The Memoirs

August in Kansas was swelteringly, unbearably hot. Worse than June and July had been, the dry heat of the summer was starting to be joined by the humidity of fall, that would turn in a few months into snowfall.

It choked anyone when they tried to breathe, and Lex was no different. He was wearing as little as he could--a light cloth shirt, lightweight pants, canvas shoes that Clark had bought him at the beginning of the summer.

The blanket they were sitting on was spread on the same hill where their son was buried. Lex had been reading earlier, one of his mother's favorite books--Black Beauty--and for a while, he'd been reading aloud from it.

He'd stopped when a breeze rose in the air around him, whistling softly around him, cooling his heated skin and making him smile for no particular reason, other than it felt special. He'd closed his eyes and leaned back on his elbows, face turned up to the sky as the breeze washed over him, and then slowly died down to nothing.

That's how Clark had found him, and they were sitting together now, watching the ambulance, the medical supply company, and the therapist loading and moving equipment into the house. Dominic was already inside, and they'd come outside to get out of the way.

Clark was decked out in… well... very little. Cut-off shorts and a light weight blue t-shirt, and he was completely barefoot. His hair, very long now, skipped his neck annoyingly, so he'd plopped down on his back, head in his lovers lap, and listened to him read. He was sleepy but satisfied, his toes wriggling in the cool grass as he listened to the birds and bugs around them. "It's nice out here." he murmured, looking up at his lover with green eyes twinkling. "It all feels like its okay now, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it does," Lex said, putting his book back down and running his fingers through Clark's hair. "It does feel like it's all back to normal." He concentrated on the feel of Clark's hair in his fingers. "At least for us. I wonder when it'll get that way again for Dad and Dom?"

"I don't know, but it feels good to have him home." Clark closed his eyes as his lover stroked his fingers through his hair, and all but purred as he arched into the feeling. Dominic, after three weeks of intense care, had finally been proclaimed well enough to start his physical therapy. Before their eyes, however, he'd sunk into a fathomless depression, broken only by Lex talking to him. He wouldn't speak to anyone, not even Lionel, and when he did it was only to snap or sneer some terrible little comment that cut right to the quick.

Post traumatic stress, Elaine said.

It sucked.

Clark turned his head enough to kiss his lovers hip, pressed there next to his cheek, and reached a hand up to stroke his lovers arm softly. "I miss them both."

"I do too," Lex said quietly. "He's... not himself. I'm worried about Dad, too, because he's just... wilting." It was the only thing that Lex could describe it as. He wasn't doing much talking to anyone either, just bowing further under Dominic's every little cutting remark.

Lex was running LuthorCorp almost exclusively now, with Lionel's blessing in fact, but he'd finally got everything caught up and he wasn't trapped in the offices for twelve hours a day any longer. Still, though, if things didn't change soon, Lex was going to have to hire someone, at least temporarily, to fill in for Dominic.

Clark stroked his fingers gently over Lex's skin, relishing in the smooth silk of it, before sitting up enough to shove the hair out of his eyes and kiss his lovers lips. "Lets go down to see them. Done reading?"

Lex's eyes danced as Clark's hair moved against his skin. "Yeah, I'm done for now. Just... let's wait until the supply truck leaves, because if I get told to carry one more bedpan, you're going to see it fly."

His lips twitched. "Lets all thank God you never became Nurse Luthor, for a second." Clark murmured, still smiling as he kissed Lex's mouth again, then once more, gently and lovingly. He scritched against one hairy leg to get the itch away, then kissed Lex again, just because he liked to do it, as his fingers roamed tenderly over his naked skull. "I'm so glad its Saturday."

Lex's fingers stroked through the long strands, and he teased the bottom fringes against the back of his lover's neck. "I'm glad it's Saturday too, even though I wish you would reconsider, and take the tutoring with Chloe, just so she doesn't feel so... alone."

He shook his head, firmly. "Nope. I love Chloe, Lex, she's my ashikana. But if I had to tutor with her eight hours a day, five days a week, I'd kill her. Or, we'd never get any work done." His lips twitched mischievously.

"Well, I'm going to be working from home during those sessions, so it's not just her and the tutor, but since the doctor's advised her against going to school until after she has the baby, this is the best that I can do for her."

"That's alright. You'll do well." He nodded, firmly. He knew Chloe, very, very well, and he was aware that they didn't work well together. It was for the best, this way, of which he agreed wholeheartedly. "I went to visit Whitney this morning. He and Graham are doing well. Finally finished getting the warehouse done."

Lex snickered. "Clark, I could, if I had the inclination, get the proper certificates and teach these courses myself. However? I don't have the inclination. I am here for homework help, moral support, and lunch partners."

"Is that all?" He asked, lips twitching and eyebrows raising as he gently ran one big palm down his lovers flank.

Lex raised his eyebrow. "I do believe that Chloe is well-aware of the consequences of having sex during school hours, despite the dubious source of the education."

"I think she stopped thinking of John as a consequence, and more of a miracle, about two months ago," Clark said softly, smiling at Lex's eyebrow as he leaned up to lick the lines around it away.

"Yeah, I think you're right, but I was thinking more of the suspension from school when the principal caught her. Granted, since I am the de facto principal as the adult in charge, I would likely join in and not suspend."

"Cretin," Clark murmured, gently kissing Lex once more, before smiling across the hill. The sun was shining, bright and high but warm, not uncomfortably. It had warmed his skin and made him all but giddy, like recharged batteries, until the energy was all but flowing off of him. "We could go for a swim, you know."

"Yes, I am," he answered, kissing Clark back and sliding his fingers through the longer hair. He liked it--sometimes as he looked at Clark, he remembered it spiked and dyed red, but he liked it like this too, thick and full and messy from his fingers wiggling in the wavy masses, like Clark had just rolled out of his bed and Lex liked to keep it that way. "Swimming... maybe later."

