The Memoirs

"Think you gotta keep me iced? You don't. Think I'm gonna spend your cash? I won't. Even if you were broke, my looove don't cost a thing!"

The wedding boutique was lovely. Just… lovely. Hundreds of dresses, expensive dresses, with lace and gauze and taffeta, silk and satin and poofy undergarments that were just so feminine.

And Toni sighed at them, deeply, from the bridesmaid's side of the store, dreamily, biting her lip at a scoop necked, big old poofy bottomed dress, and had to all but physically rip her eyes away to pay attention to her friend.

Friday afternoon. Toni, before she'd left to meet Fellie in the city, had completely done over Shaney's room. Put his toys up, put together his high chair and swings, playpen too, and had left Rosalyn caring for him to come out and help her dearest friend in all the world and her soon to be husband.

Someone shoot him. Wedding dresses, flowers, a teary fiancé, and Ethan wanted to run. Out. Screaming. He'd made a few brides maids suggestions, and when his darling fiancé had just stared at him like he'd grown a third head, he'd decided to stay out of it. It was safer that way. So he was sitting off to one wall, staring, with a heavy sigh, at nothing.

"What did you find?" Felicia was all but swooning in the back corner of the store, a full length powder blue bridesmaid dress that was simply the perfect color to match the rest of the silk in the settings, and she was bouncing excitedly as she waved it. "Over here, bring it back here, cause you've got to see this! Ethan!!! What do you think?" She held the blue dress over her head, so her poor, suffering, fiancée could see it. and she'd make it up to him tonight.

Aces. Thumbs up. Interested smile. Then back to sulking.

Toni grinned, shaking her head at the poor man, and set the pink gown she'd been looking at over her arm as she maneuvered her way around the dresses. Taffeta everywhere, and she was just about in heaven. She beamed, giggling as she lifted the dress to look at it, and peered at it with the knowing eye of a woman. "Who are your brides maids again?"

"You, Carolyn, Martha Kent, and a couple of my girlfriends from the hospital. Dominic's giving me away, and I think Jonathan is going to be Ethan's best man." She thrust the blue dress towards Toni. "Oh, that'd look so precious on you, but do you think it'll match Martha's hair?"

"Baby, it wouldn't match Martha's belly." Toni grinned, though she did love it, but... She lifted the very soft pink gown, that was Victorian princess style, with the scooped neck and long gown and train. "This one is gorgeous."

"But, I bet we can have the dresses fitted and let out!" Felicia gripped the blue dress tightly, and then dropped it as Toni showed her the pink one. "Ooooh!!! That is so gorgeous! Ethan!!!!!!!!!!!! What do you think of this pink one??"

"Its nice. Didn't you already--" See that? Using police instincts, he just plastered a smile on his face. "Its nice."

"Thought you'd like it." Toni beamed, and showed her the lacy sleeves and the train, which she put against herself and pointed as it fluttered out. "Just a little one. And look, look at the poofiness. Its poofy. This is like prom all over again, only we get to buy EIGHT dresses, not two!"

Felicia gave a little squeal. "Put it over there, on the good rack!" She bounced on her heels. "I can't wait to see what kind of dress Dominic brings me back. He and Lionel better bloody well bring back something good!"

'The good rack' Ethan mouthed to himself, and thunked back in the chair, declining the offered coffee one of the women who owned the shop offered him… then on second thought, took it. He was ready to pass out. Why, on gods earth, had he agreed to come? Oh, that's right, Ethan, He thought with not just a little self loathing, That's how the destruction of the first marriage happened.

Now I know why I didn't go.

"Okay!" Toni beamed and set the dress on the personal rack the owners had given them. Fifteen dresses so far, and she all but danced and kept looking.

Felicia took one look around, and then padded over to her fiancée and sat carefully in his lap, avoiding the coffee. "Hey, baby," she said, sympathetically.

"Hi." Ethan smiled at her, careful to move the coffee onto the little side table. He offered his best smile, much as he could, and swallowed.

She put her arms around his neck and hugged. "I owe you for this. You know that, right?"

"You owe me so very, very big for this." Said with a soft smile, because Fellie hugs were nothing to be joked about. He hugged her, warmly, gently, and kissed her hair. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, Fel."

Ethan hugs. Ohhh. She snuggled into them, sure. "I am. I'm going to pick out the most beautiful dresses you've ever seen, for me and the bridesmaids, and you're going to be marryin' the most beautiful woman in Smallville."

"Already am. Ain't no pink taffet-er gonna change that." He murmured, and pressed his lips to her cheek shyly even as he shooed her off. "Go on. I'll just sit here an' have my brains dribble out of my ears."

She blushed at that, and kissed him softly for the compliment. "Y'ain't, but thank you for saying that." Another kiss to his mustache. "Tell you what, next time I find a dress I like, you can help me try it on and get illicit smoochies?"

"You comin' on to me in public, Felicia May?" Ethan asked softly, though he was smiling, and gently ran his hands down her petite back, still small, though her middle was an entirely different story. "Might hafta haul you in for public displays of--"

"We get it. Get you're getting married. Could you both lay off the kisses?!" Toni demanded, smile widening her cheeks as she grasped her friend and tugged. "Come on. Dresses!"

"You bet your sweet ass I'm comin' onto you, Ethan Goodall." She smirked, and then oofed as Toni tugged on her. "Hey, I'm gettin' love from my man!" She wrinkled her nose at Ethan as she nuzzled him. "I'll be back!!!"

He just... waved a hand, with a sigh.

YES! Toni always won. She tugged her dearest friend in the world over to some baby green dresses, with red velvet trim, that looked so Irish, and so pretty. "Look at these! Made of green silk and the velvet and buttons are just eeee! And there's the poofy underneath parts! Graham and I had sex."

Felicia stumbled as she went over to the dresses, and rubbed her hand over the velvet. "This is totally num--what the fuck did you just say?" So, maybe she shrieked it, the profanity lost in the supersonic sound of the squeal.

"Hmm?" Innocent eyelash flutter.

Felicia forcibly lowered her voice. "You had sex???"

"Once. Well, once and a half." Toni teased, eyebrow raised as she took the gown down in her size, as she got stuck being the model for all the dresses.

"How do you have sex a half a time?" she hissed, pushing her friend towards the dressing room and following right behind.

"Ever hear of 'third base'?" Toni asked, still grinning as she took the other sixteen dresses, smiled at the woman holding the door to the huge dressing room open, and stepped in.

"How the hell did you get to third base with tall dark and dumb a post?" she demanded.

"After the sex." Toni teased right back, though she'd kept her friend in suspense long enough. "Last week. We had sex. Kind of spur of the moment. It wasn't that great, but its these pain meds he's on. We... movedintogether," Didn't look at her friend when she said it, cause she knew what she'd say, "And last night... we touched, for real. And ohhhhmuhgawd."

"MOVED IN TOGETHER?"

Cough. Cough. "Maybe."

"ANTONIA BRAXTON WHAT THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?" she bellowed, again proving that she could have held her own with the Senatori clan in that respect.

Toni winced and hung the dresses up on the wrack built into the room, as she quickly stripped out of her clothes. "I... yeah. I mean… yeah." Crap. Another wince, hard, and she was foolhardy and fool in love, and she waited for the onslaught from her friend as she toed off her shoes.

Felicia just rolled her eyes hard enough she was sure they were rattling in her head. "What in the name of Hell overtook you to do that, Toni!!"

"His face. He asked me to move in with him, cause he loves me. And I think... maybe, just maybe, he really does. You have no idea, Fel, no idea. Last night… we didn't… we touched, and… yeah, but... it was the most beautiful thing I've ever been a part of. He didn't ask for himself, barely wanted me to give to him. It was lovely, Fellie, so lovely."

Felicia kicked her best friend under the dressing room door. "You!! You are going to be the death of me, Toni Marie Braxton!" Felicia put her hands on widely spreading hips. "If that man breaks your heart, I'm going to have to kick his ass!"

Toni grinned, opened the door, and hauled her friend in. "Come in here and shut up before everyone in Smallville hears. Come on, do you want to hear about the sex or not?" She was down to bra and panties, hands on her hips and glaring at her friend as she began to unzip the first dress.

Felicia slammed the dressing room door behind her. "Do you really need me to tell you all the reasons why this IS A BAD IDEA?"

"Already got them in my head. Don't worry... I didn't sell the apartment. I am, however," And Toni ticked them off. "Falling in love with his kind, falling in love with his house, desperately in love with him, love being around him, near him, love the Senatori family, love knowing I'm part of them, have already spread my stuff everywhere, and will probably have it end badly, have a horribly broken heart, move back to my hovel, cry for six months, try to piece my life together, and life on, once more, jaded by love and hating the world." A deep breath, and a sigh. "And it would have all been worth it."

"I'm going to kill him. And then Ethan is going to have to arrest his wife."

She smiled, as she pulled the dress on over her head. "Kill him why?"

