The Memoirs

Whitney was pacing.

Actually, he was stalking. Angrily. Back and forth across the living room, glaring out the window, feet slamming down on the carpeted floor. Gabe was gone to Metropolis for the night, at a LuthorCorp Management Seminar, and the house was empty otherwise. No Chloe. No Shay.

He wasn't a fool. Chloe and Shay wouldn't have gone out to dinner alone. Clark wasn't the out to dinner type. That left one, and only one, person. The very self-same person that Whitney had asked, nicely, and then ordered, Chloe to stay the hell away from.

The same person who Whitney had told Clark to keep away from Chloe.

Lex.

He just snarled in the back of his throat and slammed the curtain shut as he glared at the clock, willing the hands to move.

"Yeah… Lex, right here, honey." Chloe smiled at her ashimel, and kissed his cheek. They'd parked about a half a block down the road, right around the curve, because if she knew Whitney, and she did, he was looking out the window waiting for her. She slipped out of the car, the doggie bag in arm, and grasped Shayla's arm tightly as she waved at Lex. "See you tomorrow, sweetie."

"You shouldn't be walking," Lex protested. "And if you're that afraid of Whitney's reaction, then are you sure you should be going in the house alone? He won't hurt me, and if he does, then Clark will take care of it."

"He won't hurt me, either." Chloe smiled, warmly, at her ashimel, and kissed his cheek again. "Thank you for dinner." She squeezed Shayla's hand in hers, smiled at her best friend, and waved at Lex as she and Shay started up the walk. Dinner for Whitney in the bag, because she knew he hadn't eaten, and she walked, happily, the Italian food in her tummy very nice and warm. "That was so good."

Shayla laced her arm through Chloe's, hugging her once and guiding her steps carefully. "Watch it, the street lights are out... yeah, there's a sewer grate there." She beamed back at Lex and waved him off as the Porsche pulled out of the drive, and then sighed back at her friend. "Yeah, that was good. I forgot how good that place really was."

"Pete needs to take you out more often, instead of just dragging you to dance rehearsal and a romp in the sheets." Chloe answered, but she was grinning at her friend broadly. "At least you are getting regular sex." A pause. "I'd assume, anyway?"

A little blush. "Regular? Yeah, kinda." A grin. "We hadn't, for a long time. But we did, a night or so before his birthday. So we're getting back into the regular swing."

She smiled, broadly, at her friend. "I'm glad, honey. Its about time. Oh, look, can you see Whitney pacing through the curtains?" She giggled and began to cross the street, squeezing her friends hand. "He's going to throw a truly amazing fit."

Shayla giggled. "I'm not gonna miss an Exploding Whitney Head."

Whitney was furious. WALKING! He stalked to the front door and threw it open, barely holding back the urge to bellow across the street, and instead crossed his arms over his chest, glaring as she came across the street.

Chloe smiled demurely at him, squeezing Shayla's hand again as she carefully came up the steps to her house, food in hand. "Hello, Whitney. Good day at work?" She smiled across at Shay. "Wanna get us some root beer? We've got the no caffeine kind in the fridge... mmm... a rootbeer float sounds good."

Shayla squeezed past Whitney's door-blocking bulk, and nodded. "I can dig floats. You got ice cream in the freezer?"

Whitney didn't move. Let Shayla squeeze past him with a little squeak, and just glared at his girlfriend. "Get in here," he growled softly.

"Ice cream in the freezer in the garage!" She called out to Shayla, and looked up at her looming boyfriend, eyebrow raised as she gave her belly a soft rub. "I can't do what Shayla can do anymore. You're going to have to move."

Whitney moved just enough to unblock the door, and then slammed it behind her. The window rattled as he slammed it, and his arms were still crossed over his chest as he glared.

She rose a brow at him. "I guess work didn't go as planned." She set the food down on the front foyer table, and shrugged out of her sweater, hanging it up on the hook by the door before picking the food up and walking into the kitchen.

"Where the hell were you?" he demanded. "I thought I asked you to stay the fuck away from Lex!?"

"I went to dinner, with Shayla and Lex." Was all she commented, as she set the bag on the counter and opened it up, to get the food out.

He followed her into the kitchen and slammed his hands down on the counter as he got in her face. "I thought I told you to stay the fuck away from him. I thought I told him to stay the fuck away from YOU! Am I going to have to shoot him to keep you two apart?"

"Whitney, as much as you want to, you can't tell me who to see or who not to see." She looked up at him. "Lex had nothing to do with why I almost had a miscarriage, but everything to do with why I didn't. You should be grateful, not wanting to kill him."

"Bull. Shit." He leaned forward, so that he was almost nose to nose with her. "Clark told me himself, the son of a bitch couldn't control himself. That the explosion of whatever the fuck it was is what made you get hurt. And you're not going to stand there and tell me I can't tell that dangerous fucker to stay away from my girlfriend and the mother of my baby."

She leaned forward too, and shook her head. "He's not dangerous. He's Lex. But I don't have the energy to argue with you, Whitney. Really, I don't." She looked up, as she saw a little eye peeking from the doorway. "Its alright, Shay, come in. Want to pop some popcorn, too?"

"He is dangerous, and you're NOT going to see him again." His hands dug into the countertop. "Even if I have to go and fucking kick his ass to keep him away."

She looked up at him again. "Whitney. I love you, dearly. But you're not my mom, and you're not my dad. If I wanted someone to order me around, Id talk to my father." She covered her fingers over his. "Lex is my ashimel. I won't stop seeing him, Whitney."

Whitney jerked his hands away from his girlfriend. "Fine. Then I'll take the fight to him."

"No. You won't." She said softly. "No, you really won't. You won't, Whitney." She shook her head at him, eyebrows knit. "Lex didn't hurt you, didn't hurt me. He saved my life. Even if he did lose control, I could never be mad at him. He's shared his life, everything of who he is, with me and with you."

"Yes, I really will. Jesus Christ, why does nobody GET that this was a BAD thing?? How fucking DANGEROUS this is?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "He is my ashimel, and I love him. There's nothing he could do that I wouldn't forgive."

"That's the difference between us; there's some things I just can't forgive."

Her eyebrows fell, softly. "So that means, when we finally join for our life together, you won't forgive me, when I fuck up?"

He sighed, explosively. "No. That's not what I mean and you know it. There's fucking up, and then there's putting lives in danger. And I won't forgive him for doing that."

She shrugged, absently. She really didn't want to talk about it with him anymore, not after the wonderful day she'd had, and she motioned Shayla to come into the kitchen, begging with her eyes for her to come in. "I'm going to go upstairs and watch some movies with Shay."

Shayla bustled in with two half-gallons of vanilla ice cream, and a grin on her face. "Kay! I got the ice cream!! Grab the root beer, and we're in Float City, baby." Flicker of a look up to Whitney, then back down to Chloe. "Want a float, Whit?"

"No." He grabbed the keys to the truck off the counter, and stalked through the house.

Chloe called out, quietly. "If you hurt him Whitney, I won't talk to you anymore."

"I'll take it under advisement." He slammed the front door behind him.

Chloe looked after the door once, before her chin trembled, and she looked down at the takeout bag.

