The Memoirs

Dominic awoke to find four women in his bedroom.

On a normal occasion, he'd realize why they were there and the reason for their sudden materialization in his room. But, as he was still half asleep, still in that place where he didn't know his own name least of all who and where he was, he had to think for a moment. He was still gay. Yes. And! There was still a warm lump next to his arm, meaning Lionel was still there.

It was Friday morning. It had to be mid morning, because the sun was bright and cheerful over their bed.

And there were four women in his bedroom.

Or, well, his mother, Toni, Felicia and Ms. Bird, but still.

"Might I ask," He asked in his most scathing tone, though it sounded more like, "Migh' eh aske'" to his ears, "What in all of the bloody hell you are doing in my room?"

Toni beamed. There were seven boxes sitting by the door, including a change of clothes for Lionel and Dominic, and she bounced. "Get up, sleepy head. We're using this room!" No need to say more. "You've got the huge mirrors." And it was true! They had a closet of mirrors, as well as enormous mirror screens in one corner of the room. "And the best bathroom. Get out!"

The Lionel lump hadn't moved.

Didn't move when Toni clapped her hands to get them moving, or when Dominic elbowed him. In fact, the Lionel lump was still very, very soundly asleep, and intended to stay that way.

Or, at least he was, until Ms. Bird landed a very loud, very stinging slap to his ass.

It took him several very long moments before he realized exactly how--and why--she'd done it, and he peeled the blankets back just enough to gaze at her over the top of them. "Do you, perchance, have a death wish, madam?"

Ms. Bird's hands were on her hips, and she was scowling. "Out vith chu. Now. Ve haf all seen your bare arses before. Out. Chur morning things are vaiting fer you in Herr Lex's bedroom. Take dese clothes and de top box, dey are the rest of chur things."

Felicia tittered as she spun around the room, holding the plastic-sheeted dress against her, watching it spin and twirl out around her. "Morning!" she sang out cheerfully.

Dominic's mouth was hanging open. His hair, sticking up in every way possible from his head, was partially spiked into oblivion, and partially stuck against his temple. His mouth opened, he gaped...grunted, and rolled back under the covers, snuggling against his lovers side and ignoring the snarls from the four women at the motion. "L'nel? We can't go back to Ireland for a while?"

"Oh, no you don't! Get up! Don't make us ruin your modesty!" Toni yelled and shoved up her sleeves of her own pajamas. Her hair was up in violently pink curlers and she had a thick green cream on her face. "Get out!" She was already setting things up, laying out the eight brides maids dresses and hanging them up on the ample door of the closet, setting them up cheerfully as someone through the blinds open and sunlight streamed into the room.

"My dear Doctor Braxton, our modesty, whatever we might have had left of it, went parading out the door when the four of your harpies invaded my bedroom." Lionel pulled the blanket firmly back over his head at that point, and peeked out at his lover. "You call the airstrip and have the jet readied, and I will pack for us."

"Okay." Dominic yawned, hard, into his arm, grinning across at him from where he himself was peaking out. What a way to wake up. "C'mon. Coffee." He glared as the women began to bustle around, fixing things, shoving clothes out of the way and into the closet, and Dominic… he just sighed, as he rolled to sitting, his side of the blankets firmly over his lap as he reached down for his robe laying on the floor beside the bed. He shrugged into it and rose, tying it firmly as he glared across the room at the four moving women. "Jesus. Come on, Lionel. We can sleep in Lex's room."

"Chu most certainly vill not!" Ms. Bird thundered. "Dose boys are alveady up und avake, having brekfast and getting ready for deir parts in dis!!"

Dominic gave Ms. Bird a sour look and sat on the edge of the bed to shrug his socks on.

"Ms. Bird--Toni--Felicia--please. Help yourselves to--"

"Thank you!" Felicia chirped, completely unaware of... well, pretty much anything right now. "You're so sweet to let us impose on you like this after you let us borrow your house for the wedding!!" She leaned over and kissed Dominic's cheek, and the top of Lionel's hair, which is the only part of him sticking out from under the blanket.

Ms. Bird shot the other older woman in the room a look, and then stepped back out of the way.

Rosalyn Senatori barged right over to the bed and yanked the blankets and sheets right off the bed. "You! Little boy, get your bare ass up out of that bad and put something on! it's indecent!"

Dominic was too shocked to say anything other than, "MOTHER!" He bellowed it, which of course set a headache pounding behind his left eye and he snarled at her, snapping as he grasped the blankets back and covered his poor lover. "GET OUT OF MY BEDROOM! All of you! GET OUT NOW! Let us wake up decent and proper!"

"Sorry hun!" Toni sang out as she and Fellie started getting the dress out, ignoring Dominic's yelling as she beamed at her friend from her green cocooned face.

"GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!"

Lionel snarled, then threw the blankets off and stood up in all of his graceful, still handsome nudity. Proudly, he strode over to Rosalyn, and glared down at her.

"I had hoped to be spared your dulcet tones for the rest of my existence, but that is simply not to be. However, let me remind you, madam, that you are in my home, and as you are neither friend nor loved one, you will accord me the respect that every visitor to my home shows me, or you will no longer be welcome here. Have I made myself clear, Mrs. Senatori?"

Rosalyn huffed and puffed her way through Lionel's speech, and then she slapped his arm. "For the love of God, little boy, put on some clothes! I don't want or need to see all you've got hanging out for the world to see!!"

It was too goddamn early to be this embarrassed, but Dominic buried his face in his hands regardless and tried not to think about the hot flush he was sure had lit from the neck up. His mother. His husband. One naked. One not. Lionel was going to be the death of him. There was no use talking to Felicia and the Hulk, so he just stood, shoved his glasses on his nose, tied his watch around his wrist, and made sure his rings were still in place before just walking past the two of them and locking himself in the bathroom.

Felicia was just staring agog at Lionel's flaunted nudity. "Wow. For an old guy, you've got a great ass, Lionel," she giggled.

"Thank you, Felicia, I work hard to keep it so," he said, glaring down at Rosalyn, who was trying to shove a sheet around his waist. "Cease this instant. You do not like my state of undress? I cordially invite you to exit my bedroom."

Dominic used the toilet, washed his hands, scrubbed his face, and tried to wake himself up. His toothbrush and comb were gone--probably already in Lex's room--and he just sighed. Lex and Clark--and wasn't it odd thinking about Clark just being Clark now?--were more than likely already awake, and he opened the bathroom again and took a side move into the closet. He got some underwear for them, and a pair of pants for Lionel.

He came back out, brandishing the pants and underwear to Lionel as he got Lionel's glasses as well and hooked an arm under his elbow, tugging him out of the room behind him without a word.

Lionel made sure to slam the door loudly behind him as Dominic dragged him out of the room. He draped the clothing over his arm, and walked down the hallway to pound on Lex's door. "Alexander Luthor, open the door this instant!" he bellowed.

Inside the bedroom, Lex sat across the bed from Clark, nibbling on toast and orange sections as he flipped through the newspaper. "It's open, Dad!" He looked over at his aushna', and gave a little smile. "He sounds like he's in a snit."

Clark smiled a little at his lover. They hadn't spoken much to one another since...well, the incident. Lex needed to recuperate, Clark guessed, but he couldn't help feeling incredibly, disgustingly guilty. He'd been the one who wanted to go to the Brandywine, after all. He couldn't remember anything of the two days he'd been two people, and the day after had been a blur, too. A lot of sleeping, and his hair was red, no matter what he did to it.

And he and Lex were weird.

He felt weird, though, so what was new.

He rose from his chair, tugging his pajama pants more firmly on his hips to push the clothes strewn on the floor under the bed, and straightened the bed as Dominic and Lionel entered.

Dominic glared at the both of them, still yanking his lover along with him, his own underwear and pants in his arms, and growled as he looked at the both of them.

"I take it the bridal party is out in full force, and for Christ's sake, Dad, I've seen more of your dick than I ever need to--put your fucking pants on." Lex didn't bother to drop the newspaper after he'd caught his father's nudity out of the corner of his eye as they'd come in.

