorry about the baby comment."

"I'm not!!! JEEZ!" Pete bellowed.

Clark snatched the keys easily, grinned broadly and kissed his lover… then looked over his shoulder, at his ashimel. "Its okay." He wanted, badly, to kiss him, but their friends, who didn't know about the sha'nauch, wouldn't understand. So he just settled for squeezing Whitney's shoulder tightly, and offering him a small smile. "Its really okay. Don't worry, we're fine."

Whitney returned the squeeze, and hugged him. "If you're sure." He rubbed Lex's shoulder, and got a nod in return. "We'll see you there."

Lex laughed as Clark took the keys, and nodded to Whitney, bringing a hand up to rest briefly on Whitney's. "Thanks, Whitney. We appreciate that." He squeezed Clark's waist gently. "Let's go; Dad's interview should be airing in about an hour."

- = - = -

Lionel was pacing the office at home, running his fingers through his thick hair as he talked quietly and purposefully to the person on the other end of the phone. "What do you mean, you can't fucking find her?"

"I'm sorry sir," the tinny voice replied from the cell phone in his hand. "There's simply too many exits out of town for us to follow up. I need more manpower."

"Then take what you need. Hire what you can't cover, bill it to me, pay whatever you have to. I want that woman found. Have you followed the Canadian lead?"

"We have the places staked out--her home, her parents' home, homes of friends and extended family, sir. We've also covered as many of the inroads as we can, but since we don't know how she's coming in, it's going to be hit-or-miss at best."

"I won't accept that. I won't accept anything less than that woman being back here in Smallville tomorrow morning. Do whatever it takes." Lionel slammed down the phone and collapsed into the leather chair in the office, burying his head in his hands and closing his eyes.

He'd seen everything, but Dominic didn't say a word. Twin glasses of scotch were in his hands, but he didn't know if he should enter. His lover was motionless on the couch, and he stepped forward... then again, carefully coming around the couch. Papers were spread everywhere, computer turned on, electronics spread out.

He still wore the suit of the day, though the jacket he'd ditched somewhere, and the tie loosened. He stood before him, throat bobbing. They hadn't said a single word to one another since the news, and he didn't... he was numb. Doing, acting, not thinking. There was time for thinking, later, at the stroke of twelve when it was dark and only the night could hear his sobs. That's when he'd let himself loose. Now, he had to take care of his lover, and he sat down on the edge of the couch next to him, quietly. "I brought you something to drink."

Lionel took the glass and downed it without even tasting it, gulping rapidly and setting the empty glass to the side. "Thank you." First time he'd spoke to Dominic since they'd gotten home.

He nodded, slightly, and handed him the second glass as well, as he rose to his feet. The spongy carpet gave way to tile that seemed like stabby, steely knives against the soles of his shoes. He took the large decanter of 1982 scotch and walked back to the table with it to refill his lovers glass as many times as he needed it. He didn't say a word other than that, and by doing, by serving, he forgot who he was and just did.

Lionel downed it without a thought as well, setting that empty glass to the side. He sat back on the couch again, head back in his hands, the heels massaging his eye sockets. "Messer just called; basically he said it's hopeless because there's not enough time and too much ground to cover."

No surprise. Dominic had known, when he'd read the words on the paper. He sat back with him, though his body was tight and hard. "Have… have you called the… Canadian police? They may help." Quietly said, as he leaned back as well, and closed his own eyes.

"Yes. The RCMPs are working with the teams we have in place, and more are on the way. If I hadn't had men there to deal with Lindy's problem, then we'd be even more behind. They're already spreading out, but it's not enough. And our men can't get there in time."

He felt like he was dying inside, and Dominic rose a hand, to press against his tightly constricted chest. "Why... why did she run. Why didn't… she tell you? Tell us. We could... could have protected her, could have kept her safe, and away... away from the media. Why, why did she run."

"I don't know. The most anyone can find out and report back to me is that she was scared, tired of all the media attention, and she ran. Back home, is our guess, as the landlord said her things were to be sent to Canada, but as for anything else, nobody knows but her." He reached for one of the glasses Dominic had refilled, and he drank deeply again.

"I'm so sad, Lionel." Was all he responded to that, as he rolled his head to look at him. "I'm so sad."

"I know you are, Dominic." Lionel could barely look at his lover. "I'm sorry. I should have anticipated this, what with all the attention and the furor around it, but I didn't. This is my fault, and I am sorry."

"Its not your fault." Dominic said softly, as he reached for his lovers fingers, and found them as icy as his own. So he linked them, and squeezed, tightly. "It isn't your fault, at all." Shake of his head. "Neither of us thought this would... could happen. We should have seen, but how could we? We haven't stopped working. We thought the agency would take care of her... we were mistaken." A long pause, but even now, he still couldn't break down. It was locked, dark, deep in his heart. "How selfish, she was. Scared, I understand, but what a selfish bitch. We paid her and the agency over fifty fucking thousand d'llars to have this babe, to have this little girl, and they robbed us."

"No, Dominic, I don't blame the agency for anything but leaking the name, and that in itself is enough culpability in this situation." He ground his hands against his eyes again. "I can't help but think this is my fault, Dominic. Everything good that's ever happened to me has been destroyed." He squeezed his lover's fingers tightly.

"I know that feeling." He said, quietly. "But we still have each other. We'll have the chance to have our children, Lionel. We can't give up." His Adams apple bobbed. "Does Lex know?"

"No, he doesn't." Lionel sighed. "I don't want to deal with him tonight."