Shayla put the two boxes of ice cream on the counter beside the take out bag, and she wrapped her arms around Chloe's shoulders. "He's not gonna do anything stupid."

"Yes, he is, and I'm going to have to kill him." She sniffled once and rubbed her cheek against Shayla's. "He sucks. Come on... I don't want to be sad. lets go eat." A moment. "Should we... warn Lex?"

"Nah. I think Lex can take care of himself. And? He's got Clark. Clark's got like, Whitney Early-Warning Systems. If hothead Harry there goes off on Lex, Clark'll stop it."

Chloe nodded again and rubbed the tears from her eyes on her sleeve, sniffling softly again and taking Shay's hand, two huge empty glasses, and root beer in her free arm. "Come on. Sugar coma awaits us."

Shayla picked up the ice cream in her other arm and squeezed Chloe carefully. "Want me to call Pete and have him intercept Whitney?"

She shook her head. "No. Pete needs all his limbs in tact for the dance competition, and not to say anything against your boyfriend, and my friend... Whitney would squash him like a bug, or at the very least, break something. Can't have that, with the dance competition like, four days away."

She blanched slightly. "Please, God, don't remind me."

She smiled, sniffling softly as she led her friend up the stairs. "You'll do fine, sweetie."

A snort echoed down the stairs. "You say that now. Wait until you see me in taffeta and heels."

"I already have! I'm so jealous." Another smile at her. "You're going to do so wonderfully, I just can't wait. Pete's all worried, but I'm not. From the performances I've seen of yours... you guys are gonna get it."

"Yeah, right. We're gonna be lucky if I don't drive my spike heels through his brain."

"If you do, he'll be better off for it." Chloe giggled at her, and almost put out of her mind that her boyfriend was going on a furious rampage. Almost. Instead she sighed, quietly, and pushed open the bedroom to her door. "What're we gonna watch?"

"Weeeeell... we can finish Harry Potter, we can watch Sense and Sensibility--one of my personal favorite chick flicks of all time, and I've got some gay porn DVDs that I've snitched out of Lex's collection."

Chloe grinned, but shook her head to the last. "I can't. The doctor said... not even one remotely sexy thought until everything's healed. About four weeks." She rolled her eyes. "I've done for two months without sex, so what's another one, you know?"

Shayla petted Chloe's shoulder comfortingly. "I know how you feel." She tucked the gay DVDs back into the box, and dug through more. "Um, how do you feel about Titanic? Pete rented that one for us? And oh, we got Romeo and Juliet... Jesus, is he obsessed with DiCaprio or what?"

Chloe giggled. "He is. I say Titanic… a good cry is what we both need." She settled on the bed, ice cream and root beer set on the cleared bedside table, and sighed, softly. "Shay, can I tell you something?"

"Yeah, you can tell me anything."

"Kind of... the reason Whitney's so keen on keeping me safe, and his, and all, is because before I started dating him..." She bit her lip. "Well. I was jonesing for Clark, big time. This was pre gay, by the way. I was totally in love with him, and he... was totally in love with Lana. Who was dating Whitney."

Shayla blinked. "You had a jones for Clark? Understandable, hell yes. But then, Whitney was dating this Lana chick, that Pete took to the dance competition?"

"Yeah. Lana was kinda like... I dunno. Like the princess of Smallville. All the boys wanted her, all the girls wanted to be her. Clark told me later that he thought he liked her because he was trying to be... not... gay. But anyway, Clark... he hurt me. He's blind to the female of the species, though at the time I didn't understand why. And Lana... she was just as infatuated with Clark as I was. But that's when I first caught Whitney's eye, that's the first time we really... you know. Saw each other. We went out for pizza and stuff a lot, got really close really fast. Really good friends. Lana died, and Whitney... he fell apart."

Shayla sat back with one of the tubs of ice cream and stuck two spoons in it. "This story requires sugar." She held one spoon out to her friend and sucked the other into her mouth. "So, Whit lost it when the town princess bought it and you picked up the pieces?"

She took the second tub of ice cream, and the spoon from Shay, and settled against the headboard. "Kinda, yeah. Actually... really kinda. The first week of school, about three months after Lana died, was when Clark and Lex started doing the horizontal polka. I caught them making out in the hall, jacking each other off, and like... right there is where I fell for Whitney. Like all the Clark baggage fell away. But Whitney... he's got this kill crush destroy mentality about the women he loves."

She suddenly giggled at herself. "Its so weird thinking about Clark as a straight guy. I mean, Christ, the signs were all there forever."

"Oh, oy. Goes overboard on the machismo." She laid her head on Chloe's shoulder. "I am so glad Pete doesn't do that whole I Tarzan You Jane thing." Little giggle. "Not sayin' that I wouldn't dig Pete in a loincloth."

She grinned at her. "He so wouldn't. Pete's always been a ladies man. But even he had the hots for Lana." Chloe side glanced her. "Let me tell you, Shay. I hate to say this, because even I had the hots for her, but when she died, it was like a breath of fresh air in our school. I hate to speak badly about someone, even if they're dead, but she… had a way of sucking stuff out. I mean, like you, you totally listen to me and stuff. With Lana, it was always about her. Even when I'd be in the hall crying over something Clark had done, she'd still twist stuff to make it about her."

"Sounds like she needed a super-sized bitchslap to go," Shayla said solemnly. "There was a bitch like that back in my school, and I couldn't stand her. Wore pink all the time, thought she was the shit, dated the track team captain."

"That was Lana. Even if she tried to make it seem like she wasn't the shit, she knew she was. I'm talking… queen of every dance we ever had, head of the cheer squad, head of the school spirit squad, class president. She had everything, even the Talon. And its not like I was jealous of her, but when she's sitting there, telling you allllllll about her fabulous life, it makes you... I dunno. I thought for a long time that's why Clark liked her, and not me. But it wasn't like that at all, and at the end... I still got Clark."

"Makes you want to choke her with a Danish?" she asked innocently, and then grinned. "Okay, so, dish about Clark. And Lex, for that matter, cause yeah, baby. "

She giggled at her. "Yeah? You sure?"

"Hello, yes. I've been dying to hear about Clark and AJ, but neither one will talk about the other, so, dish already!" She grabbed a bottle of the root beer and the glasses. "You dish, I mix."

She giggled and nodded, as she ate another spoonful of ice cream, and looked at Shayla thoughtfully for a moment. "Well... Lex. He should have 'sex god' as a middle name. He... most definitely knows how to make someone scream. He's like... really suave, smooth, easy and slow, precise. Its delicious."

Shay squealed. She couldn't help it. "Really??? He's that good??"

"Oh, Shay. Oh. Lets just say Clark is a very, very satisfied man." She grinned at her friend, and ate some more ice cream. "The first time the four of us had sex was when Clark was… well, all of us, really were..." She shifted. "Clarks allergic to the meteor rocks. They... they make him sick. The green ones affect him, physically, but the red ones... mentally. So, the first time we four had sex, he, Clark, and Whitney were under the drug effect. Whitney had a run in with some guys who tattooed into his arm with meteor rock, so it affects him too." She clarified the last part. "And...holy wow."