"Because he is in no way ready for a lady like you, and I'm going to kill him before he breaks your heart." Huge sigh. "Honey... I love you. You're like, my best friend and my sister and everything else, and I swear, I'm going to kill him."

She giggled, and turned so Fellie could help her tug the dress down. "He has a mouth like a god."

"Doesn't matter." She tugged the dress down over Toni's back and bottom, and straightened it over her hips. "Don't wanna know about anybody's mouth but Ethan's, and he can work magic with it."

"Oh please. You share sordid stories, I'll share mine." A glare over her shoulder. "But, seriously. He's a great guy, Fellie. Loves me, I know. He's just kind of... how do I say this nicely... an idiot."

"Idiot? Not even the word." She stood back and looked at the green dress. "That looks fabulous on you, honey."

"Doesn't it? Even with my belly." She turned and pushed her very pregnant friend into the chair, and took on a very high, horrible accent. "And hea' we have the laaatest in english fassssshion." A twirl.

"Mmmm. We're definitely keeping that as one of the options. Try on the pink princess one next; I don't care how much of a town joke it used to be, I just love the look of it."

"Whatever was that anyway?" Toni asked with a raised brow, as she carefully tugged the dress off, hung it up, and pulled down the next one.

"The pink princess joke?" She lowered her voice. "You remember that little Lang girl? Parents died in the meteor shower? Anyway, there was a very cruel running joke about her being a pink fairy princess, cause there was this big to-do about a picture of her in a magazine with the fairy princess costume, and all she wore was pink. All the time. It was kind of mean-spirited, and I'm not really sure how it got around cause almost everybody seemed to love her."

"Oh, dear God, you mean that vapid black haired girl that used to work at the Talon?! The faiwy pwintheth?!" Toni stared at her friend for exactly point five seconds. "I had her best friend in at the ER once for falling out of a plate glass window, and I was checking the girl's dressings, and all that little girl would do was talk. About. herself."

"That's the girl," Felicia nodded solemnly.

"She was supposed to be the town princess, right? I think Clark mentioned her once to me, back in his straight days. Fellie? I hate this dress." Toni cut herself off and twirled, shuddering as she did it. Pink taffeta was not at all a good look on her dark honey skin, and she sighed, fist on her hip. "I look like the run-away victim of a bubble gum factory explosion."

"Yeah, that's her. Everybody loved her, and like, the world ended last summer when she died, poor thing." Felicia looked at the dress. "But it's so PRETTY!!!!!" she squealed. "The cut, the scoop neck, the sleeves!" She fluttered her fingers at the ruffles. "The ruffles!!"

Toni... just stared. Didn't say a word. Just...lifted some of the ruffles around the neck… and let them drop. "Your wedding, toots." She shuddered, and winced, reaching around to pull a wedgie out from the dress riding a liiiiiiiiiiittle too high. "Isn't it… uh. Well. Pink?"

"It's pink. Okay. But I know what I want!!" She gave a little squeal. "Okay. this is the style we want. Let's see if they got it in any other colors!" Another little squeal. "Can't wait for Ethan to see this!!"

"But... the green… its..." Much more beautiful, lovely, and this dress is going to make me look fat? "Yeah. Definitely, I agree, Fellie. These are it. Maybe in something... sky blue? or... maybe green?"

She was struck by a sudden second of indecision. "The green. With the red trim." Sigh. "Okay. Let's find the pink ruffled dress in green, and if we can't, we'll go with the pretty green and red velvet, kay? That sound good? Yeah."

"YES!" Cough. "I mean… sure." She beamed at her friend and began to shuffle out of the pink taffeta nightmare, squirming until it plopped around her feet, and she was once more in her panties and bra. "I agree. Ask the girl, will you? I'll try on the next one."

"No! No more trying on! Because I'll never be able to decide, and I like these two, and just... no!!"

"Okay!" Toni snickered, and hugged her friend. Effectively got her OFF the subject of Graham, now hadn't she? "The green or the pink. Got it. I'm going to get dressed, okay? And after this, we gotta take Ethan somewhere manly. Somewhere... like a steak house. With lots of beer."

Little squeak. "Yes!! Cause he's going to kill me if I don't!" Little girly dance of picking out dresses, and then she glared. "You know, you and me have to finish our Graham talk," she said, waggling her finger.

"Bull." But Toni smiled, broadly, and hugged her friend again, as she wiggled into jeans. "These are beautiful, Fellie. Just beautiful. I think they're the perfect choice, whichever you decide."

"I really like the ruffles," she sighed.

"I know, and I'll forgive you for it, someday." Snickered. T-shirt in place, tennis shoes on socked feet, and Toni grabbed her satchel, looping it back over her head and grabbing the dresses they wanted. "Come on, lets go see about it. Pink really is pretty."

"But so is the green!" She burst out of the dressing room almost bouncing. "ETHAN!!!!! We got it down to two!!!!!"

In his head, the angles were singing hallelujah. "That's… wonderful news, honey. Let me see them?"

"Kay!" she sang out, and grabbed the dresses from Toni. She ran across the store, and skidded to a halt in front of her fiancée. "Here you go!!" She thrust the green dress forward with one hand, and the pink ruffles with the other. "These are the two, which one do you like??"

That was a trick question, and he was fairly certain if he picked the wrong one, he was going to have to see her cry. And the last thing Ethan wanted was to see her cry, because it just killed him. "Uh.... well," He rubbed the back of his neck. "They're both... nice. You choose."

A little keening noise that sounded suspiciously like a sob. "Eeeeeeeeethan!!!"

Oh, God, and the horror came three fold.

And he was going to run away with Toni to Mexico.

"Girl, please. He's a man! What do men know?" Yeah, Toni knew how her friend got, and yeah, she could see the look of panic and horror on Ethan's face, so she grasped her friends arm and steered her towards the girls waiting to assist. "Why you brought me along, remember?"

"Yeah, but!!" She threw a look at Ethan over her shoulder. "I love you, sweetie!" she yelled over her shoulder as Toni hustled her off. "But it's his wedding tooooooo!!"

"Nooo, its not. This is your wedding, he's just invited. He'll be too hung over from the bachelor party, anyway. Come on, come ooon. Hello! Hello, miss?"

The young woman, Veronica, smiled kindly. "Hello, did you find the design you were looking for?"

Felicia was getting sobby, but she took a deep breath. "These are the two we like, and I'd really like to have the ruffledy one in green, but if not, then I'm gonna need six of the green and red ones like this!"

"Ohh... I'm sorry. The ruffled one only comes in pink and blue." Veronica smiled, gently, and pointed to the green and red. "This is a lovely choice anyway, if you decide to go with it. This is our floor model... what we'll do is have all of your brides maids come in for a fitting, and we'll have the dresses made especially for their body types." She smiled and nodded. "We do that for all of our gowns, wedding, brides maids, and the mother of the bride."

A bounce. "Okay! Then that's what we want, right there! The green and red!!" She bounced again as she looked at Toni. "Okay. How long does it take to get the dresses back after the measurements?"

"If you're able to get all the ladies brought in for their measurements in one week, we'll be able to finish the dresses in two to four weeks, depending on the number of dresses we'll need to make." Veronica smiled, brilliantly, at the beautiful dress, and gave a little sigh. "Just between you both and me, that's my favorite dress. We sell it in blue and gold, as well, and that's what I had in my own wedding last year."

"Blue and gold?" Toni's ears perked, eyes wide. "Ooooooo. Fellie.."

Felicia gave a little hand flutter. "We have several pregnant women in our wedding party--" A pause. "Blue? And Gold?" Another blink. "But... the green.... but, oh, blue." Another little hand flutter. "Blue! Blue and Gold! forget the green. We'll go with the blue and gold, but that means I have to call the designer and have her change the table settings from chlorophyll to navy, but that's fine, cause this is beautiful!"

Veronica laughed, and stepped around the counter, disappearing into the dresses...before returning with the deep, velvet blue and the lovely golden stitches. "Here they are." She set the sweeping gown on the counter, and smiled. "The good thing about this dress is that its stunning, but at the same time, it won't overpower the bride, no matter what she wears."

"Oooho, Toni!!!!" Felicia rubbed her hands over the soft blue velvet. "Yes!!! This is the color!!" She looked at the salesgirl hopefully. "Do you have a swatch of this I can show to the planner and the coordinator so they know what color we're wearing and how it'll match?"

"Of course!" The sales girl went under the counter and came back with a large box, which had an endless number of folders in it, and she sorted through it until she came up on the number the dresses tag had. "Okay... here we go." She tugged one of the strips of blue velvet out, and handed it over. "We need it back when you're through, if you don't mind, but there it is."

"That's... gorgeous," Toni answered, softly, running her fingers over the velvet. "Just gorgeous. Fellie, Jesus, they're beautiful. This is just what we'll need."

"Yes!!!!!" She pumped her fist in the air in victory. "I'll bring it back, I promise!" She clutched the blue velvet tightly in her hand and just beamed at Toni. "I'll call the bridesmaids tonight and tell them to come here, make appointments. It's the Goodall wedding."

