The Memoirs

Smallville was experiencing a slight housing boom. Thanks to the help of Habitat for Humanity, there were twenty simple frame homes, mostly complete inside and out.

They were expecting to complete another twenty more today. And another twenty Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. That'd be a hundred houses, plus they were going to be working on Saturday to finish wiring, painting, and sanding the floors.

The carpeters were coming in on Monday to lay carpet, and the stink of tar and asphalt was heavy in the air.

There was a faint chemical smell in the air, but that was just pink hair dye.

Shayla curled up on the bus next to the window, staring out at the scenery as they passed.

And behind her, like a faithful pup, was Chloe. Blond hair in a pretty French braid she'd mimicked on her best friend, her arm looped tightly around Shayla's, and Chloe worried. Shayla hadn't said much of anything since the day before, and she hurled a dark, ugly glare at the front of the bus, where Pete and Whitney were sitting. Chloe had banished her lover to him so she and Shay could be alone, and she snuggled her closer, arm wrapping around her shoulder.

And Clark? Clark stayed quiet. Lex by his side, their fingers wrapped tight. His fellow students had looked at him in shock when he'd come on the bus with his fingers linked through Lex's, but hadn't said a word thus far. Knew better then to SAY anything, because he was known for being an ass kicker. ...Now, he'd never KICKED any ass, but regardless. He shifted softly in his seat and brought their intertwined fingers up to kiss, his eyes dancing at his love. The night before had been beautiful, and all he'd wanted to do when they awoke that morning, all twined in a ball with Whitney, was to stay that way. But, the real world beckoned, so he just stayed close to his love, watching the world go by.

Whitney was passing quiet, sidelong glances to his friend, nudging him with an elbow every so often, trying to get him to speak. He felt eyes in the back of his head, but despite the quiet air of gloom that had seemed to fall on their little group, he was in a fairly good mood. He'd slept so much better than he had in ages, and had been surprised to wake up curled up still around Clark. "Okay. So. You gonna do the strong and silent thing all day?"

Lex had made a horrid face when Clark had suggested riding the bus with everyone else. He'd made noises about driving his car to the site, needing his own transportation, and not mixing with the masses, but Clark had overruled his good sense and here he was. He squeezed Clark's fingers lightly, then used them to tug Clark over for a quick, quiet kiss on his lover's lips.

Now he remembered why he hated riding the bus, as the stench of unwashed bodies, early-morning sweat, hairspray and perfume filled his nose.

Pete was just that. Silent, having not said anything since he'd found Clark and Whitney with their heads together, playing cards that morning. Hadn't said a word... had seen his... his ex girlfriend, with all the violently pink hair, and his throat had burned with the tears he'd wanted to shed. Instead he stayed very, very quiet, ignoring Whitney when he'd become his seat mate, and instead watched Clark and Lex. Lex was at least half a head shorter then Clark, but managed to come off powerful and strong when Clarks head moved to lay on a broad shoulder. They were perfect for one another, and as happy as Pete was for them, he was also deeply, hotly jealous. Clark had something Pete was destined never to have, and it hurt.

So he just turned his head, and looked back out the window.

Clark kissed back, just as softly, then twice more for good measure, and lay his head down on his lovers shoulder as he pulled their intertwined fingers in his lap. Quiet, not a word, but he choked on the giggle at his lovers mental image of all the students sitting with a cloud of green around them.

Shayla hadn't said a word as Chloe had braided her hair, hadn't said a word as they'd gotten to school, gotten on the bus, or done anything else. She was studiously ignoring... well, basically, every male of the species except for Clark, Lex, and her brothers, and every female of the species except for... Chloe. She had her walkman on and the headphones in her ears, but there was no music blaring; it was just for show, so everybody else would leave her the fuck alone.

Whitney sighed. "You know, Pete... I could sic Chloe on you. See if she can pry it out of you. But, if you tell me, then you won't have to deal with the reporter routine," he offered.

Lex leaned his head over and rested his cheek on Clark's hair, echoing the position of many other couples on the bus without realizing it. It's not my fault they stink to high heaven, Lex pointed out silently.

His eyes, that rich cocoa brown, were icy as he glared at Whitney. Gave him a quiet growl which was actually more for show than anything else, and he lay his head back on the chair back silently. He hated this, hated it so much, and the guilt that was pressing on his heart was almost more than he could bear.

"I love you." Clark said softly, and his eyes widened when the two girls behind him squealed and went into a slew of whispers. Didn't dare turn around but yeah, public place, realizing it, and he flushed. Pink.

Whitney growled back, and then shrugged. "No skin off my ass, man. Just thought I'd be nice and see what's eatin' you." He turned around and looked at Chloe, shrugging his shoulders once before turning back around, facing forward.

Lex squeezed his fingers. "I love you too, Clark." He turned his head, glaring at the two girls over the edge of the seat. "Excuse me? Do you have a problem, or are you always rude and eavesdropping?"

"Sorry, Mr. Luthor." However she didn't look sorry at all, and she just... she reached out and pinched his cheek. "You both are so mega cute. Just… cute."

"Definitely cute." Her friend giggled and beamed at them.

Beat. Red. But Clark grinned and squeezed his lovers thigh gently, turning his head back towards the front.

"We totally called it. We saw you guys giving each other googly eyes WAY many months ago, and then, when we heard you were totally going steady? Ah! We were so, like, stoked, you know?"

"Definitely stoked!" The blond echoed, and did a little squirm in her seat.

Lex just growled. "It's quite rude, you know. To listen in on private conversations, and then to laugh, and otherwise make commentary on it. Quite rude, and one would think you weren't brought up any better." He turned back around in the seat, glaring at Clark. "Thank God their manners--or lack thereof--haven't rubbed off on you."

He was choking on the laugh. Amusement showed in his face as he lay his head back against the seat, and rolled it to look at his lover. His lips curved… he teased very softly, murmuring his amusement as he rubbed a palm over his lovers naked skull, bringing him close and yawning as he twined their feet together.

Lex snuggled close to Clark, his hand sliding over and nestling just inside the collar of Clark's shirt. "Mmm. I'm glad one of us is getting something out of this," he murmured softly.

"I get to be close to you. What's not to get?" He was having a really great time teasing his lover, and an even better time being close to him and oh, his loves fingers on his skin were so cool after the humidity of the day had already frizzed his curls out and dampened his skin. Since his lover had taken all of the stores of food for their baby out of him he'd felt...he'd felt so much more normal, so much more alive. Grieving now, but not in the unhealthy, agonized way. Grieving because he'd lost his child.

"Christ, I adore you."

Lex gave him a bright, sunny smile. "I love you, Clark. You... are my world." He snuggled his hand a little further into Clark's shirt, not indecently, but it wasn't like anyone would dare say anything to him anyway. "I'm glad... I'm glad you're feeling better. You seem... happier."

"It hurts, but different." And it was all he could explain, as his fingertips danced over his lovers inner thigh. No one was looking at them and even if they were then he supposed they'd be getting a free peep show. Didn't care, as he kept looking at him and they said their private words to each other. "You smell so good."

Lex brought their fingertips together, and pushed them down a little further, closer to his groin. "That's because... unlike most of the people on this bus... I took a bath." He gave Clark's ear a soft kiss after he said that.

Chuckle now, a soft one as his fingers stroked tenderly over the lump in his lovers khaki's, not daring to mouth any part of his lover with a bus full of people behind them. So he just stroked tenderly, his thumb sliding between crotch and thigh, and gently rubbed. "You smell lemony fresh."

"And that would be Ms. Bird's detergent. Lemon scented detergent, because, as she puts it... eet meks de whole hoose smell like sunshine." A soft snort.

Clark didn't burst out laughing. Didn't. But nearly did, making the rude noise in the back of his throat as he slapped a hand over his mouth. "You big fairy."

"Wings and everything." He shrugged his shoulders. "They're just hidden under the turtleneck," Lex agreed, nodding.

He let the amusement show now, and snuggled his lover in so he wouldn't be offended, kissing his cheeks and nose and throat softly. "Think you can fly us off to Mexico for the weekend?"

"Of course I can. Just tell me when you want to get there and when you want to leave, and I'll wave my little magic cell-phone-shaped wand and make it happen for you." He snickered into Clark's cheek.

Oh man. Oh. "Cancun. Or, we could say goodbye to the continent altogether and go to Jamaica." Oh, a happy sigh, and he squirmed in his seat. "I always wanted to go to Jamaica."

"Bermuda, Jamaica, oh, I'm gonna take ya,'" Lex hummed softly. "Jamaica it is."

"Man, Lex, what is it with you and the Beach Boys?" Quirked lips, soft stubble scratching against his lovers cheek as he snuggled them close... they went over a bump, his buttbone smacked the metal on the edge of the seat, and he sighed as he knocked his lover in the head with his own noggin. "Sorry, baby."