"Wondered about that tat, because Whitney doesn't seem at all the tattoo kinda guy." She poured the root beer into the glass and dumped ice cream in on top of it. "Here you go." She handed the glass over and grinned. "They're all good? Man... I love Pete. I adore him, but sometimes... I think that a little AJ action is just what he needs. And hell, I wouldn't mind it either."

Chloe grinned at her, crookedly, but she understood what she said was serious. "I think so too, Shay. Pete... he's bi. Has been for a long time, though I dunno if he really realized it. Have you thought... about maybe using a strap on?"

Shayla stood up to her full height of five feet maybe three inches. "Hello, have you SEEN Mr. Six Foot Tall Football Player lately????????"

Chloe grinned up at her, broadly, and tried not to laugh. "Shay, I'm like, what, an inch taller than you? And if I can fuck Whitney, you can fuck Pete. And he isn't six foot honey... he's probably... five ten or so."

"Yeah, and you've got a good twenty five pounds on me, baby. I'm what, 110, soaking wet with all my clothes and shoes on?" she demanded hotly.

She giggled and offered her hand to her, to tug her back on the bed. "Probably. You don't think you could do it?"

"No, I don't. I don't think I'm at all big enough." She tucked her feet under her as she sat indian style on the mattress.

"Well...honey, the first thing you gotta do is get him used to being okay with being bi. You know? Cause after what Dick did, I don't think he's in any way okay with it. Maybe... you could introduce a dildo, for him. Something to fill him up, while you jack him off? A vibrator would be even better, that lets him know, hey, its okay to want it up the ass."

"You think so? I mean, I've got one that he helped me pick out, and I've only used it a few times, mostly over the last couple of months. Cause before this..." And she blushed. "Before this... when he was... you know, inside me? Whatever part of me he wasn't in, he'd put the vibrator in, and then he had one for himself too. But now, after Dick... he's just not the same that way."

"Well, if I know Pete, and I do," A shake of her head at that fact, sighing as if greatly put upon, though her eyes twinkled, "Then I know he wants it. But he loves you, Shay, a whole lot, and its gonna have to be you to tell him its okay to want. He told me after the Dick thing happened that he wished he didn't like guys, because he loved you so much, and hurting you would kill him."

She sighed. "Yeah. That was a rough thing. I love him too, I love him so much and I swear it started when I saw him in the coffeehouse with Dick, just because he was so smiling and happy." She rocked her butt on the bed, getting more comfortable. "I've kind of tried to tell him it's okay, but... not since we started having sex again."

"Well, you should try." Chloe side glanced her. "Being with a bisexual guy is tough, Shay, but its even harder on the guy. I mean... how would it feel, if you and I were together, and we adored one another, but we just craved some good cock?"

"I'd hope that we found a guy who could take care of us both." But she sighed. "I know it's hard. But he's worth it. I'm just..." Her voice fell to almost silence. "I'm just afraid that he'll leave me, because I can't give him that. Even as much as he loves me."

She shook her head and wound an arm around her friends shoulders, hugging her close. "He won't leave you. He wants to have sex with a guy, but he wants to share his life with you. Which is why you gotta bring the cock." She grinned down at her. "Know what works, too? Dominating them. I've read up on being bisexual… a lot of bisexual men like being dominated, which is part of the reason they want other men. The domination, knowing they belong to someone. That'll satisfy him, Shay."

"Me, dominant? You're joking, right? He can throw me around like a rag doll."

Her lips twitched. "Being dominant isn't about being able to throw someone. Its about taking control, denying, driving your slave crazy. I've done it to Whitney a few times, and he told me it drove him insane. Though we used a strap on, and he rode me instead of me him."

She blinked. "He... okay. That's information I didn't know. You know, maybe I should go and investigate buying one."

She smiled at her friend. "There's nothing sexier on the planet than your boyfriend riding you. Let me tell you. Whitney's face was just... wow. Like he'd won the lottery, and it made it better that it was me and him, you know?"

"He'd kill you if he knew you were telling me this," Shayla giggled. "So would Pete, for that matter. Hmmm. I've got Dom's credit card, and I bet that he'd never notice if I went shopping at the--motherless fucker, I can't!! I'm not old enough! Fuck!!" She swore again. "Mother's ass, that's why Dick had to get us in the last time!!"

Chloe grinned at her, broadly. "Shay? Baby? Are you not eighteen?"

She blinked. "Oh. Yeah."

"Whitney's going to kill me anyway, so I might as well tell yiu what I can." Chloe smiled. "If you want, you can borrow my harness, and use Pete's dildo, though."

"Stupid question, but... they'll fit?" She paused, spoon of ice cream halfway to her mouth. "Metropolis Adult Superstore, here I come!"

She grinned at her. "It'll fit. The D-ring locks onto the dildo, tightens it, makes sure it won't slip off. You know what else you need? Some nipple clamps. And a collar. And a kick ass dom suit, black leather or something. Or you could even get some sexy lingerie."

Shayla scrabbled in the bag for a little Hello Kitty notepad and Keroppi pen, and started making her list. "Harness. Dildo. Leather. Collar. Clamps."

Chloe nodded, thinking. "The collar will be a big one, the first thing you put on him. You could even make him wear it under his clothes for a day, he'll get a kick out of that. Oh, and some anal beads, if you really wanna tease him. Make him wear it all day, by the time you get him that night, he'll have lost his damn mind with want."

She added anal beads to the list, and then blushed. "There's no way I can get this shit."

"Why?"

"Because!!! It's STUFF!!!" She tossed the list at her friend. "You gotta come with me."

Chloe rose a brow. "You know...we could ask Lex for it. He's got a whole closet full of sex toys, and women's lingerie. I borrowed a ton of stuff from him....I can ask him for you... he'll probably even let you keep it."

The blush got brighter red. "Hell. No. Pete would kill me. Lex would kill me."

"Lex wouldn't kill you, and Pete would never have to know." Big grin. "Lex has his stuff specially cleaned, Shay. And the man's got more leather than there are cows in Kansas. I'm sure he wouldn't mind. Lex likes to help with stuff like that, especially since he's a cross dresser."

"Yeah, I know that, and I hate the bastard for looking better as a girl than I do!" Minor sulk. "Pete would kill me because Lex would tease him about it, and he'd know I went to Lex to get the stuff and he'd know that Lex knew who it was for and he would kill me for letting Lex know."

"Shay. Lex never once told Whitney. Honey, seriously. Its okay. If you'd rather buy the stuff, Lex can go with us and pick it out. Lex wouldn't tease Pete, not after Dick. Most definitely not after Dick."

"Okay." She sighed. "I'll talk to him tomorrow, and see if he'll let me borrow it, at least."

"Aces." Big smile. "And I wanna know all about how Pete reacts to riding his girlfriend's cock. Can you imagine? He'll lose his nuts."

"you'll be the first I call." She grinned back. "I can't believe I'm getting pointers on how to fuck my boyfriend."

"It'll be the best thing you ever did for him." Chloe answered back, and gently pet her hand. "Come on, lets watch the movie. I'll call Lex and get a damage report in a while."

Shayla stuck the Titanic DVD in the DVD player, and hit play on the remote. "There." She crawled back up beside her friend and looked over firmly at her. "No more thoughts. Watch movie."