"Okay, hold on just a moment." Veronica smiled at her again and took out her contact book, carefully thumping through it to the date, and wrote it down. "Is there a number we can reach you at?"

"Of course." She recited her phone number to the girl. "You can get Ethan or I there, and oh! I'm going to be starting at LuthorCorp on Monday, so if you call the main Smallville switchboard, they'll send you through to me, cause I'm not sure what my extension or anything is going to be."

"Got it." Veronica wrote it all down, and smiled again at her. "Congratulations, and we'll call you when we're all ready."

Felicia gave Toni a huge hug, and then bounced back over to Ethan, and thrust the velvet strip at him. "This is going to be the color of the dresses, but they're going to look like the green one, and they'll take a month to come back plus we're going to switch the color scheme of the reception to match the bridesmaid dresses, and I love you!"

Ethan just... he sighed, he smiled, and he rose to his feet, to wind his arm around her waist. "I love you. If we're done, lets get the hell out of dodge and go find some food and a place where I can scrub my brain out."

"We're done!!" She hugged his waist tightly and squeezed. "Toni and I are taking you for steak and beer, you know, one of those places where you throw peanut shells on the floor and all." Huge grin as she cuddled her lawman.

"Thank Christ. I love you, Toni."

"Don't I know it." Toni snickered, and wriggled her brows as she waltzed out of the boutique in front of them.

- = - = -

The train ride had been both relaxing and nerve-wracking. It had been relaxing, sitting in the comfortable private car, watching the beautiful, lush greenery slide by the car window, and he'd reflected more than once that he knew realized why Ireland was called the Emerald Isle.

It had been relaxing, listening to Dominic's voice and Gideon's thick brogue as they talked amongst themselves, and Dominic gave a non-stop lecture on the sights.

It had been utterly nerve-wracking as he heard story after story of Dominic's family, and he was beginning to wonder if they were all apes crossed with hooligans as the train halted in the station. He looked, out the window, and cringed when he was faced with a sea of nearly twenty blond and freckled faces, and he fervently hoped they weren't all there for him and his lover even as he had a deep-seated feeling in the pit of his gut that they were.

"--and that's how the heart of St. Laurence O'Toole came to be in a casket on the Christ Church of Ireland's wall." Dominic smiled, softly, at his dear friend, as he squeezed Lionel's hand gently. He'd watched the Irish countryside go past, his quiet lover beside him, and though the quietness of him had worried him, Dominic was too busy recounting the tales he so loved dearly to his friend, who'd heard them a million times or more, but this was sort of the tradition, to speak of these tales on the way back from Dublin. Only this time, instead of Graham, Dominic and Gideon, it was the latter two, and one husband to boot.

And how Dominic loved his husband. He pressed a kiss to the back of his hand, gently, and squeezed just softly as the train finally stopped in the train station in Cork. The land, twenty minutes before, had changed, thickened, lovely and wonderful, with the grass going greener, the land of city becoming land of country, and he'd pointed out various land formations as they'd reached the lower Cork and Kerry region, where Dominic was from.

All his cousins were standing on the platform, and he grinned, looking at his lover, than his kin, and leaned over Lionel's shoulder to point. "Jacob, Jeremiah, Margee, Victor, Andrew, Audaline, and Shawn. Christ, Shawn got big. Come now, lets go give them a proper welcome. Gideon, have you got our ticket stubs?" Dominic rose and shouldered his bag, both of them, and grabbed one of the suitcases.

Lionel was mouthing each name as it rolled off his lover's tongue. "Jacob, Jeremiah, Margee, Victor, Andrew, Audaline, Shawn." That only left about thirteen nameless clansmen out there, and Lionel gathered the other suitcase, gave one of the bags to Dominic, and kept the other two for himself. "Jesus Christ," he muttered under his breath, and he paused to make way for Gideon to roll out first, and then followed his lover.

Gideon was hard pressed to keep from laughing his ass off. "Dinna think I ever seen yer better half there s'scared a'fore," he snorted to Dominic as he rolled down the ramp.

Dominic followed, and would have spoken if he weren't suddenly assaulted.

"Deare' CREEST, i's MARGAN!!!!!!!!!!" Jacob yelled, on top of his lungs, and sent his family into woops as he tackled his cousin with tight, heavy, hardy hugs. "Deares' GOT! And dis, dis es yer 'usban'??" Jacob took the older mans hand, firmly, passing off suitcases to his family members and tugging him into a hug. "ALLO! Welcome to Caaark!"

Dominic just...he was laughing, from hugs and kisses, speaking a mild a minute to his cousins, hugging them fiercely and grinning wildly as they took his things, and the group of them, one Lionel extra, started towards the train station doors, still chattering and babbling happily.

Lionel almost made the mistake of stiffening in the hug, but years of self control allowed him not to cringe when his personal space was invaded over and over again. He kept a crookedly happy smile on his face, honestly bemused at the nearly-instant, seemingly open acceptance he was finding here, and before he knew it he was halfway in the middle of the sea of blond people.

Yank. Yank. Yank. YANK. Come ON. NOTICE ME!

Lionel blinked, as he looked down at his moving pants leg. There was a little blond--of course, the child was blond--peeking from the back of his leg, and he sighed. He picked the little child up, who couldn't have been more than four, and sighed, tucking it in the corner of his arm. It rescued him from further hugging, at least, but the arm not holding the toddler felt like it was going to be wrung off at the elbow from all the hearty handshakes.

"Out of the WAY! Coming through!" Margee Finn, large as a bus with child, elbowed cousins aside, gave Gideon a kiss, than reached up, and cheek kissed each of the lovely mans cheeks. He was a looker, he was, and she smiled as she introduced herself. "Aye, I know they're a bit to be getting used to." She spoke in flawless English, and grinned at him as she offered her elbow. "Was based in England until about a year and a half ago, when I met my Jacob. Stick with me, and I can translate. My names Margreet, by the by, Lionel Luthor, but you can call me Marg. What a looker our Morgan snared. That's my daughter you're holdin', as well. Say hello to Mr. Luthor, my love."

"Oh, thank God," he muttered, and gave the woman a geniune, if not relieved, smile. "I was beginning to think that I was going to be stuck without a translator." He held his hand out. "Lionel Luthor, but everyone seems to know that already." He paused. "Have... you met Dominic's sister in law, Marie? You... remind me oddly of her." He didn't mention being the sane one in the nuthouse, but that was the immediate comparison.

" 'i." The little girl popped a huge hunk of Lionel's hair in her mouth and started to chew.

"Andie, you quit it," Margee clipped her hand against the little girls hand, and glared at her, in her motherly 'you better be on your best behavior', and grinned up at Lionel. "Aye, I've met Marie, a year and a half ago. Darling woman. We were just so excited about Morgan, our little lost lamb, finally coming home to see his native homeland that we had to come out and greet him. That, and Granny Finn kicked us out, with all the ruckus we were making." A warm, welcoming smile up at him. "We did up the bedroom at the cottage, added toiletries and a few groceries, plus a coffee machine, unless you want to start the days out with a pint of Guinness." A roll of her eyes at her cousins, all whooping loudly, and grinned. "You've taken care of darling Morgan. He looks wonderful. the last time I saw him, he had hair down to his shoulder blades, and little boy eyes. Now... now he looks like a man. And lookit me, I'm talking your ear off." She rose her voice. "Come on, lads, to Cobh! And none of you had better be speeding like the monkeys you are!"

Dominic was mid hug of one of his oldest cousins, laughing with him in pleasure, and hiked up one of the bags onto his arm, quickly having it taken down, as the lot of them dragged him off. He rose his voice, to his lover, laughing as he said it, "Come on, love, I don't want to be killed by my reckless cousins. Come ride with me!" Before getting dragged off, woops and yells, from his family.

"Owwww ow ow!! I sawwy, mama!!" She pouted against Lionel's shoulder, snuffling softly as she laid her head on his shoulder and started picking her nose.

Lionel just shrugged. "Quite all right, Margaret. Between Shane, his cousin Ariel, and the occasional fly-by attacks of Eleanor, I'm rather used to children chewing on my hair, my beard, or anything else they can get their hands on. In addition, my son now has three rather rambunctious puppies that have taken over our home, not to mention Dominic's hellcat, so we're both quite used to little ones running about." He was interrupted by Dominic's call, and he eyed the sea of people with no little amount of trepidation. "Do you think I can make it over there?"

"Dominic?" Margee blinked at him, before laughing at their yells to one another. "You give me the babe," She plucked her daughter from his arms, and set her on a pregnant hip. "And help Gideon, you go on and get to your husband. I'll get the tickets taken care of, and ride back with him, don't you worry!" She smiled and shifted her daughter to her other hip, before disappearing.

Dominic grinned and shifted, bumping someone with a hip, and reached out to whind his fingers through his lovers, tugging him close. "Come on, come on laddies, Granny has waited long enough. Have you got the cars, Jacob?"

"Eye, the auto's an' tha loogages! We'll b'takin' um streeeet on to tha cottage--yooo hea' to Gran's hoose. She'been mekin' steuw for tha las'three farkin' deys. She damn well loooves yeh. Come on, ledes!"