"It's okay, Clark. You're just lucky that I have a hard head. As for the Beach Boys... my dad likes them. He sings it all the time when he thinks nobody is looking."

"Yeah?" And damn it was funny, so much so that Clark grinned, broadly, as the voices around them picked up as they neared the construction sight. "Im kind of picturing your dad laying in his hospital bed with their greatest hits on CD."

"You probably wouldn't be far off," Lex admitted. "Although he'd never admit to it and say that it was Dominic's CD, put in there by mistake."

"Dominic... is classical music guy. I have heard every Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach symphony on the face of the planet now."

Lex just snickered at that. "No, baby, you haven't. You haven't done that until you've gone through Dad's collection. Because just as much as he's hooked on the Beach Boys, he can play classical piano movements that'll just break your heart. The Chopin Nocturne movements? They were my mother's favorite, and Dad can play them like he was born to it."

"I like them." Clark declared it suddenly, nodding. "I like them, a lot. A whole lot."

"The concertos? Dom's CDs? The Beach Boys? Chopin's Nocturnes? There's a lot of thems in that conversation, Clark."

"Your dad and Dominic. I like them." He said it quietly, smiling at him and setting his temple on his lovers jaw. "I like them a lot, Lex."

"Well, I know Dad likes you, Clark. And I'm pretty sure that Dom does too. In fact, I'd have to go so far as to say that Dad likes you better than me."

At that Clark laughed, long and softly, rolling his eyes at his lover as he reached over and gently touched his cheek. "Lex, he adores you beyond anything in the world, baby."

"I know, Clark." Lex said it softly, and kissed Clark's cheek in return. "But if he had to pick which of us to be friends with? He'd pick you. And I'm all right with that. Because he helped you, whether or not you admit it, and for that, I'll always be grateful to him."

He didn't like that. Not a single bit, and Clark looked at him for a long moment, as he gently took his lovers hand in his own. "He loves you. I'm Clark... you're his son. He loves you with everything he is. And so does Dominic. You're their kid, and they care so much about you."

"I know, Clark." He squeezed Clark's hands tightly. "I know that. I know that they'd both do anything for me. And I may still have my occasional problems with Dad and Dom, but I don't doubt any more that they love me. But they love you too."

"They... care about me more than my own parents do." Clark said it softly, and squeezed Lex's hand hard as the bus rolled to a stop. The driver, Principal Reynolds, stood up, and Clark quickly let go of his lover and straightened up guiltily at the raised eyebrow he got.

Lex didn't back down from Reynolds' stare; instead, he picked Clark's arm back up, wrapped it firmly around his waist, and glared back at his former headmaster.

Reynolds didn't intimidate him any longer, and he'd be damned if he let Reynolds run Clark's life, either.

And the man ignored it, as he spoke to the class. "Just like yesterday, folks. No horseplay. Remember all of your safety precautions. Wear your hard hats at all times. If you break it, you're fixing it or replacing it. Understood?" At the sleepy yeses, he nodded curtly and opened the bus doors, stepping down and out.

Clark rose with his lover, letting the two giggly girls out in front of them, and turned to Lex to whisper, "They've been dating since the seventh grade, baby. Ashley and Moniqua. Don't worry about them, kay?" A quick kiss and he scooted out with his ashimel, beaming at him as he wrapped an arm around Pete's shoulders and got off the bus.

Lex just waited for the press of bodies to wash by him, and he was the last to get off the bus, and he barely acknowledged Reynolds' existence. He headed for the office, and as soon as he opened the door, he found... Bruce's sock. The other sock was in the floor beside the desk. There were buttons dropped everywhere, and Lex just raised an eyebrow before closing the door and rejoining Clark.

Whitney returned the grin, and leaned over. "Good luck pryin' anything outta his ass today; he ain't said shit to me since we got to school."

"'Scuse me." Shayla brushed by quickly, giving Clark a kiss on the cheek good morning before heading for the hard hats and work gloves.

"Morning..!....Shay?" Clark asked softly, watching her flounce off with Chloe and oooh buddy. Clark glanced at his very quiet friend, at the aloof and very pink Shayla...Pete, Shay, Pete, Shay. Fuck. "Pete?" Asked softly, quietly.

Chloe didn't say a word, not one word to Whitney, Clark or Pete, simply hooking her elbow around Shayla's and going for a hard hat too, staying as close as she could to her best friend.

And her nose, in the air.

"Morning, Clark." Shayla said it softly, but she knew he'd hear as she picked up a hat, and a can of white matte paint. "Come on, Chloe. Let's work inside today; I don't want to work outside."

Whitney gave a low whistle. "I think we're all in the doghouse, man."

"Well I didn't do anything. Its probably you two boneheads." Clark tried to get a smile out of his friend, and all he got was pure silence and dead eyes. And because Pete was never without a joke, Clark looked up at his lovers, wincing as they walked towards the hard hats, and squeezed Pete's shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is WRONG! FUCK!" He exploded, shaking Clarks arm off and snarling at them. "Leave me the FUCK alone!"

Clarks arm fell, eyes wide as he took a step back. "I didn't... I'm..."

"No, man. You didn't, just like you told me once. Just butt... OUT."

That was it. Shayla threw down her hard hat, and stomped across to where Clark, Whitney and Pete were standing. "You and me got a problem, Pete, but you're not gonna be a bitch and take it out on Clark, Whitney, or anyone else who is trying to help your stupid ass, do you understand me? You want to be a stupid fuck, you do it on your own time, because I'm not going to let you hurt anybody else." Her green eyes were flashing angrily and she was glaring as hard as she could, little body whipcord tight and ready to fight.

And his eyes flashed with dark, deep hurt as he looked away from her, guilt swamping his heart full. Today, he knew, would be the worst day of his life. Worse than then Dick left him, worse than when his grannie died. And he couldn't meet her eyes, so he just looked away, and walked around her, towards the supplies waiting for them.

"Oh, boy." Clark whispered, and he grabbed Lex's hand and Whitney's shoulder, quickly dragging them after Pete. Slinking actually, but that was okay, cause...damn.

"Sorry about that, Clark." Quick, apologetic glance, and she picked up the hard hat she'd chosen, and put it back on her head.

"Hooooleeee shit." Whitney's eyes were wide, and he stumbled a moment as Clark dragged, but he caught his footing right away and followed.

Lex rolled his eyes, though nobody saw it. He'd had his fill of teenage drama when he was a teenager, but he didn't say a word, just following Clark as he was half dragged, half carried in the angry wake.

But Clark didn't have to see it to feel it, and his lips flashed in a smile as he tugged him close, looping their arms together as they trudged through the dirt and mud. He was in his element here, where he could get filthy and sweaty and enjoy every second, and he plopped a hardhat on his head, beamed from under it, and snapped a tool bit on his hips. "Bob Vila's got nothing on me. Where are we starting?"

Lex... just sighed. "How about you guys start sanding the floors for the carpeters, or maybe be hoists on one of the frame teams. I've got to check in the office and call Dom, make sure everything's running okay and see how Dad's doing, then check with my contractor crews and make sure we're running on schedule."

"Got it, sir." A tentative glance back at Shayla and Pete, and Clark grabbed Whitney's arm, pulling him over. Hat on his head, belt on his hips, and he pulled him off to one of the houses before Chloe could get to him.

Pete just… he didn't even look at Shayla, just fixing his own belt carefully, as he wiped the hat with a handkerchief and set it on his head.

Shayla turned on her heel again, picked her paint bucket back up, and walked away. Her heart was breaking, she was furious as hell, and all she wanted to do was go somewhere quiet and cry. But she didn't. Instead she picked up a brush to go with her paint can, and a pair of safety goggles.

At least if she cried now, she could blame it on paint fumes.

Whitney didn't even dare look at his girlfriend again. The acidic glare he'd gotten when he'd woke up this morning had been enough to shrivel his balls and he was staying well off her radar today.

Lex closed the door to the office trailer behind him, picking up stray bits of clothing, buttons, socks, and other things he figured belonged to Bruce and Dick. A raised eyebrow at the small white pool on the corner of the desk, and Lex took a paper towel from the bathroom, wet it, and scrubbed it away without thinking about it. The towel went into the trash, and Lex dropped into the chair behind the desk as he picked up the phone, and dialed Dominic's cell phone from memory. He propped his feet up on the desk, leaning back in the chair as he waited.

A thud… a short sound of someone yelling, and a female voice demanding that someone calm down greeted Lex when Dominic picked up the phone. He knew who it was by his little LCD screen.. 'Step son--hah!', and he picked up the phone, wincing and biting his lip at his lover. "Hello, hi."

"Dominic?" Lex straightened himself up. "Everything all right? Sounds like a war zone up there."