Dominic let his eyes wander up, to the ceiling where the lovely ceiling marble gleamed as if freshly washed. He watched it, for a long moment, his fingers clasped with his lover on couch cushion between them. "Don't give up on this."

"How can I not?" Lionel didn't even bother to look up. "I think the universe has made it's point."

"For us. Don't give up, don't let another chance go by." Dominic said so quietly, and his Adams apple worked again. He let go of his lovers hand to get the blasted tie off because it had to be choking him, even if it was loose it was too tight, and he worked the knot free, letting it slide from his shirt as he unbuttoned the second button on his dress shirt.

"There isn't going to be another chance, Dominic!" Lionel shot up off the couch. "I think that's been made perfectly clear! I was not meant to have another child, that much is obvious, no matter how much I wanted it, and I am sorry that you have been brought into this too." He clenched his fists. "But unless some miracle happens in the next twenty-four hours, our daughter is going to die before she is even *born.*"

Dominic's eyes watched his lover. Shocked… dismayed... then a crushing sense of loss and sadness, and he rose to his feet. He had work to do. Work would take his mind off of it, work would help. There wasn't much left to say, and he just nodded a little, as he motioned towards the door. "I'm going to go finish the finances, where I was working before, in the library upstairs. If..." You need me I'll be there, but he let that part hang as he motioned again.

"If I need you?" Lionel looked hollowly up at his lover. "I always need you, Dominic. But I'm not sure you want to see me fall apart."

"I don't mind it." He said it quietly. "I've been there before when you fell apart. I'll be with you when you fall apart tomorrow, and a year from now, and five years from now. I'd rather... with me, than alone."

"Then you can stay," Lionel said softly, collapsing back onto the couch.

Dominic nodded, quietly, and sat down once more, as his fingers slid behind one of the pillows on the couch and squeezed it, as hard as he could, so his nails wouldn't bite into his fist. He brought the pillow close to his side, and offered his arms for his lover, half unsure if he'd take them.

Lionel leaned into the offered arms. Silent sobs shook his shoulders, but not a sound escaped. Just torrents of hot tears, and he buried them in Dominic's shoulder as he held his lover tightly.

The tears terrified him but he let go of the pillow as his eyes went wide, and he accepted his lover tightly into his arms. He brought him close as his lover half collapsed, letting him cry into his belly, his lap, as he held on as tightly as he could. His cheek pressed into the long hair of his lovers head, and his entire body shuddered with pain as he held him close. "Shhh… shh, beloved, I k-know. I know, beloved."

Still no sounds came out, and Lionel's shoulders shook all the harder for it. His hands knotted in whatever they were holding, one on Dominic's slacks and the other in the sofa cushion. All he felt inside was deep, crushing sadness.

"I know... I know. I know, Lionel." Was all he said, as his voice cracked and his body shuddered, stroking his beautiful lover's back over and over again as he kissed his hair and closed his eyes. "I know, I know. Baby, I know more than anyone, I know. I love you... I love you. Please, beloved, please."

Lionel just couldn't stop. The crushing sadness, the disappointment, the anger, everything was coming out in this unstoppable torrent, shaking his entire body as he broke down, too much for even this man to take.

And with every sob of his lovers body, Dominic's heart closed, tighter and tighter. He had a husband to take care of, and he wouldn't let his own emotions get in the way. Not yet. Not when his lover, the man he'd only seen cry once, was sobbing hysterically in his lap. He wished so much for their bed but the couch would do, as he pulled Lionel up close to him and lap back, so they were side by side on the wide couch. Cushioned on the pillow, Dominic held his husband even closer to him, fingers stroking over his long back as he tucked their faces in close. "I love you, Lionel. I love you. I won't leave you. I'm here, beloved, I'm right here beside you. I know how it hurts you, I know. I love you."

"I love you," Lionel choked out, shaking his head and letting his hair fall down around his face to hide the tears that slid down his cheeks.

"Don't hide. Not from me, don't hide." Dominic urged, quietly, as he stroked his lovers hair from his eyes and kissed the red rimmed eyes closed, kissed the splotchy nose and the flushed cheeks, as he pulled him closer. The salt of his husbands tears was still on his lips, and it only made the wall around his heart crumble even more. "Shhh, beloved. Im here, I won't leave you. I love you, so very much, I love you, no matter what."

"Even though I can't give you a child?"

"No matter what. No matter what, I'll always love you. If it wasn't meant to be, beloved, it wasn't meant to be." He stroked his hair away from his eyes, his face, so he could see his husband. "No matter what, we'll always be together."

Lionel's arms tightened around his lover's waist, burying his face back in Dominic's shoulder. "I love you. I will find a way, if I have to carry the child myself."

"That was probably the grossest thing you've ever said." He deadpanned, quietly into his lovers ear, as he stroked his back softly. "Don't give up hope, my beloved. Don't give up hope. There will always be a way, when its our time."

"Our time is now," Lionel said softly. "If it's any later, it will be too late."

Double whammy, his daughter's impending death and his husband's, and he shook his head, eyes going filmy as he opened them to stare at the wall behind him as they hugged. Held close, didn't say a word for a long moment, as he stroked over his lovers back and neck, his hair, rocking him gently. "We will find a way."

"I have faith in you, Dominic. I have faith in us. I just... don't know what else to do."

"It will be presented to us in due time. Its happened before, it will happen again." At least his husbands tears had ended, because Dominic didn't know how many more he could have seen before he joined him. "I love you, beloved."

"I love you, Dominic." Lionel tightened his grip on Dominic, pulling him closer, and resting his chin on Dominic's shoulder, letting the rest of his silent tears fall.

- = - = -

Their bedroom had exploded.