Lionel waved goodbye to the little girl, and then tightly gripped his lover's hand. One might say it was a death grip, and he hauled his lover in close as he was divested of luggage, ticket stubs, and everything else except his clothing. "Dominic... Morgan," he gritted out through clenched teeth. "Quite a charming family you have."

Dominic just beamed, indecently overjoyed, and was pulled in six different directions, lover in tow. He kept him tightly close, for fear of losing him in all the melee, and kissed family and friends when it warranted, hardly able to keep up with the melee. He walked close with them, and his lover, and agreed to have the luggage sent to the cottage, and their first stop be his gran's house. "Just for an hour or two, Lionel." He whispered in his lover ear, as everyone bellowed and yelled. "She won't let them keep us long. I'm dying for a drink and a lay-down. And you, as it were, but that's a whole other subject enti--UNCLE AIDEN!" Dominic suddenly bellowed, and let go of his lover to wrap his arms around his uncle. Enormous and ancient as the seven sees, Dominic hugged him, tightly. His favorite uncle, who he talked to every Sunday, and he laughed as he hugged him, shaking his hand tightly. "Uncle Aiden, Jesus Christ, its been so long! How I've missed you, and look, what a looker ya are still after all these years!"

Aiden was Rosalyn's older brother, and had worked with Thomas for nearly two decades on their boat together. "Aye, m'laddie, n'ye've grun lek'a stalk'o'whet in th'cornfield." Tight squeeze in bulky arms, and this man made Graham look petite. "An' w'ot kin'a milk-n-water boyo did ye bring us home?"

Dominic just beamed up at his uncle, his cousins filtering around them to the cars to get them started, Margee and her yells in tow, as he hugged him. "This is my husband, Uncle Aiden. Lionel, this is my favorite, most darling, endearing, lovely uncle, Aiden Finn, who's got a mind for the boats and the fishes." First inspection by family, REAL family, not his cousins, for his husband. His big ones, to see how Lionel faired, would be his Uncle Aiden, his gr'granny and gr'grandad, his granny of course, his grandfather, and his Aunt Maryann. First step, and he prayed to God it went well.

Aiden held out his hand expectantly, sizing up the wisp of a boy that their Morgan had brought home from the Americas. Stood a head under Aiden's towering height of seven feet and an inch, and Aiden was at least twice as broad as Lionel.

"Aiden," Lionel said firmly, grasping the hand offered to him. "Lionel Luthor, and it's a pleasure to meet you." He shook Aiden's hand firmly, squeezing back just as hard as Aiden did, refusing to give ground under the inspection.

Aiden was surprised by the firm handshake, and he quickly sized it up. There was an obvious wiry strength lurking under the lean frame, even though he wasn't outwardly muscular. A twitch of a mustached lip, and he noted Lionel didn't blink or shift as he was being obviously sized up, and the twitch of his lip spread into a smile, and he pulled Lionel into a hug. " e'll do, Margan. 'e'll do."

Dominic kept himself from dancing where he stood. Barely. The moment of obvious tension had given way to joy, and Dominic threw his arms around his uncle again, and his lover as well, and just... EEEEE! How much more EEEE could he give while in Ireland?

Quite a damn lot, as it were.

But since he was freezing his ass off, in nothing but his sweater in the cool April air, Dominic grabbed his lovers hand and tugged him towards the SUV his cousin Margee was holding open. "Are ya coming, Uncle Aiden, or with Jacob are you bound to?"

"Me fader e's 'elpin' me!" Jacob yelled, through an open window, and grinned at his darling wife. "Eh go' Shawn and de' twins! You on, to see Granny!"

Lionel felt as though his ribs were being cracked in the powerful hug, but he didn't say anything. He'd obviously passed some kind of test, and he wasn't going to put that in jeopardy again. He just grinned at his lover's honest enthusiasm, and then took his hand again firmly and dragged him towards Margaret's SUV.

Aiden inclined his head towards his son. "Aye, m'goin' wi'the boys. Yer straigh't Gran's, y'ear me? Yer no't'dally 'long the way!" Glare at Morgan. "I'll b'seein' ye at t'cott'ge."

"Bye, Uncle! We'll be seein' ya in a bit!" Dominic grinned and slid into the SUV quickly, scrambling in because he damn well knew how his relatives drove, and took his lovers hand tightly, as he smiled down at his little second cousin with a smile. "Hallo, Andie, m'dear. I see you're wearin' the pretty heart stockings I sent ya last year." He grinned, and squeezed his lovers hand, as he looked up at him. He wanted, badly, to kiss him, but in front of the little babe it might be a bit... bad.

"There we are! Buckle in tight, the road to Cobh is as bad then as it is now. We're goin' to be passing through some lovely countryside, though, and Lionel, you'll be able ta see Blarney Castle from the road. Lovely old ruin I'm sure Morgan will take you to." Margee got the old SUV started up with a rumble, checked to make sure her daughter was buckled in tight, and cranked the engine and the stick shift to get going. "Right across the bridge we'll be goin'... a twenty minute drive, if that."

Lionel jumped into the car behind his lover, snuggling him as closely as he could, and then raised his eyebrow at the little girl in the heart stockings. Same one that had been munching on his hair, and he gave her a little grin. "Margaret... thank you."

"And it isn't a trouble at all, for you're family, my dear. Though I'll refrain from mentioning the intelligence in that move, before you met the lot of us." She cackled as Dominic swiped at her, an stuck her tongue out at him before speeding out onto the road behind her brother. "An' there, we go, you can take a look out at the castle now, as we pass. Its quite lovely, and the skies a lovely blue, atop that. Hardly a day this time of year when its blue. Granny's got all kinds of tasty treats waiting, might I add, the duckling. She made dozens of tables worth of things, and oh, Andie, sit back like mommy told you."

Dominic took the moment, with his cousin chastising her child, to kiss his lover. He reached up and covered his mouth over his lovers, kissing him warmly, but deeply, hand coming up to cup his lovers cheek and cover their kiss a little from tiny eyes. Again, kissing again, softer, warmer, and he swallowed, lips slightly rosy, as he pulled apart. Oh. Oh, that was good. Lionel kissing fix. Mmmm.

Lionel would have answered if he hadn't been busy kissing his husband. Deep enough to taste, and when Dominic finally did break away, Lionel licked his lips to keep the taste on them as he sighed, sitting back in his seat and stretching lightly. "If I haven't disowned him yet because of Rosalyn, there's nothing yet that could," he said, letting a quiet grin play across his lips as he cuddled his love close.

"Oh, Jesus CREEST, I heard that blasted devil woman was living at your house. Lionel, you be a stronger person than I to keep that evil wench living under your quarters. She's part serpent, she is, though she means well, blah blah blah. Evil, I tell you, and how her brood, all loving, good people, came from her, is still a mystery lost to the ages. Speed bump!"

Thud.

Dominic bounced in his seat, grabbing his lover tightly and sighing. He snuggled him close, once they were on land again, and held him tightly, smiling as he reached up for another nibble.

"Mamaaaa! Them mens es doin' baaad thin's." Andie yelled, from her spot on the passenger seat.

"You hush now!" She smacked her hand, then her leg, then when she squealed, her hiney. "You be a good lassie, and I dunna want none of that comin' out of your mouth! They're husbands, so you hush it and mind your manners, little girl!"

Lionel murmured softly in his throat, then cleared it. "She stayed in my home right up until the time she called Shayla's young gentleman a nigger. Her welcome was quickly revoked, and she has since moved her household to the local motor inn, as she's less than welcome at Graham's, for he's seeing a beautiful lady doctor that saved both mine and Dominic's lives... and happens to be African-American." Lionel sighed, and jumped slightly when the little girl let out a squeal.

"Course she is. She's got it hard for people not like her, the devil bitch." Margee muttered, and gave Dominic a wince in apology through the rearview mirror.

"Oh, don't look like you've just killed my cat. Margee, I totally agree, though recently we got to talking, and it came out why she acts the way she does. She told me herself she's terrified of losing us, now that we haven't a need for her, a physical need for shelter and food and whatnot, the darling. She... is moving in again next week, I believe." Cough, wince without looking at Lionel. He was getting his butt beat for that one.

"Lionel my dear, may the Gods be with ya! And ohhh, Margan, out the window, we're here!"

Oh, Christ be. Home looked so much… like home, and he sighed, deeply, softly, with joy unparalleled, as he tugged Lionel to the window, and pointed.

The bay swung around the entire town, surrounding it in a small peninsula of bay and ocean. Hundreds of trees and miles of grassland, crops and little outcroppings of home, as the car moved onto the cobbled streets of home and Dominic pointed, tears in his eyes, throat closed, his fingers viced around his lovers. "There. That's where I had my first job." He whispered, gruffly, as they rolled through the main street and on through town. Oh, Jesus Christ, and a million thoughts and emotions came back to clog him up so he couldn't speak, and he swallowed, gruffly, clearing his throat a little so he could try and speak. "It hasna changed."