"Do not speak to me in such a tone, Alexander, I am in no mood to be trifled with."

"Don't look at me, tell Dominic that. I'm not the one who'd be trifling you."

Dominic growled the 'Do NOT fuck with me!' growl under his voice as he pushed Lionel towards the bathroom and sat collapsed in one of the chairs beside the little table, glaring at his step son. "They woke us up! And pushed us out!"

Clark grinned, shyly, and sipped some of his orange juice. "They did us, too. Or, well, just woke us up. But its almost nine, now."

Lex pushed the coffee service over towards his stepfather. "Caffeine injection?"

"Hook me up." A mutter and he gathered the parts of the newspaper Lex had already read. Made them a pillow. Set his head on them, and let himself drift.

Clark smiled, a little, glancing at Lex slightly before he rose himself. "We... we should... I could help the wedding coordinators. Set stuff up."

Lex returned the little smile and glance at his aushna'. "Finish your breakfast, Clark," he said gently. "They're called coordinators for a reason; they coordinate. They can handle this without you, it's what they're paid to do." As he spoke, he filled one of the coffee cups with hot coffee, sugar, and milk, and then tapped his stepfather on the head with it. "Here, Dom."

"More sugar." Muffled, from his arms.

"Yeah." Clark shifted, uncomfortably, and sat back down again, swallowing and looking down at his breakfast. Eww. Food was making him gross, but he didn't mention it, just picking up his fork and poking at it again.

Lex obediently added more sugar and stirred it up, and tapped Dom on the head with it again.

Lionel emerged from the bathroom moments later, shirtless and barefoot, but he did at least have underwear and pants on. He reached over and picked the coffee cup up out of his son's hand, and took a deep drink of it.

"Is there a national sugar cane crisis I'm unaware of?" Dominic looked up, glared, and was just about to add more when Lionel took his overly sugared cup. He winced, face scrunching, and set his cheek back down. "So much for a calm day."

"I think our hopes for a calm day ended the day we insanely allowed this ceremony to take over our home." He handed the cup back to Dominic, and started stalking the room.

Lex offered his bowl of orange slices to Clark. "You want these instead? I'm... not much of an orange fan; I actually prefer apples, and will have one later."

"We're too nice." Dominic muttered, as he took the cup back and picked the sugar cup up, dumping an ample amount in his coffee before drinking. Mmm. Coffee flavored crack. Delicious. He heaved a sigh and snuggled on his newspaper, yawning again, deeper.

Clark shook his head a little, smiling carefully at him before looking up at Lionel. "The ceremony is at twelve. In… erm… three hours or so. So...killing time. Lex? He set up your computer here. And stuff."

"Well, wasn't that thoughtful of him. Thank you, Alexander."

Lex put the bowl of fruit back down and shrugged. "He's definitely in a snit now."

"Lex, my mother just kicked both of us, half naked, out of our own bed. What would you think him to be?" Dominic muttered, lifting his head to glare. "I hate family. Why didn't I go hide somewhere in Cambodia?" He turned his glare on his husband. "Why didn't you station me in Cambodia? You evil man."

"But handsome." Clark added, and smiled a little in amusement.

Lex flinched, just slightly, at that, but didn't say a word, and neither did his smile falter. "I'll take your word on that, Clark."

"Oh, no, Dominic, I wouldn't have sent you to Cambodia. If I have to suffer, you will share the suffering with me."

He said the wrong thing. Again. Clark just shut up and looked down, quietly.

"Bastard." Dominic muttered, even as he tugged on his lovers hand and pulled him into his lap. Lionel was bigger than him but not by much, and he snuggled him against his side as he yawned again.

Lex reached out and touched Clark's hand reassuringly. "It's okay, Clark," he said softly. "You didn't say anything wrong."

"So I've been called," Lionel answered, careful to keep his weight off his lover as he snuggled in. His glance raked over Clark and Lex, picked up the differences right off, and he shot a glance to his lover.

Dominic just nodded. He'd picked up on it yesterday. They seemed to be fine, but there was something off, something he supposed they'd have to work through. But, as he was Dominic... "So how has everything been, boys? Since Kal and CK were joined again? You've been feeling alright, Clark?"

Clark looked up, then, at that. "Oh, yeah. Feeling fine. Just like myself...except not. Its weird. I guess just going to have to take some getting used to."

Lex nodded. "I'm trying to help, but I don't think I'm doing him much good."

"You are." Clark reassured, quietly, but smiled and changed the subject. "Are you guys going to work after the ceremony?"

"Of course." Dominic sighed. Deeply. "All of the stock accounts are due today, as well as a few other projects. We might go over... ah... three or so, you'd say, Lionel?"

Lionel let the subject change slide, and answered his lover instead. "Yes, I think that sounds about right. I expect we'll be working well past midnight too, sadly, as most of our afternoon and evening will be spent at the wedding."

Lex kissed his lover's hand softly, and squeezed his fingers comfortingly.

"Yay." Dominic muttered, and gave a false wave of cheer as he looked up at his friend. "At least it'll give us the excuse to sleep in late and bolt the door shut." A little snickering cackle. "Lex, love, who else is here?"

Lex started ticking off on his fingers. "Jonathan, Ethan, Martha, Whitney and Chloe are on their way over with Mr. Sullivan, your sister and her boyfriend are underfoot, Judge Ross is on her way with the marriage certificate, Reverend Rubenstein is here counseling Ethan and Jonathan, several others of the Rubenstein clan is here, and the entirety of the Senatori clan, from Graham down to Riley and his flock."

Dominic had paled somewhere around 'Judge Ross', and his complexion was only whiter as he listened to his step son. So many people. No peace. His head was aching now, and he knew he'd have to go find Motrin soon enough, but Lionel cuddled right where he was was wonderful and he just stared at Lex. "Dear God."

"That's just this side of the family." Clark offered, shyly. "Fellie's entire family is here, too."

Lex just nodded. "That's right, they are. Her mother, father, grandparents, two siblings... Clark, was it seven or eight nieces--they're all girls, by the way--and her aunt."

"Yep. The red headed people, basically." Clark nodded, looking at the two older guys with a little grin.

"Ireland." Dominic whispered, to his husband. "Green grass. Rain. Granny."

"About fifty blond people who look exactly like you and did not give us a moment's rest," Lionel reminded.

"Oh, and I think Toni's mother may be here, as a guest of the bride, since Toni and Fellie are so close, I believe Felicia invited Toni's parents."

"Oh, fabulous."

"Yeah, they're pretty mad she's having your baby." Clark commented, as he found his appetite and took another bite of his eggs. "Screaming and stuff. Ms. Bird gave them some whiskey in the lounge downstairs."

"Somehow, I got the impression they believed you had... shall we say, done the dirty work yourself?"

"Yeah." Clark nodded. "We tried to tell them that you were, you know, gay, but they were all screaming in whatever it was they were screaming in. Jewish? I can barely tell, too fast."

Dominic paled all the more, and buried his face in Lionel's shoulder.

"But they do love your brother," Lex said helpfully. "They just adore Graham. He was down there drinking whiskey with them the last time we saw them."

"Yeah, Ms. Bird didn't think having Graham drunk was the best idea, but it seemed to calm them down, so what the hey." Clark chewed cheerfully, and winked at Lionel.

"Alexander Luthor, would you be lying to me?"

"Not at all, Father." Said innocently as a little angel.

Lionel snorted, at that. "Would you perhaps be exaggerating the situations downstairs?"

A little teasing smirk. "Perhaps a little."

At that Clark grinned. "I wonder if I start using his whole name if he'll respond like that too me."

Dominic just... he sighed, and shrugged Lionel onto the chair instead of his lap, climbing to his feet. "I'm showering. And then I'm finding my brothe--" Sudden horrified thought. "Where's Freddie?!"