"Watch movie." She repeated, and sighed, gently, as she looked at the telephone.

- = - = -

Clark was listening to Jennifer Lopez.

Why?

He didn’t' really know, tell the truth.

He'd gotten home from the Talon an hour or two before, and had decided...to bake. He'd been wanting to all week, but it being Saturday night he thought it a good idea. He'd watched an Emeril episode where he'd made chocolate mousse and truffles, and well, Clark had to make some. Cause... chocolate mousse, people. Come on, now.

So now he had Jennifer Lopez on the radio, one of Ms. Birds aprons on, while the darling lady had gone out with Rosalyn to see a movie. So here he was, shaking his hips, singing, spinning in circles and using the whip as a microphone once in a while.

He needed the mood lifter.

And Lex? Was trying very hard not to laugh. Clark was singing--badly--dancing almost as badly, and was attempting to cook in Lex's nice clean kitchen.

He was leaning against the door to the kitchen, one of the puppies rolling on the floor under his feet, Freddie perched in the middle of the kitchen table just watching Clark's mesmerizing performance. His hands were in his pockets, and he gave a little whistle. "Honey, I'm home."

Yeah right. Like Clark hadn't known. He just kept singing, turning in a circle and offering his lover the lick of the spoon. Yeah. It was good. Alright? His chocolate mousse was good. Having a photographic memory helped in that aspect, and he kept dancing, grinning at his beautiful lover.

Lex stuck out his tongue and lapped at the chocolate covered spoon, stepped carefully over the unidentified puppy, and went to stand behind Clark. Put his hands on Clark's hips and started moving with him, sinuous body bending and twisting easily as remembered moves rushed back like water from a dam.

Clarks eyes widened, surprise being the first word that came to mind, but he moved with his lovers movements, not so innocently pressing back against his lovers crotch as they moved side to side. Hello. "I called you on the phooonnee… coming I'm through, hope you're all alone, cause I got plans for you. We could stay at home, hang and dance all night, as long as I'm with yooouu, don't matter what we do."

Lex's hand slithered over Clark's hip and his palm pressed down hard on his lover's crotch, pushing Clark back into his crotch as he moved, thrusting forward just a little on the backbeat of the song, his chest plastered to Clark's back with the other arm coming around Clark's chest to stroke down the center.

"You like the way I dress... the way I wear my hair, show me off to all your friends, and baby, I don't care. Just as long as you tell them who I am… tell them I'm the one that made you give a damn." Clark murmured along with the music, and he turned his head a little to press against Lex's cheek, still dancing with him, though the movement was significantly slower as they moved against one another, Clark covered in chocolate, his lover... definitely not caring, and his body flushed even as he smiled.

Lex's lips swept over Clark's cheek as it pressed against him, licking up the little splatters of chocolate that he came across, nibbling at his lover's ear hungrily as he kept rocking against Clark, eyes closed as he let his body guide his aushna's.

Clark rocked back, as the song changed on the radio to Justin goddamn Timberlake and the catchy song of death, and Clark purred deeply as he let his head fall back. He rubbed back against his lovers beckoning erection, his own starting to tent his jeans as he let his eyes close. "That's… Artie... by the way." He groaned softly.

Lex took the whisk out of Clark's hand and dropped it in the bowl of mousse, and let his hands dip into Clark's waistband. His thumb flicked the brass button open as the back of his knuckles urged the zipper down just enough to let him get a grip on Clark's erection. "Say hello to Artie for me then," Lex breathed into Clark's ear as he started to stroke.

"Le-ex." The e in his lovers name was definitely... definitely squeaked, there, as his head fell forward, then back, and an audible groan escaped him. Naughty things under Ms. Birds apron. "She's not going to be pleased." He croaked, as he arched into the touch, grunting softly and keeping his eyes closed. "My p-poor mousse."

"So finish the mousse," Lex murmured softly as his hand kept stroking. "Nobody's stopping you."

"Can't." He squeaked again, dropping his hand under the apron to tighten his lovers grip with a hold his own, stroking a little harder for a moment before turning around. He brought his lovers hands, still clasped in his, up to his lovers shirt, where he began to unbutton with Lex's help. "Right here. Counter."

Lex nodded. "Yes." He grinned teasingly at his lover as he shrugged his shoulders, and the shirt slid down and pooled on the countertop behind him. Once his shirt was gone, Lex turned around and ground his ass teasingly against his lover's rampant erection, bracing himself on the counter to give himself a good angle to push back against.

Clark grinned broadly, though the laugh was strangled in his throat as his beautiful aushna' did something VERY naughty. He groaned, deeply, startled with the burst of arousal in his gut as he humped forward, seeking the little sheath he wanted now. "F-fuck. Lex, find lube. I'll get the babies." Clark swallowed, hard, hefting his lover onto the countertop, and lifted Freddie and Artie in one sweep, his naked erection tenting the apron over his chest but he didn't care, as he deposited them in the hall and closed the swinging door, throwing the lock.

Find lube in a kitchen. That wouldn't be too hard to do, and Lex strolled over to the pantry, whistling softly to himself as he reached in, brought out a bottle of vegetable oil, and, after a brief pause, the can of lard that Ms. Bird used to make her fried apple fritters, and set them both on the counter. He proceeded to shuck out of his slacks as he heard Clark throw the lock, and quickly boosted his naked body up onto the table, legs spread invitingly with each lube choice between his open thighs.

Clark locked the door, and turned around.

And burst out laughing.

He laughed until his sides ached, half leaning over at his lovers inviting pose, and he looked like a chicken ready to be basted, which just made him laugh all the harder. "Too skinny, throw it back!"

Lex was slightly offended, and he moved the oil and the lard can out of the way as he landed on his feet, and pulled his pants back up.

"Leeeeex!" Clark cracked up as he gathered his lover in his arms, hugging him tightly. Yeah, so maybe he still acted his age sometimes, but he couldn't help it, giggling as he gathered his lover close and kissed all over his face. "Come on, I'm sorry. I love you, dearly, but... that was just cute."

"I wasn't going for cute," Lex groused, but he let Clark pull him close and shower his face with kisses. "I was going for, pick your lubricant."

"You're adorable." Clark grinned and kept kissing him, even as he hiked him up to sit on the counter again and gently stroked his thighs, smiling. "I'm sorry, baby." He bent down between his lovers thighs, just slightly, and licked at his bared cock, sucking it into his mouth.

Lex leaned back on the counter, arms out behind him bracing his weight as he lifted up towards Clark's mouth. "You're--you're forgiven," he panted out softly, one hand coming to stroke through Clark's hair.

"Thought I might be." Clark murmured on the upstroke, sucking softly at the head before back down, his fingers dancing over his lovers crotch and hips, stroking the tender skin softly, tickling it a little as he went.

"Not just... because of this," he clarified, though his brain was quickly liquefying and sliding down his spine. "Because you're aushna'."

"Oh, no? Not just because I can..." He leaned down and sucked his lover entirely into his throat, pushing him the last of the way down so his mouth was wrapped around the smooth base, and began to suck upwards, letting his lovers long cock slide free.