"No, Dominic. She is not moving back in next week. She'll burn in hell first." But then he knew his words had gone unheard when Dominic started choking up. He wrapped his arms around his lover, looking at where he was being pointed, and leaving kisses in a trail over the back of his shoulder. "It's beautiful, Dominic, and it looks like you."

"A'course it hasna changed. It was waitin' for you, my love." Margee smiled, breaking to let an ancient woman pass the street, and it warmed her heart, endeared her deeply, to see the tears in his eyes and pricking the corners. She smiled at the rear view mirror and kept on, down the street, taking a left on one corner and down the lane, towards the rows of cozy little town homes all set in snug rows.

Dominic's fingers tightened on his lovers hand, then his wrist and arm, holding him tightly close to him as he looked. Everything, the homes, the boats, the smell of sea and salt, the fish and clams and oysters, the history and the culture here and he bit his lip, tightly, until the bitten lip let go with a cry. "That! That's my gran's house!"

"Aye it is, indeed." Margee grinned, and she swung into a parallel park in front of the modest apartment style homes, before shutting the car off and getting her keys, and her daughter, as she climbed out. "Come on, leave your electronic lap computer and such, we'll retrieve it later. Your granny's gone hysterical in waiting, my love."

Dominic nodded, quickly, and tugged his belt off, opening it and climbing down and out. He grasped his lover, tightly...then choked on the laugh, half sob and half sound of joy, as a kitchen mitt fell on his head.

"Morgan Senatori! Morgan Senatori, you get your beautiful little ass up here!"

"Granny! Well stop buggering talking to me from your terrace and buzz us in!"

"And if I didn't I'll be a lying dog! Bring your handsome man, and Margee, don't forget the strudel from your trunk!"

Dominic laughed, the sound caught between cry and joy, and tugged his lover with him, up to the front of the building. It was indeed unlocked, and he pushed through, carefully, heading up the steps with a heavy, deep elation in him. Unbelievable, what he'd missed all these years, and the joy was unspeakable.

Lionel caught the oven mitt as it bounced off Dominic's head, and held it, because he didn't get much of a chance to do anything else with it. As he was tugged up the stairs behind his lover, he looked at the surroundings, the hallways that seemed well-kept, but yet were slightly dingy with the feeling of being lived in, functional and full of families rather than the cold impersonality of American hallways.

Up he went, up and up and up, and he thanked Christ he was still in good shop as they cleared at least five flights of stairs and possibly more before they stopped at the landing of one, and proceeded down the hallway. It was surprisingly quiet, as he'd expected screaming children, and he still had the oven mitt tucked into his belt as he drew in deep breaths of air that was, even inside the building, tinged with salt, fish, and brine.

And there she was. Awaiting her beautiful grandbaby, and his chosen life mate. Dressed in a sweater and jeans, though she looked lovely and she knew it. And there... there was her grandbaby, with tears in his eyes. All of his long, beautiful hair was gone, replaced with the short spikey thing, and though she'd seen pictures she'd never realized just how short it was. He'd grown some sort of fuzz on his face, but the eyes, those big, big green eyes, were all his, as she rushed down the hall and met him halfway. Just, hugged the stuffing out of him, out of her beautiful grandbaby, and here came the tears, but she couldn't help it because oh, he was just so beautiful. She rambled, in Gaelic, quickly and effortlessly, as she let go enough to cup his cheeks and pinch them, then hugging him tightly all over again. "My little teacup, how I have missed you, my handsome boy, my little angel from above, oh my darling how I have missed you!"

Dominic was in no way any better. He was trying not to cry as he held his granny, smelling like… Granny, and food, and her favorite perfume, hugging her tightly even as he spoke back to her. "I missed you, Grandmother, I missed you so much, its been too long, too long since I've seen you. I'm so sorry, I won't ever leave for that long again. You're so beautiful, my grandmother, I missed you so much."

She let go, enough, to squeeze his cheeks with her palms, and Crystabel Finn looked up and took in her grandbabies husband. Tall, with dark, flowing hair, deep hair, a beard, and eyes that shone with the bottoms of his soul. She could see everything in those eyes full of expression and life, and she smiled, at the both of them, as they made the most beautiful match, and tugged. "Come now, come in, come in, everyone's waiting. We'll only keep them for a bit, before kicking them out, so you both might eat in peace. Come now, come come."

Lionel held the blue and white gingham oven mitt out. "I believe this belongs to you, madam," he said softly, and he hadn't even tried to understand the stream of Gaelic that had poured out of the both of them. He smiled softly at her, and then wrapped a possessive arm around his lover's waist. "Kicking them all out sounds like an excellent idea, Ms. Finn."

Oh. He was just darling, now wasn't he? Just absolutely darling, and Gran smiled at him, and took the mitt back, beaming at the both of them for a moment before, oh yes. She shooed them into her home, smiling at the handsome man on her teacups arm, and closed the door behind them, to the roar of voices and happy exclamations as Morgan was swamped by her children. She took the opportunity, as amusing as it was, because she and her grand baby would have time in just a moment. "Come with me, darling husband of my Morgan, and tell me your name." Though of course she knew his name, knew everything about him, and he was just as handsome as Morgan had said. "And you can hide away from the hooligans I raised. Come now, into the kitchen."

Hiding away. That sounded, at the moment, like the perfect solution. "My name is Lionel Luthor, Ms. Finn, and it's quite the pleasure to meet you; I've heard a great deal about you from Dom--Morgan." He had to stop and correct himself mid-sentence. "I do believe he worships the ground you walk on."

"Of course he does. And I know you didn't know that till recently, now did you?" Granny shooed him into the kitchen, bustling great grandbabies out from underfoot, and closed it for a moments reprieve. "Do you know, darling Lionel Luthor, what its like to have most of my children, grandchildren, and great grand children under one roof? I was ready to toss myself out of the terrace when you both drove up." She grinned at him, broadly, and tucked some of her ash white hair, with a few golden wisps, back into her bun before washing her hands.

"I would believe it, quite easily, actually," Lionel said gamely, leaning against the door and in the process, using his bulk to block it and wedge it shut should anyone try to invade this precious little island of calm and quiet. "I was ready to bury Rosalyn under the foundations of my home not long after she arrived."

A horrible, rude snort as she motioned him over, threw the lock she'd installed herself last year on the lock, and handed him a dish rag. "Feel free to be comfortable, Lionel, love. And if you call me Ms Finn once more, I'll Ms. Finn you back to Amerkay. I am Granny, Gran, or Granma, and I'll even accept Granny Finn, just for you." her lips quirked. "Now, do you know how to peel mussels or not, my darling?"

Lionel wiped his hands on the dishrag, and could have kissed the woman's cheek for throwing the lock. "I have absolutely no--" intention "--idea how to peel mussels."

"Its quite easy. I'll show you, and then you can tell me how you met my Morgan. And its alright, because I know he goes by Dominic in Amerikay. My darling is quite the secretive little teacup, but not with his Granny." She pulled the pot open, where the fresh muscles, still alive and clacking, were rattling. Filled with water ready to boil, and she closed it, and put the heat on under the pot itself, as she got down her seasons.

"Dominic came to work for me... almost twenty years ago now," Lionel mused softly. "Fresh off the boat he was, and I'm ashamed to admit, I had written him off as coarse and ignorant until I overheard him telling off one of my clerks about a missed appointment. Started promoting him right afterwards, and I don't think he ever knew why I picked him out of the crowd. I thought that if he could stand up and say what he thought, then he'd go far in the company." Deep sigh. "There are times I wish he hadn't caught my attention so early on, because it brought other, worse attention to bear on him, but it resulted him my last assistant being fired, and Dominic promoted in his place."

"Aye, and my baby told me, many years ago." She sobered, quietly, and looked at the lovely man, tipping her head. "Lionel, I have thirteen children, twenty four grand children, and forty seven great grandchildren, your Briar Rose not counting just yet. And in all of my family, husband and parents included, Morgan is my favorite. But shh, you didn't hear it from me." Her lips quirked, slightly, as she brought the now dead mussels back down from boiling. "And I want the best for my baby boy. I like to think, from what he's told me, that you are the best, and seeing you now, I can't help but agree. If you were able to get past my Rosalyn unscathed, you are truly a special man."

"My lips are sealed, Ms. Finn." Couldn't call her Gran. "I wouldn't exactly call it unscathed. She and I have had our altercations, and she persists in calling me little boy, despite the fact I have flat-out forbidden it."

She glared and flicked her wash cloth at him. "Gran. And my dear, if you are still alive, breathing, and without needing hospitalization for you or her, than I call it unscathed. Alright, my dear, come over here, and let me show you." She opened the pot and pushed her hands in, the second pot, already with hot water and waiting, next to it. "Crack them... like so." She cracked the muscle open the long way, easily, and dumped the innards into the pot. "There we are. We're only needing ten or o like that, and the rest I'll boil normal for appetizers. You like to eat, my dear?"

