Once In A Blue Moon

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Yf they say the mone is blewe,
We must believe that it is true.
'Rede Me and Be Not Wroth' (1528), author unknown

"I have to say, Lex, you've managed to come up with a seriously creepy place to throw a Halloween party." The attractive brunette, scantily clad as Cleopatra, gestured at the rock walls surrounding them with her champagne glass, a few drops escaping to splatter the earthen floor.

Her host, handsome in his complementary Roman armor, smirked as he surveyed his guests milling about the torch-lit cavern. "I admit I took advantage of my conservator's status, Victoria, but I think it was worth the time I spent convincing the Kawatche council to let me use the caves." He casually passed a hand over his bare scalp and shrugged. "I promoted it as an opportunity to raise community awareness, as well as the funds, for the further study and preservation of the wall paintings."

Walking closer to the wall and leaning over the barrier designed to keep tourists from touching the ancient pictographs, Victoria pointed to one that looked like a two-headed beast. "Whoever painted this one had quite an imagination, considering all the rest are just stick figures and squiggles."

Coming up from behind and laying a hand on her back, just above the cleft barely concealed by shimmering fabric, Lex leaned in and whispered in her ear, "It's claimed that they tell the legend of Naman and Segeeth. Naman is supposed to come down from the sky and have the strength of ten men, not to mention being able to shoot fire from his eyes." Pointing to the left side of the figure, Lex explained, "Segeeth is supposed to be Naman's brother, except that translation is under dispute, and there's an ongoing argument over whether it actually means something more like 'the other half of his soul.' They're supposed to represent the eternal battle waged between good and evil."

Pulling away from him with a look of disbelief, Victoria rolled her eyes exaggeratedly, her mouth set in a pout. "God, Lex, is there anything you can't lecture on?"

Lex's mouth twisted sardonically as he shrugged. "I believe there's no such thing as too much information, Victoria. I find it in my best interest to learn everything I can on a subject whenever the opportunity presents itself. You never know when it might prove useful." Politely offering his arm, he escorted her from the main room, heading back toward the entrance where the dance music spun by the top DJ in Metropolis waged battle against the silence of ancient stone.

"You know, when I stopped for coffee in town, I mentioned you were having the party out here. The girl behind the counter made it a point to tell me about some kid that disappeared out here about a year ago. She said they never found his body, just his clothes." She shuddered delicately. "I don't know why she thought I'd be interested in some local legend."

Standing just outside the entrance, under a lit torch, Lex leaned over to relate the story, raising his voice slightly so that he could be heard over the music. "It's actually a true story. Kyla Willowbrook, one of the tribal members studying the paintings, told me how he and another boy were riding dirt bikes, and he broke through the ceiling in the main room. It was about a sixty-foot drop, and at that point and, there were no openings into the room. It was completely sealed by rock falls."

Nodding absently as she watched the dancers writhing before the huge bonfire, Victoria asked desultorily, "So it was a sealed-room mystery? How positively...Sherlock Holmes."

Lowering his mouth closer to her ear, Lex nodded, his lips brushing the diamond stud adorning the elegant curve. "A fascinating mystery. By the time the rescuers were lowered by rope into the cavern, all they found were his clothes and boots, everything buttoned, zipped and tied. Even his watch was left behind, still fastened. They found no blood and no signs of a struggle, outside of the pile of rock where he fell through. They broke through the rock falls later to reach the paintings, but he's still among the missing."

A dainty shudder rippled through Victoria's slender body, and she turned just enough to capture Lex's mouth with hers. A breathless instant later, she twisted away with a teasing pout. "Not here, Lex. I'm tired, and I want to go back and take a bath." Gliding a fingertip across Lex's lips, pulling it back when he attempted to take it in his teeth, she teased, "There's room for two...."

Signaling the DJ to wind it down, Lex escorted Victoria to one of the fleet of waiting limousines. After politely assisting her to enter, he stepped back with an apology. "I'm afraid that I'll have to take a rain check on that bath this evening. I have to be sure everything is cleared up properly since I'm being held personally responsible for any and all damage."

She pouted prettily and wheedled, "Isn't that why you have all that extra staff you hired?" When he shook his head at her attempt, she tossed her own head in a snit. "Fine." She rubbed her bare arms with a shiver. "A hot bath will have to substitute, then." As her hand lingered on her wrist, she made an exclamation of dismay. "My bracelet!"

She began to exit the limo, but Lex stayed her with a gentle hand. "What is it?"

"I must have caught my bracelet on something. I want to go back and look for it. I just bought it today!" Irritated, Victoria flounced back into the seat. "It's made of a gemstone you can only find in this area."

"The one with the green stones?" When Victoria nodded, Lex assured her, "I'll look for it while inspecting the cleanup. I'm sure we'll find it, and I'll bring it back with me." He closed the door quietly and stepped back, signaling the driver to leave, sighing in relief as the car finally pulled out of sight.

Around him, the rest of his guests were choosing to either enter the waiting limos or drive away in a variety of high-end SUVs that the wealthy tended to favor for weekends in the country. The majority would be returning to the mansion for an overnight stay, while others were heading straight back to Metropolis. Lex bid them all a good night and thanked them for their presence as a proper host should, breathing a heavy sigh of relief as the last one departed. It struck him that, due to the lateness of the hour, it truly was Halloween, and he grinned at his whimsical thought that on his return to the mansion he'd have to beware of ghostly things that went bump in the night, not just his guests playing musical bedrooms.

"Sir? I believe you wanted to inspect before the staff left?" Lex turned and nodded to the man who had spoken, then followed him into the caves. A sweep through the rooms revealed that everything had been returned to its original condition, and there seemed to be no trace of damage by the evening's revelry. Nodding in satisfaction, Lex dismissed the remaining staff and headed for his Porsche, intending to follow them back to the mansion.

Yawning, Lex fumbled for his keys, only to suddenly recall that the costume he wore had no pockets, and the keys in question had been left in the security office for safekeeping. Annoyed at yet another delay in his return, Lex strode angrily back towards the caves, his sandals raising puffs of dust that sparkled in the moonlight until the haze caused by his passage cleared. Approaching the security office, he was intercepted by the night guard, whose flashlight left Lex blinded until it was averted with an apology. "Mr. Luthor?"

"I need my car keys." Tired and frustrated, Lex was curt with the guard, who immediately dove back into the small metal shack to retrieve the item requested. As Lex waited, he scanned the dark cave entrance, frowning as he tried to remember something else that had slipped his overtired mind. He thanked the guard for the keys and had turned to leave, when it struck him that he had not found Victoria's bracelet. In fact, he hadn't even attempted to look for it.

Juggling his keys in one hand, Lex considered whether it was worth attempting a search, or whether he should just admit to Victoria that he hadn't looked and offer to purchase a replacement. Weighing the costs, Lex sighed and admitted Victoria would look more favorably on him if he found her bracelet himself. Keeping Victoria Hardwicke happy and amused was pivotal to his expansion plans, so he reluctantly faced the fact that he would not be returning until he at least attempted to locate the annoying object.

Obtaining a flashlight from the guard, Lex re-entered the caves, hoping the bracelet would cooperate and glimmer at him from a rocky crevice without too much delay. Sweeping the light in broad arcs across the floor and walls, Lex quickly covered the side passages and rooms before finally entering the main room. The sheer size of the room struck him once more, the high-vaulted roof shielding the fantastically-shaped rocks and primitive paintings to re-create a place once revered by an ancient culture.

Advancing slowly into the room, Lex played the light over the painted figures and tried to imagine how they must have appeared to the artist working in the dark with only a guttering torch to illuminate his work. A flicker to one side caught his eye, and he slowly approached the wall where a blue light winked at him. Puzzled, he watched for a moment and was surprised when the first light died and a second below it and to the left appeared. Examining the wall more closely, he could see that there were symbols etched and then painted around a central depression, the depression very closely approximating an octagon in shape. While he was watching, the second light faded and a third appeared at the upper right.

Frowning, Lex stepped back and turned off the flashlight to test whether the artificial light was the cause of the phenomenon. Oddly enough, the flicker remained and, with the flashlight doused, it became apparent there was a second light source in place. Following it to its origin, Lex smiled when he saw that it was the light from the full moon, slanting in through the jagged hole in the broken ceiling. Its rays appeared oddly blue in the darkness and probably contributed to the color of the flickering lights. His attention returning to the wall, Lex noticed that the sequence, for it did appear to be a sequence, had begun to repeat, and he stood enraptured as he watched it cycle through the three same positions again.

Drawn inexorably closer, Lex stretched out his hand, and it appeared eerily highlighted in the blue rays of the moon. As the sequence began again, he used his forefinger to touch the wall, tapping each flickering position in turn until, with the third and final selection, he felt a hard jolt run through his body. The intensity of what seemed to be an electrical charge grew, and Lex found he was unable to detach his finger from the wall and break the contact. He felt the capacity building and began to fear his heart would not survive the final discharge. As his metal breastplate and the sword hanging at his waist began to radiate heat, Lex knew he was in grave trouble. His final thought, as he reached his body's breaking point, was that he might well have found the solution to the mystery of the missing boy, and it was going to kill him.

Chapter Two

In astronomical terms, a 'blue moon' really doesn't have anything to do with color. Instead, the term is used to denote the second full moon that occurs within a given calendar month. Because it takes the moon about 29 days to circle the Earth once in its orbit, it is possible that two full moons can occur within the same calendar month. As a result, any full moon on Halloween must be a blue moon.

"Mr. Luthor! Can you hear me? Mr. Luthor!"

Rolling over with a groan, Lex tried to locate the source of the noise that was endeavoring to drill its way through his skull so that he could turn it off, immediately. The offending entity turned out to be the security guard he'd left outside, and Lex growled at him while holding on to his throbbing head, squinting through streaming eyes. "Shut up and point that fucking light somewhere else!"