Soda, popcorn, chocolate, ice cream. Pillows and blankets by the truck load, spread on the bed and the floor. The big TV in the corner of the room turned to MTV. The remnants of a board game on the floor, Jenga blocks spread out with the two big die.

And Clark, cracking the hell up.

Whitney had just... he had a potty mouth when he wanted to, and Clark just laughed all the harder. He and his sha'nauch were dressed in their pajama's already, long pajama pants, tanks, panties and a t-shirt for Chloe, and Clark just... he was cracking the hell up.

"What the fuck is your problem, Clark?" Whitney growled it; he just absolutely sucked at Jenga, and he was snarling. "Stupid cocksucking game. Who had the bright goddamned idea to balance fucking blocks on top of each other like that! Shitlicking bastard!!"

Lex was reclined back against the footboard of the bed, pillow cradling the back of his head, newspaper propped against his knee as he skimmed through it, picking out the information he needed to digest for later. His hand was resting on Chloe's knee, though he didn't realize it, and he was sitting quite close to her. "You know, the last time we had a sleep over like this, I ended up with a gash in the back of my head that needed thirteen stitches," he said quietly as he read. "I sincerely hope that doesn't happen this time."

Shayla was just laughing her ass off at Whitney's disgruntlement. "You? Are a sore fucking loser, Whit."

Clark fell backwards, just dying at his ashimel's disgruntledness, cracking the hell up.

A big smile crossed Chloe's face as she watched them on the floor, giggling wickedly as she slid a little closer to Lex...then snuggled with him, bringing her arms around his waist and half hugging him, half laying on him, beaming as they played. Her toes were drying, a bright, loud pink, her hair up in curlers Shay was fixing, and she giggled as she let go of Lex and scooted to the edge of the bed, giving her boyfriend a playful shove with her toes. "I don't understand it, you're so good at balancing things on top of other things."

Clark had just calmed down when he heard Chloe, and just... burst out laughing all over again.

Pete was laughing just because Clark thought it was so funny, and that Clark thought it was hysterical made it hysterical. His friend had a habit of having a contagious laugh, and he snickered loudly as he rolled his eyes to heaven and began to gather the blocks. He was doing the points, and he shook his head, clucking his tongue. "Man, Whit, you're 40 points behind everyone dude. You know what that means."

"We get to paint your nails!" Chloe squealed.

Shayla went off into another round of explosive giggles at Clark's new round of laughter, and she scrabbled through the four Kit-N-Caboodle boxes Pete had helped her drag out of her bedroom. "Okay. I've got every shade of pink known to the rainbow, six types of glitter, black, twelve shades of red, two purple, and a blue. What color do you want?"

"Fuck. You. All," Whitney snarled, punching Clark in the shoulder. "Who in the fuck came up with this stupid-ass rule anyway???"

"That would have been Clark," Lex said calmly, over the edge of his newspaper. "And if you're asking me, I vote for black. It was always my color of choice, with a top coat of glitter and then a varnish of clear polish to hold it all in place."

Silence, for a moment, as everyone turned to look at Lex.

Then Chloe had to go and squeal, and Clark went into another round of laughing, Pete snickering as Chloe grabbed Lex's hand, tossed the newspaper on the bed, and tugged him onto the ground. They all knew of Clark and Lex's crossdressing fun by now, even if they hadn't told either of them that they all knew, but Chloe just about died giggling, opening the kit and caboodle and digging through it for the colors Lex had said. "I've got his toes. They're going to be flaming pink, Lex? You get his fingers and glitterfy them baby doll."

Clark was laying on his back, Shay's half naked pantied butt next to his shoulder as he panted and just tried really hard not to keep giggling, coughing softly and spreading out as he grinned dopily up at Shay. "My stomach hurts now."

"Man, you been laughing for ten straight minutes, though I don't blame you. Whitney's like the fucking Hitler of board games dude." A snort at Whitney. "Serves him right for the whole damn thing to have fallen on him.

Lex made a halfhearted swipe for his newspaper, but let himself be pulled to the floor beside the rest of them. Lex raised one knee, put Whitney's hand on it, laid his fingers out straight, and then picked out the black nail polish, and silver-fleck glitter. "Shayla, do you have a clear topcoat?"

"Um... yeah, I should. Pete! Make yourself useful and look in the box beside you. There should be... four bottles of topcoat. Pitch Lex the clear one that says, Flash Dry." Shayla kicked her feet in the air. "Chloe, when you finish with his toes, lemme know, and we'll take out the curlers and brush the body wave in."

Whitney grunted. But he didn't argue, because truth be told, Lex's sure touches to his hands felt good and he laid back, head resting on the other side of Clark's stomach as he was tended to. "Aside from the fact they're painting my fucking nails!!," he roared, "I could get used to this."

Lex just raised an eyebrow. "Would you like us to bring a platter of grapes and a palm frond to fan you with, my Lord?" Dry sarcasm laced every word.

Which just sent Clark to laughing all the more, cracking the hell up as he thunked Whitney's head, still giggling like mad as he tried to stop. "That sounded so dirty. Why didn't anyone offer to palm frond me?"

"Fucking shit," Pete was muttering under his breath, growling. "Fucking top coat sissy shit, fucking hell." He rooted through the thousands of bottles in the box, glaring as he peered.

Chloe giggled and pulled Whitney's ugly man foot in her lap, and peered at the nails before she angled his toes a little more and began to paint.

"Peter," Shayla threatened sweetly. "Shut up before we paint your nails next, just for fun."