Yeah. Clark knew. He'd grown it long just for this purpose, to feel Lex's fingers sliding through it, and he smiled lazily at him as he kissed his lower lip softly, tracing the fullness of it with his tongue. "Mmm. Are our sha'nauch still coming over?"

Lex nodded. "Mmhmm. They are. They're coming over after work; since they're partners now, Graham's been helping Whitney hire and train some managers. There's two now, a daytime and an evening, one works 9-4, the other works 3-9. I think Steven is the daytime manager, come to think of it, because Graham did mention something about the kid having talent, which I doubt."

At that, Clark let out a bark of laughter. "You doubt? Oh, come on, he's not that bad."

Lex's eyebrows both shot up.

"Okay, he's pretty bad. But still. Steven's cute," Of course, Clark said it just to see his lover look at him just like that, and his eyes danced as he mercilessly flirted with his aushna'. "Its the cow lick and the pre-middle age love handles. Gets me, every time."

"I've seen goldfish with more talent." But he grinned at his aushna'. "See, the love handles don't do anything for me; I keep myself trim and neat and… hard." His grin flashed more mischievously. "And I expect other people to do the same." He shot a look at the three tubby dogs rolling over each other in the grass nearby. "I should expect it of my pets, but I think they're a lost cause." He looked back over at Clark, and ran his hands over Clark's chest and hips. "See? No handles. No fat. Just… nice… lean… and hard." He rubbed up.

Clark's lips twitched. "You're a tease." he whispered into the shell of his lovers ear, kissing it gently and licking around the lobe before grinning broadly. "I'll have you know that the puppies aren't tubby. They're… just well fed. 'Sides, I think you'd look cute with love handles." Clarks lips twitched as he gently tweaked his lovers sides and rubbed his stubbly cheek against Lex's smooth one.

"They're tubby. Fat little porkers, I think the vet called them."

"The vet is insane." Clark beamed back, licking Lex's ear again before pulling back enough to smile at him, and gently draw Lex's hand up his bared thigh under the loose cut offs, so both their hands stroked the hard flesh of his thigh.

"I think he's... right on target," Lex said, letting Clark slide his hand up, and then moved it further up himself, towards the target that lay tucked to the side and out of the reach of constricting crotches, stroking his fingertips over the velvety-soft head.

Clarks eyelids fell and his forehead brushed Lex's, looking down to watch his hand with heavy-eyed pleasure. "Mmm. If you don't stop, I'm taking you too. See what they can give me for...oh..." He swallowed. "Scrawny naked ones."

"Tell you... to feed me more meat," Lex flirted back, inching his fingers up as far as he could under the skin-tight shorts and stroking the head that started to stick out in sharp relief against the denim.

"Too much meat is bad for you," Clark murmured, eyes finally closing as his ample lips skimmed over Lex's neck softly, and his fingers inched over that lovely, flat chest, to gently rub against protruding nipples. "Eating it where everyone could see could prove hazardous to your health."

"Aren't you always telling me that I don't... eat enough?" Lex nibbled at the neck and shoulder that was exposed through the t-shirt's neckline. "That I should eat more?" His fingertips were still working and stroking the head of Clark's cock, and his other hand finally rose to stroke the length through the denim shorts. "I don't care if anyone sees." Which was true enough.

"I do. Lionel will have my hide," Clark grinned around his mouthful of shoulder, sucking and nipping once more before raising his head to lazily smirk at his lover. "Speaking of clothes and the fact that I wish I didn't have to wear them, you gonna help me get my clothes for school?"

"Speaking of clothes and the fact that you are wearing too many of them at this moment, no, I'm not. Chloe and Shayla have already informed me they are going to do the shopping for you, and I'm to provide them with measurements and a credit card."

Clark's mouth trembled open, and he made a high, keening, wounded animal noise. "You did what?"

"Nothing, yet, but Chloe is expecting to pick those up this evening when she's over here, and I've already been threatened with the removal of my testicles. Since I'm rather attached, I've got them ready for her, but I haven't handed them over yet." Lex smirked up at his lover. "Would you really rather Rico groped your crotch again?"

He made a face. "I'd rather eat a giant squid. But still, Lex... I mean... Chloe? And Shay? Baby, don't you think I'm gay enough already?" Another whimper, and a frown, and even a sniffle as he set his head on Lex's shoulder.

"I believe the fashion trend is metrosexual, and I've already had a talk with Chloe. She knows what she is and isn't allowed to get for you."

"Baby, I'm not even metrosexual. I'm a flamer. I don't need hot pants to say that."

Lex smirked at that. "No, Clark. You are not a flamer. Dominic? Is a flamer. Rico? Makes Dominic look positively butch." He stroked over Clark's ass, then slid his hands inside Clark's shorts. "Hot pants are on the for Lex's eyes only list, along with animal print underwear and anything that shows more of your skin than pants and shirts allow."

"Heeey. Dominic doesn't flame. He just does a little bit." Clark's lips twitched, eyes dancing. "Poor baby. Don't tell him that, he'll never forgive you." He leaned over to kiss Lex's mouth, very, very gently, before hissing and arching up as his lovers hands slid down his shorts. His back bowed up enough for him to have his head fall back, eyes closing at the feeling of hot hands on even hotter flesh. "Oh...that's good. I mean! bad! No animal print!"

"No leopard print t-back thong to wear around the house?" Lex asked, strong fingers kneading Clark's ass in his firm grip as he teased.

"No. Maybe around our room. Under the covers. In the dark." Clark blushed crimson, looking across at Lex with slightly glassy, happy eyes.

"Mmm, but that's no way to wear underwear. Besides, if you're in our room under the covers in the dark, then you're not going to be needing underwear. Because it's just... going... to be... in the way," he whispered, arching up and pushing down on Clark's ass at the same time so that their hips ground together with each word.

"You're a horrible person, Lex," Clark answered back with another blush lighting his cheeks, eyes dancing under long lashes as he stroked his fingers over his lover's bare head gently. "Sides… it wouldn't always get in the way." Oh. My. GOD! He blushed, harder, ducking his eyes and stuttering as he did so. "You're a horrible person. I'm not... in broad daylight!"