Lionel barely kept a straight face. "I do eat, yes. Dominic believes I don't eat enough, but that's simply because I don't eat half the house like he does." Despite his earlier silent insistence that he wouldn't be doing this, Lionel found himself rolling up his sleeves and cracking the shells open.

They opened easier than he thought, and he couldn't help smiling softly. The fencing did come in handy now and then, when it came to upper body strength.

Eee! Gran was in love. Not a soul on this earth could have been better for her Morgan. "There we are, that's the spirit! You've got it, right on. And as for eating, Morgan just eats people out of house and home more often than not." She grinned and wiped her hands on her apron, as she began to get the heated pots into the second stove built into the wall to keep warm. "We've got salmon, poached and roasted to whatever it is you like, a classic Irish stew, vegetables, oysters, and a mushroom soup. And oh, for desert, strawberries and cream. Oh, that's lovely, you're doing a wonderful job. I should have had you all these years when none of my young poppets didn't want nil to do with the kitchen but loved eating."

Lionel gave a soft laugh at that. "I'm not afraid of what needs to be done, but I'm afraid my culinary skills are quite lacking, so much so that when my wife would cook, she would forbid me near the kitchen in fear that I'd ruin what she was making." Lionel cracked open the last of the mussels, and swept the shells into the garbage can nearby. "That sounds like the perfect Dominic-sized meal."

"Mm, and I'm cooking for fifteen." Gran smiled, though she watched his face as she spoke, and asked lightly, "You were married, dear?"

"Then you may have to cook again," Lionel said softly, and then his face fell slightly, then his expression softened. "Yes, I was. For almost twenty years, I was married. Beautiful young woman, gave me two children, though only one… only one survived." Quiet sigh. "She died in 1993, when Lex was thirteen. She adored Dominic, even though she sometimes teased him about not assisting me enough when I still worked fourteen or fifteen hours a day."

Gran caught it, though she didn't say anything for a moment, as she began to ground the muscles into a thick paste for the keivs she planned on finishing for the after dinner morsel. She didn't mention, as she spoke again, that her Morgan hadn't spoken anything about his husband having previously been married. "I didn't know... though Morgan has told me of your lovely son." She smiled, then, brightly. "Twenty seven grandchildren, with him."

Lionel almost choked on his snort. "Lovely son? Lovely? Dear lady, you have been sadly misinformed. Lex is many things, but lovely does not number among them." Genuine amusement lit his eyes at that. "He's been telling you stories, I guarantee it." Then she grinned. "That's quite a few grandchildren, Ms. Finn."

"Indeed. And like I was sayin', 44 with your Briar Rose. As for Lex, the darling, he's written me several times on that contraption computer my Graham bought me a year or two ago. Lovely thing, I met my boyfriend in Anascillin over it." She gave him a wicked, sly grin, and wriggled her brows. "For being eighty in August, I've still got it. But, as I was so saying, Lex is everything but a horror. He's a sweet lad, indeed."

Lionel choked that time, gasping for breath as his fist pounded on the counter. "Jesus Christ, you know Lex?" His eyes were watering. "I had no idea."

"Well of course! I make it a habit to know all of my family, married into included." Granny glared and thumped him over the back, though her glare was marked with obvious amusement. "He introduced me to my boyfriend, love. Now come along, wash your hands up so I can go tell my Morgan I already adore you dearly."

Lionel's eyes were still watering, and he straightened up. "Boyfriend. Lex. Computer. Sweet Jesus, was I the ONLY one in this thrown in headfirst with NO clue of what I was getting into?"

"Of course." Her grin was wide as she gently pet his cheek with an oven mitt, before sticking her apple dumplings into the oven to keep warm, as well. "You poor, poor bastard. I think if you'd have known, you wouldn't have left yor Amerikay for anything." Followed with a cackle, as she unlocked the kitchen door. "Come now, and lets go socialize. We'll escape in a bit, after meal time, and walk down to the cottage."

"To steal a word from your grandson, you're bloody well right I wouldn't have." A snort. "I'd have stayed tucked at home in Smallville and Dominic could have traipsed over here his heart's content."

"Liar. For I see the love you have for my grandson in your eyes. Come now." She picked up a plate of appetizers and motioned for him to follow her out into the living room. There were at least fifteen grandbabies running underfoot, her sister Maryann, who was currently squeezing Morgan's cheeks, and many of her children, and their children, and their children. Her little quaint apartment was filled to brimming, and she was just ecstatic with joy as she moved among them. "Hallo, and we're back with food! The meal is ready, so I want all of ye little ones to sit down, this instant. Joseph, help me out, will you?" Thomas's brother could have been family, and was always included amongst the dealings and dallies, as she lay a kiss on his cheek and bombed through the room. "If you're wanting your drink, they're all in the refreedgierator, and Maryann, let go of my darling boy!"

Dominic's cheeks were covered in lipstick, his eyes were bright with joy, and he reached up, hugging his Gran around the waist as she set things down and plopped down, to give him a proper cuddle. He could see in her eyes how pleased she was, and for the first time in fifteen hours he could breath a little easier. "Alright, everyone, hush now a moment, aye?" Dominic kissed his granny's cheek and rose, to reach out for Lionel's hand. "This… is my husband. Lionel Luthor." He looked around the room, as he spoke, and smiled as his aunts and uncles rose their glass. In fact… everyone was overjoyed, and overlapping to speak… except for his Aunt Maryann.

"Good luck getting that lot to shut up," Lionel muttered, setting down the little pot of fragrant... something, that he'd been given to carry in, handing it off to the man named Joseph, and he picked his way carefully through the throng of people and feeling for the first time in his life that he was on display, like a trophy.

He thought briefly that this is how Dominic must feel, every second of the day. Lionel's fingers linked tightly through Dominic's, and he brought his husband's hand to his mouth for a brief kiss.

Maryann Gallagher was a pinch-faced biddy of a woman, and Rosalyn's aunt. Only six years younger than Gran, she was a dour woman, as opposed to Gran's cheerfulness, and at the display of affection, she pinched her mouth into a tighter line and harrumphed not quite under her breath.

Gran just... rolled her eyes around at her sister, smiling at her darling grandbaby and the man he'd brought home, and after the whistles and cat calls had died down, she stood up and kissed them each on the cheek, and just… beamed. "A better husband my darling teacup couldn't have found. May we wish the newlyweds well, my family." She reached out and took the glass her youngest daughter offered, filled with sparkling cider, and raised a toast. "To our family. It grows everyday, and it ripens with love, joy, and unionship."

"To our family." Dominic answered with a murmur, and a smile, tightening his fingers around Lionel's own and raising his glass, as everyone repeated him, and took a drink.

"An' to tha hot new guy. I always knew bein' part'a this fam'ly was a good thing!" A young woman, no older than Shayla, reached out and pinched the new guys butt, than gave him a smacking kiss on the cheek as the noise built again. People were bustling, building plates, yelling to be heard over the throng, and it was just the most normal thing in the world, as she smiled and offered her hand. "Penelope Gallagher. Pleased to make your acquaintance." She stuck her tongue out at Morgan, and fluttered her lashes at the pretty new meat.

A sniff, and Maryann pushed back from the table, leaving her cup and plate conspicuously empty by her refusal to join in.

Lionel didn't let go of his lover, and then recoiled as the young girl attacked him. "Young lady... cease, this minute." He put his hand out, but to his dismay he found it captured as she shook it. "My name is Lionel Luthor, and I am not only taken, but quite old enough to be your grandfather. Remove yourself."

Gran heard it, and burst into peals of laughter, as she pushed past her grandsons and got into the kitchen. She quickly, efficiently, made a basket of food for her grandson and his husband, because even she knew they were exhausted, and added in twin travel cups of fresh, homemade Guinness, and rolls, and slices of pound cake made with the thick, rich drink. She added napkins to it all, as well as a table cloth should they have to eat on the bed, or floor, and efficiently squirmed out of the kitchen, took each of their hands, and tugged them towards the door. "Come now, darlings. Lets get you both settled down at the cottage, for I know you're be needing a bit of rest before tonight."

Lionel was nearly panting on thanks. "Dear lady, here, let me help you." Lionel held his hand out for the basket. "Let me have that." He was glaring daggers at the teenager currently pawing his anatomy, even as he pressed close to Dominic.

Maryann sniffed. "Tha's ri't, Crystal, hustle 'em on oout o'ere."

"Maryann, that's quite enough out of you." Granny answered back demurely, shooting her a glare as she took Morgan's arm and Lionel's arm, steering them clear of the insanity and out the door. They traveled down the steps and out in front of the building in a moments time, and took a deep breath of the salty sea air as she beamed. "There we are. T'is a short walk to the cottage.. .would you rather we take a car?"

"It doesnt matter, Granny, anything is fine." Dominic… was in no way letting go of his Gran. No way. He hugged her close, their temples pressed together, and he hugged her even as they walked. "Thanks for that, I love them, but Christ. I missed you, Granny, so very, very much."

Maryann stuck her head out the window. "Bloody ponce, bringin' yer boy home'n flauntin' him like he's th'Mother Super'or."