Lex was smirking widely as he picked up the bottle, shaking it expertly before starting to brush on the lacquer. "Because, Clark, if I offered, you'd kill me. You're not the lying about on a lounger type. Mr. Adonis here, however, just has that look about him. Blond, broad-shouldered, minimally dressed, in most cases, and he obviously enjoys being pampered. All he needs is one scantily-clad woman to feed him peeled grapes and another to fan him with a palm frond, and he'd be in a questionable paradise."

"Yeah, yeah, fuck you all very much." Whitney flipped up the middle finger of the hand not being currently painted. "I don't ever get pampered. Is it my fault I like it?"

"I'll pamper you!" Chloe let go of his foot and made kissy noises all the way as she crawled across the small way and crawled over her lover, giving him a big, loud, sloppy kiss as she stayed on hands and knees, giggling down at him as she kissed him once, twice, three times and wriggled her brows.

"Chloe, dude," Pete leaned over and snagged her around the waist, lifting her up physically as he handed Lex the top coat whatever, and plopped her down. "Ass sitting in Lex's face, girl. Christ."

She would have said something. Could have said something. All she did was raise her eyes to Shayla, giggling almost wickedly as she wriggled her brows.

Clark heaved a soft yawn, stretching his long length out into the back of the room, all six and a half feet of him as he pulled his feet up and let his legs lean against the footboard. He peered at his own feet, and his slightly too short pants, and shook his head. "When I grow up, I'm opening my own clothes store for tall guys."

"You didn't hear me complaining," is all that Lex said, smiling at Chloe before going back to Whitney's hands.

"I'm there," Whitney said softly. "I'm so there. I'll be your first customer."

"Far be it from me to step on your entrepreneurial dreams, Clark, but don't you think it would be slightly more beneficial to create the entire line of clothing, and have it exclusive to a single store or chain... such as Fordman's? One that you know would be friendly to the line of merchandise you would be offering?" Lex cocked his head. "Christ, I just sounded like Dad."

"You so did!!" Shayla bounced on the floor as she giggled at Chloe. "You're sounding more like Big Daddy every day!!"

"Not a bad thing to sound like," Clark chuckled over at Shay, craning his neck so he could see her. "Lionel's not so bad. Just stately."

"Like a Nazi." Chloe muttered, and winced at Lex. "Sorry. Mr. Luthor issues."

Which had Pete muttering all over again, because the man was Satan, and he snarled as he glanced at the clock. Ten minutes until the interview started, and he pushed the blocks of the game together as he rubbed his shoulder. He and Shay were in more comfortable clothes that they'd surely sleep in, since he was staying the night with her, and he yawned softly and deeply as he dragged one of the pillows over from beside him so he could lean on his belly.

"Stately. And hot! Man. If he weren't like, gay and married to my brother? Oh, hell yes." She wiggled her toes. "He's yummy."

"Calling him a Nazi is an insult to the entire Nazi movement. He's more a Hun. You know, like Attila. Only in this case, it's Alionella. Or something." Whitney crossed his feet, then uncrossed them, yelping, as someone slapped his leg to remind him to keep the toes spread so they could dry.

"I would have to agree with Chloe," Lex said calmly, brushing the black paint over Whitney's nails. "Do you chew your nails off, Whitney? I can buy you a pair of clippers, without a problem."

"I don't chew my nails!!" Whitney sighed, but seeing Lex on his knees in front of him as he reclined? Not at all a bad sight to see.

"Oh hell yes what?" Pete glared at her, eyebrow raising up.

"Oh, come on, guys. Lionel's not that bad. He's a nice guy, he cares for the community, he's… well, cranky, but he cares a lot about people. Don't be unfair. He's like Mr. Scrooge, reformed, and not stingy, so I guess he isn't really like Mr. Scrooge." A frown. "I swore I was more eloquent."

Chloe giggled and leaned down to kiss the pinky Lex hadn't done yet, smiling up at him before up at Lex. "He doesn't chew on his nails, he chews on me."

"Oh, hell yes I'd be hitting on him. Like McGwire and his ball bat, I'd be hittin' him so hard." She grinned. "Old guy fetish. See: Rupert Giles, Ethan Rayne as exhibit one."

"Nice?" Lex blinked up at his lover. "Nice? I wouldn't go so far as to say he's nice, Clark. I'd say he's... civil. In a few more years, you might be able to use "nice" and "Lionel Luthor" in the same sentence."

"Oh come on." Clark rolled his eyes at his aushna'. "Do you honestly think that if he weren't nice and wonderful and civil and good, he'd have gotten married and have a baby on the way?" Eye roll as he sat up, but it was to land a smacking kiss on his lovers forehead as he shifted Whitney's head in his lap.

If Pete saw it, and he did, he didn't say anything. Whitney laying in Clark's lap? Was...a bit odd. A bit more than odd, but he didn't say a word. He had a feeling there was something going on that he didn't know about, something with Chloe and Lex and Clark and Whitney, but he waited to see.

"Oh *man* Harrison Ford. Mel Gibson. Richard Gere. MROWR." Chloe wriggled her eyebrows at Shayla.

"Shayla, if you ever mention the image of you and my father together again, I will, unfortunately, have to rip out your tongue and bury it in the back yard, under the fountain." Lex paused as Clark shifted Whitney, but didn't say a word as he switched hands, letting the right dry as he started work on the left one. "I'd rather not think of that completely disgusting thing."

"Oh, Lex, come on. Your dad is hot. I'd do him in a heartbeat."

"Shayla... shut up. I don't think my father is in any way attractive. I do not wish to contemplate him with anyone, least of all, a little girl like you."