"Now there's a thought," Lex murmured softly. "Just pulling the thong back over your cheek, just enough to work my cock into your ass, leave you trapped inside the hot, tight Lycra as I fuck you," he continued, arching his head into the little stroking caresses.

"Lex!" Clark cried, abashed, horrified. "Stop! You're..." arousing me. "...Stop! Stop stop stop!" He squirmed off of his lovers legs and glared, waggling his finger at him as he pulled Lex's hands from his butt and set them away from him. "Later. Broad daylight, no. Not with your dad like, a half a meter away."

Lex pushed himself back up to his elbows and leered at his lover. "Broad daylight is the best time to do it, out in the sun on a nice soft blanket with grass under your feet, isn't that what you told me? My father has more important things on his mind--like getting Dominic settled."

Sex under the sun. The thought was just… ohhh and goosebumps flew over his body, neck lighting fire as his nipples peaked and a shiver ran down his back. "You... stop! You're like the devil!"

"Like the devil?" Lex's eyebrow raised, and his hand rose to lazily tweak one of Clark's nipples. "I'd like to think I am the devil."

"Your dad is." Clark said on a gasp, eyes widening and hips arching up when his lover pinched him just… like... that. "You're the son of the devil."

"Mmmm," Lex murmured, still gently tweaking. "Speaking of the devil, here he comes." He didn't stop his careful teasing.

"Wh.." His eyes widened to stalks and he looked over his shoulder. "Where??"

"From the other side," Lionel said dryly.

To the shock of his son, Lionel dropped down to sit with his legs crossed, wincing only slightly as he settled carefully onto the blanket. "The medical technicians are getting Dominic settled into his room, and Elaine is speaking with him. After that, all of us are expected in the house in--" Lionel consulted his watch. "--ten minutes to meet the physical therapist so that he can tell us all what we can do to best help Dominic."

Clark's eyes widened, and he thanked Christ he was sitting with one leg up because wooboy. He watched Lionel with slightly wild-bird eyes, biting his lip tightly and swallowing. "Cool. Physical therapist. Elaine. Dominic home. I like that Dominic's home." He beamed at Lionel, wondering if their differences, he and Lex smelling like sunshine and Lionel smelling like money, were very evident.

Lex used the shield of Clark's raised leg to slide his hand along the bulge in his lover's shorts. "I like that Dominic's home too." His stroking, though, was half absent-minded, because he was studying his father and the fact that Lionel didn't notice what he was doing.

At all.

Lionel just nodded tiredly. "I'm glad that he's home too. Hopefully the change of scenery is going to be a positive factor in his recovery." He didn't notice anything that Clark and his son were doing, just... sort of stared out into the blades of grass.

Clark gazed at him under thick lashes, watching him quietly as he did so, and trying to pretend Lex wasn't doing what he was doing at his crotch. "You don't seem entirely happy, Lionel. Anything wrong? Anything we can fix?"

Lionel turned his head and let the tired stare fix on Clark. "No, there's not," he finally said. "But thank you for asking." He noticed that time, but didn't acknowledge it, just turning his head again and breathing deeply. "It's hot out here. How you stand it is a mystery. At least move into the shade."

"We're gonna go in. I want to take a swim… we were just out here enjoying the sun, before the storms hit later on this month and we're back to ugly weather." He tipped his head. "How's Dominic settling in?"

"You haven't heard the protests?" Lionel shook his head. "It would have been easier forcing a rabid badger into a cage than getting Dominic settled here at home."

"That's why we came out here," Lex said softly. "We were just in the way. Dad... if there's anything we can do..."

"There isn't," he answered abruptly.

"Sure, there is. Ms. Bird's making supper... we can sit with Dominic, let you get a shower and stuff, Lionel," Clark nodded firmly. "If you like, anyway?"

"That's all right, Clark; I've already been told that I won't be allowed into the physical therapy sessions, because I've been termed a distraction and a disruption. I fully intend to have my shower done during the session so that I'm ready to meet Dominic afterwards."

At that? Clark grinned. Just a little. "You're not a distraction, Lionel. Besides the commentary you'd give, the way you'd tell the physical therapist to do her job, the way you'd make Dominic sit down after it started hurting even the smallest bit. Other than that, why would anyone label you a distraction?"

Lionel didn't have the energy to smile. "Probably because of the fact I'm an interfering codger who doesn't know what he's doing." A little sigh. "Come on, you can meet the therapist and then go for your swim." Lionel made a little motion towards getting up, but actually didn't move.

I'm worried about Dad, Lex thought softly.

I am too. "Lionel? Give me about.." He squeaked. "Five minutes. Then I can get up."

Lionel waved a hand, and actually got up on the second try. "A very hard jerk to the base of your cock should take care of the problem, or I'm sure you could talk my son into it," he pointed out as he dusted off his slacks. "But I need to get back before Dominic throws another tantrum."

"Oh, thanks, Lionel." Clark glared at his father in laws back even as he shifted there on his hind quarters, getting himself in shape before he climbed to his feet. he tucked the loose strands of hair hanging in his face behind his ear and turned to help Lex up, picking up their things as well.

Lex flowed easily to his feet, tucking the book under his arm as he shook out the blanket and watched his father retreat back towards the house. "This is why I'm worried about Dad," Lex said unnecessarily. "I've never seen him so..." Lex couldn't think of the proper word.

"Beaten?" Clark supplied, eyebrow up as he whistled for the puppies and, grass squishing between his toes, offered his lover his arm and headed down toward the house.

"Yeah. That's it. Beaten down." He moved closer to Clark, despite the uncomfortable heat, and let the humidity stick their bodies together as his arm wound around Clark's waist.

He wrapped an arm back, carefully, leaning over to lick his lovers throat gently and close his eyes sleepily. "We'll figure it out. We've got all the time in the world, now. If I ever see another hospital it'll be too soon."