"Ah..." A glance up, and another wince. His lover was....well, a bit cranky, and the two chirping nurses were snarling at him. Uh… okay. Hmm. He got up, wincing again at them, and his furious lover, as he stepped out into the hall, shutting the door behind him. "Your father... is a bit testy, darling. He… mm. Well. Regardless, are you at the sight?"

"On the move, huh?" Lex winced in sympathy. "Yeah, we're at the site. There's about twenty houses up, which is actually better than we'd hoped. I haven't had a chance to talk to the contractors yet, but judging by the smell of fresh tar in the air, I'd say they're doing good on the lots and the paving."

"Fantastic. I'm going to find a time to come out today and get things going. What of Bruce, is he there with you?" Dominic winced at another bellow from his lover and a yell from the nurse, and a 'Madame, you are quite unauthorized to do that!' as Dominic turned from the door and walked a little bit down the hall.

"No, Bruce isn't. He's at home with Dick--very, very, long and unpleasant story there." A sigh and a wince. "Christ, at least nothing's wrong with his lungs."

"The medications made him grumpy, or so the doctor said." He winced too, and sat himself in a plastic chair beside the nurses station. "That leaves you and myself, darling. And as I won't let you shoulder this alone, and you don't know a quarter of what your father wants, I'll be down quick as can be. The stones getting ready to pass any hour now, and when it does I'll be able to come get some work done."

"I never thought I'd be feeling sorry for my father." Lex winced again in sympathy. "I may not know everything Dad wants, but I think I've got things well in hand, Dom. I'm not a completely inexperienced nincompoop."

"I know." Dominic soothed it. "Darling, I know. I just don't want you to find yourself saddled with all of it when I'm capable of helping you." A moment, and he switched the phone to the other ear. Every day since Clark had had the accident with the baby, Dominic had asked soft, gentle words that he spoke now. "How are you and Clark doing, beloved?"

"We're doing better." He gave a quiet grin. "We're actually getting... back to normal."

"Fabulous." And it was, and God, how happy he was to hear it. "On with you. I'll call with further developments of Stonehenge, two thousand and three later on."

Lex laughed at that. "Give Dad my love, and tell him that we've got everything under control. And no, I'm not letting Clark overwork himself."

"I'm going to make him keep it." Wicked giggle on the line. "I'll be seeing you, lad."

And dammit to hell, it was the first thing she laid eyes on as she stepped out of the elevator. The nauseous scent of ass and medicine, of course, permeated her nose, that not even the most expensive of perfumes could cure. And she was a lush, to boot.

Her brother, sitting on a plastic chair, looking much too skinny, worried, and amused all at the same time. His shock of blond hair sticking up everywhere, his long artists fingers closing his cell.

She was dressed to kill. The question was... wasn't she always? A deep maroon sweater over breasts that had cost as much as the sweater did. Not implants, you know. Just a little touch up. But regardless, long, snug blue jeans so dark they were almost black, and black needle point boots that clicked quietly on her way out of the elevator.

Philippe was at the mansion, unpacking. She'd heard from Hilde, who had greeted them with open arms, just what was going on in Smallville, down to the detail, and she and her lover had taken the first plane ride back from Paris. Fashion show cut short, but she was positive they'd live.

And Megan tossed her lustrous, long blond locks she had paid an exorbitant amount of money to look this good, and stopped in front of her brother, hands on her hips.

Before she could say anything? Tackled. Like a linebacker.

"MEGAN!" Oh! GOD! She was standing there like a dream, a scowl on her face, and what else was he to do but leap and hug her until he lifted her off the ground? Christ it had been...not very long but much too long at the same time, and oh, how he hugged her. He'd missed her so deeply, so very deeply, and he kissed her cheeks, nose, hair, and snuggled her tight as he fought not to break down. She was good break downing, and made a great pillow, but it was seven thirty in the morning and he still had too much to do.

"You know," Harrumphed, as she snuggled back. He may have been too skinny, but he was still her brother, and she hugged him around his broad shoulders tight. "I've got to start doing this more often. Flattens my--oopmh--belly."

"Darling, what the hell are you doing here? Christ, I love you, I missed you. What are you doing here??"

She let go just enough to tuck his cell into his shirt pocket and wind her arm through his, snuggling her twin close. And Christ how they looked alike, so much so that she beamed, and patted his stubbly cheek. "Heard what was happening, and I just couldn't miss the fun."

Dream. Come. True. "I love you. I love you so dearly, idiot sister of mine." A hard kiss to her cheek as he snuggled her close, and he very, very carefully, opened Lionel's room door.

The nurses had left him to his own devices. Not that Dominic blamed them. But he held his sister in front of him like a shield, peaking out around her. "Lionel, lovely, look. I brought you a present."

"If it is one more thing to drink, I promise you, I will wring--Megan!" Lionel couldn't help the happy exclamation. He'd terrorized the nurses out of his room, he was in pain, there was a boulder trying to pass through places it should never have to pass, and there was Megan.

Outside of Dominic, the only Senatori he didn't want to axe murder. Besides, she'd given them the chance to have a baby. "Megan Senatori!"

She let out a squeal and couldn't help it, because Lionel was her favorite. She reached forward and tenderly slipped into his arms, hugging him gently and kissing his stubbly cheeks too, and a big, smacking kiss on the lips. "Hallo, sweetheart! Yes, I'm here, you know, I heard of all the problems you're all having here and I had to come help. Or lighten spirits, one or the other." Another big kiss and she beamed at him as she pulled up a chair, the satchel she'd brought on her arm going on the floor. "How are you, sweetie?"

"I'm ready to commit axe murder upon your brother and every single medical technician in this facility, because they seem to think I should be "bucking up" while trying to pass this rock."

"Oh, beloved, that's why I'm here. Did I tell you he screamed like a girl for three straight days? And vowed abstinence? And begged me to kill him?" Wicked grin at her brother with smoky eyes as she glanced back to Lionel, and gently pet his cheek. "Come on, you should buck up. I brought things to do! Things that don't pertain to work, and really, don't need any skill whatsoever." Into her bag, and out... came a Playstation 2, about six games, and in it was… well.

Jigsaws, books, puzzles, mind games, and oh, thank God. Dominic dropped a kiss on his beautiful sisters head, leaned over to his lover, and began to tug on his coat. "Beloved... do you mind if I go save Lex from certain doom?"

"No, you didn't tell me and neither did he." A smirk graced Lionel's lips. "He didn't tell me that at all." He picked up one of the Playstation controllers and held it between forefinger and thumb. "What, precisely... is this?"

"In some parts of the country, my darling, they call it crack." She climbed to her feet and like the expert she was, hooked it all up to the big TV Lionel had at the foot of the bed, flipped the channel... and up came Vice City, much to her amusement. She handed him the controller and pushed him aside a little to get into bed beside him, snuggling right in, and if she'd had known, she would have realized she did it just like her brother. Ankle over ankle and she handed him the remote controller, grinning at him.

Lionel looked at it like she'd shoved road kill into his hand. "And I do what with this?"

"Watch." She passed through the first three screens and got to the main frame, where they told the story of who you were, and what you had to do.

And as soon as it was done, she got her character, John, into the first car she could and sped off going at least seventy miles an hour.

Lionel blinked. "You know, I could get to like that. You say, you're a car thief again?"

"Indeed. You've got to get missions going, you know, darling." She handed him the remote, snuggled in beside him, with her head propped on her elbow behind Lionel's head. Turned on her side, arm on her hip, and winked at her brother, shooing him off as she grinned at her Lionel.

"Well, I think that I can handle the driving and the planning. Tell me, what kind of opposition am I going to be facing, and what, precisely are their weak points? You have to know your opponent before you can beat them."

Oh, Jesus, and Dominic was gone. So much work to do, so very, very much, and he blew his sister a grateful kiss as he snuck out the door. He tugged his coat on as he went, briefcase in hand and sunglasses tucked into his shirt front as he mounted the elevator. Didn't think about it, didn't think about it, didn't--

Fuck.

When the elevator doors opened on the ground floor, his mouth… it dropped. There was enough press to fill an auditorium, Estelle going nuts to get them out, and when he got off the elevator, there was a roar. A thousand questions shot at him as he looked around in horror, screamed from him from everywhere as he began to push through the crowd.

"How long have you been married to Lionel Luthor?"

"Are you just here for his money?"

"How long have you been siblings with Gina?"

"Why was no one told of your wedding?"

"Is LuthorCorp moving because of you?"

"Dominic!" Felicia was jumping up and down at the side door. "Morgan Dominic Senatori!" she shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth. "Get over here, right now! Ethan's got the cruiser waiting!!!"

He was six shades of white and one of pink as he pushed through the crowd, muttering, "No comment. No comment." every few moments. Vowed to rid Charlie of that pesky problem of having genitals as he reached for Felicia's hand, pushing through the crowd and snagging it as he pushed past and out into the open, where even more reporters waited. Holy fuck and shit! He quickly pushed himself into the squad car, catching Fellie about the waist and tugging her in, and the door shut with a soft whoosh.