"Lex, are you joking?" Clark looked genuinely surprised. "You mean to tell me you don't see what a fox your dad is?"

"Primo hot." Chloe chimed in, nodding from where Shayla was beginning to take the curlers out. "He's wicked sexy. He's like, broad, and strong, and the hair, and those eyes? Couple that with the compassionate smiles and the quiet way he keeps him and Dominic out of the public eye... wow. He is a catch."

Lex's body did a violent, involuntary shudder. "I'm going to have to painfully kill each and every one of you if you don't shut the fuck up. My father is not attractive, not in any way."

"No, man, he's hot." Pete nodded. "He's a motherfucking bastard, but he's wicked sexy."

Another long, protracted shudder. "No. I refuse to think it."

"Lex, come on. Open your eyes and see where you got the genes from, man."

Clark nodded, and stared at his lover some more. "That you don't see it is slightly disconcerting, babe." He nodded, eyebrow raised as he glanced from Whitney to Lex. "Your good genes came from somewhere." But before he could say more the music began for the Diane Sawyer special, and Clark shushed everyone as he pulled a pillow from behind him and pulled it up to snuggle against, as well as Shayla, as the show started.

Shayla scooted up to snuggle beside Clark, dragging Chloe with her so she could finish working on her best friend's hair.

Lex sat down flat on his ass, working on Whitney's hands still, and took the second of everyone's distraction to kiss the back of Whitney's hand lightly before going back to painting.

Whitney looked down at Lex in surprise, then ran his other hand, the one with nails now almost dry, over the back of Lex's head once before turning towards the TV.

"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. Mr. Luthor, Mr. Senatori, thank you for taking the time to speak with us today."

"Everybody say it with me now... BITCH." Lex muttered it under his breath.

"He looks pissed." Clark hooted, chuckling wickedly as he shifted more comfortably and watched the television. It cut over a great view of Smallville... the buildings already finished, the lovely gardens, as Dominic and Lionel spoke to her. They were classily dressed, the large, beautiful window behind them putting a pleasant light on their faces and an almost darkened one by contrast one on Diane that Clark thought was immeasurably funny, as he giggled.

"She dresses so badly." Chloe muttered, shaking her head slightly as she reached for Whitney's hand. "Like... like I dunno what, but yeesh."

"Christ, yes. Get the bitch some decent clothes for a change!" Shayla took the last curler out of Chloe's hair, and picked up the hairbrush instead and started brushing through the gelled-in curls, making them wavy and pretty. "I could dress the cunt better than that."

"Dad is... very ticked. See how his cheek is ticking? That only happens when he's grinding his teeth. I used to try to get him to do that when he was talking to me. And you know? Hear that? Calmer he is, the closer he is to blowing his stack."

Whitney laced his fingers through Clark's, nail polish drying and glitter all but forgotten.

"They both look so calm and composed." Chloe giggled, shaking her head as she set her chin on her knee. "Like, almost too calm and composed, like they wanna rip her head off and stuff it down the middle."

"That woman is evil." Clark nodded it. He was certain of such things, like the sky was blue and the grass was green and he loved his aushna'. "Look at her eyes. They're twitching."

Shayla just nodded. "See Morgan there? He's like, ready to do some serious damage. But he's not!! I'm so prouda him. He could really be showin' his ass and he's not."

Whitney snickered. "The light? Not at all flattering. They're makin' her the evil witch and they don't even realize it."

Lex snorted. "I'm so glad Dad's getting the master tape of this. Christ, this is too good."

"That's some serious control, right there." Clark snickered himself, as he rolled down and lay on his belly, facing the TV as he kissed Whitney's fingers once, twice, three times, and let go, to set his head on his hand.

"Control is good. I wonder how much control they have through this. Christ, this is better than Springer." Chloe giggled, as her poofy, lovely hair fluffed and curled around her face, shorter when it was curled like this, and she giggled.

Pete caught the kisses. He saw them, from the corner of his eye, and it was both shocking and appalling to find that he was mildly jealous. Eww. Not jealous of Clark and Whitney, no.

But he was. And it turned his stomach, because it was just one more thing to worry about.

"Man, if you say that, you do NOT know my family," Shayla scoffed, tucking Chloe's bangs behind her ears to pull it off her pretty face, and then tapped her on the shoulder to hold up the mirror. "There, check that out." She giggled. "My family? Was made to define control. I mean, if he hasn't killed me yet, in like, almost eighteen years, then he can sit through an hour with the wicked bitch."

Whitney's long fingers stroked over Clark's back and legs as he rolled over, and he didn't even think about it. Just petted Clark as he would--

PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOPLE!!!!!! Samson bounded across the bed, barking at the top of his lungs, and jumped. He landed right in the middle of Clark's back, and he started wiggling and licking his neck. The Clark!! clark clark clark clark clark!!!!!!

Artie followed quickly behind, plopping himself uninvited in Chloe's lap. He sniffed her, figured she smelled good, and plopped himself right down in the middle of her lap and put his head on her knee, looking pitiful and hoping for treats. Or pets. Pets were always good.

"Lets hope your uncle has the same control." Chloe said with a raised brow, as she peered in the mirror, beamed, and was about to hug her friend when a not so tiny puppy anymore plopped in her lap, and she giggled as she rubbed her face against the top of his head, giving him big kisses as she scratched him behind the ears. "Hey, ArtieArtie!"

Clark oomphed in that same moment, groaning as he peered over his shoulder...and got a face full of tongue for his trouble. He made a face, laughing at the same time and rolling his eyes as he turned back to the TV.