"We're going to have to go in a couple of months," Lex pointed out. "For Rory's birth, and for our sha'nauch's child as well."

"Months. Not tomorrow. And we don't have to stay there for months on end," Clark reminded, licking Lex's neck again before looking at the castle quietly. He could all but feel the tension coming off, in waves, and frowned softly as he opened the front door.

"--and I told you, Dominic, that you had to be patient. One more meeting, that's all we're asking," Lionel said tiredly, but cajolingly as though he were talking to a cranky child. "Your first therapy session isn't until tomorrow, but we have to meet with the therapist first."

"No. I'm not meeting with anyone," came the snarled reply. "I'm tired of meetings, tired of people, and tired of you. Leave me THE FUCK ALONE!"

Clark winced, visibly, and closed the mansion doors quietly as he listened to the voices, arguing, once more.

"I will make you a deal, Dominic," came Lionel's voice, quieter and sadder than before. "If you will meet the therapist this afternoon, then I will leave you alone as you've asked."

"Upstairs," Lex said softly, shooing the three fat puppies towards the staircase so they'd run up to their room. "We'll be up to feed you later."

Dominic didn't say a word. How many more indignities did these people expect him to go through? HUH? He was sitting in a fucking wheel chair by a fucking hospital bed--he wasn't home, the hospital had come with him! He was tired, he was hungry, he was angry, and he wanted. To. be. Left. ALONE. He snarled at Lionel's sad expression--how dare he, what the fuck did he have to be sad over? "I don't want to talk to anyone."

"And I don't want you to be sick like this, but the sad fact of this world is, we do not always get what we want. We sometimes have to do things we don't want to do." He sighed. "But that's fine. If you don't want to meet him, you don't have. Lex and Clark and I will meet him instead, and you can see him tomorrow."

"Right, so you can discuss what a fucking invalid I am, yes? Let's all talk about me just a bit more, fret over poor Dominic's well being," Dominic sneered up at his lover, eyes flashing.

"Then what would you like me to do, Dominic? You don't want to meet the man, and you don't want us to meet him. Shall we all shut ourselves up in our rooms then?"

"YES!" Dominic yelled, eyes burning with fury. "Let him leave, I am fine."

"All right," Lionel said quietly. "I'll send him back home when he comes in a few minutes." A little sigh. "I'm going to the kitchen and then to the library; is there anything you need?"

"Leave. Me. Alone."

"I'll be around if you need me." Lionel left the room, and closed the doors tightly behind him. He walked by Clark and Lex before he even noticed they were there, and then he stopped as it dawned on him. "Lex, would you please speak to the therapist when he comes? I don't have his name, but would you tell him that Dominic's a little too tired to see him today, but will see him first thing in the morning during their session?"

"Yeah, Dad, of course I will." He had been listening silently to the entire thing. "Do you want to stay and meet him?"

Lionel just shook his head. "No, but thank you. I wouldn't want Dominic thinking that I'm discussing him behind his back." Another little headshake, and Lionel turned back towards the hallway, and towards the kitchen, for dinner.

"He's acting like a brat," Clark muttered, glancing at the door where they could just see Dominic, head in one hand, the other gripping the side of the wheel chair. He glanced up as Lionel walked off, sadly shaking his own head as he rubbed his forehead. "Let's talk to him?"

Lex just nodded. "Yeah; they'll come and get us when the therapist arrives." He squared his shoulders as he walked towards the door. "It won't be pleasant," he warned, knocking on the door with his knuckles.

"I SAID LEAVE!" Dominic bellowed, suddenly, lifting his head and snarling at the door.

"You can stop that right now," Lex pointed out. "I haven't done a damn thing to you, and if you yell at me again, I'm going to yell back."

"I don't fucking care. Get out. Leave me alone. Do you people not understand the words?" Dominic snarled, darkly, looking up from the wheel chair. He had regained mobility of his head and torso, as well as his arms. His legs were what was the entire bloody problem, and he snarled darkly as he looked at his step son. "Leave."

"Get up out of that chair and make me." Lex leaned casually against the door. "Otherwise, you can be civil to me, because I didn't risk my neck for you to be treated like a bitch."

Oh, well, wasn't that the wrong thing to say? "If you wanted to be treated like one I'm sure Clark could fit the bill quite extensively. You do scream like one, don't you?" He asked, smirking darkly.

"So do you, the last time I heard," Lex answered back evenly. "In fact, I remember many a time Clark and I have been startled by you screaming my father's name, so let's not throw that stone, shall we?"

"In fact, I remember many a time I've walked in on you with your legs spread, Lex, so don't give me any of that bullshit. Get out."

"Yes, you have. I happen to like spreading my legs for Clark. How about you? How many times have you fucked Dad?" He desperately, desperately didn't want to know the answer. "And don't forget, Dominic, I know what's inside your head and I know the answer to that. So, I'm telling you again, either be civil to me, or I'm going to start being just as mean as you are."

"I'm not mean. You haven't seen mean, little Luthor. Go away. I'm tired of all of you." Dominic answered back, and turned his face back to the window, running a hand over his short hair.

"Mmm. And I thought I was the consummate Luthor, throwing people away when I was done with them. I can't hold a candle to this, can I, Clark? First you dump Dad, now you're tired of us. Wow. You really do deserve the Luthor name, Dominic. I'd be proud, if I were you. You've learned about disposable people."

"Fuck. You." Dominic said, quite amiably. "I'll throw away whomever I so choose. Go away."

"Sure has. Never thought it'd be Dom of all people, but it just goes to show, marry a Luthor, become a Luthor." A cluck of his tongue.

Lex just nodded his agreement, still leaning against the door. "You might want to think again about marrying into this family, Clark, cause I'd hate to see you end up a bitter old fucker like Dominic here," he said, running his hand up Clark's arm. "I'd hate to think what I'd do if you left me with a kid on the way and told me to fuck off."

Dominic turned his head and hissed, his entire face contorting with his fury. "Leave." He said carefully, quietly, with a deadly little glint that warned of going against his wishes. "Now."