The light was instantly shifted to the wall beside Lex, and the guard stage-whispered, "I'm sorry, Mr. Luthor. I heard you yell, and...."

Recognizing that for once he'd hired someone diligent enough to investigate a potentially dangerous situation; Lex waved away the guard's apology. "Yes, yes, I understand, and thanks for coming in to find out what happened." Getting his feet beneath him, Lex attempted to stand and was instantly grateful for the guard's careful hand under his arm, steadying him as he swayed dizzily. "Thanks again." Looking around the cave, Lex frowned. "Now, I guess the question is...what did happen?"

A sliding sound by the nearest wall brought both men around, the guard sweeping his flashlight in broad arcs to try to pinpoint the location. The beam stopped and hovered over a form that shifted under the light, with the sheen of golden skin despite the limited visibility. Lex blinked in surprise as he absorbed the sight of a large expanse of perfect skin, no clothing obscuring the long sleek lines of muscle and bone. With a moan, the figure rolled to its back, and both staring men broke free from their reverie.

"Holy shit, Mr. Luthor! Where'd he come from?" The guard walked forward slowly, carefully keeping himself between his employer and the unknown person on the floor, his hand ready on his holstered weapon. Lex made a mental note to transfer the man to his personal staff; he was impressed with his instinctive care for Lex as well as with his innate sense of caution. When the circle of light revealed the face of the mystery man, both the guard and Lex gasped aloud, but for very different reasons. While the stranger's otherworldly beauty immediately captivated Lex, the guard dropped to his knees and touched him with a happy cry. "Clark!"

Lex walked closer now that the guard no longer seemed concerned for his safety. "Do you know him?"

Nodding his head as he unbuttoned his shirt with shaking fingers, the guard explained, "This is Clark Kent. I used to work for his folks for a while, before I got the security guard job with the plant. He's been missing..." He shrugged off the shirt and laid it over the unconscious man to provide at least a nod to modesty. "...for over a year now..."

Lex broke in as he squatted next to the body and reached out to touch the quiet face gently, brushing back silky black locks while absently noting the breadth of shoulder and length of leg. "This is the boy that fell through?" He gestured up towards the hole in the roof where the moonlight was still shining through. "Where the devil's he been all this time?"

The guard shrugged. "Who knows? This is Smallville, and weird things happen all the time." Standing, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone, only to curse when the rock walls prevented any signal. "He's breathing okay, but I still need to call his parents and an ambulance. Can you stay here with him, Mr. Luthor?"

"Listen, call me Lex, and you're...?" He shifted to seat himself on the earthen floor, not wanting to think about how cold the boy must be, lying there naked, if Lex was already shivering in his scanty costume.

"Oh, I'm Earl, sir. Earl Jenkins. I'm sorry...."

"Earl, that's not important. Go make those phone calls, and see if there's a blanket or something out there. I'll be right here." Frowning, Lex looked at the wall where the blue lights had tempted him earlier. "Can you see if my flashlight is over there, first? I'd rather not wait in the dark."

Nodding, Earl searched for the missing light and found it quickly. Fortunately, the fall to the ground had not damaged it, and he left it with Lex while he hurried to the entrance to make his calls. Lex watched his charge lying there breathing quietly, wondering where he'd come from and if the blue lights were involved. It seemed too much of a coincidence for there to be no connection, but any investigation would need to wait until the man...boy...he was safely back with his parents.

Looking over his shoulder at the mysterious symbols, Lex frowned again and then turned back to find he was being watched. Dark eyes blinked up at him with no sign of recognition or fear, and Lex found himself wishing he could see what color they were in the sunlight. Speaking calmly and slowly, Lex asked, "Are you hurt anywhere?" When he received no response beyond a glance of the eyes over his face, he tried again. "Clark? Can you hear me? Are you hurt?"

One large hand rose slowly towards Lex's face, palm exposed, and grazed the side of his head, finally settling gently at the curve just above his ear. Lex froze, uncertain of the other's intentions, but unwilling to frighten him away. The hand, surprisingly warm in the chill of the cave, caressed Lex's skull and a faint smile ghosted across full lips. They parted and a single word issued forth. "Segeeth."

Lex jerked back and the dark eyes narrowed, concerned. Before Lex could do or say anything, Earl hurried back into the cave carrying a first aid kit, a bottle of water, and a red emergency blanket under his arm. Excited, he burst out, "Lex, they're on their way! His parents and the rescue squad!"

Lex never felt the hand withdraw, but between one instant and the next, there was a large body interposed between him and the approaching guard. Earl came to an abrupt stop, his mouth falling open in surprise. "Clark!" His next action was to drop the water and kit and immediately unfold the blanket to wrap around his former employers' son. "Here, you must be cold!" When a hand swept the blanket out of his hands and threw it to the side with a growl, Earl took a step back, his hands raised to placate the angry boy. "It's okay, Clark. It's Earl. Remember me?" He raised his voice a little. "Lex, are you all right?"

The other kept pushing Lex behind him, and Lex signaled Earl to stay back. "I don't think he remembers you, Earl. He almost seems to be trying to protect me from you. Why don't you back up to the door and see what happens?"

Nodding, Earl did as Lex had suggested and Lex could see Clark relax as the distance increased. Picking the blanket up from the floor, Lex showed it to the boy and then wrapped it around his broad shoulders, encouraging him to hold it closed in the front with one huge fist. Sighing in relief, Lex then retrieved the water bottle and opened it, offering it to Clark with a gesture. Clark tipped his head to one side and looked between Lex and the bottle, puzzled. "Segeeth?"

Lex was baffled himself at the response. Thinking a moment, he raised the bottle to his mouth and took a sip. "Mmm, water, Clark." He offered the bottle again. "Take a drink. You must be thirsty." When Clark reached out to take the bottle, he used the same hand which had been holding the blanket, so it once again fell to the floor. Lex never felt the bottle leave his hand. He was too busy taking in the broad vista of perfect skin, muscle, and generous proportions presented in the shaking circle of light from the flashlight Earl was pointing toward them.

At a choked noise from Earl, still standing behind him at the door, Lex lunged forward, retrieved the blanket again and re-wrapped Clark, not without some regret. Clark, in the meantime, had emptied the bottle and was studying it with curiosity. He looked at Lex, who was still holding the blanket shut for him, and smiled. He handed Lex the bottle. "Water, Clark."

Lex took the bottle and returned a pained smile. "Why do I get this sinking feeling that you don't know your own name?" He dropped the bottle to the floor and patted his chest, suddenly reminded that he was wearing a metal breastplate. "Lex. My name is Lex." He patted Clark's chest on top of the blanket. "Clark. Your name is Clark." He repeated the gestures. "Lex. Clark. Lex. Clark."

Clark watched Lex quietly, and when he fell silent, flashed a brilliant smile that made Lex grit his teeth at his instant and inappropriate arousal. One big hand came out from under the blanket Lex was still holding closed and patted Lex's chest, sending him back a few inches from the force of the action. "Segeeth." He used the same hand to pat his own chest, the movement dislodging the blanket enough to treat Lex to another glimpse of perfection. "Naman." He repeated the action, just as Lex had. "Segeeth. Naman. Segeeth. Naman."

Lex looked up at the beautiful face above him and repeated slowly, "Your name is Naman." When he saw the grin flash again in agreement, he couldn't completely suppress his groan of dismay. "That's just great. You're gorgeous...and you're out of your fucking mind."

Chapter Three

The idea that the stars and planets may influence human health and behavior can be traced back as far as Roman times where the moon was considered to be a supernatural power which played a significant role in phenomena of nature and also on human behavior. Indeed, the word 'lunacy' is derived from Luna, the Roman goddess of the moon, and reflects the long association of mental disorder with the moon. The possible influence of the lunar cycle over psychological and physiological disturbances in the human being is a phenomenon that has now come to be known as 'The Transylvanian Effect' in the academic literature.
Seclusion and Lunar Cycles, Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, Mason, T. 1997

"Mr. Lu...Lex, I think I hear the rescue squad's sirens. What are we going to do with Clark?" Earl's voice was calm, despite the obvious pressure he was under, and Lex was impressed once again.

"Based on his response to you earlier, I think the rescue squad is going to have some trouble getting near him. Why don't you have them wait outside until his parents get here? Maybe they'll be more successful than we've been in jogging his memory."

"That sounds like a good idea, Lex. Do you want me to leave my flashlight here for you two?"

Lex looked down at his own light, lying on the ground just behind them, and sighed. "No, you'd better take it with you. I don't want anyone getting hurt stumbling around in the dark. I'll just try to get him to sit down, and then one light should be enough, along with the moon. At least it's not pitch-black in here like most caves." He walked around Clark...Naman...the boy-man who was driving him crazy and picked up the light. "I've got it, Earl. You better get going."

The loss of the other light left Lex feeling a little nervous. Staying in a dark cave to watch over someone who was unconscious was a little less nerve-wracking than standing next to the same quite large, very muscular, incredibly gorgeous, extremely naked, and quite possibly insane person. A year in Smallville had taught Lex that appearances could be deceiving and that there was something in the area that changed people and not always for the better. He'd been attacked more than once, and had even been charged with armed robbery due to some girl who'd been able to change herself to look like other people.

With all that having happened in the recent past, Lex could only wonder what damage he might be capable of wreaking. The only positive, so far, was that he didn't seem to want to hurt Lex and, in fact, wanted to protect him. Lex could only hope that the parents would be able to convince him to go along home and leave Lex to his fantasies, which might be lonely, but were much healthier in the end. He shuddered at the thought of farmers with shotguns chasing after the city slicker out to seduce their sons and daughters. He'd avoided that scenario so far; he wasn't about to fall victim to it at this late date.