Cleo humphed. Hello. People were here alright, but she had been UNINVITED. She stood in the half open doorway and whined, loudly, pleading for admittance as her bruders, rude booty butts, jumped right in. Btu she was a lady, and she raised her nose, sniffed, and whined again.

"Oh, shit, dude. Reminds me." Pete climbed to his feet, tugging at his jeans as he slid out the door, leaping over the little puppy as he did so.

"Cleo!" Lex heard her whining and sat straight up, whistling for her and petting his lap. "Come on, my little baby." He nudged Whitney with his elbow. "Look in the drawer there and give me the puppy treats for my little girl."

Samson licked the Clark face as soon as it turned around, and then settled on his back, chin resting on the Clark's shoulder as he stared raptly at the TV.

Then started chewing on Clark's ear, because he was bored.

Okay, yay! Artie licked Chloe back, giving her wet, sloppy kisses just as much as she was kissing him, wiggling his tail and plopping back in her lap. He was in love.

"Where's your boyfriend runnin' off too, Shay?" Whitney asked it as he was stretching, reaching over his head to grab the zippy bag of treats and hand it to Lex.

"Oh!! That's right! You guys didn't know! Lionel bought one of Pete's kittens, and he brought it over tonight! Lex is gonna give it to them later, when they get home."

Lex nodded. "They are home. Just... relaxing a bit after the interview; they've given out Do Not Disturb orders."

YAY! Cleo arfed and all poise left as she bounded into the room, little paws skidding slightly as she hit a shirt, tumbled, rolled head over heels, and landed half on the Clark's foot and half on a box of something. Oh well! She barked again, happily, and jumped over the Clark and into the Lex's lap, happily snuggling.

If Clark had been human, the chewing would have hurt. All it did was make him snicker, trying to rub the drool off, as he watched the TV.

"Probably having hot, gooey man sex." Chloe said completely deadpan, eyebrows coming up as she blinkblinkblinked at him in expectance.

"More'n I ever had to hear." Pete muttered from the doorway, as he entered once more. He had a blue t-shirt in his arms, and in the blue t-shirt was an extremely tiny little pale yellow kitten. Her little eyes had only been open for a few days, and Clark lowered down on his knees so Clark and Lex could see her as he grinned. "She hasn't gotten a name yet, but she's got all her shots."

Lex gathered his little baby girl up into his arms and settled her into his lap, snuggling her just as much as she snuggled into him, petting her and taking the little bag of treats and feeding her one at a time as he scratched behind her ears. "How's my little princess?"

"Oooh, Amen, Chloe. Let's go watch?" Shayla bounced on her knees. See big Daddy in action?"

Lex peered over the shirt. "She's precious, Pete. She's adorable."

Pete glared, and gave his girlfriend a none too gentle kick in the leg as he gently covered the little kitten with the blanket. "Think Mr. Senatori will like it?"

Chloe giggled, wickedly, but before she could say anything, the commercials ended and the show began again.

"Welcome back. For those of you just joining us, I'm here today with Lionel Luthor and Dominic Senatori. 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."

"Underestimated much?" Clark muttered to himself, but he smiled at his lover as his legs swung in the air behind him.

"Dominic's not so bad, once you get to know him," Lex admitted. "He's... a very nice guy. I kinda like him."

Clark's eyes danced as he snickered at his aushna', and amusement rolled through him as he kissed him, over Whitney's belly, disturbing Samson sitting on his back, and he was about to speak when Mrs. Senatori's voice filtered through a tiny hand held recorder sitting on the table before Dominic and Lionel.

"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."

Dominic's laughter cracked Clark up, and he whooped as he clapped.

Tears were streaming out of Shayla's eyes, and she agreed with Dominic's sentiment. "Christ, can you imagine how many times they had to edit it to get Mama's cursin' outta there???" She was rolling on the floor laughing at that."

HEY!! Samson scrabbled on invulnerable skin as he tried to crawl back up, and finally he flipped up his tail, showed Clark his butt, and paraded over to Whitney, flopping into his lap because he smelled like the Clark and whined for hugs.

Whitney let Samson crawl into his lap, and he petted the tubby little guy gently. "Wow, Sam, you're turnin' into a porker."

Lex returned the kiss softly, licking his lover's lips, and cradling Cleo carefully so she didn't get squished.

"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?"

"Because he didn't want people like you meddling into his affairs, you vapid whore?" Chloe asked the TV sweetly, as Artie snored on her lap.

"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."

"Man, I didn't even know. Had Gina plastered all over m'walls, man, naked as--" A cough. "Uh."

"Talk about molten voice." Chloe shivered, as she stared at the screen, and elbowed Shayla as they both watched Lionel speak. "I bet you he could talk your clothes off."

"Naked as a jaybird?" Shayla asked sweetly. "So sorry, but I don't have any layouts you can hang up of me." Grin to let him know she was teasing. "So how'd you feel about jackin' off to my sweet sister?" Then she choked. "You know he could, C'lo. He could talk me outta mine any day. Course, all he'd have to say is, "Strip," and I'd be naked so fast his head'd spin, but that's just me having old-guy-hots again. Damn, I hate he's family, though. Kinda makes the fantasizing bad."

Pete was blushing hot red, and he excused himself with a mutter to take the little mewling baby back to Shay's room. Or was about to, when the little girl pup came up on his arm and peered. "you better not eat her."

Cleo blinked. Twice. Snifffffffsniffsniffsniff. There was a weird smell coming from the blanket, and then weird noises, and WHOA, what was THAT? It...moved, a lot, and Cleo blinked at it and licked it.