Words went out the window with that, and Lex's nails dug into Clark's shoulders as his knees hooked over them, pulling him in closer as he arched his back. His cock thrust further into Clark's mouth, and his head fell back as he moaned his lover's name.

Clark purred, quietly, as he pushed his lover back down his throat, holding his breath as he lapped, squeezing his lover with his throat muscles as his fingers dipped into the bucket of Crisco. He grinned around his lovers cock, eyes still shut, neck muscles straining as he pushed one finger into his aushna', as deep as it would go.

Lex cried out again as Clark's finger penetrated him, and then his eyes flew open as hands came around his throat.

Whitney had just shoved rudely past Enrique and followed the noise to the kitchen. He slammed the door open, and when he saw Clark and Lex having sex right there in the kitchen, it infuriated him.

They didn't give a damn that his girlfriend had almost died yesterday. Didn't give a damn that Lex had almost killed their baby. And he reached over the counter, fingers locking around Lex's throat and dragging him backwards. "I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM HER!"

Lex was ripped out of his throat and he gagged for a moment, gasping for breath because his throat had been locked tight around him and he swallowed, hard, eyes opening wide. If he'd been human that would have broken his jaw, and he looked up, attempting to figure out what had just happened. Thanked God he was still dressed even as he roared in fury, grasping Whitney's fingers around his lovers neck. "Let him GO!"

Whitney did as Clark ordered, letting Lex's throat go and trying to jerk his hands out of Clark's grip. "Let me go, goddammit!"

Lex's hands flew to his throat as he gasped for breath, and he let himself slide off the side of the counter, and fall against it for a minute, breathing hard, and then he quickly tugged on the slacks he'd discarded before and yelled. "What the hell!"

Clark let Whitney go and immediately went to his lovers side, helping him stand up gently. The dark bruises were already marring his aushna's beautiful neck and he growled, deep in his throat, like an animal, at Whitney. NO ONE marred his lover. NO. ONE.

Lex stroked Clark's hip gently. "I'm okay," he said softly, and he glared at Whitney. "What the fuck is your problem, Whitney?"

He glared at the bald man on the other side of the counter. "I told you to stay the fuck away from Chloe! I told Clark to keep you away from her! I told her to stay away from you! And nobody is fucking listening to me, so by God, I'm going to BEAT it into you!!"

Clarks growls escalated, deepened, and he snarled. "You will not hurt my aushna', Whitney. You will not hurt him, because I will fucking kill you if you lay a hand on him."

Lex's eyes narrowed. "It's okay, Clark. I can take care of him myself." He glared at Whitney. "You, Mr. Fordman... need your ass kicked. If you want it? Come on. I'm not afraid." Lex rocked back lightly on his heels. "But before you do, let me tell you something. You're being a horse's ass. I love Chloe. I wouldn't intentionally do anything to hurt her, and I did everything that I could to make that right again. But you're not going to keep me away from her. You're just not. Because you, little man, will not dictate to me."

Whitney just growled. "Yes I fucking well can." He cracked his knuckles ominously. "You are going to stay away from her. Even if I have to pound it into you."

Clark snarled again, deeper, and he took a step forward, sliding in front of his aushna'. Yeah, talk about going from sexy to thoroughly pissed in point five seconds but he didn't give a fuck. No one, not even his own damn ashimel, was going to hurt his lover. No one. Was going. To hurt. His aushna'. And that was that, as he snarled at him.

Lex stepped out from behind Clark. "Don't worry, Clark. I've kicked enough asses in Metropolis' back alleyways that I'm not worried for a second about an ox like this." He was glad of his bare torso for a change, which meant that his arms wouldn't be caught up in sleeves, and for once, he was actually thankful for his Metropolis background as he shifted his weight to solidify his stance, and glared. "Come on, Whitney. You want to fight me? I won't turn you down."

Whitney growled and stalked around the counter, and stood in front of Clark. "Get out of the way, Clark."

"Fuck you, and if you fucking want to brawl like dogs, go outside." Clark snarled, disgusted with Whitney, and now Lex for wanting to fight him. Jesus Christ. "If you hurt my aushna', Whitney, if you even try to, I will kill you. Do you understand?"

"Fine." Whitney stalked outside, and slammed the kitchen door behind him. "Hurry the fuck up!"

Lex looked over at his lover. "I'll be fine, Clark. You know that."

Clark just glared at him and didn't say a word, as he zipped his pants back up under the apron, shucked the apron itself off, and followed. "Like common fucking barbarians." He muttered, darkly, and followed after Whitney. He knew a challenge when he saw it, and he wouldn't let his honor, his family honor, go unspoken of.

Lex flexed his bare feet, and padded out into the yard after his lover and his ashimel. Knew better than Clark how human testosterone made even the best men idiots, and promised himself silently that he wouldn't hurt Whitney too much. "All right, Whitney. Come on. Take your best shot."

Whitney did exactly that, launching himself across the small space between them. He didn't expect Lex to dance aside at the last moment, and he pulled himself short, his momentum carrying him a few more extra steps. When he turned around, he was met with a fist to the jaw, and he shoved Lex backwards.

Lex was too sure-footed to lose his balance, just stumbling backwards from the rough shove, and he shook his hand where it smarted from the impact with Whitney's jaw.

Clark... rolled his eyes every which way, and plunked down on the steps leading to the backyard. All human men were morons, and he set his chin in his hand as he watched them duke it out. He was frightened for his lover because he'd been present at the whoopin' Whitney had given those three guys at school just a few short days ago, and he rubbed his face, looking between his fingers at the fight.

Whitney was angry at the mocking stance Lex had taken, and the fact that he couldn't topple the other man, and he barreled towards Lex again. Lex didn't step out of the way this time, and when Whitney took a swing at him, he was shocked to connect only with air as Lex ducked under his arm, got in his face, and cracked his forehead against Whitney's. Fire bloomed from his groin as Lex's knee connected with his balls, and he grunted as Lex's forearm cracked across his throat. He stumbled backwards, gasping, but Lex kept advancing.

Another knee to the groin, and a kick to Whitney's knee, and the ex-quarterback went down on one knee, gasping, embarrassed and angry because he hadn't been able to land a shot yet. He tried to ram his head forward into Lex's stomach, but Lex just moved aside, brought a fist down across the back of Whitney's neck, and then a knee to the gut.

Okay. So maybe some of the fear slipped away, when Whitney went down like a log against the grass. He sighed, deeply, rubbing his face free of the tension as he climbed to his feet. "Is he knocked out yet? Come on, Lex. Lets get him in the house. Christ."

Lex shook his hand out. "He's close enough to it not to matter," he snorted. "I tried to take it easy on him, but he wouldn't listen."

"He's our sha'nauch. Did you think we'd chose sha'nauch that weren't stubborn?" Clark bent down and hefted Whitney up into his arms, wincing at the bleeding nose, and gently arranged the half conscious boy in his arms. "Stupid ass. Come on, Lex. Are your knuckles bleeding? I'll get some ice."

Lex made a little gesture. "They're fine. Save the ice for Whitney's balls." A small little wince. "I hope she forgives me for that."