A hand on the back of his head brought Lex back from his musing, and he looked around in time to see the red blanket descending. At first, he thought it was an offering, but as the brawny arms came around and dragged Lex under the blanket, it was instantly apparent that it was being shared. Lex hadn't realized how cold he'd gotten in the cave, but the warmth he'd been gathered into soon made it clear. Wrapped and bound by cloth and warm flesh, Lex felt overwhelmed. It was an unfamiliar sensation, as he'd never been interested in men larger than he was and the body now plastered against his was significantly taller and broader.

The soothing warmth under the blanket was one of the factors that soon threatened the stability of Lex's knees. It was bolstered by the feeling of silken strands of hair caressing his head, the wall of muscle behind his back, and the obvious interest a certain portion of his oddly gentle captor's body was displaying against the cleft of his ass. Only the increasingly flimsy fabric of the linen tunic and silk loincloth that Lex wore separated them, as verisimilitude had demanded no modern undergarments or trousers. Lex found himself torn between regretting that decision and thanking the costumer in absentia for his dedication to historical accuracy.

As the silk wrapping gradually loosened under pressure, and a large, extremely warm hand descended to cup his growing bulge, Lex thought frantically about parents, potentially underage boys and rescue squads as witnesses. He was afraid there was no possible way the situation was going to work out to his advantage, and with each stroke of the encroaching hand, Lex was rapidly reaching the point of no longer caring.

The sound of boots and voices approaching was the interruption that served to break through the sensual daze, and Lex jerked away with a low cry. Thankfully, he was released without protest, and Lex was able to pull away and close the blanket back up before his protector whirled around to face the latest intruders. Lex could only hope that the blanket would remain in place, as he was sure that the arriving parents would not at all understand if their son were not only nude, but also obviously aroused.

"Mr. Luthor? Lex? Mr. and Mrs. Kent are here." Earl had discretely slanted the circle of light from his flashlight towards the floor, ostensibly to help with the footing. Lex understood the real reason, and breathed a sigh of relief that the shadows concealed anything above their knees, for at least a little while longer.

"Have them come in, Earl. Slowly, and keep yourself back so he doesn't get upset again." Raising his hand to the shoulder in front of him, Lex squeezed it lightly, keeping his hand in place in the hope that it would help keep the other calm. He could feel the flex of the heavy muscle beneath his hand, and he murmured softly, "It's going to be all right. I'm here."

"Clark?"

The hopeful whisper of the woman was quickly overridden by the firm tones of the man. "Clark, son, is that you?" Both figures advanced slowly, obviously having taken Earl's warning seriously. "Son, it's us. Mom and Dad."

Lex's attempt to shift to the side so that he could see the approaching couple failed when blanket-clad shoulders moved to block his view. Taking a steadying breath, he tried again, this time shoving firmly against the blocking arm with a grumbled, "Stop it! Let me by." Huffing in frustration, Lex raised his voice. "My apologies, Mr. and Mrs. Kent, but your son seems to have a very strong dislike of anyone getting close to me. Do you think you can convince him otherwise?"

Lex could hear a shuffling noise before the father spoke. "Son, can you please come over here with us and let Mr. Luthor get by?" The muscles under Lex's hand bunched, and a growl rumbled in the still air of the cave. "Son, what's wrong? Clark?"

"Clark? Honey, don't you remember us?" The feminine voice shook with evident distress, close to tears. "Jonathan, something's wrong. He doesn't seem to know who we are!"

Lex cleared his throat and tried to explain. "When he woke up, he didn't know his name. I'm not even sure he understands English. He called me Segeeth, and himself Naman."

"Jonathan?"

"I don't know what you've done to our son, Luthor...."

Lex was finding it difficult to keep his temper. "I haven't done anything except to find someone lying on the ground in this cave. Earl can vouch for me, if you like. He was here."

Earl spoke up from the doorway. "He's right, Mr. Kent. Clark's been like this since he woke up. Mr. Luthor's really been very patient with all this."

Jonathan Kent obviously wasn't willing to listen to Earl, either. "Like I'm going to believe anything a Luthor says! They've brought nothing but trouble to this town! He's probably had Clark locked up somewhere all this time!"

The shouting had escalated to the point where Lex could feel the body in front of him thrumming, gathering for a possible attack. "Mr. Kent! Please calm down. He's making him upset." The growls emphasized Lex's point. "Why don't you wait outside, and I'll see if I can lead him out? It's really too dark and cold to continue this in here."

Mrs. Kent's quiet pleas joined Lex's, and the grumbling Mr. Kent reluctantly abandoned his son to wait outside with his wife, Earl accompanying them without comment. Closing his eyes in relief, Lex leaned his forehead on the broad back in front of him and sighed, "Now what do I do? I didn't exactly expect to end up with a six-and-a-half-foot shadow when I decided to throw a party in these damn caves." Raising his head, Lex looked over his shoulder at the wall where he'd first been tempted by those strange blue lights. The moon had set far enough that the wall was no longer visible, and the lights were gone. He frowned. "I guess I can't very well put you back where I found you, can I?"

Released from his protection with the absence of the others, Lex walked around to face his over-zealous guardian, holding the flashlight in one hand. Holding out the other, he offered it, palm up. "Come on, Naman. Let's get this over with. I'm tired and cold and I suspect I'm going to be ending up with a few extra house guests before this night is over."

"Segeeth." Nodding his head almost regally, Naman took the proffered hand and followed Lex quietly out of the cave, wrapped only in the red blanket and his innate dignity.

Chapter Four

The 1842 Lunacy Act defined as a 'Lunatic' a demented person enjoying lucid intervals during the first two phases of the Moon and afflicted with a period of fatuity in the period following after the full Moon.
The Royal Art of Astrology, Robert Eisler

The reunion did not fare any better outside the caves. Naman/Clark still refused to let anyone else near Lex, although Martha Kent and one of the female EMTs were able to approach much closer than any of the men were. When the EMT's offered to set a syringe containing a tranquilizer within Lex's reach to enable him to try sedating Naman/Clark, the Kents were quite adamant that they did not want that to happen. The final solution was to have Lex drive back to the mansion with Naman/Clark and have the Kents follow in their truck. Earl would stay behind at the caves until his relief arrived, and then report to the mansion as Lex requested.

Lex was ready to shout with frustration by the time he was able to convince Naman to stay in the passenger seat until Lex could hurry back around to the driver's side. Finally, they were both strapped in and Lex held his breath as he started the car, anticipating a panic response. Nothing happened, and Lex pulled out slowly, increasing his speed as he noted Naman had no adverse reaction to the car's movement. In fact, Lex was almost certain that the faster they went, the more pleased Naman appeared, his dazzling grin widening as dark fields passed by in a flash of headlights.

After leaving word at the gate to let the Kents through at any time, Lex finally pulled up in front of the mansion, turning off the Porsche with a sigh of relief. He helped Naman unbuckle and get out of the car and began to lead him into the mansion when Naman halted abruptly. "Segeeth."

With a slight frown, Lex turned back around. "What?" He watched as Naman patted the hood of the Porsche and looked at Lex with his head cocked as if asking a question as he repeated his name for Lex. Narrowing his eyes, Lex thought for a moment. "Car."

Naman flashed another grin and repeated his new word, patting the hood again. "Car." He held up a corner of the blanket and repeated the questioning cock of his head.

"Blanket."

"Blanket." A large finger pointed at the large building in front of them.

"Mansion." Lex frowned, and then shook his head in correction. "House."

"House." Naman reviewed his new words, pointing to each in succession. "Car, blanket, house, Segeeth."

Lex found himself smiling along with Naman as they shared the breakthrough. Holding out his hand, Lex coaxed Naman to follow him. "That's great, but I'm really getting tired, and we need to work out what to do next." At Naman's puzzled look, he chuckled at himself. "Simple words, Lex. Got it." Tugging on Naman's hand, Lex pointed to the mansion's front entrance. "House, Naman. Come."

The sound of another vehicle pulling up and the slamming of doors signaled the arrival of the Kents, but Lex did not slow his progress toward his goal. Naman turned enough to place himself between Lex and his parents, but still followed without protest, as Lex entered the front hall. Tugging Naman along after him, Lex entered his study and proceeded to settle himself in the chair behind his desk, Naman standing next to him as they waited for the Kents to enter. Lex hoped having the piece of furniture between the Kents and Naman/Clark would help keep him calmer as they discussed what to do next.

"Luthor! Just what do you think you're going to do with our boy?" Shaking off his wife's restraining hand, Jonathan Kent stomped into the room, raging. Only the growls issuing from Naman/Clark at his threatening voice and actions made him subside. "I suppose you plan on turning him over to the authorities, or even studying him yourself?"

"Mr. Kent, I don't know what kind of man you think I am...."

"You're a Luthor! That's all I need to know!" At his wife's quiet admonishment, he brought his voice back down from a shout, although his fists remained clenched at his sides. "I want my son back home, with us."

Lex placed his hand on the desk and took a deep breath. "As do I, Mr. Kent. I didn't ask for this to happen. Since you refused to have him sedated and taken to the hospital, my options were limited." He smirked in ill-humor. "I suppose I could call the authorities, whomever they might be, and have them bring along equipment to subdue him so he could be delivered to Belle Reve for observation...."

"You son-of-a-bitch!" Jonathan Kent took only one step towards Lex before he was thrown to the ground, Naman/Clark standing over him, growling, ready to strike Jonathan back down if he tried to stand.

"Clark!" Martha Kent held on to her son's raised arm in desperation. "Please, Mr. Luthor! Help me!"

Lex had already risen and was hurrying to them, holding the blanket Naman/Clark had discarded as he flashed toward Jonathan at an inhuman speed. "Naman, no!" Tugging him backwards, Lex drew Naman back around the desk, wrapping the blanket back around him as he patted him gently, soothing him with a low voice. "Naman, it's okay. I'm all right. Come." He looked over to Martha, who was helping her husband to his feet. "I'm sorry, Mr. Kent, Mrs. Kent. Are you hurt?"