Lex pointed to the closed-off animal room. "Sammy, Cleo, Artie and Freddie have all been banished to the playroom. Freddie's litter box is in there, as well as newspapers for the puppies, a television, food, water, the toy baskets, and their bed."

As soon as Lex pointed Dominic walked over, and carefully opened the door to take a peak.

Four sets of eyes came up to look at him and he saw Freddie, snuggled under a blanket, half asleep. or seemed to be, except he was playing with a little ball with a bell in it. "Oh, my baby."

Yeah, right, whatever. It was nice, it was warm, there were three other fuzzy thingies around, and shut the fuckin' door already. Freddie gave the ball another lazy bat, and flicked his tail at Dominic.

Dominic saw the bored expression and smirked softly as he closed the door once more and shook his head at Lionel. "Dear God. I'm going to get prepared."

Lionel just snorted. "Gird your loins well to deal with the maddening crowd. As I have the reputation for being a grouchy, surly bastard, I do believe I shall take advantage of that and remain holed up in the office until the last possible moment."

Hee. The thought amused endlessly, quite unfortunately. "You. Grouchy? Surly? You jest. You, my darling husband, are cake and cookies. And an insufferable cad." But Dominic kissed his forehead as he walked by anyway, and gathered the clothes from the bed that he assumed were his, before locking himself in the bathroom.

Clark smiled at the blond man as he walked in the bathroom and grinned himself, shaking his head as he bit into a piece of toast.

"I am not a cad." Lionel growled at his lover as he walked by, and then turned back to Clark and Lex. "Well, now that Dominic's gone, let's be frank. What the hell is the problem now?" He narrowed his glare to his son when he asked that, implying, actually, what is your problem?

Clark's eyes widened mid chew. "You're only frank when Dominic's not around?" At that, he couldn't help grinning, covering his mouth with one hand as he giggled. "You're such a nice guy, Lionel." But it was teased as he began chewing again, and swallowed some juice to chase the bite down.

"I'm always frank, Clark. I just happen to be a little less brutal when my husband is around."

When Lionel used his name Clark brightened, just a little. Lionel and Dominic... with all the wedding stuff... they hadn't really gotten to talk. And Clark felt disjointed, but hearing Lionel say his name made him feel a little better. Yes. Clark. Two bits of one person. "That's good to know. I'm glad you're not bullshitting."

"That's something you should know about my father, Clark," Lex said softly. "He doesn't bullshit. About anything. Including if he thinks you're a bad son or not."

Lionel sighed. "We're not going to re-tread that old argument, are we, Lex?"

"No, we're not," he answered back. "I'm just using it as an example."

"Then find another example."

"Well, you wanted to know what's wrong. At the minute, nothing, really. I feel weird, Lex feels weird, and its going to take a while to get used to being just us again. Cause hey, I lost about three days there, in which time I was split into two separate people, one of whom wrote one of the most beautiful essays I've ever read and the other who fought with Batman and brought down a killer who could, and would have, done away with a lot of innocent lives. I of course have absolutely no memory of any of this other than what Lex has given me, and my lover has the right to be depressed if he wants to be." Clark said mildly, though politely, as he took another bite of toast.

Lionel listened calmly. "No he doesn't," Lionel finally said. "Clark, listen to yourself. You're talking about all of these things, and then, in the end, yes, Lex did lose two people that he cared about, but in return, he got you back. Not for the first time, but back. As in, returned to him. I cannot imagine what it's like to have someone you love above everything else returned to you after an absence of any length. You have experienced something, Lex, that nobody else in this world has ever gotten to, and you have no right to be anything but happy to have your soulmate back."

"Lionel, please." Clark said evenly. "If Dominic got split into two people, of who you loved very much and weren't like Dominic, but were, wouldn't you feel sad they were gone, too, even if you were happy your lover was back?" Clark dared him to argue with one glance. "Its not Lex's fault. And its not mine. We're just dealing, that's all."

Lionel held his hands out in front of him. "I don't know, Clark. But what I do know is, I love Dominic, the whole man, the whole package that all the parts of him create, more than I love any specific part of him."

Lex put his hand on Clark's shoulder. "It's okay, Clark. He's right. I shouldn't feel this way. But that doesn't change the fact that I do." He looked up at his lover then. "You are everything to me, Clark. You truly are." He paused a moment, stroking over Clark's cheek. "But so were they, in their time."

"I know." And it felt wrong to feel so disgustingly jealous over it. But Clark hid that emotion fairly well, under their link where Lex couldn't find it, and smiled at him as he touched his lovers hand gently and linked their fingers. His eyes shifted to Lionel, then, and he smiled at him. "Dominic's a lucky guy. If you'll both excuse me, though? Ms. Bird asked me to do some things for her after breakfast."

Lex kept his fingers linked tightly through his lover's. "I'll help?" he offered softly.

Lionel's eyes flickered over Clark at Lex's words, and filed the reaction away to be dealt with later. He doubted Lex had seen the flicker in Clark's eyes, the tightening of their corners, or realized that the touch to Lex's hand was possessive and claiming. But Lionel noticed, catalogued each thing to discuss with Clark later, but didn't say anything.

"Nah, just some... grunt work. The twins said some things to her, and I really think she's beyond caring if I know she knows. She wants me to move the washer and dryer and do some things for her. I'll be back in a while, okay?" He smiled quietly at Lex, and glanced at Lionel. He could see the understanding in those dark eyes and he just nodded as he rose.

"I don't think she cares, period, Clark. Ms. Bird strikes me as the kind of woman who would only dislike you if you are... if you will pardon the expression... an asshole. Otherwise, no matter what your race, creed, or color, you will be quite all right in her book." He nodded at Clark in return, and kept his eyes on his son as he spoke.

Clark grinned at that and let go of his lovers hand as he turned and grasped his boots from one corner of the room. He plunked down on the bed and started shoving them on, and as soon as they were tied, without a backward glance, he was gone.

Lex stroked over Clark's back as he sat down to put on his boots, feeling the familiar ridge of spine and ribs as he touched through the t-shirt, but let his hand fall when Clark left the room, and just followed him with his eyes.

Lionel gave a rude snort as he pushed himself up off the bed, and picked up his own pile of clothing. "You have what most people in the world would kill to have for their own, Lex. Don't squander it." He tried the bathroom door, found it locked, and pounded on it. "Little cricket, little cricket, let me in."

Dominic heard the voice even with his head under the shower and he snorted, rolling his eyes. He'd just stepped in, just ducked down, and he sighed, deeply, as he ducked out from under the spray and hid behind the door as he opened it to permit his lover in. "Lock it behind you, Lone Wolf. I need my shower."

Lionel did as he was told, obediently locking the door behind him as he put his clothing on the counter by the sink, and leaned against it. "Do you think the world would notice if I murdered my hardheaded brat of a son?"

"Just a little." Dominic grinned, pushing a stream of water from his eyes as he grasped his lover and led him to the shower. He ducked down back under the hot spray and muttered around it, "Clothes off, get in." Before he squeezed shampoo onto his hand and started rubbing through his hair.

Lionel chuckled deeply as he stripped, and climbed into the hot cascading water that fell from the showerhead. "I wonder," he said musingly, reaching around his lover for the shampoo.

"What do you wonder?" He asked, as he scrubbed his fingers through his hair and ducked under the spray again, soap running down his back and temples as he rubbed it out. Patience was a virtue Dominic usually didn't have after all, and he smirked at the thought as he offered more room for his lover under the hot spray.

"How many times Clark and Lex have had sex in this shower since they've moved into the bedroom, or if the shower is rather off-limits for them because of what happened in the previous one." Lionel's strong fingers massaged the shampoo through his own hair, making sure every bit of his hair was covered in soap bubbles.

Dominic stopped moving and looked over his shoulder at his lover in horror. Right. Just what he needed to think about, Clark bleeding like mad all over the floor of the shower and Lex sobbing with a baby in his arms. He shuddered, all over with sudden cold, and wound his arms around his lover's slick, wet chest, hugging him close to him.