Whitney was thoroughly humiliated, and he just lay there still, letting Clark heave him around like a sack of potatoes. He couldn't even protect his girlfriend, what the hell kind of father was he going to be? He just closed his eyes and ignored what was going on around him as he felt himself being carried into the house.

Clark heard the whisper of his ashimels thoughts, as the wall he'd been holding up to block Clark from reading him crumbled. "You're going to be a wonderful dad, Whitney. But... trying to kick two aliens' asses wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do, baby." He rubbed his lips over a damp forehead, gently under blond hair, and led his lover into the study. Carefully, with gentle, but sure, movements, he lay Whitney down on the couch, pillowing his head gently. "Don't be embarrassed. Just listen to reason now, ashimel." He looked up at his lover. "I'm getting some ice and the first aid kit." Heaved sigh. "Be right back."

Lex nodded at his lover, and sat down on the side of the couch beside the younger man. "Whitney... it's okay. It's not a bad thing to lose to someone who's been in more knife fights than he's had birthdays." A wry grin. "I admire your belief and your need to protect Chloe, but you need to realize something. I'm not the one you need to protect her from. Yes. I did make a horrible mistake. And I hurt people I loved. But I also saved her life, Whitney, because I couldn't bear for anything bad to happen to her." He pushed Whitney's hair off his forehead, even though he was getting absolutely no response at all.

Clark slipped out the door and back into the kitchen, rummaging until he got a bag full of ice and the first aid kid Ms. Bird always kept hanging around, for good reason. He took both things, a few small towels, and a bowl of water back to the study, carefully closing and locking the door behind him. "Alright, I'm back." He deposited his things on the coffee table and got on his knees on the floor, filling one of the sandwich baggies with ice and setting it on his ashimel's crotch. "There we go. That'll get the swelling down. Alright… Lex, clean your hand, I'm gonna bandage his eyebrow here. You got him good, baby." A glare. "I'm not pleased."

"Here, let me do it." Lex held his hand out for the bandages and for the antiseptic wipes. "You make up another of those bags for his jaw." A look down at Whitney. "You're lucky I didn't shine your eye for you."

Whitney was still stoically silent, flinching only when the bag of ice dropped on his crotch.

Clark offered it and filled another bag of ice for his ashimels jaw, wincing as he zip locked it closed, and gently set it on his face. "There...." Wince. "That's gonna be black and blue in the morning." He gently reached down and pressed feathery soft kisses to his face, even though Whitney hadn't wanted to see his face. He didn't care, he loved his ashimel so much, and the last few days without him had been torture.

Lex took the wipes first, and set the rest of the things on Whitney's stomach. Soft yet clinical touches had the split brow cleaned quickly, taped up, and covered with a soft gauze bandage. He moved out of the way when Clark put the ice on Whitney's jaw, and when he saw that Whitney wasn't going to make a move to hold it there himself, Lex sighed and moved his hand back to hold it there. "Stubborn," he said softly.

Whitney just ignored the gentle touches, and turned his face away from Clark's soft kisses. Yes, he missed him. Missed him insanely. But he was too proud to admit it.

The turned head only made Clark wince, but he thought he knew why Whitney did it, and when Whitney turned his face he followed, with more tender kisses, gently over his lips, his jaw, his bruised cheekbones, murmuring softly with the emotion he felt. "Don't be stubborn... don't be proud. I am your ashimel... there isn't' any of that here. Please, believe him in what he says, Whitney."

"He's not," Lex said softly, but goadingly. "He's not going to believe or admit anything that would mean he was a hotheaded bastard going off on the wrong tangent." He stretched. "I'm going to take a hot shower before I stiffen up, but I'll be back down in a few minutes. If he tries--anything, give me a call."

"Okay." Clark murmured, and rose his head to give his aushna' a kiss, his hurt hand a kiss, and nodded at him as he kept laying gentle, soft, tiny kisses on Whitney's face and shoulders.

Lex returned the soft kisses with a little smile, and nibbled Clark's ear gently. "I told you I'd be all right." Then he disappeared, climbing the steps slowly to the bedroom.

Whitney kept his eyes closed and his head turned to face the back of the sofa, listening to the hushed conversation, the soft kisses still falling on his skin as he stayed silent.

Clark didn't say anything, after he'd watched his lover go up. Just continued to give his ashimel warm, gentle, tender kisses, all over his neck and throat, soft peppering touches that came and went, slowly, quietly, never lingering but never being thrifty. Gentle movements that traveled down the length of one bruised hand, to gently press kisses to each digit, showering the palm with love as he pressed Whitney's limp hand to his cheek, gently.

"Stop," Whitney finally said quietly, without moving.

The little smile slid from his face and he swallowed, setting Whitney's hand back down gently, and he rose, getting the first aid kit and what was left of the ice.

"Why do you have to be so nice?" he finally asked. "Why can't you be a bastard?"

He looked down at Whitney, who still lay there with eyes closed, and didn't speak for a moment. "You are my ashimel. You are a part of me. I can't be mean to you."

"Yeah, well, you should be."

"Why is that?"

"Just because. You shouldn't be so fucking nice."

Clark was silent for a moment. "Its not in me to be mean, Whitney." He shrugged absently. "Do you need anything? A drink?"

"Yeah. I need you. And it kills me. Because I want to be angry with you. And I can't be, not without it tearing a hole in my gut for days on end."

Clark was strong, and didn't choke on the giggle that wanted to bubble up. But his lips twitched, quietly, as he sat down on the couch again. "Don't be angry, ashimel."

Whitney still wasn't looking at Clark, but at least he'd opened his eyes to stare at the back of the couch. "I have to be. If I'm not angry, then... something's wrong, somewhere down the line. If I'm not angry that my girlfriend got hurt... then I suck as boyfriend. If I'm not angry that my baby almost died, then I'm no kind of father."

"You can be angry. But I'm asking you... don't be. Because this...what we have, is very different, Whitney, than from the relationships you understand. Lex and I... if you let us be... we're your family. And you don't suck as a father, or a boyfriend, or as anything, because of a mistake that was made."

"No, you're right. I suck because I didn't take care of it. I suck because I wasn't able to stop it from happening, and I suck because I'm not even able to prevent it from happening again."

"Whitney... with all my powers, I can't stop it from happening again." Clark didn't dare try to hold him, but he did gently touch his hand. "Lex is the only one who can. And now that he knows what happens... he won't do it again. Talk to him, Whitney."

"I don't have anything to say to Lex." He locked his jaw painfully, and held the ice tighter against it.

A flame of anger erupted in Clarks heart, at the obvious refusal of their bond from his ashimel, but he didn't say anything. "That is your choice to make. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me."

He wanted to ask Clark to stay. But wouldn't. He just kept his jaw locked tightly and the ice pressed to it.

Clark gathered the things on the table and rose, walking around the couch and back out the door. Whitney was one of the most stubborn people he knew, but it would take time for him to decide what he wanted. For now, he set the things on the kitchen counter and wrapped his bowl of mousse up with plastic wrap, setting it in the fridge, and loaded the dishwasher quietly.