They were banging on the doors. The windows. The front of the car. Didn't seem to care if was a POLICE OFFICER'S CAR. Vicious vermin.

Ethan made sure his passengers were in before getting his mike, and saying out through the speakers, "The next one who bangs on my car will be slapped with a two thousand dollar fine. Everyone please move. Now."

"You okay, Dominic?" Felicia was checking him over for bruises. "That little guy of yours... Charlie something, called us. Said there was too many people here for him to handle, and they were gettin' violent." She looked up at her fiancé. "Forget it, honey, just run 'em over. They're mean bastards, they're used to Metropolis cops. You can gun the engine and they'll get back." Back to Dominic. "Charlie said to tell you to meet him at the courthouse. Judge Ross is gettin' a restraining order that'll keep the press outta the hospital grounds, but that's all she can do."

Oh, and Ethan was a mean bastard, so he gunned the engine, hard, that had the press scattering back... though not a lot, just a little bit. Asses. He pulled out, slowly, honking every few minutes so that he finally had to put his lights on to get them out of there, his buddy on his motorcycle behind him honking the horn.

Dominic just... he didn't say anything for a moment, just looking at Felicia with adoration, horror, and embarrassment. "They... they're here because of Lionel and me? How did they find out? Christ be to God." However, when she mentioned Charlie the need to kill him declined drastically, to be replaced by a begrudging respect. "Holy God."

"Yeah, they are. Don't know how it got out, but it ain't hard to guess. There's more gossip among nurses and doctors than there is anywhere else. Few little words, and bam, the whole fuckin' world knows. Don't know how your little guy knew to call me, but I'm damn glad he did." She put her hand on Ethan's shoulder. "We're glad to help you."

"He's trained well." But he lay his head back and pinched his nose, turning to watch, with an almost surreal horror, as the press got into their cars and vans and peeled out behind them. "My god, you'd think its the story of the century or something. Lionel's gay, not the Lindenbergh baby, for the love of Christ." He turned then, to the both of them. "thank you, so much. I don't know what I'd have done without you."

"It is the big story of the century. The move, the gay, the money, the old guy and the young chippie, everything? Yeah. Huge story." Her hands went to his shoulders and started to rub. "It's okay. It's what friends are for."

"Happy to help, Misser. Senatori." Ethan said, watching the rear view mirror as the vans began to follow them. And looked towards the computer on the consol. "Computer, badge number 35727. Remember this list. Channel 1 news. Channel 4 news. KSAT 12 news. The New York Times. People. Newsweek. Going at least forty miles over the speed limit."

Felicia snickered, and then she leaned forward, giving her lawman a kiss on the cheek. "Ethan, did I ever tell you you're sexy when you're using your authority?"

Groan and he slapped his hand over his face. "Fabulous. So I'm now, what? A money laundering, old-guy-fucking pervert?" Another groan. "No sexy things, please."

Ethan turned beat red but smiled, winking at his fiancé as they whizzed past main street, and made it to the courthouse in record time. Pulled the cab in, got everyone out, and locked the doors up, hustling into the building as he pushed the button on his shoulder and talked into his mike. "I need fifteen officers, and a perimeter around the courthouse."

"Roger that, Ethan." Betty Louise picked up the mike back at the station, and switched it over to dispatch. "All available officers, to the Smallville courthouse immediately, cordon off the area. Traffic patrol, look on your console, there's a list comin' through from Ethan's cruiser, these guys doin' some major speedin' and we need citations."

All the units in the area echoed their acknowledgement, and Betty switched back over.

"Ethan honey, they're on the way, quick as anything."

"Thank ya, Betty." Ethan hitched up his belt in the classic police officer move, much to his unknowing, and led his fiancé and her gay ex-lover right on in to the courthouse. It too had been cordoned off, and Dominic stared around in horror as Ethan pat his arm. "Don't you worry, we'll do what we can to help ya."

What the bloody hell had been going on while he was in the hospital?! He blinked... caught Charlie talking to Judge Ross, and his eyes narrowed at him even as he smiled at the woman and offered his hand to her. "Hallo, Gloria, darling."

"Heey, there, sugar pie." Gloria kissed each of his cheeks and sat him right down, with the young pup of the thing to boot.

Gulp. Charlie cringed as soon as he felt Dominic's gaze bore into the back of his head.. "M-Mr. S-S-S-Senatori," he choked out, terrified. He tried to hide behind the judge as much as he could.

Felicia slid her arms around Ethan's waist and smiled at the Judge. "Your Honor, we got him here as fast as he could, and beggin' the judge's pardon, that better be one hell of an order ma'am."

"It is." Cause she was damn good. "They can't come within a hundred feet of you, Lionel, or any of your kin without being arrested, Dominic."

Slow... very slow breath slipped from him as she took the paper he handed out to her, and looked over it, just nodding. Didn't even have to finish reading it, so he signed the paper at the bottom with a flourish, and handed it right back. "I'd... like a word with my assistant, Judge, if you've a room empty so I might... talk to him?"

"Of course, darlin'." She climbed to her feet, papers in hand, ready to go get things finalized as she pointed him in the direction of the empty court room.

Charlie's eyes went huge in his face, and he didn't even blink. He was just frozen in place.

"Now, Mr. Siegel." Calmly spoken, as Dominic walked into the courtroom, leaving the door open with a palm as he motioned for his young Padawan to enter.

Huge, unblinking eyes turned on the sheriff. "You'll arrest him if he kills me, right?" Hard, hard gulp and he locked his knees as he got up, propelling himself into the empty room behind his boss.

Dominic let the door swing closed behind him, and didn't move, at all, spine stiff as he stared very, very hard at the young man before him. Too tall, too gangly, too much hair in the wrong places. But an attractive boy none the less, and he just glared, crossing his arms and waiting.

Charlie grabbed the wall behind him as he shrunk against it, cowering.

"Explain." Simply spoken, as he took out a chair from beside the wall and sat in it, crossing his legs and folding his hands carefully over his lap.

"Th-th-th-the press we-we-were trying to come upstairs. They-they-they wouldn't take no comment from me. I-I-I-I-I had to talk to hospital maintenance, and they they they they took the elevators out of commission for the public, until security could could, um, could beat them back!!! When they didn't stop coming, I dug through the um, the, um, the list you gave me, um, a while back? When you, uh, you were shot? Ms. Cohen's name was on the list, for um, for help. Like, with the press. And stuff. So I called. Her. And then, I called the courthouse, to see if there was an... order. To take out that'd stop these people from bothering you and Mr.--Mr. Luthor, in the hospital. And. I had to come over here to take care of some things, so, uh, Ms. Cohen said she's call the police, and um, there you are."

Dominic waited. A beat. Another. Perfect silence.

And he broke it, quietly. "You have made me very proud, Mr. Siegel."

Charlie was about two seconds away from losing all control of his bladder, but Dominic's words froze him on the spot. "What?" His voice was a high-pitched squeak, barely vocal.

"You made me proud. You beat back the press, you did just as I've taught you, you had the nerve to stand up to that ravenous pack of hyena's, and you did just the right thing to keep myself and Lionel's life private. I didn't even know the press were out in bulk. That was your only mistake. Everything else was very nicely done, Charles. Lose the stutter, its not needed."

"I-I-I can't help it." He swallowed, hard. "I didn't know you were going to be coming down, or I would have called you and told you about the press!! Honest, I swear to God, please don't kill me."

"Charles." Dominic stood up then, grasped his shoulders, and gave him a shake. "Stop. Calm yourself. You're going to wet the carpet. Take a deep, calming breath. And for the love of God, stop being frightened of me, alright? Speak to me as a man. Shake it off. Come on, now."

Deep breaths. Right. Deep breaths he could do. He inhaled deep and then exhaled slowly. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. "I didn't know you were going to be coming down, sir." Right, I can do this. NO pant-wetting, Charlie boy. "I intended to have the order served and executed by the time you'd need to leave and have the way cleared for you."

"Good." And he offered him a smile, though he really didn't feel like doing so, and gently pat his arm. "Speaking up, Mr. Siegel. Talking back. Alright? You can call me Dominic, as well. I..." Feel bad because you and my other lackies are so frightened of me. "Believe you'll be an invaluable asset to our team, and a good replacement when I take the vice president chair."

Wide eyes again, akin to deer in headlights. "You're... you're... vice-president?"

"Indeed. Though that bit of particular knowledge won't be coming out for a while, so stay quiet, mm?"

"I won't say anything, sir. Dominic. Not a word." Hard gulp again, and his throat was starting to hurt. "You... you... you, uh... you might want... someone a little... you know, less scared shitless."