That struck him. Hard. She'd been giving him kisses, up until the point she found out he was gay.

No one knew he was gay, but for his immediate family, and his gran.

And the words struck like knives, though he didn't say anything, just kept right on walking without a word.

Yes, well, her grandson was quiet, but Gran was most certaintly not. "You get the farkin' hell outta my house, Maryann Gallagher! AND I MEAN NOW!"

Lionel shifted the basket to his elbow, and wrapped his arm around his lover's waist, pulling him close. "Don't listen," he murmured softly. "Don't listen; she doesn't know anything. She doesn't know how much I love you, how much I need you. Please don't listen." Soft little murmurs, soft little kisses to his ear. Tight squeeze around his waist.

"Ye canna tell me t'git outta yer 'ouse, bloody crotchety woman! I've th'ri't t'be here w'th'rest o'me kin!!"

Gran glared at her. "You dunna be callin' my baby any type of name, you damn bitch! If you're to be actin' like a farking wipe arse, you're to be gettin' OUT OF MY HOUSE!" A snarl at her, and she turned and kept right on walking, fuming, with Dominic and Lionel in tow. "Damn bitchy woman. I'm sorry, Lionel, Morgan."

"Its okay." Dominic answered, softly, as he wrapped his arm around his lovers waist right back, and held on, tightly. "I love you, Lionel. Better her than Gran. If Gran had done it we couldn't have stayed."

It ripped at her old heart to see her grandbaby upset, and she squeezed his free hand gently. "You dunna be listenin'. She's a hateful, spiteful woman, just like your mama. Everyone accepts just who you are and how you're the happy man you are today, so hush it, and stop before you even start."

"That's right. Listen to the lady." Lionel hugged his lover tighter, pressing kisses to his temple as they walked. "Your grandmother is a smart woman; listen to her. It doesn't matter. Everyone else loves you, nobody else cares, ignore it." It made his chest ache to see Dominic sad, here in his homeland where he'd come to be happy and accepted.

"Its alright." Brave face, with a smile to couple it, as he reached up and kissed his lover very gently, but quickly, because the one person it shamed him to show these types of things around was his gran. So he just smiled, and let go enough to take his hand, as they walked the cobbled street. "I can't be too sad, beloved, Granny. I mean... look at this. This is where I grew up. How can I possibly be sad here?" His eyes danced, softly, as he held onto his lover...then onto his gran. "I take it she had you doing grunt work?"

That was her baby. The mediator. Granny smiled right back and took her grandbabies hand, snuggling more into the sweater she'd spread over her shoulders before leaving the house. "Of course. What, do you think anyone who carries the weight of a Senatori, Finn, or Gallagher ring is going to be sitting about lazing, even if those who would laze are quite, incredibly, handsome?" A knowing look at Lionel, a waggling of her brows. "If I was just twenty five years younger, my darling Margan, you would have yourself some competition."

Dominic heaved a huge, dramatic sigh. "No way could I win against you, beautiful. You'd have him under your spell, and your cooking, in a heartbeat."

Lionel nodded at the look. "Of course she had me doing grunt work. I was peeling mussels and giving her my life story, trying to stand up to the Grandmotherly Scrutiny and make sure that I was good enough for her little... teacup." Not even a flinch as he said it, and he pulled Dominic closer to his side. "You wouldn't have any competition, little cricket. You'd win, hands down."

Her look snapped up. Little cricket? Oh, dearest Jesus, and she was just about going to squeal in the streets. Her favorite person on this earth... had found his mate, in this fifty something handsome, dashing, mysterious stranger.

She couldn't be more pleasured.

"Grandmotherly Scrutiny my ass. Theirs quite enough woman in this little body to kick your handsome arse, Lionel Luthor." But she was smiling as she said it. "Theirs the church… lets have a stop and see your grampa, Margan. Do you mind, Lionel? it'll just be a moment, as he's... just finishing service, I should think."

Dominic...just grinned, and kissed his lovers cheek softly before snickering at his Gran. "Aye. And than we're off for a nap. I'm afraid I harangued my darling husband all the way here, as I've still got that dreadful fear of flying."

"Than just a moment, come on." She crossed the street, bustling like the best gran ever, and opened the huge steeple doors of the church, taking a step inside.

And rolled her eyes, as the few pews of people here for Tuesday mid-day service roared with laughter.

Her husband, elderly, darling, was grinning like the biggest dork this side of Dublin, and it just endeared her, as she rose a hand and waved.

"You were no trouble at all," Lionel said firmly, setting the basket down outside the church, making sure the latch was closed against nosy children and hungry animals, and he straightened his shoulders and tossed his hair back over his shoulders before following his lover into the church.

And then suddenly felt like a bug in a jar as every head in the church swiveled around to look at him, and he had the irresistible urge to flip them all off. He stifled it, however, and merely proceeded to one of the empty pews and slid in.

Light bit of melancholy as he realized this had been the first church threshold he'd crossed in a decade.

Except one of the women in the first pew shrieked, and then suddenly there was a roar of voices, people, and… kisses. Lots of kisses, hugs, tugs and slaps on his back, and Dominic smiled, at everyone, recognizing the older faces immediately. Old teachers, school friends, and as the town was utterly tiny, everyone knew everyone, and he grinned, sitting beside his husband with everyone making the biggest fuss of all.

"Outta tha way! Outta tha way!" Frail, eighty one years old, but Father Finn still had some steam in his old bones that he got from his wife. He mowed his way through all of the people and suddenly found himself on his grandson, his favorite truth be told, and the man he'd brought home. "I'll be damned! I'll be damned!" He reached over, huge smile on his face, and was more pleased than words could express at the tight hug he received in return. "I'll be damned!"

Dominic just laughed, loudly, as he hugged his very small, tiny, tender looking grampa, hugging him tightly and kissing his cheek. "Hallo, Grampa Finn."

"Aye, boy....gat the bloody hell outta the church! This is moy grandboy! Beat it!" He waved the people off, who laughed, and grinned himself. "Time for visitin' later. Ah! 'allo, young man, you must be all the fuss I've been hearin'. Lionel, is it? I'm Father Finn, though you might be callin' me Joe. Come on, come on, let me get out of this blasted coat of iron that's hot as all bloody devils hell. Aye, my dear Margan, you have changed."

Lionel took a moment to reflect that if the pastor of Presbyterian church had been anything like this Catholic Father Finn, he might had found religion a bit more enjoyable. "Father, yes, it's Lionel." Didn't even bother giving his last name, because he knew that before he left the island? He'd be known as Lionel-Finn-Gallagher-O'whatever-Senatori. "Pleasure to meet you." Didn't loosen his grip on his lover. "I must apologize for interrupting your service."

"Interuptin'? Bloody blazes, this is mah boy, bringin' his man across the oceans! I'll have stopped the whole bloody thing mid-way had I know he'd be bringin' you over. Truth be told, woulda stopped the service if Doris Day wearin' nothin' but a paira knickers walked in, but that's for me to--ow!" Father Finn turned a broad smile at his wife, and gave her a kiss to cool her hot coals as he shook Lionel's hand, heartily. "Come, come, take a spell of a walk towards the cottage, as I know you've to be tired. I'll be on my way, have to do a bit of straightening up, as those blasted barn cats have been about the papers again."

Dominic climbed to his feet, with his lover, and smiled, broadly. "You'll be bringin' over gr'granny and gr'grampa, I presume?"

"A'course! Your gr'granny hasna lived to be ninety eight to have one of her brood not see her. Bringin' the newest life into our family, doncha know. How is the lovely Briar Rose doin'?"

"Very good." Dominic beamed, as he glanced at his lover, then his grandfather. "A month and a half along."

"Ayyye, what a lass. Get on with it now, and its lovely to have finally met the man who caught our Margan's fancy, Lionel."

Briar... Rose. Lionel didn't even ask. He just shook Joe's hand again, and just nodded as he was looked at. "She's doing very well, actually, very well indeed. We were lucky enough to have a doctor carry her, and so we know she's in good... well, hands," he said with a small grin. Then his eyes focused on Dominic again. "Great Grandparents?"

"Great grandparents." Dominic echoed, grinning at his lover as he slipped out of the pew, and offered his hand. His granny had slipped off with his grandfather, amusingly enough, because he knew she knew he knew the way. So he just took his lovers waist gently in arm and stepped out of the enormous, beautiful church, listening to his grandparents bickering all the way. "My gr'grandparents, ninety eight and ninety four respectively." He leaned down for the basket and hooked it in hand, as they began to walk again.

Lionel took the basket from his lover, and slid it over his elbow as he watched the older couple walking in front of him. "You know, Dominic, I believe that if I had your family, I'd murder them all in their sleep."

Dominic took it for the compliment it was, his eyes dancing as he watched his grandparents head off towards the little office, so they were once again alone. "Come on, we'll be going to the cabin alone. If I know my gran, we'll be alone for a few hours now."