Shaking her head, Martha stepped between her husband and the desk. "He's fine." She composed her features and spoke evenly, holding up a hand to silence her husband. "What do you propose we do about this, Mr. Luthor?"

Relieved to be speaking to at least one rational person, Lex answered her carefully. "First, it's Lex. Second, I think we're all tired and need to get some rest before we try to determine the right course of action. Since Naman...Clark doesn't seem to want to let me out of his sight, I imagine he'll be staying with me, while you and Mr. Kent are welcome to spend the rest of the night in one of my guest rooms. We can talk more in the morning." Glancing at the clock on his desk, Lex amended his statement. "It is morning. Let's just make it later today."

Reaching out, Lex switched on his intercom. "Please send someone to escort my newest guests to their room." Looking back up at Martha and Jonathan, who'd remained silent through his speech, Lex asked, "Did you happen to bring any clothes for him?"

Martha shook her head. "No, I'm afraid we just hurried right over. I didn't...anyway, I'm pretty sure that none of his old clothes would fit anymore. He's...grown." She surveyed her son, who was standing quietly next to Lex. "A lot."

Lex nodded. When one of the servants entered the study, he indicated the Kents as he gave his instructions. "Please take Mr. and Mrs. Kent to a room and make sure they have everything they need. Serve them breakfast whenever they're ready. Let security know that they have free access to come and go as they please. Please have someone go into town and purchase clothing for young Mr. Kent..." Lex gestured to Naman/Clark, who had moved forward at the servant's entrance. "...I have no idea what size, so probably a selection to choose from."

The servant nodded and held the door for the Kents to pass through. Lex called out just before the door closed behind them, "Oh, and if Ms. Hardwicke is still awake, please let her know I won't be joining her." The door finally closed, and Lex stood staring at nothing and rubbing the back of his neck absently. With a start, he glanced at Naman and grimaced, then walked over to the bar and poured a drink. He stood glaring down into the amber liquid until he felt the heat of Naman's body rise behind him. His head drooped and he closed his eyes for a moment before turning around to face his mysterious guest. "Come, Naman. Let's go to my room." He headed for the study door, Naman padding along behind him without a word.

. . .

The sun was just coming over the horizon when Lex finally walked into his bedroom carrying a scotch he hadn't even had a chance to sip. Naman silently followed close on his heels, never wavering from his constant surveillance. Sighing, Lex waited for Naman to enter the room, and then closed and locked the door before leaning against it, his head falling back against the solid wood with a thud. He blearily watched Naman inspect the room, the despised red blanket discarded carelessly on the floor as his large hands were put to better use picking up and touching anything that caught his attention. Whenever Naman pointed at an object, looking back at him, Lex would supply the name. "Lamp. Dresser. Carpet. Chair."

Strangely, not even the sight of the perfect, nude, well-endowed male body stalking around his bedroom could arouse Lex. The evening's stress and exhaustion, as well as the presence of Naman's parents nearby, had completely suppressed his normally healthy libido. That failure struck Lex as most likely a just punishment from capricious gods for past transgressions. Peeling himself away from his support, Lex placed his neglected drink on a table by the door and began to remove his costume, dropping pieces of it to the floor as he headed for his bathroom. "God, I need a shower," he muttered, rubbing absently at the chafing caused by wearing the heavy breastplate for too many hours.

Rummaging in the linen cupboard, he located shampoo, conditioner, and extra towels. Placing them in easy reach, he then turned on the water in his walk-in shower before he relieved himself with a sigh. Rolling his eyes, he muttered under his breath, "Of course you're right here, too. I'm never having kids." He waited for Naman to finish and then, raising his voice and suiting his actions to his words, he continued Naman's education. "Toilet. Flush." Checking the water's temperature before entering the tiled space, he sighed once more when he had to wait for Naman to get out of the way so he could close the shower door behind them. "Shower."

Naman peered around the enclosure before stepping forward under the multiple sprays. Turning, he blinked away droplets beading on his lashes as he cupped his hands and offered Lex a drink with a smile, his green eyes crinkled in amusement. "Shower. Water, Clark."

Shaking his head, Lex declined with a laugh. "You know perfectly well that's 'water,' not 'water, Clark,' don't you? No, thanks. I'll take mine straight from a bottle." He turned to pour some bath gel in his hand and began to lather himself up quickly. "Soap. Wash." Naman watched and then held out his own hand. Smiling approvingly, Lex poured some out for him and Naman immediately began to wash himself, after Lex held up his hand to refuse an attempt to wash him. "No, Naman."

Watching him enjoying the water, Lex was struck once more by the mature body and native intelligence of the supposed boy. "You're not an idiot, obviously," Lex commented. "You learn very quickly by observation and deduction." Frowning as he rinsed under the spray, Lex reviewed his next steps aloud. "We'll sleep a few hours, and then see about a doctor for you. I don't care what your parents say; we need to find out what happened to your memory and whether it's treatable or not."

Pouring out some shampoo, Lex motioned to Naman to bend over towards him, and began to lather his thick, dark curls, dusty from the cave floor. "Shampoo. Wash." He resisted the urge to linger over the task, rinsing and applying conditioner quickly. He made a mental note to find a comb before too long, since the thought of tangles and knots in such wonderful hair was disturbing. Shutting off the water, he opened the door and exited, grabbing a towel and drying off, handing one to Naman for him to do the same. "Towel. Dry."

Naman took the thick cotton and mimicked Lex, drying himself off, his curls tumbling about his head as he emerged from beneath his vigorous hands. "Towel. Dry."

Dropping the damp towels on the floor, they returned to the bedroom, where Lex stopped abruptly, frowning at the bed. He glanced to the side where Naman was waiting patiently, and shrugged. "At this point, I'm sure your parents are convinced I have you tied to the bedpost and am having my wicked way with you, so why worry about just sleeping in the same bed?" He walked forward and drew back the bedclothes. "Bed." He climbed in and stretched out on his back. "Sleep."

"Bed." Crawling up from the foot of the bed, Naman lay only a few inches away and stayed still as Lex drew the covers over both of them. Naman rolled on his side to face Lex, his green eyes steady and alert. "Sleep." His hand slid across the distance between them and cupped Lex's semi-hard cock gently. "Sleep, Segeeth."

Still not believing he was turning him down, especially after what had almost happened in the cave, Lex shook his head and pushed Naman's hand away. "No. Sleep." He turned on his side, as well, and reached out to place his palm over Naman's eyes. He felt thick lashes brush against his skin as Naman closed his eyes. "Sleep." Raising his hand, he was pleased to see Naman kept his eyes closed and had seemed to comprehend his command. Rolling to his other side, Lex flicked off the lights, leaving only the rising sun peeking through the cracks of the heavy curtains to break the darkness of the room. Moaning softly as he relaxed, Lex closed his own eyes, only to be dragged backwards across the sheets and hard against Naman's body. He squirmed in protest and yelped, "No, Naman! Sleep!"

Unable to free himself despite his struggles, Lex was forced to lie still as a large, warm hand swept over his chest and belly in soothing strokes. He finally subsided when he realized there was no evidence of Naman's earlier arousal against his back. There was a hum above his head as he was tucked carefully under Naman's chin, and Lex relaxed into sleep listening to Naman crooning softly, "Sleep, Segeeth, sleep."

Chapter Five

Full Hunter's Moon - October
With the leaves falling and the deer fattened, it is time to hunt. Since the fields have been reaped, hunters can easily see fox and the animals, which have come out to glean.
Native American folklore

Lex couldn't believe how good it felt, the slide against heated skin, the soft touches that brought him closer, wet heat teasing at that one point on his neck that.... The moan woke Lex and yet he couldn't tell if it had been his, or had issued from the hard body he was humping against uncontrollably. It didn't matter, because he was coming hard and it was definitely Lex moaning that time. Gasping for breath, Lex frantically searched his memory for the identity of his bedmate, because it wasn't often he lost control like that, and he wanted to know who he was going to end up apologizing to once he regained use of his verbs and nouns.

"Segeeth." The whisper yanked Lex completely out of his dreams, and he opened his eyes to see vivid green eyes pleading for relief. Lex groaned as he realized he'd taken advantage of Naman while he slept, particularly damning since he'd denied Naman earlier. Naman was holding himself still, but Lex could feel the vibrations shuddering through him, the strain of holding back.

"It's okay, Naman." Lex reached down to take Naman in his hand, sucking in a breath of surprise at the length and breadth. Naman moaned when he felt Lex's hand encircle him, slippery from dragging down through the slick mess on his belly, and his hips thrust forward once before Naman held himself still again. Lex slid up a little further and caught Naman's lips with his, gently at first, then harder as Naman responded, sliding his tongue in to taste and then search out more. "Kiss." Pulling back, Lex looked down between their bodies, watching his hand as it squeezed and tugged. "Cock." Releasing his prize for a moment, he brought his slick hand up to show Naman. "Hand."

Naman groaned, "Hand." Grasping Lex's hand, he placed it back on himself, encouraging it to resume its task. "Segeeth, hand, cock." Leaning his head down, he recaptured Lex's lips. "Segeeth, kiss Naman." The impromptu erotic lesson came to an abrupt end when Naman gasped, then curled over Lex, jerking as heat spilled between. "Segeeth...."

When Naman loosened his hold, Lex rolled onto his back and looked at the ceiling. It was then that he noticed how bright the room was, and he frowned in puzzlement. Turning his head on the pillow, he realized that the curtains were in a heap on the floor and the dazzling sunlight streamed in through the windows without any obstruction. With a resigned laugh, he sat up in the bed. "I'm guessing that was you, Naman. Redecorating already?"

Naman sat up and nuzzled against Lex's shoulder before jumping out of bed and striding to the window. He stood there, a golden idol in the sunlight, eyes half-closed in hedonistic pleasure as he stretched like a tawny panther and grinned. He pointed at the window and cocked his head at Lex. "Segeeth?"