"Why is it that you're so frightened of me?"

Charlie blinked. "Because you're hell on wheels when you get cranked up, you don't tolerate mistakes, you issue seriously believable death threats on a nearly daily basis, take your pick!!"

Smart mouth. God, he liked that. "No more death threats. We had this conversation in the hospital, now, didn't we? Start standing up to me. I won't tolerate anything less. If you'd been smart, when I came in here ready to kill you, you would have chewed me out for not preparing." Curved lips. "Within reason."

"Me chew you out? Um... you may kill me for this, but um... did you get some of whatever they're giving Mr. Luthor?" Then he cringed. Fucking mouth ran away with him sometimes.

Dominic tossed his head back, cracked up, and stood up, putting the chair to the side. "Good lord. Come on, Mr. Siegel."

"You're not going to have the sheriff shoot me when I walk through the door, are you?"

"Considered it." Highly amused by this young one and he walked out, shaking his head and rolling his eyes at Fellie as he kissed her cheek. "Darling, thank you." And then... to Ethan. "Do you think, sir... you might be able to escort me to the work site?"

"Got my officers ready to over 'ere and get the perimeter set up so ya'll won't get bothered." Serious nod and he began to talk to the dispatcher again as he walked out, going to get things ready.

When the door opened, a thousand bulbs flashed.

Charlie pushed his way out in front of Dominic, angling so that his body shielded the open door and the people behind it. "Mr. Senatori? Sir? Would be unclassy of me to flip the press off?"

"Indeed, though I've thought about it before." Dominic said as he quickly got down the steps, keeping his face hidden from the press and slipping into the squad car, snagging Charlie's wrist and tugging him in too, and the door slammed with a whoosh.

"So does that mean I can't do it?" He casually picked up his briefcase and propped it against the window, blocking it from the flashbulbs.

"It means you can't do it." Amused him though, even as he lay his head back, the pounding, dark headache behind his eyes making him lift his fingers up to rub at the ache. "Fuck, I'm tired."

"Even if they really deserve it?" Charlie leaned his head against his briefcase, and sighed. "Mr. Senatori? Dominic? Are you... do you seriously want to keep me working for you?"

His head rolled to peer at the young man beside him. "I don't say things just to say them, Mr. Siegel... Charles. I seriously want to keep you working for me. You've got a good head for business, and that's a valuable asset, you know. Of all of my interns you were the one who I knew could do the job. And if you're willing to listen to me, I'll teach you."

Charlie nodded convulsively. "Yes. I'm willing to listen to you. I just... wow. I never expected to be the vice-president's assistant." He swallowed hard. "But I'm willing to learn, whatever it takes. I don't have a family or a girlfriend or a boyfriend, so I've got the time."

He tipped his head. "And why don't you? If you don't my asking of you." A beat. "You'll be both my assistant and Lionel's assistant, Charles."

Charlie shrugged. "I'm always the go-to guy, for other people, I mean, but nobody wants to go-to me for that. If you know what I mean." Double take. "Yours and Mr. Luthor's??"

And in Dominic's brain, as horrified as he was to realize it, he was going through to see just who he could set his young Padawan up with. ...Made note never to tell him what Dominic called him in his head, and nodded at the young man as he uncrossed his legs and went into his briefcase for Motrin. "Mine and Lionel's."

"That's that's that's that's.... a lot of responsibility."

"It is. I did it for many years, and I got good at it. You have it in you to be good at it too, if you're up to the challenge."

"I I I I I Yes."

"One thing. Charles... get out. Go to the bars, to pick up a girl. Have a one night stand or four. Okay? You need to loosen up, lad." A pat on the arm.

"Now you sound like my dad."

"Well, thank you." A smirking smile, a roll of his eyes. "You're what, all of 21?"

"I'm 25, sir."

And not married? Gay. Bi. Something. And Dominic simply shook his head, laying his head back down. "Bars, Charles. Not that its any of my business, but you're a nervous chap."

"Yeah, I tend to get that way when somebody threatens me with death all the time." Charlie swallowed. "I don't think I've ever been to a bar."

Dominic laughed again, then pinched the bridge of his nose as his headache throbbed, and looked over at him with an eye roll. "Lets just say it was preparation for Lionel. What are you going to do when he threatens your life, your job, your future and your balls all in one whack, Charles?"

"Faint." Easy answer, required no thought.

Which made him laugh all the harder, eyes dancing. "You won't. You'll stand up to him. Shh, don't tell anyone, but Lionel is a big kitten."

Charlie just blinked. "Are you sure you didn't get a hit of whatever they're giving Mr. Luthor?"

Grin. "Indeed. He's a big kitten, Charles. And he likes your work, he defends you to me all the time."

"You... you mean he knows I exist?" That was a shock. "Not that I've ever had one, but Christ, if I were a drinking man..."

"Mmm. My head is throbbing. Christ, almighty." A rub of a palm over his face and he just felt old and tired, and he yawned softly as he rubbed his cheeks. "When we get to the site I want you to pass this out to all the foremen." He handed Charles a packet of papers. "Checklist. I want to know what we have left to do."

"Yes sir. I'll see to it as soon as we get there." Charlie tucked the packet into his briefcase. "I'll call ahead, and make sure the site is clear of press before we get there."

"Want to know something?"

"Of course, sir."

"Your stutter disappeared." Which just... it amused him, a great deal. "And since it did, I'll drop the phony British accent and Jesus Christ its been getting harder to keep that up these days." He took a third Motrin, swallowed it down with a sip of water from the small bottle in his coat pocket, and opened his briefcase to retrieve another set of papers. "Fill these out. Want them by noon."

"When you're not threatening me, you're not actually that terrifying, come to think of it." Charlie flipped through the papers. "What are these, if I can ask?"

"Employment." A raised brow at him. "What, did you think this would be a few weeks to think about it type of thing? No, lad, it needs to be quick. Tell me yes or tell me no. If yes, fill the paperwork out and give it to me so I can start giving you some of the enormous work that's piled up. If no... tell me, as well."

"Oh. Well, actually I did anticipate a few days to mull it over, to make sure I made the right decision, but of course the answer's yes." He rummaged through the little leather briefcase and came out with a black fountain pen. "Ah. Yes. Gift from Mom." He blushed slightly, coughed, and started filling out the paperwork that instant.

And Dominic liked him, much, much better this way. But he didn't say a word, just continuing about his business, arranging his paperwork in his briefcase and praising God he'd packed jeans and a polo, which is just what he was wearing. Paired with boots and his three quarters coat, it would due on the work field today, and he went into the back of his jeans pocket for his wallet for a phone number.

The media were still following like hounds on the scent.

God it was funny. ....When he wasn't in the middle of it, of course.

Charlie was blazing through the paperwork, putting his signature where it was required, filling in the blanks, and skipping half the sections that referred to spouse. He caught the tip of his tongue between his teeth as he worked, metal pen tip scribbling furiously in the silence.

Dominic caught it. It bothered him, but he did. Too much of himself in the young man, too much, and he rubbed his goatee softly as he watched out of the corner of his eyes.

Every time Charlie raised his eyes up, he caught Dominic watching him. "Am I doing it wrong? Do I have spinach in my hair? What?"

"I just told Lionel this the other day. There's too much in you I see in me, Charles." A palm over his face to rub the sleepiness away, and he sighed softly. "Work isn't everything, you know."

Charlie carefully capped his ink pen and looked up. "No, it's not, but it's the most important thing. I mean, I'm young, I know it, I just got out of school a few years ago, I got a load of loans to pay off, and I just got a lot of new responsibilities."

"Indeed. And the worst part is that tomorrow? You'll still have loans, and still have responsibilities, and you'll still need to work your ass into the ground." He shifted, as he closed the lid of his briefcase. "I worked for fifteen years straight, Charles. Didn't see anyone, didn't do anything, and it nearly killed me." A moment. "There is more to life than work, and I'll be the first to tell you. There is much, much more to life. Don't get caught up in it too early, or the habit becomes very hard to break."

"Yeah, but look at how it worked out for you. You're successful, you're rich, you've got Mr. Luthor, and you're not doing too bad for yourself."

"And if Id had Lionel fifteen years ago, I wouldn't have worked a day in my life." He responded quietly, looking up at him. "I'm not rich. In any sense of the term. I married into money, though I'd chop my fingers off before using any of it. But Lionel... is my life. Nothing, not any work or any business, matter more than him. If he was a poor waif working on the seashore, it would still be the same. Do you understand?"

"Not rich like the Luthors, no, but you're a lot better off than I am." Charlie shrugged. "Yeah, I get that, but you'd still be workin'. Whether here, or on the beach, you'd still be workin', and you'd still have a lot to do."