Lionel wrapped his arms around Dominic and held him tightly. "I'm sorry. I think about those things, sometimes, if they are still affected by it, how it affects their lives. I'm morbid; I apologize."

"Don't be. It was just a bit of a shock, to be thinking about your cock, and then suddenly Clark and Lex. That was not pleasant." He kissed the skin under his mouth, right under Lionel's neck, and hugged him tightly. "As for your question... I can only imagine it affects them every day, Lionel. They have been through more than anyone I've ever met… sometimes I wonder if Lex will be able to withstand it." The last bit he said very softly, so Lex wouldn't hear out in the bedroom.

Lionel nodded his agreement. "I wonder, too. Not because I don't think Lex loves Clark, but I wonder if even his expansive intellect is enough to comprehend and understand everything that happens to Clark."

"I do too. I think Kal and CK are affecting Lex more than he's letting on. And its showing on Clark, as well." Dominic closed his eyes, quietly, and kissed Lionel's neck again, tenderly, before lifting his arms up and helping his lover scrub through all of the thick, lovely hair.

"I think Lex is being selfish and ungrateful for what he has," Lionel said softly. Yes, they are gone, but in their place is Clark, whom he has loved through everything, whom he chose to bond with, and I don't understand the persistence of his upset when the one he chose for himself is standing literally right in front of him."

"I don't either. I think... its just hard for him to think about, to wrap his mind around. I know its hard enough for me, I can only imagine what its doing to him." Dominic murmured, enjoying the lovely tones of his lover's voice even as he listened to the seriousness of the words. "He's a good boy. Things will work out as they're wont to do, after all, love."

"But that is precisely my point," Lionel said, a bit triumphantly. "It is hard for you to comprehend, because you are not like Clark. Neither is my son, I admit this, but even you have pointed out that at times, Lex is more like Clark than he is us, and while I don't believe that is entirely a bad thing, I'm not entirely convinced that it is a good thing either. Especially in this case, where Clark needs his understanding and support, but isn't getting it. Not to mention the fact that Lex's continued upset over Kal and CK being gone are making Clark feel second best, worthless, and jealous."

"Imagine that. Being jealous over yourself." Dominic murmured, even as he shook his head. "I understand what you're saying, and I completely agree. Clark needs Lex in a way Lex isn't able to provide, simply because he's not like him. But at the same time, I think Lex very much understands Clarks feelings, and is simply deciding not to deal with them, whatever the case may be. It was all too fast, he hasn't had time to understand, Lionel. Give them a few more days... if they're still at odds by say, Sunday, we'll talk to them and get things straightened out."

Lionel grimaced. "It's been nearly a week. If my son hasn't had the good sense to pull his head out of whatever bodily orifice he's had it shoved up, then chances are it's not going to happen in two days."

"You'd be surprised." Dominic answered, grinning back up at the look on his husbands face. it gave him great joy to kiss it away. A soft kiss...then a slightly deeper one, and a lick along the top palette ensured him his pleasure as he murmured in appreciation. "You're a delight, Mr. Luthor."

"You're no slouch yourself, Mr. Luthor," Lionel murmured back, licking his lips after the kiss.

"I know." Dominic knew his lover loved blatant shows of such appalling modesty and he rose his chin a little just to see his amusement before turning back to the water. "We'll keep an eye on them throughout the wedding. I Lex, you Clark. Deal?"

Lionel nodded. "I think so; Lex seems to be rather touchy with me trying to interfere in his life, and I can't imagine why." Little grin. "Clark, on the other hand, seems to like me."

"Of course he does. And Lex likes me, so we're settled." A little beam at him, as he handed him the soap. "And I think we have about ten minutes, don't you know." Wicked little grins chased themselves across his face as he fought for innocence.

Lionel took the soap and worked up a thick lather between his hands as he looked down at his lover. "Do we now?" he asked calmly, still working up the lather. "Do you think that's enough time to finish our showers?"

"Oh, I've been finished. I washed my body up before you came huffing and puffing at my door, you know." Dominic said, just as calmly and lightly, as he took the outsides of his lovers hand and helped him work the lather.

"Oh, then it's just my shower that's holding up the works." He watched his lover's hands lathering up with his own. "Well... I suppose that a shared shower does make things slower, all things considered, what with two people, two bodies that need washing, two sets of hair, etc."

"Of course." Dominic answered, and taking a bit of the lather for himself, slid his arms around his lovers waist and dragged his soapy nails down, all the way, scraping over deliciously lovely cheeks and down hard thighs. "But, you know, you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours."

Lionel all but purred at that. "Really? I'd love to scratch your... back." He arched into the dragging nails, then rubbed his hands harder together to spread the lather over them, then stroked them over his chest, pinching and squeezing each nipple as he went along.

Dominic watched in pure sexual fascination as those lovely fingers traced down a delicious chest and he murmured his pleasure softly as he watched. it was lovely, watching Lionel touched himself, and he purred very quietly as he licked gently over his lovers throat, then down to cover his mouth around a pert nipple, sans ring of course, as his fingers dug into a delicious ass.

Lionel murmured softly as he arched into his lover's fingers, pressing back as they kneaded his ass, and let his soapy fingers slip and slide over the other nipple, tugging the ring, causing both nipples to harden.

Dominic let go.

With one more gentle scrape of his nails he let his lover go, caressing the hardening length between thighs he knew were powerful, and pressed a kiss to his lovers jaw. He couldn't do anything like that here. Not here. So he just kissed his husband softly, in apology and adoration, and switched places with him so he could rinse.

And as he did, he pressed his lips to the back of his husbands shoulder, and murmured, "Later."

Lionel growled softly and glared. "Tease," he muttered, but he let Dominic push him forward, so that he could rinse the soap off his body, slid a hand over his half-hard cock to soothe it, and then tilted his head back to rinse under the water pulsating out of the shower head.

"Of course." Dominic muttered back, kissing his husbands ear, his cheek, and giving him an affectionate, snuggly hug before slipping out of the shower. He grasped a warm terry cloth towel sitting there waiting for beside Lionel's and dried himself quickly off, making sure to rub his shoulders and hair dry.

Lionel made quick work of rinsing the rest of his body off, waited until the water ran clear through his hair, then shut the shower off. He climbed out carefully, wringing his hair as he went, so that the time he got to the counter and picked up the towel, his hair was still wet, but not dripping. "Did Ms. Bird happen to bring my hair dryer?" he groused as he picked up his towel and started to dry his hair and then his body.

Ahh. Yes.

Just because Dominic couldn't fuck in the shower didn't mean he couldn't fuck outside of it.

He grasped his lovers hips, ever so carefully, and pushed him against the wall, forcefully. His fingers slithered down the naked torso, lean stomach, and grasped firm, sexy hips as he fell to his knees and swallowed his lovers half hard cock down his throat.

He didn't offer explanation, didn't bother, as he started to suck at his husband's cock with all of the ferocious need and utter skill that was at his disposal.

Lionel's knees nearly buckled with the strength of Dominic's sucking. Completely unexpected, but very, very welcome after the tease in the shower, Lionel stroked over his lover's head carefully as he rocked forward, his cock hardening as he slid deeper into Dominic's throat.

Dominic glanced up, smiled around his mouthful, and stopped his lovers rocking movements as he snuggled in closer, and kept sucking. He coated his lovers hard erection with spittle and used it to lubricate his sharp movements, sucking hard and strong as he kept his eyes half closed, measuring his movements so his lover didn't choke him. One hand slid from a sturdy hip to full, aching balls and Dominic grasped them firmly, rolling them in his fingers, sliding his fingertips between them and stroking softly as he moved.

Lionel stilled himself with great difficulty, shivering and murmuring softly as Dominic's mouth worked his cock and skillful fingers worked his balls. His hands tightened on his lover's shoulders, balancing himself and holding himself steady instead of thrusting with the hard, pounding need that was rising inside.