The little lump of fur squawked. "meow!" it squeaked. Something smelly and wet just rubbed over it!! "mmmmmeeeeeeeeeeooooooooooowwwwwww," it whined piteously, scooting back. Then when nothing else happened, it poked a little pink nose up and blinked.

Whoa, that thing was big. "Meow?"

Shayla peered over Pete's shoulder. "I'm voting for Miss Kitty Fantastico."

Clark grinned at the tiny little kitten and rolled his eyes as he snagged Cleo and hung her upside down, then plunked the little pup on top of his head as he yawned and watched the TV.

"Me too." A little chuckle as he cuddled the baby close and climbed to his feet, stepping over the guys and sliding out the door.

"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."

Clark heaved a loud sigh and plunked his forehead down. Yeah. So. His name on national TV. Crap.

Lex reached out and picked Cleo up from top of Clark's head and cuddled her under one arm, and the hugged Clark briefly, kissing his cheek and then his ear. "It's a lie, Clark. Everyone knows it. Listen to Dad and Dom."

"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."

"See? They're going to protect you too, Clark. We all are. You're ours to protect, because we love you. And we will. Whatever the cost."

"I know." Clark whispered it, softly, as he climbed to sit up beside his lover, crawling over Whitney to cuddle Lex close into his arms, drag him close into the furrows of his body so they were linked closely, and watch the TV.

Chloe's mouth dropped. "Did Lionel just say you know about gay sex, Shay?!" She squealed it and cracked up, attacking her friend with hugs. "Lucky bitch!"

Lex crawled into Clark's body, curling up and cuddling as close as he could, rubbing his shoulder and watching the TV. "Good," is all he said softly.

Shayla fell back as Chloe attacked her, and hugged her tightly. "Well, duh! After all the stuff you sent me, and watching Dick and Pete doing it in the car, and having like, a gay older brother, duh!!!"

Clark was about to open his mouth to speak again, when he looked up, and gasped softly.

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

"Oh, no." Clark murmured softly, closing his eyes for a moment, then letting them flicker open. "Poor Lionel and Dominic. That woman is the fucking plague." Clark nodded, quietly. The woman obviously had no idea what it was to have a child, or to know that every child was perfect, a gift from the heavens itself, and that every baby, every little boy and girl, was perfect. And for some reason, it saddened Clark, deeply, to know that these types of people existed, these types who didn't understand, and he closed his eyes as he set his head on his lovers shoulder.

"That woman is a hag." Chloe muttered from beside Whitney, rolling her eyes at the TV screen.

"Any child would be perfect," Lex said, giving voice to the feelings and thoughts rolling around inside of both he and his aushna'. Perhaps it was the loss of their own child, but her questions about the baby for Dominic and his father pissed him off, deeply.

Whitney nodded. "Yeah, she is. Fucking bitch." He rubbed her shoulders, even as he looked over at Clark nestled close to Lex, and his heart hurt for them.

Shayla turned around and hugged Clark gently, then hugged Lex while Dominic was talking before she turned back to the screen. "I hope Morgan sews up your cunt, bitch."

"That's possibly the nastiest thing you've ever said." Clark muttered Shayla's way, but snickered quietly as he lay his head back on Lex's shoulder and held it there, where it was comfortable and where it was home.

"Hope they fire her." Pete muttered, as she continued to speak with Luthor and Senatori. "Hope ABC or NBC or WhateverTheFuck fire her ass on the spot for this, for airing this shoddy mess."

"For once, I agree with Shayla," Lex said softly, kissing Clark's forehead as it rested on his shoulder. "I hope he does it." During the commercial break, he turned slightly, just enough to pull Clark closer against him and hold him tightly. "Dad will probably have his lawyers out in the morning."

"He needs to. Man, Graham is going to be so pissed off, and I don't even wanna think what Gideon's going to do when he sees this."

"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."

Whitney snorted. "Gee, that's a no-brainer. Even I got that one."

Lionel's equally terse response had Clark eyes flickering up. He couldn't look, because it was obviously a television program and not a real person, but he had sensed something in those words that was more than he was saying, and he just... chuckled softly. "Ten bucks says that he told that crazy bitch off during commercial breaks."

"I don't take a sucker's bet," is all Lex said. "But you're right; he wouldn't have said that if he hadn't."

"I keep my bets fifty-fifty, Clark, not eight twenty." Chloe chuckled beside him, shaking her head as she rolled over onto her stomach to watch the show beside Shayla.

Shayla rolled back over beside Chloe, and sighed. "God and Christ above, Morgan's long-winded!!"

And so sexy that he crossed Chloe's eyes. She gazed, secretly adoringly. Beautiful suit, strong body, big, animated green eyes and expressive brows. Paired with pucker me lips, strong shoulders, sexy thighs and that masculine, adorable remnant of his youth--the lopsided boyish grin.

She? Was in love.

She purred quietly and wriggled her brows at Shayla, giggling wickedly.

Shayla snorted. "Ewwww." But she snuggled back next to her friend. "Enough already, Morgan!!!" She tossed a handful of popcorn at the screen and watched it rain down.

"Shayla, don't do that," Lex said patiently. "I'm going to have to clean that up later."

She snorted. "No you're not. You'll make Enrique or Maria do it."

"That's true, but still, it's the principle of things. Someone not you will have to clean that up."

"Don't wanna seem like some spoiled rich kid." Clark said lightly, innocently, wickedly.

"He's an eclectic, sexy individual of individualness." Stated from beside Shayla, glaring at her before going back to mooning.