"Can't do that, woobie." Clark answered, and instead, walked into the room and sat on the couch across from Dominic, ankle over knee and arms stretched comfortably on the couch back.

"Yeah, see, unlike Dad? You can't scare us off. Don't know what you've done to him, by the way, but I've never seen him more defeated before, so you really do deserve congratulations on doing what nobody else could do, and breaking Lionel Luthor." He followed Clark over to the couch and sat down beside him.

Dominic, instead of fighting, did as he'd done before--he simply closed off. He didn't say anything, didn't even acknowledge he'd heard them, and kept completely silent as he looked out the window. His expression was stony, face blank, heart aching with pain and unable to say why it hurt so much. He had been utterly stripped of his dignity and his manhood--he was at his family's mercy.

He hated them for it.

"If you think the silent treatment is going to work on me, Dominic, think again. Remember who's son I am, and the fact that I was raised almost half my life with the silent treatment. I can outlast you, and I won't forget it, either. When it comes down to it, now you're showing all of us exactly what you think of us, and it's not pretty." Lex just stared. "I can't believe I risked everything to go in after you if this is how you're going to treat me and mine." He looked at Clark sitting on the couch. "I'm going. Are you coming?"

Guilt trips not gonna work on him this time, baby. But Clark rose anyway, looking at Dominic sadly and clucking his tongue as he turned and walked out with Lex.

"I don't care if it works on him or not," Lex answered out loud. "Dad's not going to tell him what's going on, you saw that by the way he acted. Somebody has to, and until my father finds his balls again? That too, is falling to me, just like everything else has."

"No one asked you to take up the responsibility, you miserable little shit," Dominic hissed before they walked out, glaring at his back. "No one asked you to take up anything your father did, no one ASKED you to stick your nose in where it didn't belong. Leave. Me. Be."

"No, Dominic, nobody asked me to. You know why?" Lex asked, rounding on Dominic's wheelchair. "Because I, unlike you, am a responsible adult. I didn't sit around and feel sorry for myself because you were sick, I realized that something had to be done, and I sucked it up and did it. I sucked it up and am doing it now."

Dominic smirked. "Aren't you the filthy little martyr now? Oh woe is me, poor Lex, finally taking up some responsibility for himself after so bloody long. Hurts, doesn't it? Who knew you had a single unselfish bone in your body."

Lex's cheek ticked but he didn't let up. "And who knew you were such a selfish, bitter old fucker," he snarled back. "Lashing out and hurting the people around you, making them miserable than for no other reason than you're miserable too and you have to find a way to make yourself feel better than them?" Lex leaned in closer. "You don't want to keep going down this road, Dominic, because there's only so much I will let you hurt this family before I do something about it."

Rather than shoot another answer back, Dominic just snickered. His eyes flashed as he did it, laughing as he was in Lex's face. "But don't you know that already, Lex? It makes me feel good to hurt others. You should know that by now--I have been your father's fuck toy for almost as long as you've been alive, now haven't I?"

"Yes, you have, and I'd have thought that you'd have learned by now that the one thing that you don't fuck with? Is family. You've been warned, Dominic." Lex straightened back up at that.

"Threatening me now, little boy?"

"You're damned right I am," Lex snarled back.

"If we're going to be playing the blackmail game, I insist you don't fuck with me. I know entirely too much about you, little boy, for you to get high and mighty. Or haven't you told your sweet, innocent lover about what really happened at Club Zero? What about the time with the boat? Or maybe we can tell him about all those fun times I broke you out of jail and just how many drugs you were pumping."

"He knows," Lex said calmly. "He knows that I shot a man in the middle of a club. He knows who and what I've fucked, who and what I've sucked, what I've taken and what I've bought with it. He's met my friends and he knows who I used to be, and to be honest, Dominic, even if there is something he doesn't know about me, I'm not afraid of you telling him."

Dominic smirked and turned away from him again, back to the window. "I'm sure I could find something. Go away."

"Go ahead, Dominic. Find something." Lex looked at Clark over his shoulders. "Tell him that I kidnapped a thirteen year old girl to fuck while I was on heroin, and that I was so fucked out of my head I couldn't get it up to do it? Go ahead. Tell him that I nearly crashed Bruce's boat into the Gotham docks, or that I did crash the Humvee through his living room wall during one of the Christmas parties."

He blinked. "Or tell him how I tried to suck your cock the night you picked me up at Babylon."

Holy SHIT! Clark didn't say anything, and kept his face neutral, but holy shit! He glanced at his lover, quirking an eyebrow just a little before looking back down at Dominic.

"I. Said. Go. AWAY!" Dominic bellowed, and pointed at the door. "LEAVE!"

"Get up out of that chair and make me!" Lex bellowed in return, and sent a quick surge of apology and a promise to explain later to his lover.

"I CA--" He cut himself off, furious, and snarled, "Get out of here. Now."

"Make me," Lex reiterated again. "Because that's the only way you're going to get rid of me."

"I don't want you here. Go the fuck away and bother someone else, or put all of your skills to work and fuck your bloody boyfriend. Get out of here. GET OUT!"

"I don't want you in that wheelchair, but it doesn't look like I'm getting what I want either, does it?" Lex smirked.

Dominic's entire body vibrated. "And how the FUCK do you propose I get out of it, hmm? You stupid little shit. Leave."

"How? Well, for one thing, meeting with your fucking therapist might be a start. Working with him? Another good thing. The last? Having some courage to actually try, though I know it's hard for a cowardly Irishman like you to have."

Oh, no he didn't. "I. Am not. A COWARD." he snarled, making a swipe for Lex to give him a good thrashing and missing him by inches. "You miserable little bastard."

"Yes you are. You are the worst kind of coward in the world, Dominic, and I'll tell you why. Because you're afraid of your situation. You're afraid of what you are now, and you're afraid of facing it. You're a coward, and I have no respect for you right now."