"Oh, thank God. I can't decide which I'd rather do; avail myself of your charms, or sleep." Soft nuzzle to his lover's neck showed which he actually preferred, at least, at that moment.

His lips twitched as he nuzzled back, and stepped off the steps onto the paved road again. "Come on. Its only about a five minute walk. I hope you like it, Lionel. What did you think of my family, in seriousness?" He linked him closer, gently, as they walked through the cold streets still bustling with life. He raised a hand in hello once in a bit, and grinned softly, after a moment. "We'll be the talk of the town for the next three months."

"In seriousness? I'd murder them all in their sleep. They're a loud, obnoxious bunch of people who, despite the excessive cheerfulness, love you very, very dearly." He snuggled closer, and teased the back of his lover's neck with his fingertips. "They're... not quite what I imagined, though whether or not that's good? Is still up in the air at the moment."

He grinned, a little softly, up at him. "What did you expect?" He slid his fingers into his lovers side jacket pocket to warm them, as they walked.

Lionel paused, thinking softly as he slid his hand into his pocket, warming Dominic's fingers with his own. "I'm not sure, exactly. I expected your family--I mean, like your brothers and sisters. I didn't expect to end up related to the entire town."

His lips twitched. "Most of the town is family. Its a tiny town...of only about eight hundred or so. Three main families, and we've all inter-married, of course, and scattered. Though I've been the longest to return." He didn't say anything else, just yawning softly, and set his head on his lovers shoulder. "Once everyone's calmed, you'll get to know them. Its just a bit of excitement."

"Yes... it is a tiny town," Lionel said softly. Far more tiny than he liked, smaller even than Smallville, and that was saying something. Small towns made him uncomfortable for some reason, but he didn't say a word, just kissing Dominic's temple as it leaned against him. "Come on, beloved; we're nearly there." In the warmth of his pocket, he squeezed his lover's hand firmly.

"Mmm. I've wanted to have you here, in my home, since Monday." He whispered softly, just for his ears, as they started down a quiet, buried little street. He turned left, walking down the path he remembered so very well.

"Then have me," Lionel said quietly. "I'm already yours; you know that. Have me, whenever and wherever you want."

"Don't. Tempt. Me." Said with a quirked grin, as he took his lover's hand in his and squeezed, gently, within the confines of his coat pocket. He'd made a promise to himself to always be honest with his lover, and he spoke now, with honesty, from his heart. "It hurt me what she said, you know."

"I know it did." He had seen it in his lover's eyes. "I saw it, when she said it." His free hand came up to cup his lover's face. "It's not true. There's nothing wrong with you, or with us."

"It hurt you, as well." He looked up at him. "I'm sorry, Lionel. For that type of harassment, we could have stayed home."

"No, lovely. It didn't hurt me." Lionel held him closely again. "I am above such things, and if people want to say that... yes, it angers me. More than you know. But it doesn't hurt me. What hurts me is your pain."

"I just... sometimes, Lionel, I think being gay is harder than anything in the world, harder than being black or Indian or Chinese or even a woman. I think we're at the bottom of the totem pole. And its like... one moment, she was there, loving on me, and the next she found out I was gay and she called me, called US, those horrible things. What right does it possibly give her to say such things?"

"None whatever," Lionel said softly. "Maybe it's because I'm older, closer to her age, and I can understand, but the way these folk were raised, especially people Rosalyn's age, or even Maryann's, they were raised to believe that it was wrong. That it's a dirty, perverted thing. My father believed it; so did Jonathan's. I refused to, and I refused to raise Lex that way. It all comes down to your raising, Dominic, and in that, you are better."

"No, Lionel. I'm not. Because sometimes, I myself, in fleeting moments, think its wrong. But I cannot help who I am, in any sort of fashion, just like you can't. I'm gay. I love cock up the ass, I love male bodies on top of me, I love you. So... whatever. Just… whatever. I knew it would come from someone, and I refuse to let it rain on my Irish parade." He grinned, then, offering his lover his crooked smile. "How did you like my grandfather?"

Lionel let the small admission slide, but it troubled him... hurt him. "I think," he said after a moment, his eyes twinkling, "that your grandfather could make me like religion again."

Snort, but it was said with a grin as he hugged his lover closer. "Of course. He's a dirty old man, and I love him dearly, though he and I had a falling out a few years ago...the last time I was here, actually. I came when I was... twenty five, actually, a few years after my ordeal, and I was so darkly bitter and angry at God and Christ that I took it out on him. He called me a few things, and I called him back a few things. To tell you the truth, I wasn't expecting such a warm welcome from him, but people surprise you, I suppose."

Lionel bristled on behalf of his lover, but he calmed slowly as he realized there was really nothing that he could do. "I think then, perhaps it's best I don't get into any in-depth conversations with the good Father, because I don't think he'd be at all happy with my atheism."

"No... it wasn't about religion that we argued about." Dominic clarified it as they walked, and the five minute hike was turning into a fifteen minute hike, through the paths and warm ways of old ruins and lovely grass and trees. "Not at all. I called him a bastard for being so chipper all the time, for claiming to have life's experience when he didn't have any."

Lionel nodded in quiet understanding. "It's understandable," he said softly. "I can see where the chipper and the cheerfulness would get on your nerves horribly, especially after that."

"I wanted to kill them all. They did this same thing the last time I came, and I just... couldn't handle it. I thought a vacation from work would do wonders… instead, it made everything worse. Much worse. I stayed with my granny that time...I left after the fight with my grandfather, and I hadn't talked to many of my relations until today. That's why I was worried about the welcome we'd get... though it seems its okay." He said it quietly, with a soft relief, and then his fingers viced uncontrollably on his lovers hand as he pointed. "There. There it is. Oh, Christ."

Sitting on a little bluff, the tiny white cottage was pert and lovely. The roofs made of thick berching straw over the concrete of the ceiling itself, a tiny blue door, and a bed of flowers in front of it, from all the window sills, growing in ivies. And beyond it, the ocean. Roaring waves, with the sun, bright and beautiful, hanging over the water.

"Its just like I remember it. Its exactly like I remember it, Lionel."

Lionel stopped, in the middle of the pathway, and looked. It looked just as it had in the pictures, and from the look on his lover's face, it would have been worth ten times the price he'd paid for it.

He remembered the deed, back in his suitcase, that had been transferred over to his husband's name, and reminded himself silently to fetch it at the first opportunity. The ivy on the walls and the window boxes was bright green and healthy, and he wasn't of a mind to have it moved, unless it was going to overtake the house.

A deep breath filled his lungs with salty sea air, and he hugged his lover tightly. "Is it worth it? The trip, everything, to be here?"

He couldn't speak for a moment, because a million memories had filled him up like a warm, fuzzy blanket. His sisters, and brothers, and playing here, having fun, growing older... his dad's death, and when he realized he could swim, and he had to sit down. His knees wobbled but he kept himself up, grasping his lovers arms tightly, and bit his lip. This place meant so much more to him than just a home, so much more, so much more. All the times he'd been here, in his heart, when he couldn't take his real life. All the times he'd envisioned the rooms, or the house here, from this exact spot. This place was his heart, and his hope, all wrapped into one.

And he didn't realize he'd spoken until he felt the near sob break out of him at the end. "It means more than my own life for me to share this with you."

Lionel moved his arms quickly to support his lover, letting the basket fall carefully to the ground as he pulled Dominic against him, arms around his waist. "Come on... let's go inside. Let's get you inside, you can sit down, find a place to rest while I bring the basket in."

"No, its okay." it was okay. It was more than okay, and he straightened, carefully, turning to look at his lover with tears in his eyes. "I love you, more than I've ever loved you, in this moment, Lionel. You gave me this, without understanding how much it would mean to me. You bought it because you knew I loved it. You did that for me, and I think, you saved me, as well. This is where my heart is from. This place, is where I began. I can't tell you... I can't explain to you in words that anyone could understand what it means to me. And that you're here, to share it with me..." He swallowed, and wrapped his arms around his lovers neck, tightly, hugging him close.

Lionel engulfed Dominic in his harms, holding him firmly, closely as he could, tightly as he could in the circle of his arms. "I bought it for you because it's the most wonderful thing I can give you," he said softly. "I gave it to you because of this, the smile on your face, the joy that's screaming from your eyes right now, this is why."

He just hugged him, tightly, arms around his neck, tightly, the bottoms of his arms on wide shoulders as his fingers ran through his lovers hair, holding him even closer. "I love you. I love you, so much. I love you. Come on, we have to see inside. Christ, I love you." He let go, with a soft laugh, and leaned down to pick the basket up. His lover had the keys, so he led him to the lovely little house across the path made from concrete flowers in the grass, and looked off towards the ocean, drinking it in. It was too cold to swim, but damn if he wouldn't, before the vacation was over.

Lionel delved in his pocket for the keys, and pulled out a little wrought-iron one, and handed it to his lover. "Here... I think you should do the honors."

"Okay." He whispered, and took the keys from his lover, carefully, sliding them into the keyhole.

The door swung open, and he stepped through, into his past… and into his future.

 

-fin-

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