Dominic knew it. He wasn't stupid. Of course his lover wanted to thrust but Dominic wouldn't let him, not right now. Instead, he carefully slid his fingers up from his lovers hips, knowing Lionel knew he was supposed to stay still, and offered his fingers for his lover to suck.

His own mouthful quickened steadily, the hard erection sliding over his tongue all the harder as he moved, and he murmured in pleasure as he lifted up and swirled his tongue over the tip, before sliding back in.

Lionel was holding himself still only with a lot of restraint on his part, and his mouth opened quickly to suck in Dominic's fingers. He sucked the three fingers that slid into his mouth, licking each one individually before sucking at them all together, his lips moving up and down the bunched digits with little quiet slurping noise.

Oh, God, yes. Dominic loved dominating his lover, even if Lionel didn't know he was doing it, and he sucked all the harder for it to show he was proud of him. The slick fingers, which had felt like they were touching his cock, slid up and around Lionel's hip. He pat his lovers thighs until they spread, and sought out the delicious little button waiting for him.

Found it. Pressed into it. And slid his fingers into his lovers tight little channel as he deep throated his husband all the way down his throat and hummed.

Lionel shuddered hard as Dominic's fingers slid inside of him, and couldn't help the sharp cry that was wrung out of his throat by Dominic's deepthroating.

His legs spread further, welcoming the probing fingers as he shuddered again, his fingers digging into Dominic's shoulders as he still didn't move, though he was holding himself so rigidly that droplets of sweat and shower water rolled down his shoulders.

Dominic's free hand came to his husbands hip as he angled his mouth and began to slowly push and pull at his husbands side, encouraging movement as he stroked his finger in deep, stroking and then sliding another one in with it. He rubbed, back and forth, up and down, over and over and over as he sucked, humming all the while.

Lionel got the message almost immediately and started moving, his hands moving to the sides of his lover's head and holding him still as he thrust, pulling out against the sucking and pushing back in, giving loud, long moans during every stroke, shivering as his passage was stroked by his lover's fingers, angling for his prostate with each push.

Dominic closed his eyes tightly and let his lover use his body. He *loved* it when Lionel did this, lot control, and he stroked and sucked harder, faster, putting his heart behind it as his fingers slid in deeper and rubbed against his lovers prostate. His lovers taste, dusky and heady on his tongue, made his body break out into shivers as he moved and licked, pleased moans erupting in his chest.

At the rub to his prostate, Lionel was lost. His grip tightened just a little, not enough to hurt, and his cock stiffened before he came. His entire body shuddered with the violence of his orgasm as he panted, hips thrusting forward as though he was pushing every surge out of him.

Dominic grasped his lovers hip as the shallow, sharp thrusts of orgasm started and he swallowed each jet down, hard, working his throat around his lovers cock as his fingers stroked fast and furious against the little gland inside, prolonging the pleasure for as long as he could.

Lionel continued to thrust for as long as Dominic's fingers stroked the orgasm out of him, but his rhythm slowed to a lazy rocking motion as his balls emptied and his cock started to soften after the hard orgasm. He was panting hard as his grip on his lover's head loosened and fell to his shoulders, and he'd thrown his head back as he panted.

He tenderly slid his fingers from Lionel's tight passage and let his husbands cock come up and out. He let it go, licking across it to clean it as he swallowed himself, murmuring against hot skin as he kissed and licked the long, softening cock clean. He licked across the head gently, kissing it before down to warm balls, which he laved softly as he purred. God, he loved this more than anything and he murmured that pleasure as he carefully licked and kissed.

Lionel let his fingers card through his lover's silky hair--what was left of it--and smiled warmly as Dominic lapped him clean, murmuring soft nonsense words of love as he grinned down at his lover. "Doesn't that hurt your knees?" he teased softly.

He grinned upwards at him as he continued to lick and kiss, stroking his tongue across the underside as he snickered to himself. "Thank you for making me remember how disgustingly old I am today, love." But he grinned again as he kissed his lovers cock once more time and rose, joints popping, and groaned. "I am old." But it was with pleasure, as he wound his arms around his lovers neck and hugged him close to his body, eyes dancing.

"You're not old until you're my age," Lionel chastened softly, leaning over to kiss his lover deeply.

Dominic couldn't answer because his husband was doing fine, fine tricks with his tongue and oh, he liked that entirely too much. He licked and kissed against soft lips, sharing the taste with him as he kissed him, murmuring softly in pleasure.

There came a sudden pounding at the bathroom door. "Little boy!! Take your hands off my son this instant! Are you dressed yet? For shame, both of you! You should be out here, right now!"

Lionel growled into his lover's mouth, and dropped his forehead onto Dominic's shoulder. "May I please have your permission to execute your mother?"

"Mmhmm." Dominic murmured, and sighed down at his own partial erection even as his mother pounded on the bedroom door. "Oh well. Promise me later?" He looked up, smiling imploringly as his green eyes danced.

"Oh, it won't just be a promise. It'll be my absolute pleasure." Lionel barely took the moment to wrap a towel around his waist before throwing the door open and scowling down at the woman who was almost a full foot shorter than he was. "You will cease your pounding this instant and depart. You ran me out of my own bedroom, I will not allow you to do so again. Leave now. We will be out in due time." He slammed--and locked--the door in Rosalyn's face, and turned back to his lover. "I feel better. How about you?"

"Much." But Dominic was just smiling as he wrapped himself in his own robe and got his toothbrush out, opening the tap over one sink as he shifted and waited for the water to cool down as he prepared his toothbrush and paste. "Do we have to wear the suits yet? Think we can wait for a bit?"

"Unfortunately, no. We'll have to have the tuxedos on as we go downstairs, because by then, the guests will be arriving, and we will be forced to... mingle." He spat out the word as though it left a bad taste in his mouth, and he rooted through the box until he came up with his hair dryer. "Bless that Bird woman." He plugged it in, and started drying his hair as he looked in the mirror.

Dominic watched, deeply, deeply amused, even though he'd seen his lover do this very thing a hundred times or more. He leaned over and started to brush his teeth at the same time, even if yes, he was mildly depressed. He was a thirty six year old man today. Somewhere in Smallville, his sister was crying deeply, he just knew it. He'd have to call her. He'd already bought her extravagant flowers, which were waiting for her at work, and a sparkly little bauble for her ears, but he also had an elephant made from pure Swedish crystal which he knew she was going to love. She collected elephants for some ungodly reason, after all.

Thirty six. God, he was almost 40.

Almost. He'd get there when he got there. All he did was swish and spit for the moment, ducking his hands and scrubbing them clean with soap under the water, then washing his face again to clean the sweat off of it and get ready for...aha.

Yay.

He pulled out the shaving cream, razor already waiting for him, and lathered his face up.

Lionel just watched in the mirror as he kept drying his hair, lifting it and carding through it with his fingers so that the hot air could dry every part. "You're not going to shave your goatee, are you? You look quite... not yourself without it." He briefly ran his fingers through his own beard which was getting gray at the corners of his mouth, but he nodded in spite of it. "I haven't forgotten that it's your birthday, you know," he mentioned casually. "Nor have I forgotten it's Megan's, though what I got for her I'm sure she'd find much more useful than what I found for you."

He gave his lover a purely depressed stare and shook his head, as he laved the spots around his goatee quickly, underneath the chin, and got set to shaving. He didn't say anything else, just shaving, tapping the razor clean under the water, and continuing on. They'd done this a million times or more, and every time he did, his lover asked if he was going to shave his goatee. Apparently his darling lover liked it, and although it made him smile, dear God, had he mentioned he was thirty six?

He was old.

Ugh.

"You're not old," Lionel said, finally putting the hair dryer down and unplugging it, then picking up the heated brush that he used to comb through the tangles in his hair. "Stop looking at yourself like you're a decrepit old geezer. Because if you're decrepit, I must be fossilized."

"I'm thirty six." Dominic muttered even as he lifted his chin, sweeping the razor upwards. "Christ, its strange." But he didn't say anything else, tossing his husband a grin as he finished on one side, carefully sweeping the razor over the side of his goatee to keep it looking orderly and trimmed.