That stung, all the way down to Dominic's blackened little heart. "Get out." he said, far quieter but no less angry, and turned his face away as he glared out the window.

"I think I've done everything I can do here," Lex said, fuming silently. "Come on, Clark. Let's go and wait for the therapist to get here."

Clark nodded, silently, just watching Dominic turn away from them as he offered his hand to his lover, gently leading him out of the room and closing the door behind him. He winced as soon as he did, rubbing his eyes and the tension at the bridge of his nose, as he did. "Christ."

Lex's shoulders were still tight, and he was radiating anger and tension. "I'm sorry you had to learn about some of those things that way."

"Not worried about that. Worried about you," Clark soothed, carefully stroking down the long line of his lovers back and gently pressing warm kisses to his throat. "Come on. Want a drink?"

"Not until after the therapist shows up," he sighed, rolling his shoulders as Clark kissed him softly. "But then? You're on."

"Cool," Clark smiled, kissing him again gently. "What time did he say he'd get here?"

"Right about now," came a bright voice from the front foyer. "Hope I'm not interrupting, but the frazzled looking Spanish guy at the door told me I could come in and find you guys here. Eddie Nacheyez, I'm going to be Dominic's therapist." He held his hand out as he started up the steps.

Clark registered the last name, thought it a great galactic joke on someone's part, and offered a hand to him as he shook. "Hi, Mr. Nacheyez. Clark Kent, this is Lex Luthor. Hope you found the mansion alright?"

"Yeah, I found it great; it's the only Scottish castle out in the middle of nowhere. Besides, my sis gave me great directions."

"Mr. Nacheyez," Lex answered, shaking his hand too. "You're going to have a hell of a job ahead of you."

"Call me Eddie, please, or Eduard. Mr. Nacheyez is my pop." He couldn't help smiling again. "Laney's told me he's a handful and a half, but she didn't give me any details--confidentiality, you know."

"She's a good woman," Clark added, nodding firmly as he glanced at the gym door. "Dominic's a nice guy, dealing with major post traumatic stress syndrome and some depression. Meaning? He's acing an ass." A wince.

Eddie just smiled. "Yeah, it's nothing I'm not used to. Most of my patients have that problem in the beginning. If that's the worst that he does, I can live with a few weeks of bad temper--I don't take anything personally. Growing up with Laney? You can't."

Lex snorted. "You should have your work cut out for you then, Eddie."

"Yeah, I gotta agree. Good luck." Clark winced, quietly, and pointed to the door. "He'll talk to you, he said. If you need anything, Lex and I will be close, just holler."

Eddie just shrugged. "Nah, I won't yell. He might, though. Don't be upset if he does; I'm probably going to be telling him some things that he doesn't want to hear, and he probably won't have a good reaction to it. But that's my job."

Clark nodded, firmly, glancing at Lex and letting his throat bob as he swallowed. "That's cool. Do… uh. Has Ms. Nacheyez told you anything about Lionel?"

"Only that he's gonna be a holy terror himself to deal with, and I've already laid down the rules that he won't be able to be a part of the sessions or basically do anything to keep me from motivating Dominic. For that matter, neither are you guys." He looked seriously at him. "I know the family situation, I know you're worried about him, but his treatment's going to be up to me, not you. Okay?"

Lex nodded. "Right. I understand. No interference."

"That's cool. Check." he nodded, firmly. "I only mentioned Lionel because Dominic's taken to imitating him, down to the attitude problem. If you need any help, Lex and I are here, just yell, like I said." He clapped him on the shoulder and motioned for Lex to follow him. "We'll be in the office."

"Good luck," Lex offered, holding his hand out again. "Come by the office when you're done, and I'll have found my father and gotten him ready for you to meet."

"That sounds great," Eddie said with a grin, and pointed to the door over Lex's shoulder. "In there?"

"In there," Lex confirmed.

Dominic was hunched, tightly, in the wheel chair, watching the window. The paned glass windows were open, letting in the fresh summer air that, though warm, heated his cold skin. The blanket tucked around his legs was warm and good, his skin warming with every soft breeze, and he let the peace of the day wash over him.

No more tubes, as of yesterday. His legs and arms hurt from the removed IV's, his penis was swollen from the catheter, and his side still stung despite the stitches they'd stuck in him to close the wound the feeding tube had left.

But he was finally free of all the tubes.

That? That was good.

Except of course the whole part where he had to ask people to use the bathroom. That kind of sucked.

He ignored the door when it opened, and glowered heavily into his lap as it closed. He felt a presence in the room with him, though, and it was the only thing that had him lifting his head. "Who the bloody hell are you?"

"I'm Eddie, and I'm going to be your therapist," he chirped. "Let's have a look at what we're gonna be working with," he said with a smile, walking around to crouch down in front of Dominic. "Wow. They really did just rip those tubes out, didn't they?"

He glared at the man crouching before him, but somewhere in his mind he remembered to be nice to people he'd never met, and he just scoffed. "It hurts like a bitch. Are you the one they've appointed to ruin the rest of my life?"

"Nah, just the next few months, until we get you back on your feet. You know, Laney told me you'd be hard to get along with, but I think she's exaggerating. Let me see your hand," he said, slipping it in as he talked. "How in the hell you put up with her is beyond me."

"Laney?" Dominic muttered, as he lifted his hand, his muscles whining, and offered it. The back of his hand was swollen and bruised from the IV, and he glared at it even as he looked at the man crouched before him. "Excuse me, I'm not hard to get along with. I only am when people don't do as I ask, which is often, because they haven't an inkling of respect for me."

"Laney's my sister," Eddie said, looking at Dominic's hand. "Wow. Whoever took out your IV needle's a hack." He flexed the wrist gently. "You probably know her better as Elaine, but since I grew up with her, I get to call her Laney. Pisses her off, but she gets over it."

"Pisses her off, does it?" Dominic filed that little tidbit away for later consideration, and smirked before wincing as his hand was flexed. "Watch it. That hurts, boyo." And it did, goddammit. His hands felt like big hands attached to his wrists.