The best part of all was how much more calm and confident Charles seemed now. This was the young man he knew was there, and he simply nodded at him as he snapped his briefcase closed. "So you are right, Charles." Another grin, crookedly on his lips. "One thing you should know, lad. I'm only ten years older than you. So dont listen to any pearls of wisdom I might have, mm? I'm quite the fucked up little Irishman. And...we're here. Ethan, thank you."

"No problem, Dom'nic. No problem at all. We'll keep your high schoolers safe from the media hounds, alright?"

"Indeed, thank you." And he swept out of the cop car like th graceful person he was, tucking the briefcase, his paperwork, and his coat under his arm as he walked, swiftly, trusting that Charles was already coming.

Which, of course he was. Charlie was getting out right behind him, shoulders already less hunched than before as he followed behind Dominic. He was slightly less graceful than Dominic, and he just sort of stumbled out, but he was still right behind his boss.

Dominic greeted as he went. Nodded and smiled to some of the head workers and contractor, stopped to shake a few hands, but he was a man on a mission, and before he knew it he was stepping up the steps to the trailer that was serving as an office. A quick knock and he opened the door, coming inside to the blissfully warm room, as the rain had soddened and winded the earth, and shut it behind Charles as he greeted his step son. "We're here, Lex."

"Mr. Luthor." He blinked. "Sir."

Lex nodded. "Welcome to my humble office," Lex said, gesturing grandly around the singlewide trailer. "Come on; I have a few things to show you, and then we can take a while and run around and see where everything is."

Charlie spoke up quickly. "Mr. Luthor, Mr. Senatori, sir? Dominic gave me a few checklists earlier, and I can hand those out and collect them for you to look at after you're done with whatever you need Mr. Senatori for?"

Barely. Surpressed. The grin. The stutter was gone, he'd spoken up, yes. Good. Oh. And Dominic felt... just so much better, and he nodded at him and shooed him off. "Off with you, and get a hard hat before you begin walking about the construction site."

"Yes, sir." Charlie gave a quick nod, and made sure he had the packet of papers in hand before heading out of the trailer.

Lex just watched quietly. "What, did you give him his balls back?"

"Yep." Shrugged, though his eyes danced wickedly as he shucked out of his coat, leaving the turtlenecked sweater on for now. It'd get too warm before too long and he'd have to take off the sweater and leave the polo on… and did it anyway, sighing as he rubbed his fingers through his hair and gave a hard yawn. "Alright. Get me some coffee Lex, will you? I'm about to die. Where are we on the plans?"

"Coffee. It's sludge. But, drinkable." He raised his own foam cup, and then walked to the back side of the trailer, to where the little kitchenette was, and the coffee urn was set up there. He filled one cup to the brim, and carried it back into his stepfather, along with powdered creamer and sugar. "Best we got." He sat back down behind the desk then, and unrolled the plans on the desk. "Well, we've got about twenty houses up, like I told you, that they're finishing up now. We've got the electrician crews on the buildings instead of the new houses because of the rain; tomorrow the ground should be dry enough that it's safe for them to start wiring the homes. Right now, they're fixing the exposed wiring in the buildings, and replacing what needs replacing, which is surprisingly little considering the state the buildings were in." Then he scowled. "Mr. Ross is being a little hard to work with here, since some of the wiring runs behind panels he's been working on."

Grin. Just... hee. "And Gideon's not helping, I know. He called me early this morning to bitch, I'm afraid. We'll find a solution, don't worry." He waited a moment, over sugaring and over-creamering his coffee as usual, until it was so sweet his eyes watered. Perfect. Caffeine and sugar were sure to get him through this hell of a day. "How many homes have we got, so far?"

"Mr. Gallagher. Yes, he's actually been rather helpful as far as troubleshooting goes, because thanks to his... ah, bitching, you called it? We've been able to iron out several personnel issues and get our people redistributed a little more evenly. We have twenty houses up, that should be ready for habitation by the end of the day. There are temporary generators until we can get the electricians in to wire the homes tomorrow."

"Shit. What of the restorations of the homes on the street leading to the buildings? Last I heard from the contractor heading them, it was almost finished. Shit. Lex, only twenty? We need to have 1500 up in six days. Shit. Dammit." He dropped his head to his hands and rubbed, pushing his fingers through his hair and sighing. Hard.

"To get that kind of numbers, we'd have to have six hundred copies of Clark, because there's no way that only six hundred kids in twenty teams can get up 1500. The street restorations are nearly done; the last estimate has them finishing tomorrow morning, and we'll be able to redistribute the teams."

"No, love. I mean, the construction crews we hired. How many have they got? I estimated at least 250 houses per company over six days...you mean to tell me they haven't done a blasted thing?" Dominic's eyebrows furrowed hard as he looked at his step son for an answer, swallowing more of the sludge that was probably the nastiest thing he'd ever tasted, and he'd tasted some very, very bad coffee.

Lex held his hands out. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Dom. All I know is the numbers that have been reported in to me; electricians, artistic restorations, the asphalting contractors, and the restorations of the boardwalk."

"Fuck! FUCK! FUCK! Fuck." God, he hoped that Charles brought him back better news, as he rubbed a palm over his face. "I told them. I EXPLAINED in many, many different ways, just what they had to do. We are losing precious hours, here, and fuck. FUCK! Fucking hell."

"Just calm down, Dom. I know this isn't good, but I'm telling you... calm down. Communication. We're probably miscommunicating somewhere down the line. You call Gideon--he's in charge of coordination, and I'll go through the memos again and find the morning reports."

"Indeed." And that's exactly what he did, as he rose to his feet. He wasn't going to calm down in any such capacity, dammit. They were contracted to do a certain task and as he dialed his phone he was snarling, pacing the room up and down, shoes thudding quietly on the hollow floor.

"An'darme's Pub, what's yer poison?" Gideon's brogue was thick when he answered the phone.

"Gideon? Aye, tis Domi--..Morgan. Have any of tha contractors talked to you about how many houses be comin' along?" He said it right off, no pleasantries, too tired to give any.

"Aye, they have. Th' lit'el boyo jus'brought th'papers by and they're fillin' 'em out now." Gideon put the phone between his ear and shoulder, and started moving his wheelchair, turning the spokes as he talked. "But t'give ye 'an idea, th'crews have set up fifteen houses a'ready, and'll have ten more done by th'end of the day. They brawt in ever'body they could hire."

"No, no, no. Hah. No." Heart? throat? Busy having himself a fucking heart attack. He rubbed his fist over where it was fluttering and pounding in equal measure, and dragged his fingers through his hair. "The construction crews. Two hundred and fifty houses a piece, in the next six days. They were supposed to have at least 30 up a piece by now. Gideon, for all of God's love, tell me they're doing as they're supposed to."

"Th' barstids are tryin', I'll give 'em that. But th'weather yesterday slowed us up." He shrugged, bringing the phone closer to his ear as he rolled onto a cement pad. "Ye canna blame th'boys fer God's doin', Morgan."

"Yes. Yes, I can. Oh, darling Gideon, I can do more 'in that. You're telling me that instead of about a hundred and fifty homes… there's only 15 standing? Oh, sweet mother of Jesus." He rubbed his hand over his head and looked at Lex in just... pure, unadulterated panic, staring at him between his fingers where his palm was splayed.

"Aye, that's what I'm tellin' ye. Bu'if th'weather stays fair, they're 'spectin' to be caught up by Sunday."

"Monday we open our doors. Money we... oh, Jesus. Jesus, sweet Jesus. Gideon, I'll call in a bit, I need to have a heart attack." He hung up and did precisely that. ..Or, well, he sat down in the chair and put his swimming head between his knees, palms over his neck. He was not going to pass out over this. No. No. 15 houses. Hundred and fifty. Oh. Fuck.

Lex moved quickly and caught the cell phone, putting it on the desk and putting his hands on Dominic's shoulders. "This isn't insurmountable, Dominic. We can hire crews from further out and have them come in to make up the time lost."

"We've got 9 crews already." Muffled, from between his legs. "Nine crews. Fifteen houses. Please tell me why I can't fire them all. Please. Please, Lex."

"Because they're doing their best. You saw the rain yesterday; there's no way they could have poured foundations on mud. We're damned lucky they had some of the frames set up. The good news is, check this memo out." He held out the one report. "Due to yesterday's rain, nearly all of the boardwalk homes are functional and ready for habitation."

"Oh. Oh, good. Delightful." He raised his head… his face was the pasty pale of a horrified business man, and he rubbed a palm over it as he stared at the paper. Okay. Alright. He got to his feet and took the paper with him, walking over to the fax. "Get on the phone with the realtor here in Smallville, Century 21. Offer them a good sum of money to put our houses on the market for us, and have Annie in Personnel, she's here in Smallville--" He walked quickly to his briefcase as the fax hummed to life, pulling out a list of all the phone numbers where everyone could be reached at, from the top of the totem pole to the bottom, and in order of where they worked and for who... and color coded. "Have her give a call to the single and couples who work for us. She already has a list of the people who are moving here, and those who are going to commute until they're able to. Tell her that the boardwalk, which is called Apple Gate street, is ready to be looked at."