Lex laughed and crawled out of bed to stand next to him. He frowned for a moment, and then his face cleared. He tapped the glass, "Glass," then slid his hand around the frame, "Window," and then finally held the warm light in the palm of his hand. "Sunlight."

Naman watched carefully until Lex finished, and then smiling, lifted his face as if worshipping the rays that poured through the spotless glass. "Sunlight." He lazily skimmed his hand down his body, and wrinkled his nose when he encountered the sticky mess on his belly. Grabbing Lex's hand, Naman tugged him into the bathroom impatiently. "Toilet. Flush. Shower. Wash."

Lex followed readily, not even putting up a token struggle. "I can already predict that this is going to be a very interesting day."

. . .

"Plate. Bacon. Egg...no...scrambled eggs. These are pancakes. Pancakes, muffin, apple, grapes. Glass. Okay, that has to be confusing. Let's call it a cup. Cup." Lex named everything as he pointed out the available breakfast items on the table to Naman. He'd ordered breakfast to be served in one of the smaller dining rooms, and had asked that the Kents join Naman and him there. It briefly occurred to Lex that he should be concerned with his other houseguests, including Victoria, but he easily dismissed the notion, too absorbed in his interactions with Naman to care.

Getting dressed after their shower had taken some time since -- in addition to trying to determine the right sizes -- each piece of clothing had to be examined and named, and then Lex had to demonstrate how to put it on. Zippers weren't too difficult, but small buttons proved Naman's nemeses as his large fingers struggled to maneuver them through equally small buttonholes. Finally, Lex took over and they made it downstairs, Naman still barefoot due to a lack of large enough footwear. Lex suspected there would be more than one return trip to the store in some servant's future as they determined what else Naman needed.

"Orange juice, apple juice, cranberry juice. That goes in the cup. Drink. Ah, you like that. Good. Toast. Yes, in your hand. Eat. Napkin, that's used to wipe, like this. Good. Put that in your...there. Now, take this...." Lex was so intent on teaching Naman how to use his dinnerware that he failed to notice his other guests had arrived. Naman's reaction gave Lex his first clue, his fist clenching hard enough to bend the fork Lex had just handed to him. "What the...Naman, did you hurt yourself?"

"Clark!" Martha's gasp brought Lex's head up from his examination of Naman's oddly undamaged palm. Fortunately, they had been seated away from the door, so Naman/Clark stayed seated next to Lex when Jonathan entered after her. "Is everything all right, Lex?"

Lex rose politely as soon as he registered Martha's entrance, immediately joined by Naman/Clark, his napkin falling to the floor unnoticed. "Good morning, Mrs. Kent, Mr. Kent. I hope you found your room comfortable?" Not waiting for a reply, he continued, "Please help yourself to whatever you like on the sideboard there. I would also suggest sitting at that far end of the table, at least for now."

Martha nodded her head jerkily, her eyes never leaving her son, who in turn ignored her and focused on Jonathan. "Thank you, Lex. It was fine, and we appreciate what you've done for Clark and us. You've been very kind." She glanced over her shoulder at her husband. "Right, Jonathan?"

Jonathan looked down and scuffed his foot on the wooden floor before he answered reluctantly, "Yes, thank you, Luthor." He headed for the coffee urn standing on the sideboard without another word.

Wincing, Martha turned back to Lex and whispered, "I'm really sorry about last night. Jonathan has a bit of a temper sometimes and well...with Clark, you know..."

Lex graciously nodded his head. "I understand perfectly, Mrs. Kent. Please don't worry about it, and have something to eat. I'm sure we'll be able to work something out." He turned to Naman/Clark, who was still watching Jonathan warily. "Sit, Naman. Eat." He placed his hand on Naman/Clark's shoulder to persuade him to sit down, only to have it shrugged away absently. "Naman?"

"No sit, Segeeth."

Naman/Clark's voice was rougher than Lex was used to hearing, and Lex and Martha exchanged concerned looks. Martha stepped closer with her hand out. "Clark, honey, is there something wrong?"

Naman/Clark took his attention from Jonathan long enough to stare at Martha, the grin he'd used earlier with Lex missing. "No Clark. Naman." Having made his terse objection, he returned to watching Jonathan, who had stopped filling his plate with food when he'd heard his wife and son talking.

Martha, puzzled, looked to her host for answers. "Lex?"

Raising his voice a little, Lex spoke to the older man. "Mr. Kent, if you could finish and take a seat, I think I can get Naman to sit and eat." Turning to Martha, he explained, "Since last night, I've been teaching Naman words. He picks them up very quickly, which is encouraging. Unfortunately, he's also learned the word 'no' and I suspect we're going to hear that often until things settle down." Gesturing to the food and drinks, he silently urged Martha to make her selection and join them at the table. "Obviously, he prefers to be called Naman, so in the interest of maintaining the peace...."

Jonathan slammed his plate down on the table and started for Lex, his fists clenched in rage. "My son's name is Clark, Luthor!"

"Jonathan!"

"Naman, no!" Only Lex directly interposing himself between Jonathan and Naman saved Jonathan from being forcibly introduced to the floor again. He shoved his shoulder bluntly into Naman's chest and attempted to force his growling protector backwards, with little success. "Mrs. Kent, please help! Get Mr. Kent out of here, now!"

Grabbing Jonathan's elbow, Martha dragged the shocked man towards the door. "Jonathan, you have to stop this!" She had Jonathan out in the hallway before his voice returned to him, and his shouted demands could be heard through the thick wooden doors. A minute or two passed before silence fell and Martha returned to the room, alone and looking a little lost.

Lex had spent the time patting Naman and coaxing him back to his seat, although Naman didn't relax until the shouting stopped. He rose halfway, when Martha came in, but resumed his seat when he saw it was only her. Lex sighed in relief and went to meet her. "Mrs. Kent?"

"It's Martha, Lex. Jonathan's gone home to take care of things. The cows and chickens, they don't feed themselves, you know." She fumbled her way to a chair near Naman and sat heavily. "I'm sorry...it's just to see the two of them like that...they were always so close before."

Lex had gone to the sideboard, filled a plate with a variety of food and poured a cup of coffee. He set them down in front of Martha and patted her shoulder gently. "I can understand this is upsetting to both of you, to have him missing for so long and then...." He resumed his seat next to Naman, who had been sitting quietly just observing the two of them. "I don't understand your husband's issues with the name Luthor, but I'm guessing it probably has something to do with my father. It wouldn't be the first time, I'm afraid." Reaching over, Lex pushed the cup of orange juice closer to Naman. "Drink, Naman." He turned back to Martha. "All I can say is that I don't always agree with my father's methods, and that I'll do anything I can to help you and Naman get back to a normal life."

Martha looked down for a moment before she faced Lex directly. "Why? Why would you do that for us, Lex?"

Lex looked between Martha and the dark-haired man next to him, and shrugged. "My mother had red hair, too. She died when I was young, but I'd like to think she'd have hoped for someone to care for me in the same situation." He smiled at Martha. "Besides, Naman is a puzzle and I've always been very fond of solving them. I think I stand a better chance of that here rather than sending him to Belle Reve, don't you? So far, he won't leave my side, so we'll just have to make the best of it. You're welcome to stay here with him as long as you like, Martha."

"Segeeth, eat." When Naman's hand came down on his and squeezed gently, Lex looked at him and nodded.

"Yes, Naman, eat." Lex grinned wryly at Martha. "In case you hadn't guessed, my name is Segeeth as far as Naman is concerned and he thinks we should eat now." Turning to Naman, he chuckled. "I hope you like cold eggs and bacon, Naman. Let's try this again. Fork. Hold it like this. Good. Now where did your napkin go? Try this...."

Martha sipped her coffee and watched Lex patiently leading her son through the motions of eating. She was encouraged that Clark had let her stay without protest, and still held the hope that he'd return to his former self soon. Until then, she'd keep Jonathan away and allow Lex to work with him, since that's what Clark wanted.

"No, Naman, no kiss, eat."

Martha gasped. Lex looked over at her and winced. She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes and calmly asked, "Lex? Why is he trying to kiss you?"

Lex couldn't remember the last time he'd blushed, but he discovered he still could. "That's something I was hoping we could discuss later if I couldn't convince Naman...well...he's very...affectionate. And very persistent. And very strong."

It was a good thing Martha's coffee cup was almost empty when it hit the floor. "Oh my God, Lex! He didn't...are you all right? Did he hurt you?" She was on her feet in an instant and headed for Lex, whose eyes went wide as he scrambled backwards out of his chair.

Suddenly, Martha and Lex found themselves talking around Naman, who'd gotten between them, although he offered no threat to Martha, unlike his response to Jonathan. "Naman, no. Martha, I'm fine, really. He's strong, but gentle. He'd never hurt me, and he listens when I tell him 'no.' So far."

"And when he doesn't listen?"

"Martha...I...Naman, please move." Lex impatiently pushed Naman far enough out of the way that he could face Martha directly. "All I can tell you is...it wouldn't be...." He squared his shoulders and said firmly, "Then I would say 'yes' to him, and there would be no regrets on my part, and hopefully never any on his."

Martha studied Lex's face, and then looked at her son, whose attention was completely focused on Lex. She nodded slowly. "All right, Lex, I understand."

As Martha resumed her seat, she knew that Jonathan would not be walking back into the mansion again, not as long as she had anything to say about it, and she did. She'd do whatever it took to get her son back and to keep him happy. If that meant that he and Lex needed to be together, then she would make sure it happened without interference, from anyone.

Chapter Six

"He would argue the Moon was blue" was taken by the average person of the 16th century as we take "He'd argue that black is white." The concept that a blue Moon was absurd (the first meaning) led eventually to a second meaning, that of "never." The statement "I'll marry you, m'lady, when the Moon is blue!" would not have been taken as a betrothal in the 18th century.
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable

"This car is for your use, so you can come and go as you like. That way, your husband can keep the truck to use on the farm. I'll have the guest room you used kept ready for you, and here's a cell phone with my direct line programmed in. Is there anything I'm forgetting, Martha?" Lex, Martha, and Naman were standing in the driveway next to the Mercedes that Lex had ordered brought around from the garage. Lex handed over the keys and cell phone and waited patiently for Martha to answer.