"Yeah, I know it hurts, sorry about that." Eddie filed away that the range of motion he was able to get away with before Dominic realized what he was doing was better than he'd expected. "Yeah, Elaine gets pissed when you call her Laney, and it irritated her even more that calling me Eddie never got me down the same way." Little grin as he flexed Dominic's wrist again. "She's older than me by a couple years too, and I never let her forget it."

He hissed as this 'Eddie' character flexed his fingers, biting his lower lip as they were moved around. He was stiff, muscles cold and painful, and he frowned as Eddie moved his hand around like an idiot. Little shit. "I'll be sure to call her that, then. She needs a touch of her own medicine now and again. By the way, what should I call you?"

"Eddie or Eduard, I'll answer to either one." He put Dominic's hand down on the hand rest. "Let me see your other hand." He rocked back on his heels as he waited. "Elaine's been dying for me to see you, because she keeps telling me what a cute guy you are, and how I should have gotten my ass in gear and snapped you up before your husband did."

"I can't." Dominic didn't bother explaining why. "Ahh, too bad, then, Eddie. I am happily married, or was anyway, and expecting a child," Dominic muttered under his breath, looking out the window again and not bothering to say more.

"Of course you can. That's the first rule of working with me. Can't goes right out the window. Take it out of your vocabulary, and forget you ever knew it." Eddie reached out and picked up the other hand, and started flexing it in the same way. "Oh, a baby. That's got to make you happy. One of these days, I'm going to be settling down too, and I'll have me a family. Of course, I'll probably end up adopting like my parents did, but as long as I can give a child a nice, happy hope, that's what counts, right?"

"Your parents adopted?" He tried to keep quiet, but the question came out before he managed it. The muscles in the hand Eddie was massaging hurt and he hissed, wincing and closing his eyes. "That hurts. Stop." But of course that was a word obviously not in the vocabulary either because Eddie didn't stop, and he glowered at him.

"Sure did," he answered without stopping. "Me and Laney both, and neither one of us are the worse off for it. I was... three, I think, when the Nacheyez family adopted me. They already had Laney and I was young enough that I didn't remember anything about my birth family. So, they're my parents now, and I want to give that to another little kid who didn't have a home."

"That's an admirable sentiment," Dominic said, grudgingly, and decided alright, perhaps he could manage to like this person. He was after all, Elaine's brother. And Elaine was his lifesaver. "Lionel and I considered adopting, but we were able to have a close friend offer to birth a baby for us. I've a twin sister, so it wasn't difficult."

"Oh, that's definitely lucky for you," Eddie said, putting the limp wrist down. It actually had a better range of motion, once he'd started moving it, simply because Dominic wasn't paying attention to it and was instead listening to him talk. "Yeah, I wouldn't dream of asking Elaine to do it, because come on, it's Elaine. I don't exactly see her as the childbearing type, you know?"

"She is quite stuffy. No offense," Dominic added, but not hastily, because honestly, it was the truth. She was stuffy. But she was Elaine, so she was quite allowed to be. It was quite alright, there. His wrist was smarting, and he wanted badly to flex it but couldn't, which was utterly and completely depressing. So he just closed his eyes for a moment as Eddie spoke, sighing quietly. "You should, anyway. Children are wonderful."

"Stuffy? Yeah, that's the nice way of saying it. Let me see your left ankle, Dominic. And yeah, they are wonderful. I love kids, which is I think my parents' fault, because they were foster parents. Me and Laney were the only ones they adopted, but they helped out with other kids a lot too, of all ages, and I just grew up loving them."

"I. Can't. Move it." He grit out between his teeth, scowling at the young thing crouched before him. "Get on with it, eh? I don't feel like doing this at all right at the moment--my bloody stepson is tethered at the end of my patience."

"Who, Lex? Met him when I came in. Fine young man, I must say, but he did seem a little cranky. Can't imagine why, you haven't been at all hard to deal with. And yes, you can, just lift it up and let me see it," Eddie said, continuing on. "He's going to look for Lionel, because I've got to talk to him before I leave and make sure we've got all the equipment we need to start working with tomorrow, and I have to ask, what's your favorite flavor? Because I don't believe in water, I believe in Gatorade, which replenishes your body during our sessions. So, what do you want me to bring in the morning?"

"I. Can't. Move. My. Leg." Dominic enunciated as clearly as was possible. "Did you not hear me? I can't bloody move it." And that is that, fucking asshole. "What exactly are you going to be having me do, eh? As Lionel is not the patient, I am, I would like to be informed, if it doesn't bother you." Still clearly spoken, carefully, as he glared down at the boy. "I have never had 'gatorade', thank you, and I'm quite proud of the fact."

"Nope, Lionel's not the patient, but he is the one who's arranged for all the equipment, and if I asked you, would you know if there's a fifty pound chair lift in this room?" Eddie asked calmly, not getting in the least riled up. "As for what we're going to be doing tomorrow, that actually depends on what I find out tonight as to what equipment we have and what your range of motion is, which is what I'm trying to ascertain right now. Gatorade is an electrolyte and carbohydrate balancing sports drink, that's used during physical exertion to keep up your energy level. It's also got a lot of sodium in it, because you'll be sweating it out and you need to keep your levels steady as possible. Since you've never had it, I'm going to start you out on Cherry Lightning, which is the least offensive of the flavors. Finally, yes, you can move it, but I'm not going to argue with you about it. Your muscles haven't disappeared, just gotten a little weak and flabby. We're gonna tone them right up."

Dominic glared darkly at the young man but didn't say anything for a moment. "Blue ice is my favorite. Tell anyone and I'll hunt you down myself. As for moving, no, I can't. I've tried. Do you think I'd still be sitting in this blasted chair, or back in that blasted bed in the hospital, if I could? Do you think I wouldn't be using the loo or getting my own food if I could? Honestly, and you call yourself a physical therapist."