"Yes, you're thirty-six. So is Megan, you're both having children at the same age, and your husband is a full twenty three years older than you. Now, unless you'd like for me to start reminding you just how old I am? Stop." Lionel put down the brush, fluffed through his hair one last time with a regular hairbrush, then shook his hair out to it's usual magnificence.

Dominic gave him another smile, feeling a little better, even as he finished on the other side of his face. He ducked down, washed the remaining shaving cream away, and rubbed his face dry on the towel as he watched his husband. He couldn't help but being amused--his lover was such a lush when it came to his hair. Dominic straightened it a bit as he passed, making sure it didn't stick up in the back as he walked into the bedroom.

Lionel reached back and re-fluffed what his lover had flattened until he was happy with the bounce of it, and then followed his lover into the bedroom.

Lex was nowhere to be seen, which wasn't a surprise to him. He was surprised to see, however, that their clothes had been laid out for them, pressed neatly with creases everywhere they were supposed to be, and he raised an eyebrow. "Someone wants us out of their bedroom."

"Her name begins with 'Muh', and ends with 'ther'." Dominic muttered, as he closed the bedroom door, making sure it was locked, and shed his robe quickly.

Lionel laughed softly as he left his towel in the bathroom and walked nakedly through the bedroom to where his tuxedo was lying. "I do hope Rico did a good job on your alterations and my tucks," he said, surveying the outfits and the white rose boutonnieres.

"Whatever. I feel like a penguin." Dominic muttered as he yanked on the fresh pair of boxers he'd brought with him, growling under his voice all the while as he tugged and pulled his pants on. "I don't like tuxedos. Have I mentioned?"

"Yes, yes, you have. But you look nice, and just think, you don't have to return this one to the rental. It's all yours."

"Oh, unfathomable joy." Dominic muttered, not so under his breath, growling softly as he tugged the slacks around his hips and left them there. He took the crisp white shirt off the hanger...blinked at it...and put it back on the hanger, taking the other one and pulling it on.

"No," Lionel said. "The other one, the white one. Not that one; it won't match. They sell them as a set for a reason," he continued, as he quickly got dressed in his own.

"Like you'd know. You can't put color together, Rico arranges your closet for you." Dominic paused. "Then again, Megan does mine. I'll take your word for it." He switched it for the other one again, carefully sliding it on and tucking it into his pants.

"You can never go wrong with black and white," Lionel pointed out. "And you always must wear crisp white with a black tuxedo."

"And fluffy hair? What if we haven't got any of that?" But he was more amused than anything as he shrugged the shirt better around his neck, rolling his eyes as he began to button it up.

"Then we must do the best we can with what we have." A little grin. "Stop complaining and put your tuxedo on."

Dominic grumbled extra loudly for that, though his glare was totally undone by his grin, as he kept going on about his dressing. His pants fit wonderfully, his shirt as well, but he didn't dare admit it as he buttoned it carefully all the way up and sat on the edge of the bed to put his socks on. With that out of the way he rose again, grasping the cummerbund and sliding it around his already slender waist, making a face at it as he buttoned it in the back.

"It helps if you fasten it in the front and then turn it around," Lionel said helpfully, doing just that as he turned the black silk around his waist until it sat perfectly with the lines of the tuxedo, and he fluffed out his hair again as he reached for the jacket.

Dominic growled something under his throat, but buttoned it flawlessly before handing his husband the bow tie. "You do this. I simply can't." Said as he grasped his jiminy cuff links and started to put them on, one at a time.

Lionel laughed softly. "I do believe I've had to do this for you nearly every time you've worn a tuxedo." Lionel took the tie and stood in front of his lover, and with a few flicks of talented fingers, a crisp bow and perfect knot were in place around his lover's throat, and he tucked the white collar down around it. "Don't touch, don't fidget," he said, smacking Dominic's hands as they rose.

"Yes, yes you have." Dominic smiled back at him as his husband started to do the tie. He did it perfectly, elegantly even, and he made a face as he tied it around his throat like a damn noose. "Fabulous. I hope none of our associates sees me in this. Gross." He made another face as his husband finished fixing it, and fidgeted anyway, fixing it so it was a little more comfortable and sighing, deeply. He ran his fingers through his hopeless hair, making it look good regardless, and walked over to the dresser, lifting up the bottle of cologne his husband often used, and handed it to him as he pulled out his own, a richer, darker scent for the day.

Lionel finished tying his own tie perfectly, adjusting it so that it sat precisely in the middle of his throat. "Ah, thank you." He took the cologne bottle and carefully applied a little here and a little there, smiling as he did so and grinning as he held up two white rosebuds. "Present buttonhole."

"Joy." He turned towards his lover, facing him even as he dashed on his own cologne, careful not to hit his face or the burning sensation would surely put a spring in his step.

Lionel pinned Dominic's into place first, fixing it so that the bud lay nestled against the lapel and shone brightly in the light, then fixed his own the same way. "There. I do believe we are presentable."

"Are we?" God, if he was presentable, Lionel was downright sexy. How he made himself look so good without any effort was just a miracle in Dominic's mind, and he grinned at him as he arranged his suit jacket flatter against his chest. "Alright. We're the two made up penguins. Let us be going."

"We are." He smacked Dominic's hand away from the lines of the tux. "If it's any comfort to you? Jonathan used to despise these things, and I seriously doubt he's any more happy about wearing one as Ethan's best man than you are as the man giving Felicia away."

Alright. At the mention of the cow fucker Dominic visibly brightened. "Really? Think he's loathing it?" Now that put a bounce in his step and he grinned, making sure his cuff links were completely set before grasping his lovers hand in his, squeezing, leaning up for a cheek to cheek kiss, and leading him out of the room.

"I'm positive he's loathing it," Lionel confirmed. Then he pointed towards the bedroom. "You go visit our blushing bride. I am going downstairs to my office to hide."

"Graham's in there, love. Be a mite careful that you don't encounter him, hmm?" Dominic said as he turned towards the hall, already walking down it towards his bedroom, where squeals of numerous more women were coming from.

"I can be very civil to your brother when I wish to be," Lionel said diplomatically as he headed down the stairs. "Lindy! One of the few Senatori clan whom I am not out to kill. You look beautiful today."

Lindy blushed gently at Lionel's praise. "Thank you, but I'm actually looking for Morgan; do you know where he is? Martha just went upstairs to get ready, and she asked me to please make sure that Morgan behaved himself, because Jonathan is already under a death threat if he starts anything."

Lionel gave a little chuckle. "He's right up there, door on the right."

"Thank you. And be careful! Graham's holding court with the Braxtons, who don't like Morgan very much, and Shane's crawling underfoot. I'm terrified he's going to get stepped on by his father."

"Worry not, dear lady, I will find him and rescue him from his father's feet. And Eleanor too, if I can find her."

Lindy gave a crafty smile at that. "She's locked up in Lex's theater, with Riley's brood and Fellie's nieces. Shayla's sitting in front of the door, so there are no escapees."

Lionel laughed again. "You are devious; I like that in a woman." He kissed her cheek, and kept going down the stairs.

Lindy went the rest of the way up the stairs, picking up the hem of her dress so that she didn't trip on it, and went to the door that Lionel had indicated. As soon as she opened it, three dogs and a cat streaked out of the door, and started barking up a storm. Two of them went down the stairs, the third dog ran down the hall, and the cat cowered against the banister, leaving a puddle of urine behind as it flew back into the bedroom. "Samson!! Arthur! Cleopatra! Come back here this minute!" Lindy stomped her little foot as she chased down the dog that was still in the hallway.

Lionel sauntered bravely into the office, nodding at the other people in the room. "Graham," he said civilly, making himself a drink. "You must be Toni's parents? I'm Lionel Luthor," he said, holding out the hand not currently filled with a drink glass.