Whitney just tightened his jaw even further when Clark walked out of the room, and then bit back the sob as a shock of pain shot through the side of his face. He carefully sat up, wincing, and moved the ice out of his crotch and set it on the coffee table. A grunt as he pushed himself to his feet, and it was painful to walk, both from the crotch shot and the kick to the knee he'd taken, but he managed to start limping towards the door, ice pack still pressed to his face.

Clark heard Whitney start walking down the long hall and shook his head, quietly, closing his eyes for a moment as he pulled in a breath, before back down, pushing the spoons into the small tray of the dishwasher. The guy was a stubborn jackass but Clark didn't say anything, though the shun, after the want for intimacy he'd shown in his kisses, was scorned.

It was a long, painful limp towards the door, and he stopped in the hallway every few steps to take another deep breath, and go a few more. His balls ached, his belly was rolling, and his knee hurt, but he kept moving. All he wanted was Clark's arms around him and he refused to ask for it again. He'd asked all he could before. Wouldn't beg for affection, not again.

Clark heard the whisper again, and he thanked God for their connection as he stepped out of the kitchen, leaving the kitchen half cleaned, and stepped into the hall. "Whitney, wait."

"Okay." Didn't have the strength left to argue as he sagged against the wall, one hand braced on his knee holding himself up and the other held the ice to his face as he gritted his teeth.

"Why are you leaving?" He swallowed, and stepped up around him, seeing his pain. "I mean... do you want to stay?"

"Figured you wanted me out," he pushed out past his jaw, already starting to swell.

His eyebrows knit. "Why would I want you out, Whitney?"

"Because I said I didn't have anything to say to Lex. Then you just walked out. Figured that was my cue to get the hell out." Grimace as he straightened up to lean against the wall. "Not totally stupid, you know."

"Yes, you are." Clark murmured, quietly, though he didn't move. "You are my ashimel. Why don't you understand that, Whitney? I love you so much… but you ignore that, ignore our bond, and think the worst of me all the time. I would never want you to leave... I left you so you could rest. I don't want you to go... I never want you to go."

Whitney wanted to be offended at Clark's implication that he was totally stupid, but knew it was too close to the truth and let it pass without comment. "I don't ignore it," Whitney said softly. "I don't ignore it at all. I need it, I need you, sometimes more than I can stand. Sometimes it feels like I'm going to shatter into pieces if you're not there."

His eyes softened and he took a step closer. "Then why do you push me away, ashimel?" He whispered, softly, as he reached out to gently trace Whitney's jaw with the pad of his thumb. "Please... let me be close to you. I miss you so much."

Whitney's head turned into the soft caress, and half-swollen lips pressed a kiss to the base of Clark's thumb. "I miss you, Clark."

The words broke his heart, and he wrapped his arms gently around him, tugging him close. "I miss you, Whitney. I love you, so much." With the embrace he gently lifted Whitney again, up into his arms, and walked back into the study. "Please, I'm sorry this happened... I'm so sorry. Lex.... please, you have to talk to Lex."

Whitney's arm went around Clark's neck and held tightly, the non-battered half of his face buried in Clark's throat and snuffling very silently. "I'm sorry it happened too."

When Whitney didn't say anything else Clarks eyebrows knit, heart breaking as he set Whitney back down on the couch, gently. He carefully set his hurt limbs down, both wincing and proud of Lex for inflicting this, as he carefully, gently, stroked Whitney's hair.

Whitney closed his eyes thankfully as he let the safe side of his face rest on Clark's knee, and he balanced the ice pack on his other cheek as he shifted his legs uncomfortably around his groin. "Don't be angry with me, please," he finally said, pleading softly and breaking his own promise to himself.

"I'm not angry. I'm just very sad." He whispered back, softly, as he stroked Whitney's hair, softly. "I want you to stay tonight, even if... you hate Lex. Okay? You can stay in the bedroom across from ours." His eyes closed. "Whitney, I'm sorry. If Lex and I hadn't been feeling the way we were, none of this would have happened."

He nodded. "I'll stay. But will you stay with me? At least, a little while?" A hard swallow. "And call Chloe and tell her I didn't hurt Lex? She said she'd never speak to me again, if I hurt him."

"She'll call anyway. I know my Chloe." He gently stroked over Whitney's hair. "I'll take you now, its late already. Come on... want me to pick you up?"

He nodded. "Yes, please?" Soft whimper as he shifted. "I just want her to be safe."

"Okay." He shifted and lifted Whitney back up, ice packs in toe, and carefully cuddled his limbs in close as he started up the library steps and through the hall in the back. He kept him close, hating him for not being able to forgive Lex, and loving him because he was so stubborn. But he had to ask, and he whispered, "Whitney... if I ever lost control? Would you hate me?"

Whitney shook his head. "I'd want to. But I couldn't hate you, no matter how much I wanted to." He rubbed his cheek against Clark's shoulder again.

"Then why can you hate Lex?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I just... do. I can't explain it, and I didn't hate him before. Just... I can't ever forgive him."

Which just hurt him worse. "Whitney... let me explain something to you." He heard the shower running as he walked down the hall, but instead of turning left he turned right, into the spare bedroom, and gently lay his ashimel on the sheets. He turned down the blankets, put the small bedside table light on, and carefully helped Whitney out of his jacket. "When Lex and I joined as aushna', we gave one another part of our souls. Exactly half, in fact. We... for lack of better terms, swapped them. Lex is me… I'm Lex. Our minds and hearts are intertwined, Whitney, laced together like an intricate weaving. So when you say you hate him, and can never forgive him, you hate me, and can never forgive me. Because I don't know of Lex's loss of control was him or me."

"It was him," Whitney said firmly. "Because you wouldn't. Ever."

"You really think so?" He tipped his head. "Do you know how many bruises I've left on my lover, how many mattresses we've gone through?"

Whitney just shook his head. "That's different. That's not like this. I've almost flattened Chloe before, when we were making love and I wasn't careful. But I didn't hurt her, and it's different."

"I've hurt a lot of people, Whitney." He shook his head gently, as he stroked over his lovers face. "There's a lot about me you don't even know, angel." He sat up, then stood up, and carefully tugged Whitney's shoes off, then his jeans, leaving him in boxers and a t-shirt. He pulled the blankets up over his body, gently warming him, and moved around the bed, climbing onto it and laying atop the blankets so Whitney would get warmer. "Go to sleep, ashimel."

His arms wrapped around Clark's waist and he made a choked little noise in his throat. "I love you, Clark." He was holding on to Clark as tightly as he could, an he was curled as tightly as his aching body would allow.

Clark held him back, gently, rubbing his back warmly as he closed his eyes. "You've had one traumatizing week, ashimel."

Another choked noise that might have been a laugh.

The shower had turned off in the bedroom across the hall, and Lex draped the towel around his waist as he padded through the bedroom and across the hallway to stand in the doorway of Whitney's bedroom. "How is he?" he asked softly.

"Okay." Clark whispered softly, though he gave his lover a touch of the pain he was feeling. "I'll be in the room in a little bit, okay? Get the sheets warm?"