Wiping away a tear, Martha shook her head. "No, Lex, you've been more than generous and, besides, I'll be back here for dinner tonight, right?" She looked at Naman standing quietly next to Lex and sighed. "I just wish...."

Lex studied her face for a moment and then nodded. "Let me try something." He took a step forward and gathered Martha carefully into his arms. "Hug, Naman. Hug." Naman made no objection, so just before Lex released her, he softly kissed her cheek. "Kiss, Naman." Stepping back, Lex pointed to Martha. "Naman hug Martha. Naman kiss Martha."

Naman cocked his head at Lex. "Naman hug Segeeth? Naman kiss Segeeth?"

Lex pointed at Martha again. "Naman hug Martha. Naman kiss Martha. Segeeth hug Naman. Segeeth kiss Naman."

Martha found herself trying to suppress a giggle at the sight of a corporate giant negotiating the terms for hugs and kisses in pidgin English. A few seconds later, she was wrapped in her son's arms and trying not to cry from joy as he kissed her cheek. She waited until Naman received his reward and then smiled sweetly at Lex. "Thank you. Maybe someday he'll do it on his own, but thank you so much for that."

Lex just nodded and reached to open the car door for her. A voice calling his name from the mansion doorway made him stiffen and mutter under his breath, "Fuck. Victoria." At Martha's gasp, he shrugged apologetically. "Sorry. I'm afraid this might get a little messy."

"Lex! There you are! I've been trying to find you all morning. Your people are simply useless, aren't they?" Victoria sauntered out of the mansion and down the drive, her long, slim legs teetering on stilettos, and wearing a barely-there skirt under a knee-length leather coat. "Oooh, who's your tall, dark, and deadly handsome friend?"

Martha exchanged a worried, wide-eyed look with Lex, and immediately stepped in front of her son, while Lex hurried to intercept Victoria. Naman took matters into his own hands when Victoria threw her arms around Lex's neck and kissed him before he could pull back. Lex found himself staggering three feet behind Naman, listening to Victoria shriek in rage. To make matters worse, Naman was writhing in pain on the ground, green veins bulging out on every visible inch of his formerly golden skin.

"Just who does this bloody bastard think he is?" A cruelly pointed leather shoe prodded Naman in the ribs as he lay at Victoria's feet. "Lex?" Victoria stood with her hands propped on her hips, furious at being ignored, as Lex dropped to his knees next to Naman. He and Martha were too frantic to discover what was causing the agonizing pain to pay any attention to the jealous woman. "Lex!"

Martha spared a glance at the still-shrieking virago, her eyes widening as she glimpsed the glow of green stones strapped around Victoria's wrist. As Victoria leaned closer, the stones flared and Naman groaned in response. Reaching across Naman's body, Martha shook Lex's arm to get him to look up at her. "Lex, you need to get her away from him," she hissed, nodding at the glowing bracelet.

Lex immediately understood what Martha was telling him and rose to his feet instantly, taking Victoria's elbow less than gently and tugging her back inside the mansion. "Victoria, I'm afraid you're going to have to leave. Something has come up and I'm not going to have any time available for you." Glancing over his shoulder, Lex could see Naman still lying on the ground with his head in Martha's lap, although his pain seemed to be decreasing rapidly. "Perhaps we'll be able to get together again in Metropolis in a few weeks." Gesturing to one of the passing servants, Lex handed Victoria over to him. "Please see to it that Ms. Hardwicke's things are packed and she's taken back to Metropolis immediately."

"Lex! What do you think this is? You can't just send me away like this! We had plans!" Victoria clung to Lex as he attempted to disengage her painted claws from his shirt. "You can't do this!" she raged.

Ice-blue eyes under a supercilious brow delivered a freezing glare. "I can do whatever I please, Victoria, and right now that means you're returning to Metropolis. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have another guest to attend to." Yanking his arm free, Lex turned and strode back outside; paying no heed to Victoria's vehement protests as the servant forcibly escorted her to her room.

"How is he?" Lex squatted to run the back of his hand along Naman's cheek, noting the sweat that had broken out across his forehead. He shared a worried look with Martha at Naman's quiet moans. "What was that, exactly?"

Martha brushed the dark waves back as she cradled Naman's head in her arms. "It's those stones in her bracelet. He's...allergic to them. He almost died right before he disappeared because some stupid boys hung him up as the scarecrow with a stone around his neck. If his friend Pete hadn't found him...." She brushed away a tear. "We found out they're from the meteors. There were five or six of them in that bracelet...a lot more than in the necklace."

Lex fell forward onto his knees. "Someone must have found the bracelet last night and returned it to her, but...God, Martha. This town must be covered with those things! How...why...?"

"We didn't understand! He would get sick sometimes, there were certain places he knew to avoid, but we never figured it out exactly until the necklace. Nell had it made from the meteor that killed Lana's parents, that's when we finally knew what caused it. Then, a few weeks later, Clark...was gone."

"Segeeth...." Naman's eyes flickered open, murky green searching, then clearing when he caught sight of Lex. With a surge, he sat up, leaving Martha's arms empty. "Segeeth!"

"It's okay, Naman. I'm here. She's gone and she won't be back. It's okay." Lex gathered Naman into a hug, rubbing his back as he reassured the larger man. Martha's worried face softened as she watched the two comforting each other. "I'm going to make sure all those stones are collected and disposed of so that they won't hurt you again. I promise."

The three of them finally got to their feet and watched silently as a limousine, carrying a fuming Victoria Hardwicke, drove by them on its way to Metropolis. Martha frowned and turned to Lex apologetically. "I'm so sorry we caused difficulties between you and your girlfriend, Lex."

Lex, staring absently after the departing limo, shook his head. "She wasn't my girlfriend, Martha." Looking up at Naman, he smiled gently, taking his hand. "She was just...business and...I've decided not to pursue that investment opportunity right now."

Martha frowned. "Is Clark your newest business venture?"

Lex shook himself free of his bemusement, reluctantly pulling his eyes away from Naman's bright-green gaze. "What? No, of course not, Martha!"

Pursing her lips, Martha studied Lex once more before she spoke. "Jonathan would tell me I'm being foolish, entrusting my son's life to a Luthor." She held out her hand for Lex to take and squeezed his gently. "Don't prove me a fool, Lex. He's very special, in so many ways."

Squeezing her hand back before dropping it, Lex ran it back over his head with a smile and an ironic wink. "Believe me, Martha, I understand what it's like to be different. I have been fairly unique myself, ever since the first time I visited Smallville."

"I remember."

"What do you mean?" Lex's face showed nothing but curiosity at Martha's quiet statement.

"We took you to the hospital that day, you and your father. It was the same day that we found Clark. I remember Clark touched your cheek, and you woke up and smiled at him for a moment."

Lex frowned a little and shook his head. "I don't remember much about that day, I'm afraid."

Martha smiled gently. "I'm not surprised. You were a very sick little boy. Your father came to us later to say 'thank you,' and he made arrangements for us to be able to adopt Clark."

"Then why...?"

Martha looked away and shrugged. "Why does my husband hate Luthors? Your father held the adoption over our heads, threatened to expose it as a fraud if Jonathan didn't convince the Rosses to sell their creamed corn factory to LuthorCorp."

"Martha, I...."

Martha shook her head and walked over to the Mercedes. "It wasn't your fault, Lex, you were just a boy then, but Jonathan...it's going to take some time."

Lex held the car's door open for Martha as she slid gracefully into the driver's seat. "Martha, I think there's still a lot you haven't told me about your son, such as exactly how you found him that day and why the adoption was fraudulent, but I can wait until you're ready."

Looking up at Lex, Martha nodded. "Thank you, Lex. I'll see you at dinner, and perhaps we can talk more then." She looked over his shoulder and smiled gently. "Take care of each other, you two." With the door closed, she started the car and drove off slowly, watching the mansion recede in the rearview mirror as she turned the car towards home.

. . .

"Sir, the last of your guests has left, and there's a Mr. Jenkins waiting for you in your study." The quietly efficient servant bowed and left Lex and Naman standing alone in the front hall.

"Jenkins? Oh, yes. Earl. Let's go talk to him, Naman." Lex headed for the study, Naman padding along quietly beside him. Missing the sound of two pairs of shoes, Lex looked down and winced. "Then we'll check to see if they've managed to find shoes for you. These stone floors are a little too cold for you to be walking around barefoot all day, let alone going outside."

Entering the study, they were greeted by the sight of Earl Jenkins perched on the edge of one of the chairs, rubbing his hands in obvious agitation. He jumped to his feet when he caught sight of them, immediately placing Naman on alert. Lex spread his hand across Naman's belly and pushed him back gently, calming him with quiet assurances. "No, Naman. Earl is a friend. Friend." Holding out his other hand, he motioned to Earl. "Come closer, but slowly, and keep your hands down."

When Earl was close enough, Lex offered his hand. "Hello, Earl. Just take my hand and shake it slowly and say 'hello' back to me."

Earl followed the directions, always keeping one eye on Naman, who was watching them closely. "Hello, Lex." He dropped Lex's hand and then held his out to Naman in turn. "Hello, Clark."

Naman cocked his head at Lex and pointed at Earl. "No Clark, Naman. Earl friend? Martha friend?"

Lex's face lit up in delight at Naman's ability to reason. "Yes, Naman! Martha is a friend, too."