Katerina Rose Skachawitz rose from her chair, walked over to the man, and slapped him straight across the face.

She snarled at him in Russian, gave him another slap for good measure, and growled under her breath as she began to berate him, quite beautifully, in her native tongue.

Paulio just sighed. He'd been having a very disjointed conversation with his daughters boyfriend, or some such thing that he was, and now his wife, again, with the blood pressure. Aye. He rose to his feet and sighed, starting to talk to her gently as she raged. "Katie, it is alright, he is a good man, from what this Greehem has told us. Please, calm yourself, before your blood pressure--."

"Calm myself?!" Katerina wailed. "CALM MYSELF?! This man… this... he was partially responsible for letting his ungodful husband IMPREGNATE MY BABY GIRL!"

Lionel accepted the slap stoically, refusing to show a reaction, then cracked his jaw for a moment before he began to speak, in flawless Russian himself, thanks to several months spent with a Russian ambassador negotiating permission for LuthorCorp ships to refuel in Gdansk when picking up trade goods from that end of the world. "Madam, my husband is not ungodly, nor is the child that your daughter carries for us. Toni gave us the most precious gift in the world; she carried our child when no one else could. Dominic did not touch her, nor did I; only my son did to conduct the medical procedure. It was Toni's choice, and as long as you are in my home, I will ask you to respect that."

Artie came ambling into the room, sniffing. Big people. Yammering. Yawn. He licked his chops, and plodded across the room to plop on Lionel's foot, licking the shiny black shoe and chewing on the shoelaces.

"You, you do not know! She did not tell her own mother! She not speak to me, she not say anything to me, she ungodly impregnated! YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" She raged it at him. "My Antonia can not get pregnant, you kill her! You KILL HER you… you... you cretin!" Katerina screamed, then burst into tears and almost fainted.

Paulio caught his wife before she hit the floor, gasping as she lost her footing and he gathered her close, wincing as he led her to the couch beside an equally stoic Graham and wincing at him as well. "I... em... sorree. My vife, she... she hes de bloot presssure." He spoke, in broken English, before looking to Lionel. "She is just nervous, I am so sorry. Antonia, she did not tell us of her pregnancy. Please, forgive my wife. I am Paulio Skachawitz, I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

Lionel looked down at the puppy on his shoe and just shook his head, picking the creature up and giving it to Graham. "Will you please excuse us, and take this thing back upstairs? Thank you." He turned back to the other two people, and paused for a moment as he searched for the right words in Russian, because he hadn't spoken it in years. "If I understand correctly, Toni is perfectly capable of having children, because her body wasn't deformed. In the previous pregnancies, the embryos tried to form in her tubes, rather than the uterus, madam. That is why the pregnancies miscarried."

Graham just nodded and he cuddled the puppy. "You're a lot nicer than Arnie," he muttered. "Come on, pup. Back upstairs with you, so nobody steps on you."

"YOU! You do not know about woman pregnancy! You are MAN!" But Katerina was just crying hysterically into her hands.

Paulio winced again and held the poor woman gently, as he listened to Lionel, who was obviously of sane mind, and just… just sighed. "You vill...excuse? Please? She… she nod speck englis." A nod, then. "Et es beder lick dis. She...over'cited. Antonia...she no tell her muder. She tell me, dough. Please, forgive. You... velcome us indo jor hom'e. Tank jou."

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Sudden scream.

SHANE HAD SEEN TGHE BESTEST FRIEND!

He squealed on top of his lungs, let go of the drapes, and toddled as fast as he could over to Lionel, clapping his hands and squealing all over again. "IYNOL!"

"There's nothing to forgive," Lionel said, and then repeated it in Russian. "I don't mind speaking your language; it will take me a few moments, however, as I have to remember the words." Anything else he was going to say was cut off by Shane's squeal, and he winced. But he looked down at the young boy walking towards him, and he hefted him up high onto his shoulder. "Well hello there, little man. Have you met Paulio and Katerina? They are your aunt Toni's parents." He held a pudgy little hand out for the adults to shake. "Don't worry about your wife's excitability; Dominic's mother and brother are less than thrilled with the situation also, so Katerina finds herself in good company. But as you are Toni's parents, and the honorary grandparents of our daughter, you are always welcome in our home."

Katerina was still sniffling, and her face was streaked with tears, even as she shook the little baby's hand, then gathered him in her arms. From what Graham had said this little boy would soon be her grandbaby and she just sniffled and hugged him, even as she cast miserable eyes at Lionel. "I do not care who my daughter marries, nor do I care when she has children, but I just wish she had waited to have one of her own, after the miscarriages. I apologize for being so rude, and I hope you do not think I am such way so often."

Cool words! Hey! She was a granny! But his BESTEST FRIEND! But he was there, so it was okay to snuggle, and YAY! Shane squealed again.

Lionel gave up Shane easily, and shook his head. "If she carries our child with no problem, then I am nearly positive she will have children of her own with Graham. She loves them too much not to. I don't think that you are rude at all; I understand you love and care for your daughter. No offense was taken." He patted Shaney's squealing back as he snuggled against Katerina's shoulder.

"As for that dreadful Senatori woman, dear God, I sincerely hope I am not in such company. The woman is a sore mess of pure misraised manners." Katerina sniffed, as she cuddled Shane gently to her shoulder and looked back up at Lionel. "You have a beautiful home."

Lionel couldn't stifle the laugh. "No, madam, you are not. I could tell you things about that woman which would make your hair curl." Then a smile of pride for his home. "Thank you; it was brought over from Scotland nearly a decade ago, and it was reconstructed stone for stone in the original design. My son has lived here for the past three years, and any decorative touches that add warmth to this drafty castle are his touch alone."

Katerina offered the man a watery smile, then, sniffling again and ignoring Paulio's warm smile beside her as she carefully dabbed at her eyes as Shane played with her necklace. "We are from Saint Petersburg... are you of Russian descent?" She took in the long, dark hair, the stunning eyes, and just knew he had to be.

He gave her a warm smile in return, and shook his head. "My family is of Scots stock, from the Highlands of Inverness," he said with a grin. "Our ancestral home was moved from the hills of Inverness valley and shipped over to the States for erection here. We trace our family's line back to the court of King James the Sixth and his commission of the English bible. One of the translators chosen was an ancestor of mine, and was later created a petty nobleman by the king in reward for his work."

"Fascinating." Katerina murmured, and her eyes widened. "I am a book curator. I handle old tomes as a living… tell me more."

"Aye." Paulio just sighed.

- = -

Lindy had just caught up the other two dogs, and the cat was still cowering in the basket as Graham brought the other one up. "Finally! Arthur Luthor, you are a bad puppy!!" She took the dog from Graham, and tucked him into the basket with the others. "Will you please go and talk to your brother about being nice to Jonathan during the ceremony and reception? I would, but after playing dog wrangler for the last twenty minutes, I have to check on Shay and the kids."

Graham just gave his sister a put-upon nod, and a kiss to the forehead. "Aye, darlin'. Ye look like ye could use a bit o'help." He stuck his hands in his pockets, his overall demeanor making his tuxedo seem like jeans and flannel as he strode down the hallway, banging on the bedroom doors and bellowing his brother's name as he did.

Dominic? Trapped. In. Hell.

His room had been completely turned over. After hiding a very obvious bottle of lube from their bed side table, he'd been made to help roll Felicia's hair into enormous buns to curl for the wedding, help take her gown out from the plastic, and was given the thankless job of removing eighteen pairs of shoes and assorting them by size and shape for each of the eighteen women in the bridal party. Not to mention he got to take out all the cosmetics--his bathroom would never be the same--and go looking for tweezers, which he realized, sitting there on the bed, that they could fucking keep.

And then? like a soul from the darkness. Graham. Calling his name.

"Yeah?" He bellowed back.

"Geh yer bloody arse ou'here so we c'n talk!" he bellowed, pausing in front of the door where the response was coming from, and pounding on it hard enough to rattle the rafters.