"Yeah, well," Pete muttered, as he came back in, side stepping Clark's swinging feet, a puppy, and a pile of pillows. "We're gonna go spoiled rich kid our asses back to Shay's room." He bent down and gathered Shayla's pillow and favorite teddy bear, and in doing so gathered her up too, to get her on her feet.

Artie yapped at Pete as he was stepped over, and he snapped his teeth at a pant leg as it passed over him.

Shayla popped up to her feet, grinning at Pete. "Yeah! We're gonna go... yeah, talk about the special, that's it." She flashed the grin at everyone else in the room, and followed him, grabbing her teddy bear on the way out.

"Hey, Shay?" Whitney called it out, from where his head was lying against Clark's knee.

"Yuh?"

"You look good without the pink."

She grinned. "Thanks." And then followed Pete out the door.

Pete did a little dance in the doorway to make Clark laugh, flashed his dweeby 'bout to get some' face, and dashed after Shay.

Clark did laugh, hard, as Pete scooted off, and he set his head on Lex's as the show came back from commercial break. His fingers were stroking through Whitney's hair gently on his leg as they watched, and his eyes widened as the camera panned on twin stony faces and on Diane's slightly shocked one. "Uht oh."

"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?"

"After this travesty of an interview, you really feel the need to ask that, Ms. Sawyer?"

"Meee-OW!" Chloe burst into giggles beside them.

"Gee, Bitch. That's not a hard question." Lex reached down, and pulled Chloe up to lean against his other side.

"And you, Mr. Senatori?"

It's Luthor, Ms. Sawyer."

Clark's mouth dropped, not at all by his choosing, and he physically winced as he took a glance at his aushna'.

"Luthor?" Lex asked softly. "When the fucking hell did that happen?" His hand was tight on Chloe's shoulder, and he let go before he hurt her. "WHEN THE FUCKING HELL DID THAT HAPPEN??" he bellowed.

"A month ago." Chloe said meekly from beside him, and she winced too, squeaking and hiding under Whitney's arm.

"We.. .we tried to keep it from you, baby." A gentle stroke over his aushna's shoulder to calm him down. "We didn't want you to...." Cough. "Flip out."

"A MONTH AGO???" Lex shot a one-glare-fits-all-glare around the room. "AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME!!"

Clark whimpered too, and winced from his lover as he hid under Whitney's other arm, craning down from his seated position to do so. "Oh boy."

"--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."

"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."

"Think we can make it to Mexico before daybreak?" Chloe stage whispered to both boys.

"You mean to tell me that Dominic Senatori has taken my father's name and nobody saw fit to tell me this?" Lex threw the remote control off the television, and it bounced off with a loud crack as the impact against the glass shattered the plastic housing. "Not even my father and his fucking little lackey!!!"

"Kenep!" Clark barked it, glaring at him hard as the plastic flew. "Calm yourself, this instant." We didn't tell you because we knew you would react just like this. Don't lose your temper, and don't frighten our sha'nauch.

Don't tell me to be calm! Lex snarled it. But he calmed down nevertheless, feeling the insidious calmness of his aushna' spreading into his consciousness, little tendrils that wrapped around his anger and dissolved it and defused it, just as quickly as it had leapt up.

Chloe's eyes were huge, hiding under her boyfriends arm for real now as they'd both sat up the moment the plastic had crashed into a million pieces flew, and she grasped her lovers waist tightly as she swallowed and watched the two men stare each other down. "oh, boy." She whispered.

You must be calm. Do not let this anger you. They did not keep it to themselves to be mean to you, Kenep, they kept it close because they were too busy to think otherwise.

Whitney held Chloe tightly, arm tight around her waist as he protected her from the shards of flying plastic, and he stroked the back of her hair. "oh yeah," he said, just as softly.

This is my family, Kal. I am angry because I was disregarded yet again; this information is something I should have been told and was not. It was simple consideration, and it was not afforded to me. And after all I have done for them.

Kenep, "Stop!" they LOVE you, do not say that! Do not! You are angry but do not be angry, please. Do not let it get like it was.

Chloe's throat bobbed with Clark snarled, and she hid again under Whitney's arm as she realized they were yelling at each other in their heads. Wicked cool, but she was freaked and intended to stay that way.

I will be angry, Kal! I will be angry until I am accorded the respect that I have rightfully earned!!! His arms crossed firmly over his chest and his jaw locked as he swallowed.

Then go. Go speak to them, and tell them that. Do not tell me that, because I already know. Go. Clark glared right back, looking away to his sha'nauch. "Are you both alright?"

Lex snarled a line of cursing in Kryptonian in his lover's head, and scowled. "I'll be back." He kicked the door open on his way out, and it slammed into the rock wall, denting the brass door knob.

Whitney nodded. "Yeah. I think so. Little freaked out--man, he's got a short fuckin' fuse."

"When it comes to his parents and their leaving him out of stuff, he...loses it. Are you hurt?" Clark asked it, as he ran his fingers over his lovers cheek, then through Chloe's hair as he watched the door slam open, and snarled right back in Kryptonian at him through their link. "Come on. Lets get you to your room."

Whitney couldn't help the snicker. "His... parents???????" He pulled himself up to his feet with Clark's hand, and then reached down, pulling Chloe up beside him. "You okay, sweetie?"

"I'm okey!" Little squeak from her as she rose to her feet, clearing her throat softly as she wound her arm around Whitney's waist, wincing at the door, and reaching out to Lex as much as she could in her heart.

"Parents." Clark affirmed, smiling quietly.

"Hope you don't use that around him!" Whitney tightened his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. "Come on. How about a hot bubble bath? I'll run it for you."

Only if I can use Frankie."

-fin-

go on to the next part