"Blue ice it is." Eddie sat back on his heels and looked up. "Yes, you can. You still have the physical capability. Like I said, your muscles haven't disappeared. They're still attached to the bone, and they're still part of your voluntary nervous system. It's been a while since they've had to move when you've commanded it, and that's what we're here to work on. What I want you to do right now is just try and move it. Think of it step by step; straightening the ankle, unbending the knee, then raising it. It won't happen immediately or overnight, but it will happen."

"That doesn't change the fact that I can't move it, you dolt." Dominic growled. "I can't bloody move it. Do you think I haven't been trying, eh? Step by step," he snorted, "as if I'm some young buck or some such nonsense. Its all there, sure, but it might as well be a slab of ham for all the good its doing me."

"Oh, right, right, I forgot that you're the completely ancient age of thirty six. Come to think of it, that's only a few years older than I am." Eddie paused. "Maybe I should give up too, cause I'm so old and useless, and all."

"Not old, but I am quite useless, aren't I?" Dominic shot back.

"Only if you think you are, but that's something you're going to have to come to terms with," Eddie answered. "I mean, I don't think you're useless at all, especially if you're going to be someone's dad in the near future. Everybody needs their father, you know, and that right there means you're not useless. But, that's not something I can make you think, and until you get that into your head... well, I can work with you until the cows come home, but it's not gonna do any good."

"Look, Eddie, I know you're trying to be a help, but there's not much helping to me. I've already accepted it all, don't you see? My bloody brain won't connect with my legs. I've tried moving them, but I can't get them to budge even an inch on my own free will. So its a waste. Don't bother with all of the machinery you want to have brought in."

"Yep. You're right. It is a waste. Not because of the situation, but because of you. If you're not even willing to work with me? Then I'm wasting my time here. I'll tell Mr. Luthor to save all his money, build a few ramps in this place instead, and leave you stuck in that thing the rest of your life. It'll be kind of hard taking your son or daughter to soccer practice or whatever, but I'm sure you're more interested in feeling sorry for yourself." Eddie pushed himself to his feet and headed for the door. "Give Laney my love when you see her tomorrow, eh?"

Oh, God. Dominic felt panic ebbing in around the edges of his heart, making it incredibly hard to breathe, and he swallowed a stiff one as Eddie went to the door. He had nightmares of having to live in this fucking chair, and if someone didn't help him, even if he was sure he was beyond help at this point... "You don't have to leave."

Eddie gave a silent cheer, and made sure to school his face as he turned back around to look blankly at Dominic. "Yeah, I do, because I was raised by good parents, which means I don't hang around and mooch off money when I can't do my job."

"You don't have to mooch. I was simply saying I don't think... this will ever work." He swallowed, tightly, and glared at his lap. "My doctor told me so. He said it was quite doubtful."

"Your doctor... that's Brahm Jaheel, right?"

"Do you know him?" Dominic looked up.

Eddie snorted. "The man's ruined half my patients. There's two people I was working with last year that would have been walking by the time they left the hospital if they hadn't listened to that bastard."

Dominic swallowed. Hard. "He told me I'd never walk again. He said my knee was too torn apart. Its horridly ugly, I doubt I'll ever walk on it again regardless... more metal than bone now." He looked down at the blanket covering his knee. "Want to see?"

"That man wouldn't know his ass from a hole in the ground if the damn proctologist showed him," Eddie snorted. "Yes, I'd like to see. And just so you know? That has nothing to do with whether or not you'll walk again. I've rehabbed a seventy year old man who had a complete knee replacement, and he just won the Charleston dance competition at his church a few weeks ago, so to hell with Jaheel."

For the first time in three months, Dominic gave his first grin. It was a ghost of what it had been, but he had this image of an old man doing the Charleston and it was really, really cute. So he just nodded and moved the blanket, leaning over with his good hand to carefully pull up the loose work out pants Ms. Bird had helped him with, and glanced up at Eddie with a small wince. His knee wasn't bandaged anymore, to let the wounds breathe, but what there was was terrible. it was bruised, black stitches were keeping the skin together, and the skin around the incision places was mottled, inflamed, and veiny. It looked terrible.

Eddie winced too. "Yeah, that's going to take a while to heal up. But that's why we've got two other arms and one other leg to work with first. Dominic... it's not hopeless. Okay? It's not. I've seen worse, and I've worked with people who've had limbs amputated. Don't lose hope, because you've got a lot of things to hope for."

Dominic swallowed, hard, and forced the lump that had risen in his throat. "You swear to me I can? Because if I put in all of this work and get nothing out of it, I'm not going to be pleased."

"I swear to you that you can," Eddie confirmed. "But you've got to promise me in return that you're not going to give up. Because I'll be honest with you. It's not going to be easy. You're going to go to sleep a lot of nights hurting, frustrated, and angry. You're probably going to end up hating me for the duration of your therapy sessions with me, though if you've been seeing my sister, you've probably built up a tolerance." He smiled. "But if you don't give up on you, I won't either."

"I don't give up. Ever. I just have a hard time starting things," Dominic muttered, but met the man's... boy's... man's eyes and nodded. "I've built the tolerance. I'm immune. Can't have Lionel Luthor as a partner and not. But I promise you, I will indeed. Alright?"

"All right!" Eddie held out his hand for a handshake. "Now, I'm going to go and find your husband, and then I'm going to go home, take a shower, and get rested for tomorrow morning. You do the same thing, okay? Bath, rest, and don't lose hope. Remember... small steps."

"Small steps." Dominic answered back, and shook his hand firmly as he nodded. "Alright. I can do that. Tomorrow. What time?"

"I've got 9:30 AM, which is right after breakfast. That good for you? Cause I can bump you down to 10:30 if it's not, and then come back for an extra hour in the evening after I take care of my other patient."

"No, its quite alright. Nine thirty is fine." Dominic nodded again, firmly, before letting go of his hand and slumping back comfortably in the wheel chair. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me until this is over and you're standin' on your own two feet again. Then you can thank me," Eddie said seriously.

 

-fin-

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