"Coming!" He looked at the women... winced... and dashed out as they all squealed and talked. His shoes nearly skid across the carpet as he opened the door violently fast and closed it behind him just as fast, his eyes wide in his head as he stared at his brother.

Graham just chuckled. "Aye, an' ye look like the hounds o'hell are on yer arse."

His throat bobbed. "Graham, dear God, I'm tired of the women. I want my house back. I'm gay for a bloody reason." But he swallowed another breath, and looked at his brother uncertainly. No screaming? No hatred? What folly was this?

"I wouldna talk to Toni's parents if I were ye. Her mother isna happy wi'ye at all, and she slapped yer husband fer his part." Couldn't wipe the grin off his face with a squeegie. "But he went t'talkin' in Russian an' got 'er calmed down."

Dominic frowned, a little, at that. "She slapped him? Is he alright?" Alright, so if Graham just wanted to gloat, Dominic had other things to do. "What is it that you were calling me for?"

"Aye, he's fine, and jugglin' Shaney t'boot." He sighed. "As yer big brother, it falls t'me to tell ye how important it is ye no deck the shite outta the Kent man, n'matter how much he may deserve it."

"Oh, and he deserves it." A mutter from him, even as he scowled. "I already promised Fel I wouldn't steal her thunder."

"Aye, an' now yer promisin' th'bruther big eno' t'kick yer arse."

"I won't steal her thunder." Dominic glared up at him. "What do I look like? I'm not that terrible. Fuck I need a drink." He rose up from his slump on the door and motioned for Graham to follow him to Lex's room.

"Then go downstairs an' get ye some o'the good stuff." He winked. "Bro't out a bottle o'whiskey from Dublin I been savin' fer almos' twenny years. Gid'on sent it t'me fer me birthday, an' I been savin' it e'er since."

"No shit?" Dominic's eyebrows lifted at the thought as he passed over the edge of the carpet that was still trippable. "I've been craving a good drink since we got home. There's nothing like--"

And then he stopped talking.

Because his shoes, already slippery, hit something very slick right at the top of the stairs, right as he was about to walk down.

And Dominic couldn't even think, breathe, see, as the enormous flight of stairs came rushing up towards him.

He couldn't feel anything as he fell. It was just violent, all the bones in his body screamed, adrenaline coursed through his body so fast that he didn't even have time to hold his head as he fell. Head over ass, the world moving in a strange array of lights, and the stairs hurt so bad, badly, his knee screamed, his head hit the wall, the banister, he wasn't sure anymore except the world wouldn't stop spinning. He fell and fell and fell forever, couldn't stop, fell until he felt the hard rushing floor impact his side.

The force rolled him onto his back and stole his breath away like a punch to the gut, and he found he couldn't breathe, he couldn't see, his head was rushing, there was blood, he could taste blood but he was too shocked to do anything but look up at the ceiling.

"No shit." Graham had just reached out, intending to slap his brother on the shoulder, and perhaps offer to make peace with him, because he missed Morgan, missed him a lot, and Toni was still healthy, and not at all in danger.

But before he could do it, before he could complete the motion, open his mouth to speak, he saw Dominic fall. He froze, couldn't reach out to try and catch him, just froze as he yelled out his brother's name. "MORGAN!"

He felt sick panic in the pit of his stomach as he looked down, and he started thundering down the steps.

At the loud yell of Dominic's name, Lionel looked up. With a quick word of excuse, he went to the door of the office, seeing his lover tumble gracelessly down the last few steps. He cocked his head and looked down, trying not to smile. "I know that you don't like your tuxedo, Dominic, but that? Was a spectacular fall to try and get out of it." But then he noticed the awkward angle of his lover's arm, where it was pinned under his body, the twisted knee and the leg that shouldn't have bent where it did, and the glassy eyes. "Dominic?"

Graham thundered down the bottom of the steps and shoved past Lionel without a word, going into the office for the telephone.

He couldn't draw breath. It was all foggy, and distant, and he heard a woman scream somewhere over his foggy ears but other than that he couldn't move. His entire body hurt so badly that he couldn't seem to draw in enough breath to get blood there, and oh, dearest Jesus, his head was aching so furiously, so deeply that if he could have moved he'd be screaming in pain. All he did was swallow a trembling breath.

He was hurt. He was hurt badly. He knew it. He just couldn't move to do anything about it.

In that instant, when Dominic didn't respond to him, Lionel knew. Beyond any doubt in his mind, he knew.

Dominic was hurt. Badly, and he was so afraid to move him because he didn't know how badly. He reached out and grabbed the first person he could find, which happened to be Lindy, the same one who had just screamed. "Go upstairs. Be careful for the love of God. Find Rosalyn, tell Felicia and Toni what's going on, but don't let them panic. Dominic's going to be all right, he just fell. That's all."

Lindy nodded, panicked, and she went up the stairs as fast as she could.

"Graham!"

"Aye, I'm callin' now!" he yelled, covering the mouthpiece of the phone as he bellowed to Lionel, then going back and finishing as he dictated the address and the circumstances of the accident.

Oh, Lionel. He heard him, then, and the world came crashing back in. Hearing returned, eyesight returned, and the pain tripled. All over, but his head hurt so badly and he was going to be sick, but he wasn't, because he couldn't move enough to get whatever it was up. His arm was broken. It was twisted, and grating, and he'd broken the same one before enough times to know it.

His head.

He turned his head, just a little, looking for his lover through whitening eyes.

Clark hadn't been on time.

He was standing there, from the backyard, his work jeans sticky with dirt, and he looked from Lionel, to Graham, to Dominic, and whimpered, softly. LEX! He cried as hard as he could through the link, as he shifted and walked quickly forward, ignoring the people who had gasped and were talking. Half he didn't know, and he shoved through them as he reached Lionel, and crouched down. "Shit. Oh, shit. What happened? 911?"

"He fell down the stairs; I don't know how far. I was in the office with Toni's parents, I heard Graham yelling, and I saw him fall down the last few stairs, and I thought that's all it was." He saw Dominic looking for him and he brought his hand up to touch his lover's face. "I'm here, Dominic." He looked up at Clark. "Look quickly; tell me what's wrong."

The volume of Clark's call through their link nearly deafened Lex for a moment, but the sheer terror in it was enough to galvanize him. He dropped the empty tray on the kitchen table and ran out, ducking and weaving through the crowd as he came to kneel beside Clark. "911," he gasped out.

"Aye, they're on th'way." Graham shoved his way out of the office, and went to the other side of his brother's fallen form. "Lost his footin' at the top o'th stairs, steppin' over th'carpet. Dunna what happ'nd next, but he was fallin' down."

Clark glanced over Dominic's body quickly. Fuck. "Bent knee. Torn ligaments. Arms broken. Ribs are broken. Four of them." He touched, gently, pretending he was just seeing it through touch and not the X-Ray vision. "Shoulder might be cracked, I can't tell if its an old wound." Then he gave a short, barking cry as he caught sight of the blood in Dominic's hair, pooled underneath his head. "Jesus, he's bleeding." He pulled Lex's light jacket from him without asking, knowing he didn't have to, and carefully, ever so carefully, lifted Dominic's head enough to trap the blond head over the jacket, to clot and soak the blood.

Dominic couldn't hear anything, again, saw his lover looking at him, then gave a howl of agony when someone MOVED HIS HEAD. It hurt so badly that he couldn't even try to speak, eyes shutting tightly closed as the nausea returned.

Going to throw up. Going to throw up. Going to...

Threw up.

Clark shifted and grasped his shoulder before he choked, quickly turning his head as he vomited, moving his shoulder the slightest bit and wincing hard.

Lionel closed his eyes when his lover threw up, and he locked down everything inside of him.

He was not going to cry. He was not going to be upset, and he was most certainly not going to let Dominic see him frantic. The more worried he was, the more he hid it, locked it down and put a calm facade over it as he stroked his lover's hair gently. 

Damn Murphy and his law.

Because it had finally caught up with them.

-fin-

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