Naman took Earl's hand and imitated the greeting, adding his own twist. "Hello, Earl. Friend hug. Friend kiss." With a gentle tug, Naman pulled Earl into an unexpected embrace. "Naman hug Earl. Naman kiss Earl." Naman suited his actions to his words, and then released Earl. To Earl's credit, he weathered the surprising greeting well, only his wide-opened eyes revealing any of his shock. Naman quickly claimed his reward for behaving politely. "Segeeth hug Naman. Segeeth kiss Naman."

Lex laughed heartily as he disengaged from an affectionate Naman. "Well, it beats growling at people."

Earl agreed with a grin. "It sure does." He nodded towards Naman. "It looks like he's doing better, but he still doesn't remember who he is, does he?"

"No, I'm afraid not. Martha and Jonathan spent the night here, but Jonathan ending up leaving, because Naman got very upset about Jonathan's shouting. Martha just went home a while ago, but she'll be back for dinner." As he explained, Lex led Naman over to the sofa and convinced him to sit using a firm hand on his shoulder. "I suppose you're wondering why I asked you to meet me here?"

Earl took the chair opposite at Lex's wave. "Well, yes. You did mention something about a different job?" Earl watched as Lex swung Clark's legs up on the sofa and covered them with a cashmere blanket before sitting down and placing Clark's feet in his lap.

Lex noticed Earl's puzzled look and shrugged. "He's been walking around without anything on his feet all day, even outside in this cool weather. I just wanted to warm them up." At Earl's understanding nod, he continued, "I need someone I can trust to help Martha and me with Naman. There may be times when I may not be available for him, and I want someone he feels comfortable with to be with him at all times. Your actions last night seemed to indicate you're able to think on your feet, and he's going to need that." He rubbed Naman's feet through the blanket and smiled at the contented rumble. "You're familiar with the Kents, and with Smallville. That should be helpful. Officially, you'll be my new bodyguard, and you'll be working the day shift. Are you interested?"

Earl nodded his head vigorously, grinning in excitement. "Are you kidding? I think it's a great opportunity, and my wife will be thrilled. It's been tough on her, my being gone every night, leaving her with the baby and all. When do I start?"

Naman, who had been quietly enjoying his foot massage while observing the two men, smiled and added his vote of approval. "Earl friend Naman. Earl friend Segeeth. Good."

Lex shared an amused chuckle with Earl. "I think that means you start immediately."

. . .

"Earl accepted the position, Martha. He'll be joining us tomorrow for breakfast." Lex was helping Naman choose from the variety of foods available on the buffet set out in the dining room. He'd decided that, since they had no idea of Naman's preferences and no guarantee that they'd match Clark's, having the cook provide a wide selection would be the easiest way to find out. "That's enough for now, Naman. Let's sit down."

Martha joined them with her own plate, and smiled to see Naman carefully placing his napkin on his lap and holding his fork correctly. "That's good to hear, Lex. He's a good man. We were sorry we couldn't keep him on full time at the farm. I know originally he was going to be working as one of the cleaning people at night, but then the security guard position opened. This is an even better opportunity for him. Thank you."

"I think it'll be good for all of us." Lex nodded absently, preoccupied by showing Naman how to use a knife. "Knife. This is sharp, Naman. Sharp. See?" Lex mimed touching the edge of the utensil and drawing his finger back in pain. "Here. You try." Martha gasped and Lex lurched for the knife as Naman drew it all the way across his palm in a single stroke. "Naman! No! God, let me see, how bad is it?" Lex tossed the offending weapon down to the table and pried Naman's hand open. "What the hell?"

Lex looked over at Martha, who was sitting in her chair, her hand to her mouth in dismay. When she saw the look in Lex's eyes, she slowly dropped her hand to the tablecloth, where she fidgeted with a spoon. Finally, she winced and offered, "Clark doesn't get hurt very easily. He hasn't for years."

Turning away from Martha, Lex carefully handed the knife back to Naman, watching while Naman cut his meat as Lex had shown him. "Good, Naman. Now put the knife down and use your fork. Remember to chew with your mouth closed. Good." Taking a deep breath, not looking away from Naman as he ate his food with evident enjoyment, Lex calmly ventured, "I guess that explains why you and Jonathan insisted on no sedative last night and no doctors."

"Yes." The rattle of silverware against her plate betrayed Martha's nervousness. "Lex, please...."

"Martha, it's all right, I understand. Going around advertising how different he is would be dangerous. It could get the wrong people interested." Lex looked across the table at Martha, his expression intent. "You have to understand something, too. I can't protect him if I don't know what he can and cannot do." He placed his hand on Naman's cheek and stroked it gently as Naman made a pleased sound. "I've encountered other people who are different, here in Smallville. After all, I have my own secrets."

"He's very fast and very strong, and you've seen how tough his skin is. The only thing that we know can hurt him is the meteor rock." Martha looked down at her plate and toyed with her food after her whispered confession. At a choking sound from across the table, she glanced up and laughed aloud at Lex's appalled expression. "Oh, I guess he still doesn't like peas." She got up and came around the table, still chuckling. "Here, let me help you clean that up. Clark, honey, that's what your napkin is for."

"No Clark. Naman. No eat peas." Naman shoved the contaminated plate away. "No eat."

Lex finished wiping off his face and set his napkin on the table, trying not to encourage Naman's behavior by laughing. "No spitting, Naman. Bad." He mock-frowned at Martha. "You're not helping."

As she finished wiping up the table and floor, Martha shook her head in amusement. "I'm sorry, Lex, but I just remembered Jonathan's face the first time Clark did that. He ended up wearing the peas, too." She returned to her chair and began eating with enjoyment now that the tension had lifted. "I think that's the only food you'll have to worry about flying through the air."

Lex sighed dramatically. "I imagine he got away with a lot when he was younger because he was too cute to punish?"

"You'll see for yourself." Martha smiled and winked. "I brought the family photo albums with me, and we'll spend the evening looking at pictures."

Chapter Seven

And the orange setting sun was beautiful,
Ever so at ease in the summer evening breeze,
They would talk and they would tease,
And never, never, never want to leave.
Once in a while,
Once in a blue moon,
There comes somebody like you.
Smallville 3.17 'Legacy' – Soundtrack "Once In A Blue Moon" Performed by Edie Brickell

"Naman, it's been a long day. Sleep." Lying on his back in the center of the bed, Lex smiled up at laughing green eyes, making a half-hearted effort to convince the other he was too tired to play, but already knowing he would fail. He found it almost impossible to deny Naman anything he wanted, especially when Lex knew he would be rewarded by a blinding smile or sweet kiss. "Ear. That's my ear."

"Ear." Naman nibbled carefully on the body part he'd pointed to, and then drew back to point again.

"Eye. Nose. Mouth. Teeth. Tongue." Each name supplied was conscientiously repeated, and then the associated section of skin caressed, licked or kissed. "Chin. Neck. Collarbone. Shoulder. Chest. Nipple." The impromptu anatomy lesson was nothing like the one Lex had taken at college. Lex suspected he'd be in medical school if this were a standard teaching method. "Ribs. Stop, Naman. That tickles."

Naman licked a long stripe up the center of Lex's pale belly, laughing as Lex squirmed away from the long fingers stroking lightly along his ribs. "Peas taste bad."

Lex propped himself up on his elbows to grin down at Naman's teasing face, dark stubble rubbing against the hollow of his hip. "Are you saying I taste like peas? If I do, it's because you spit them out all over me, you cretin. And that's my navel, and that tickles, too."

"Martha pie taste good." The soft part of Lex's inner elbow came in for its share of attention, as did his wrist and each finger. The pie Naman referred to had been brought out while the three of them went through the photo albums, Martha pointing out family and friends from the past with no sign of recognition from her son. At the end of the night, she'd returned home to her husband, promising to be back the next day.

Lex nodded, stretching out to run his fingers through thick, dark curls. "Yes, Martha's pie tastes very good, and you really enjoyed it, didn't you? Leg. Knee." He chuckled, a little catch in his voice when another sensitive spot was identified. "Foot. Toes. God, you are such a tease, Naman, you know perfectly well you're driving me crazy. Get up here and kiss me."

Naman shook his head at Lex's demand and continued his lazy exploration. As he nipped his way along a hip, easily holding Lex down as he tried to wiggle free, there was a humming question. "Segeeth taste good?"

"I don't know, but I'd like to find out if Naman tastes as good as he looks...yes...do that again, Naman. Good. Very good." Lex fell back against the bed with a groan as Naman licked and nibbled along the most sensitive part of his body. The heat of Naman's mouth was intense, and his complete dedication to learning every inch left Lex gasping, struggling to hold on, language failing him at the final rush, save for a single name. "Naman!"

Crawling up alongside Lex's still-trembling body, Naman finally bestowed the requested kiss on him with a sweet smile. "Segeeth taste good."

Lex, licking shared sweetness from Naman's lips, savored the flavor of both of them. Brushing back tumbled waves that tickled his face, he laughingly promised, "As soon as I'm able to move again, I'm going to find out if Naman tastes good, too."

. . .

"My father called me today." Lex glanced across the table at Martha as he showed Naman how to peel an orange. "It seems that Victoria felt compelled to report on my 'rude and unreasonable' behavior."

Martha set her fork down carefully. "Is that going to be a problem?" Her eyes studied Lex, waiting for his answer.

Lex shook his head and handed the sectioned orange to Naman, who thanked him politely. "Not really. Dad likes to pretend he's still in control, but since he became ill, that hasn't been the case. The board of directors and I make the day-to-day decisions for LuthorCorp."

"Your father is sick?"

Lex shrugged. "A degenerative liver disease. He's spent the last three years chasing down 'cures' around the world. I'm afraid LuthorCorp is no longer the giant it once was, because he hasn't been as focused on expansion as he was years ago. I suppose confronting your own mortality tends to change your perspective on life."

"I don't understand." Martha's brow furrowed in concentration. "Why are you here in Smallville instead of Metropolis?"