"Annie's already at the crap factory. We set up the bottom level as a temporary satellite office, and we've got most of the necessary systems hooked into through satellite."

"Make it happen. However, whatever, do it. The moving companies should already be on their way...your father, before he got sick, hired Alan's Moving and Rickman's. They're moving all of the furniture from LuthorCorp out. Juliard, the little fucking prick, called me early this morning. Fucking man, how he got elected to the city board is beyond me. But anyway, he told me that the trucks were a nuisance, and he wanted them out as by Friday. FRIDAY. What the FUCK are we going to DO?" But he calmed himself a moment later, breathing deeply. "I'm going to hire another company today and get them over there post haste. All of the computer equipment and servers are being replaced, and Dell is bringing out two thousand computers and six servers Saturday. They'll have everything set up for us, so that's a godsend."

"The Venus building will be ready to house them; Mr. Ross is nearly done in there anyway, and once he is, the building will be ready to go. I have a note from Dad; when is your brother coming back here? It says that he's a carpeter and will want to get in on this? If that's true, we can get him working on the Venus building as soon as possible. Yes, I heard about the trucks and the furniture to." He tossed a folder to Dominic. "There's the only four companies left in Metropolis who are willing to deal with us, because apparently, they're blacklisting us as we speak. As if they weren't making our lives difficult enough. But, if I'm not mistaken, there's a clause in our lease that will let us demolish everything but the building we started with in Metropolis. The original building is there under the remodeling, and it's gonna be up to you and Dad if we collapse the skyscraper."

Oh.

Oh.

At that? Dominic's face was just positively wicked, a smirk playing over his lips as he took a seat behind the desk and opened the folder, peering into it. The companies who were going to do their moving....and the clause.

HEEEEEEEEEE!

"I take by that laugh, that you're going to vote for demolition. Actually, so will I. There's a few structures that we can recycle, but the rest can be demolished."

"Lindy told me, but a day ago, that every rain cloud has a silver lining, no matter how hard it is to see. Now... demolishing LuthorCorp and leaving it there for them to clean up is a very appealing notion, you know." Another snicker at his step son and yeah, he just gave him a big old smacking kiss on the mouth as he got to his feet. Swept around the desk, tugged on his sweater and forgetting about his jacket as he grabbed the folders and a hard hat. Smacked it on over his very...hard head, and trooped down the steps and out of the make do office.

"DOMINIC!" Lex bellowed, scrubbing frantically at his mouth as Dominic kissed him.

Dominic grinned at the bellow and trooped his way through the construction sight, searching for the Big Texan as he'd dubbed him.

And Chloe made dead sure he didn't see her, as she skittered around a truck and OH my GOD. Skinny and strong and the hat and the pants low slung on his hips and a hand hit her forehead, the other going to her chest as she thumped her back against the truck. God. Okay. She had a big, big gay person crush on him and she just could not help it. It was just… oh. Mmm. Oh.

Shayla just rolled her eyes as she watched Chloe through the window of the house who's wall she was currently painting. She waved at her brother, yelling out his name. "MORGAN!!!!!!!! MAMA CALLED LEX AND SAID THAT MEGGIE'S HOME!!"

"Aye, I heard i' darlin'!" Dominic called back, giving her a big grin and rolling his eyes around as he put a hand atop the hat on his head and peered up at her. "For tha love'uh Christ, stop hangin' out of the window in such a way! You're goin' to end up with your brains splattered everywhere."

And as he was speaking, he just didn't see Diane Sawyer sidle up behind him until he all but stepped on her, tripping and nearly landing on his ass as he blinked. "Ms. Sawyer."

"Mr. Senatori." She gave a smooth, fake smile. "We'd heard that you were going to be at the site today, but you'd been to the courthouse earlier. Would you like to comment on that, for the record?"

"My God, you dunna stop, do you? Are ya not seein' the mess we've got happening, Ms. Sawyer?" FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!

HE DIDN'T LOSE THE ACCENT!

FUCK!

FUCK!

FUCK!

And Chloe stepped right in, positively gushing dorky journalism glee as she stepped in front of Dominic and grasped the woman's hand. "Oh. MY. God. Diane, like, Sawyer? Like, I so love your show! Oh, my god, you're my TOTAL favorite anchor! Like, the story you did on Bosnia? Like..." A palm to her chest, getting all choked up. "Like, you touched my inside parts in all a nice way, you know? Like, wow. I just… cannot believe I am totally meeting you! This is just so gnarly. Oh. Like, oh my God."

Diane looked down at the young woman touching her and speaking a mile a minute. "Yes, well, I'm glad to meet you too, Miss." It's all she could think to say. "I'm very... pleased that you enjoy my work so much."

Oh. Dominic would kiss her later. For now? He slunk off like the toad he was, slipping through an unfinished house, literally leaping over a crouched worker, squirming under a piece of glass two men were hauling, and came out the other side, moving his tight little buns as fast as was humanly possible.

"Like, and your thing on the Red Lion supermarkets? Like OH my GOD, how gross was THAT? And I totally will never eat beef again. But like, you were just so awesome, and who does your hair? Its SUCH great hair and oh, I think my friend's calling me. It was so awesome to meet you, Ms. Sawyer!"

Diane was trying very, very hard to keep a smile on her face as her quarry escaped. But, at least she had a tape of his accent, and wouldn't that cause a bit of a ripple? "It was... nice to meet you, Miss."

"Like, totally!" And as she turned she still had her face tipped so Shayla could see her blank stare and her mimicked valley girl, eyes crossing as she walked as fast as she could back to her friend.

Shayla muffled the amused laughter that wanted to spill out at Chloe's performance. Instead, she just waved her paintbrush threateningly.

Heeeeeeeeeeheheheh. And he was already working his way to the west end of the building site, where the asphalt was being laid behind the buildings. God and they were magnificent, all of the colored glass catching the light and he stopped to just... to look. Stopped in the middle of the site and just stared at his and Lionel's, and he beamed like a loon, rubbing a palm over his face as he hiked to the buildings.

Diane waited until Dominic was out of earshot, and she picked up her phone. She dialed her office, waited for them to pick up, and didn't bother with hello. "I've got tape on Senatori I want aired. He sounds like an uncultured idiot and his accent's boiling. He's pure lowland Irish, it looks like, and we can play that I'm sure. I want airtime as soon as I can get it. Have the station manager call me as soon as possible, and I'm on the way back to the hotel." She hung up, tucked the tape safely in her pocket, and smiled.

A trip over asphalt layers, the workers telling him where he could and couldn't walk, and by the time he stopped in front of the main building he'd built up a nice sweat.

It was just lovely.

And the bellows and curses coming from inside the building? Was not.

Emily Anderson was a mouse. Always been a mouse. Would always be a mouse. She had a very tiny, slim build with pixie like features, a head full of mossy brown ringlets, and soft features that spoke of indoor painting and gentle lilacs... not where she was. And she looked it.

She was currently hanging over the grand staircase, hung by hooks and rope, holding Dogwood Ross's paint palette. Of course she would have given her left LUNG to have been doing this, but she just... oh. She was terrified, and he YELLED at her and she just couldn't take this.

So she had her hand over her eyes, squealing, when she dropped the easel.

And a torrent of dark Irish cruses spilled out from underneath her sandals.

MEEEEEP!

"Dammit, Emmie! I done told you, ain't a goddamned thing gonna happen to you if you just SIT there in that fuckin' harness and STOP THINKIN' THAT I'M GONNA TWIST YOUR INTESTINES AROUND YOUR THROAT!" Dogwood yelled. "I AIN'T GONNA!"

She looked ready to pass out, eyes wide and staring at him with just...HUGE light brown eyes as she paled, biting her lip tightly and holding a hand to her heart. "I-I-I-I.."

"Okay. Let's try this again. I'm gonna go down and get more paint--yo! Mr. S! How's it... oh, I see how it is. Rainbow pride, my man. Rainbow pride."

Of course. Because he couldn't go through the day without having every shade of the rainbow on him.

Fabulous.

At least it hadn't gotten in his hair, and for that there was a small blessing as he wiped sky blue off his cheek, shoulders, sweater, pants... mucked. Sighed. And peered upwards, at the slender girl at Dogwood. Just... stared at him, for a long moment, before gazing back at the girl. "She's new."

Started today and probably her LAST day and she covered her hands over her eyes, arms looped around enough rope to build a tipi, hiding half under her sweater. Oh, God, and he scared her too, and everyone was scaring her here and SHE DID NOT LIKE THIS.