Lex winced softly at the ache that his aushna' felt. Whitney was the only one he hadn't been able to reconcile yet, and he had to. Instead of leaving the room, he slid into bed on Whitney's other side. "Hey. Whit. Can you listen to me?" Lex lifted the ice bag up a little further onto his ashimel's wounded cheek. "What you're feeling right now... it's not you. It's not your feelings. It's mine. It's what I was feeling, when I lost control. You don't hate me; you don't think you'd be a bad father," he said quietly. "That's what I was feeling, that's what Clark and I was arguing about. I know it feels real to you right now, but it's not. I promise you that. In a few days, it'll seem like you dreamed this."

Clark looked at Lex with a hint of surprise in his face, but when Lex's eyes met his, he understood. Something had happened with someone else, and he just nodded, closing his eyes and gently caressing Whitney's face softly in his hand, giving it warm, tender kisses.

Bruce, Lex whispered in his aushna's thoughts, and turned his attentions back to Whitney. "I know you want to beat me now, but you won't. I know what you're feeling, Whitney. You're feeling like you want to destroy whomever or whatever was responsible for hurting you and your baby, hurting and destroying whomever nearly took your fiancée away from you. I know that's what you're feeling, because that's what I was feeling. I was angry at the world because I'd lost Mar, and I wanted to find someone responsible for it, and the only person I could find was me."

Whitney was trying to ignore the man speaking to his back, but the words were quietly persuasive, and true. Lex did know what he was feeling, down to the letter of it, and his shoulders shook against Clark's chest as he fought to hold it all in.

"Let it go, Whitney," Lex said softly. "Let it go, before it destroys you."

"Its okay, ashimel." the weight of what they'd put on the shoulders of their sha'nauch burned at Clarks soul and he winced, quietly, gently kissing his beautiful ashimel tenderly, over and over, kissing his neck, shoulders, throat and lips, even as his own chest tightened. "Let it out, baby. That's the only way Lex kept his sanity... its okay."

Whitney let out a hard, sharp cry into Clark's shoulder and sobbed once, just as loudly as he could before burying it against Clark once again and holding on tight. The vibrating cries shook his jaw painfully and he pressed them harder against Clark as he pushed close to him.

Lex rubbed Whitney's back gently, and dropped his own kisses on his temple. "It's okay, Whitney. It's not your fault this happened." He kept rubbing gently. "I'll call Chloe and tell her we've got Whitney here and he's okay," he said to Clark softly. "You're okay to stay with him?"

Clark nodded, looking up at his aushna' with filled eyes. The guilt was heavy, so heavy he could barely stand it, and he closed his eyes, gently stroking over Whitney's back. The sobs broke his heart into huge pieces so that all he could do was hold him, rock his beloved ashimel, his little ashimel who he loved so deeply, so dearly, and know he was the one who had started this mess.

Lex gave Whitney another soft kiss, then walked around the bed to sit beside Clark and kiss him softly. "It's not your fault either, Clark," Lex whispered softly. "It's nobody's fault; you told me so. Accidents happen, and all you do is clean up after them." He kissed Clark again, and then walked back across the hall to his own bedroom and sat down on the bed. He cradled his head between his hands, then reached out with one hand, picked up the phone, and dialed Chloe's number from memory as he listened to the other room.

Jack and Rose. Their love... so pure. So beautiful. So wonderful. Chloe sniffled softly, handing Shay another tissue, and took a drink of root bear float, licking the ice cream off of her lower lip, and rubbed her nose as she picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Are you missing a six foot tall stubborn-ass ox that goes by the name of Whitney Fordman?" Lex asked without preamble.

She sat up, shhed Shay and paused the movie. "Yeah, actually. He stampeded out of here like a rhino with hemorrhoids about an hour and a half ago. Did you kill him?"

"I may have damaged his ability to father future children and straightened his jaw line a little, but I didn't kill him."

A heavy sigh. Thank Christ. She'd remembered just fine when Lex had told her he had been trained by an ex navy SEAL, and she rubbed her eyes, letting her feet swing off the side of the bed. "And did he club in your brains or something?"

He looked down at his hands. "His skull busted my knuckles open. That's about it. He's... with Clark right now." He grunted as he swung his feet back up on the bed. "Chloe… it's not his fault."

"I know its not. Its not yours, either. Its just a conflict of interests." She heaved a sigh, and looked over her shoulder at Shayla, shaking her head. "Is he okay now? I mean...do you need me to come pick him up?"

"No, it is my fault. He's just... trying to exorcise all the crap he got from me. I kind of... overloaded him. And Bruce Wayne. And my father and Dominic, but they're okay. They seem to be, anyway, as far as I can feel them." He rubbed his forehead gently as he swung his feet up into the bed. "And, no. He's going to stay here tonight, where Clark can get to him if he needs to. Don't worry; he'll be all right in the morning."

She bit her lip, tightly. "Okay." She cleared her throat and nodded, holding the phone tighter. "I know I'm the last person he wants to talk to right now, but... tell him I love him, okay? And that I'm sorry about all of this. And that I'm fine, no cramps or anything. Okay? But mostly, tell him I love him... and I'm sorry."

"He doesn't want to talk to anyone, including Clark and I. We're just sort of forcing the issue." A little sigh. "He's thinking about you; he wanted us to call you and let you know that he didn't hurt me, because he knew you'd never speak to him again."

"Good." She gave a quiet little sniffle, and rubbed her face softly. "Lex... thank you, for taking care of him, sweetheart. If you need me during the night, call me, okay?"

He sighed into the phone again. "I broke him, Chloe. I'm going to fix him for you, don't worry." His free hand went to pillow the back of his head. "I'll call if anything happens." A quiet pause. "I am sorry. About all of this."

"Don't be sorry." She soothed gently, and wished she were there to hug him. "Don't be sorry, sweetie. This'll all get taken care of, and then we can put our past behind us. Okay? So don't worry honey." She made a kiss noise over the phone. "We'll see you tomorrow."

He was surprised to find himself returning the kiss over the phone. "We'll bring him home in the late morning, around eleven or so."

"Okay. Don't be surprised if Shay and I are asleep still, though my dad'll be home by seven."

"I won't be surprised." A little smile. "I love you, Chloe. We'll take care of him for you."

"Night." Chloe hung up and sighed, deeply, laying back on the blankets beside Shayla, and taking her hand. "Lex beat the shit out of him. He's licking his wounds... staying overnight."

Shayla squeezed her hand back. "Ouch. But, at least he's okay and he didn't hurt Lex, which I know you were worried about."

"I was. Sort of. But if he got beat up..." Chloe turned a little smile at her. "At least I'll get to play nurse maid."

She gave a little giggle. "Yeah, there's always that. Though my idea of nursemaid? You shouldn't have put your face in the path of his fist, moron."

Chloe grinned again, a little broader, and squeezed her friends hand, cuddling up close to her. "Whitney has to do things the hard way. That's how his brain is hard wired. If he doesn't figure stuff out the hard way, he's never satisfied. But at least this time… I hope Lex knocked some sense into his thick brain. And yeah, he's going to be apologizing for weeks."

"Weeks? Honey, you can drag this out into a couple of months, easy."

Chloe grinned again, snickering up at her. "Tha'ts my evil girl. Put the movie on, will you?"

"Sure thing, sug." Shayla picked up the remote and flicked the TV back on, starting the movie back as she picked up her melty ice cream float.

 

-fin-

go on to the next part