"Yeah, she's new." Dogwood hit the release on his harness and he went plummeting down the main rope to land on his feet. "EMMIE! You comin' down or sittin' up there all day?" he bellowed up. "But, she's got promise, if she'll stop actin' like a fuckin' mouse. You'd think I'm damn Freddy Krueger or some shit."

Dominic blinked at him from his eyelash full of pale pink, staring at Dogwood for just a moment as he looked back up at the girl who was all but shaking, and back down at Dogwood. "....Well, I'm not going there." He kept right on walking, as thankfully the easel hadn't gotten anything on his shoes, and crunched across all of the cardboard and mat laid out over the tile as he headed for the makeshift office Gideon had gotten for himself. "Is he in here?"

"Yeah, he's in there, cussin' up a storm in some damn language that ain't even English. Came rollin' up in here bout... oh, five, ten minutes ago."

"Perfect. Go get that young lady in a calm and orderly fashion, before you scare her to death. AND remind me to get her name, I've got someone she should meet. GIDEON!" Dominic bellowed, as he shoved the door open to the office.

"You got it." Dogwood picked up a second paint box, put it on the little platform and started hauling. "EMMIE! You take this box and you hold on to it, or I'm gonna hang it around your neck like a dog bone, you hear me!?"

"Aye, y'lout, I'm in here, what do y'want?" He slammed the telephone down in a huff and looked at his best friend. "What in the 'ell kind of mad'ouse did ye bring me to, boyo?"

Okay. At that he grinned, closing the door behind him as he plopped down in one of the folding chairs and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Promise me we'll be goin' somewhere exotic after this."

"Dunna know about ye, me boyo, and I dunna care. Me? I'll be goin' to th'first bar this little burg has as soon as th'whistle blows."

"Aye, we'll go get drunk together." But he was worried sick over his lover, over the business, over Diane Sawyer, over the press, over everything, and he looked it as he rubbed his face. "Tell me the news you've got."

"Th'word is, all th'crews 'll b'workin' overtime t'make up for the missed delay yestiddy. They're hopin' to have the delay made up by th'weekend. Th'fifteen are all ready to go, and th'ten are going to be ready by tonight. There's another thirty that they're ta be startin' afore lunch."

"Thank God." A rub over his head. "I've a pounder. Jesus, Gideon. Why canna we just be at home and--Aye! And that's what I meant to tell you. You wouldna believe what Lionel did for me."

"Aye, I know the headache." Gideon went into the small bag strapped on the back of his wheelchair, and tossed a bottle of aspirin to his friend. "What did the great beast do for ye now? Buy ye another castle?"

"Indeed, he did. A castle it is, my castle." He popped three aspirin and took some of his friends coffee, swallowing it with a shudder and a sigh before he smiled at his friend. "He bough' me me Da's house in Ireland."

"He didna!" Gideon slapped the tabletop in glee. "Never woulda guessed the old bastard had it in him!"

Dominic just grinned like an idiot at him, setting his chin on his hand. "He's too kind hearted for his own good. But, there'll be time for that later. I'm goin' ta get to Metropolis and see what all I can do there, alright? Keep the fort down. Keep Diane Sawyer out of here. Keep--"

Emily let out a loud shriek, and a moment later, the distinct sound of paint splattering everywhere echoed into their room.

"Jesus, I'm sorry!!" Charlie's voice floated in a second later. "I didn't mean to scare you, I swear!! I'm just looking for Mr. Senatori! I gotta talk to him right away. I'm sorry!!"

Emily just bit her lip hard and whimpered as she looked at Dogwoods furious face, all but hiding under her arm. The only reason she was here was cause she could paint, not all this... extra stuff! She wasn't hired to do the extra stuff! And she COULDNT do the extra stuff! SO much PRESSURE!

And then the completely cute guy had to walk in! GOD!

Dogwood... just sighed. "Emily Anderson, I take it back. I'm gonna wring your neck like a Christmas turkey. Get your little butt down there, get my other paint box, and tell Berluce to get his ass in gear and put these other two back together!! And you! Runnin' in here like your ass is on fire! Mr. S's in the office with Gideon! AND KEEP THE FUCK OUTTA MY WORK SPACE!" he bellowed as an afterthought.

Charlie blinked up at Emily and gave a little smile. "Hi--hi. I'm sorry I got you in trouble. Bye." He darted out from under the scaffolding, skidding a little on the spilled paint until he pounded on the office door. "Mr. Senatori, I have to talk to you, right away!"

Dominic and Gideon had been, of course, listening to the whole thing, and he slapped a hand over his face, head pounding harder as he looked towards the door. "Come in, Charles, and for the love of all holy things, shh."

Charlie threw the door open and almost fell in with the force of it. "Mr. Senatori, do you have a habit of killing the messenger and if you do, I'm going to leave now and phone the message in, kay?"

"You've been working for me for nearly five years, Mr. Siegel." Carefully spoken, as he gave him a hawk eyed glare. "What is it that has you running in here like the fire of hell is on your tail?"

"You know I told you that I know one of the girls in Diane Sawyer's office? Well, she just called me and told me that she's got a tape of you, yelling about the press being a pain and not sounding at all like yourself. And she wants to play it on the air and make it look like that's why you didn't do the interview with her."

He wanted to hurl something across the room. Kill something. Kill her. Strangle her until she was nothing but a sack. ...Okay, or just beat her up. That would make him feel better. He slammed back out of his seat, snarled at Charles and dared him to talk again, and stomped out of the office, a hand back at Gideon as he yanked his cell phone, splattered with pink and blue now.

Overstepped Emily's rogue sandal, which had made it on the floor, and walked into the sunlight, snapping so Charles followed him. The courtyard was coming along beautifully--the brook and the trees were already in place, flowers planted and stone benches and trashcans in place and as he stepped down the small stone path he felt...well, a little better. Not much. But better.

And dialed Diane Sawyers private office number, which he knew would patch him through.

Charlie jumped at the glare that slammed into him, flinched back from the snarl, and as they walked out, he made a quick feel of himself to make sure that his balls were still attached.

Thank God, they were.

A perky voice answered the phone. "Sawyer office, this is Varese speaking, how may I direct your call?"

And from her perch, Emily's eyes widened, as she watched... the very, very, very cute guy grope himself. Rearrange, something, but something kicked in her tummy and a soft sigh trembled free as she bit her lip.

"Hello, Varese. My name is Dominic Senatori, I'm hoping I might talk to Ms. Sawyer, please?"

A quick rustle of paper, and she saw Dominic Senatori at the top of the Do Not Accept List. "I'm sorry, Mr. Senatori. Ms. Sawyer's unavailable at the moment. May I take a message and have her return your call?"

"Yes, please. Let her know that if she runs that tape she wants so very badly to run, I'm going to slap her with a five million dollar law suit, because I have a restraining order on my workers and my family, prohibiting the press within a hundred feet of us." Chirped cheerfully.

Varese swallowed hard. "Yes, sir. Mr. Senatori. I'll make sure she gets the message. Can I have your phone number, so that she can return your call as soon as she's available?"

"She knows it, Varese. Thank you ever so much." Still happy as a lamb as he hung up, and considered, for a brief moment, as he sat himself on a stone bench... hurling the phone as hard as he could. Seriously considered it. Stared at it. Wanted to. but didn't.

And counted, very softly. "One. Two. Three. Four."

"Please don't tell that Nicki tipped you off," Charlie said quietly. "She could lose her job and get in a lot of trouble if it gets out, and she was just being nice to me."

"I won't." He said it carefully, as he stared into the distance, and let his purple and blue arms rest quietly on his knees as he set the phone down beside him and slid his fingers through his hair, pushing the hard hat off and beside him with the phone. Rubbed through his hair, over his eyes, and just... he just sat there, not saying anything as he stared at the ground between his feet.

Charlie just blinked, then, as he noticed the multi-colored state of his boss. "Um... sir? What... what happened?"

Didn't answer. Just... okay. He was calm. He was really depressed now, but he was okay. It sucked to be him. Big time. "Ah… that new little lamb got me with the falling paint."

Charlie held up his briefcase. "Kinda got me too. I told you as soon as I found out, I swear. Do you want me to call the lawyers? Get an injunction against her started?"

"No. If we do, she's going to air what she wants about Lionel and myself. Lies. And our lives together... cannot start like that. Everyone already believes I'm some sort of gold digger, but this would tarnish both mine and Lionel's reputations. We can't. A nice threat, but... fuck. Just... fuck." Another sigh and he turned to look at his hat and his phone.

Hat back on his head. Phone in his pocket. "Come on."

Charlie blinked. "All right. Nikki'll keep her ear down to the ground for me, and if she hears anything else, she'll let me know." He nodded. "I've known her just about forever, so you can trust her."

And had they been watching? Would have seen Emily all but topple out of her pulley as she watched the hunky guy walk off with his boss.

"EMILY!!!!!!"

-fin-

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