Selecting an apple, Lex began to slice it in quarters, coring it carefully before taking a bite. "I decided years ago that I would determine my own destiny, not simply inherit my father's. My mother always encouraged me to think for myself, and to try to choose the path that would hurt the fewest people, knowing that someone will always pay the price for a bad decision. She'd seen the result of some of my father's ruthless takeovers."

Lex cocked his head and flashed a wry smile across the table. "Since my father stepped back, I've been selecting what I want to retain for my own company, LexCorp, and selling off the rest of LuthorCorp. Consolidating and focusing." He shrugged, smiling as Naman opened his mouth to accept a piece of apple daintily from Lex's fingers. "I told you that Victoria was business. We got along well enough, and her family owns some subsidiaries that would do well in my portfolio. In addition, my father has been encouraging me to think about continuing the Luthor name and presenting him with heirs before he dies."

Martha's eyes widened. "An arranged marriage? In this day and age?"

"Don't act so surprised." Lex shook his head and laughed. "I know the Clark family had connections with Metropolis' elite. You know how it is: the maneuvering for position, always looking for the best investment opportunities. Marriage is no different, combining two families for the potential gain on both sides. My father married my mother for her family's money. His biggest disappointment was that I was the only child my mother carried successfully beyond the sixth month."

"That's so...cold-blooded." Martha shuddered, her eyes bleak.

Lex shrugged again. "It was my reality, but that particular investment opportunity no longer exists. I don't consider it a loss." He smiled across at Martha. "Back to 'Why Smallville?' I guess it appealed to me when I came here to inspect the plant, and I saw a lot of opportunity. Even though my first visit was less than auspicious all those years ago, there's something about this place."

Blue eyes grew distant, no longer seeing the room in front of them. "I used to dream...about someone...about something that was waiting to happen...waiting for me...." Lex shook himself out of his reverie when he felt Naman's fingers on his cheek. He grabbed the questing fingers and kissed their tips before placing their entwined hands on the table. "I told my father I'd changed my mind, and that if he wanted heirs so badly with the Hardwickes, then he was welcome to marry Victoria himself."

Martha frowned down at her plate. "Will this cause too much trouble?"

Lex shook his head as he handed Naman a glass of milk. "I'm not worried. He's been too ill lately to do much more than grumble. I believe he's heading to Switzerland later this week to try a new spa treatment." Pushing his plate away, he rose from his seat with a smile, tugging Naman up with him. "Why don't we go check out that new computer program? It's supposed to be excellent for teaching reading and mathematics. Earl researched it, and said that he was going to use it with his son when he was old enough."

The three of them exited the breakfast room together and headed for the study, Martha and Lex debating the merits of computers over books while Naman trailed quietly behind them.

. . .

"Why Naman shave?"

"Naman, say 'Why do I need to shave?' Use your words." Lex's head was buried deep in the bathroom cupboard as he thought about his answer. "Here it is. I knew I told them to make sure every bathroom was completely stocked." Closing the cupboard, he turned to place his find on the counter. "Why do you need to shave? You don't have to, I suppose, but most men around here do."

"Do you shave?" Standing in the center of the bathroom wearing only a towel around his waist, Naman watched as Lex prepared the shaving supplies.

Lex shook his head and smiled. "No, I don't shave because I don't have any hair, but if I had a beard, I would. Earl shaves."

"Why?"

Shrugging, Lex steered Naman to the cedar bench next to the sink. "I guess there are a lot of different reasons. It could be the fashion of the time, cultural expectations, or personal preference. Martha and I like to look at your face. Is that a good enough reason for you? If not, then I suppose you can keep the beard. It's your choice." Lex knew that although Naman may not have understood all of the words Lex had used, he would pick up enough to understand. He'd re-learned an amazing amount in the days since he'd been found in the cave, and both Lex and Martha were kept busy feeding his inquisitive mind, with Earl's help.

Looking at himself in the mirror over the sink, Naman fingered the week's growth of beard. "Shave. Try...I will try and if I not...do not like it, I will not."

Standing behind Naman, Lex smiled at him in the mirror, his blue eyes shining with amusement. "That's reasonable. Now sit down so that I can shave you without straining myself. I'll do it this time, and then I'll teach you. It's either me or Earl."

"You, Segeeth." Naman spun around and pulled Lex into a gentle hug, placing a light kiss on his lips. "I want you."

Lex nodded. "Then you'll have me." He nudged Naman toward the bench. "Naman, you know my name is Lex, not Segeeth, and your name is Clark. Clark Kent. Martha and I have told you this." Lex kept his voice level not wanting to provoke a confrontation, but needing to address the issue. "You should use the right names, like you do when we teach you."

Allowing himself to be pushed down on the bench, Naman looked up, his eyes dark with distress. "Clark Kent not me. I Naman. You Segeeth. I know."

Running his fingers through Naman's hair, combing out the tangles, Lex gazed down at him and asked gently, "How do you know? Tell me."

"Here." Naman caught one of Lex's hands and placed it on his chest, where Lex could feel the heavy beat of his heart. "You say I am not Naman and you are not Segeeth and the green rock comes." A tear began to roll from the corner of one eye, and Naman blinked it away. "I do not see you. I fall down like the green rock. I want to hit man, hit woman, take Segeeth away." The green eyes shimmered with unshed tears as Naman struggled to make Lex understand, his words failing in his agitation. "No Segeeth. No Naman. Bird dead. Naman dead."

Lex recalled the mockingbird that Naman had found in the garden, and how he'd had to explain that it couldn't be fixed. They'd buried it together, and Naman had been quiet for hours afterward, thinking. With his impervious skin, Naman didn't understand when they spoke of hurt and pain, but he remembered what he felt like when the meteorites were near. With a catch in his voice, Lex reassured Naman, "I'm here, Naman. I'm not going to leave you, I promise. I will be Segeeth for you, and you will be Naman for me."

Naman's breath hitched, his head tipping forward. Lex could feel hot tears against his belly where his robe had fallen open. He swallowed back tears of his own as he stroked the dark hair and rocked Naman gently. The shaving lesson would be delayed a few more minutes.

. . .

"Do you think it would be helpful to talk to the Kawatche about this Naman and Segeeth thing? I mean, the names are from one of their legends." Earl looked up from where he'd been working with Naman, listening to him read The Hobbit aloud and correcting his pronunciation where needed.

Lex glanced over at the two of them sitting in front of the fireplace, Naman on the floor and leaning against Earl's chair. He considered for a moment, hitting Save on the spreadsheet he'd been reviewing. "That's not a bad idea, Earl. Kyla Willowbrook might have some information on a connection between the caves and what happened there." He shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck as he sat back in his chair. "I can't believe I've been completely ignoring the caves, and didn't even try to investigate what went on that night. It's almost as if I have a blind spot when it comes to that."

Earl grinned and reached out to ruffle Naman's hair, getting a laugh before Naman returned to his reading. "A rather large blind spot, I'm guessing. It has been almost two weeks." His expression sobered. "Lex, it's a miracle that he's back and healthy, but if we don't know how and why he disappeared the first time...I'd hate to have the Kents go through that again. It was tough convincing the sheriff to drop the investigation, and the townspeople are still coming up with all kinds of wild theories."

"All right, I'll find out if she's available today, and we'll drive out there. I want you to come with us. You may have noticed something that night that I missed in all the excitement." Having made a decision, Lex reached for his phone.

Naman suddenly joined the conversation. "Are we taking the Ferrari? Can I drive?"

Lex shook his head, laughing as he punched in Kyla's phone number. "No, you can't drive if we take the Ferrari. There's not enough room for the three of us, and I'd have to fold you up and strap you to the bumper. Either that, or make you run all the way there behind us."

"Hah! I'd beat you there," was Naman's saucy reply. Two mild frowns rebuked him. "What? It's just you two here, I didn't tell...."

Earl sighed and patted Naman's downcast head. "You're right. You just need to be a little more careful. We don't want someone to try to take advantage of what you can do, okay? Martha, Lex and I have told you that before."

Relieved that Earl had things under control, Lex returned to his call. "Kyla? This is Lex Luthor. Are you available for a few hours today? I'd like to bring a couple of people over to meet you. Thanks." He looked up at the other two. "She's free now. We'll take the Hummer, and yes, Naman, you can drive."

Chapter Eight

Most people don't notice New Moons. It's easy to see when the Moon is full, but the only way to tell when a New Moon is happening is during an eclipse, or by referring to an almanac or using Obliquity's Moon Phase calculator. To Wiccans, the second New Moon is called the Black Moon, and any magic worked during that period is deemed to be especially powerful.
http://www.obliquity.com/astro/blue-new.html - David Harper 2002

"You're claiming that these symbols were blue and flashing in a sequence?" Kyla had set up powerful lamps in the main room to allow full visibility with a minimum of shadows. "This is just painted rock, Lex. How could it flash?"

Lex frowned irritably. "I'm telling you what I remember, Kyla. I asked Earl, but he said he didn't notice anything like that."

"I was pretty busy trying to make sure you and Clark were okay, Lex. I'm sorry, but I just wasn't checking out the walls." Earl looked apologetic. "Unfortunately, Clark doesn't remember anything at all from before he woke up in the cave that night, either."

Naman shrugged as he turned about slowly in place, scanning each of the walls in succession. "I think it was dark, and there was someone talking, but that's all. I don't know what they were saying." He cocked his head and advanced to one wall holding several paintings. "This one makes me think of Segeeth and me. What is it?"

Kyla walked over to stand next to Naman. "You know about the legend of Naman and Segeeth?"

Shaking his head, Naman reached out, letting his fingers hover over the painting of two entwined figures, but never quite touching the ancient artwork. "No, I don't think so. I just know our names. I knew them that night."

Kyla bent a little closer to the wall, using another flashlight. "You call yourself Naman, and Lex is Segeeth? Well, Naman is supposed to come down from the sky and have the strength of ten men. He also shoots fire from his eyes." Straightening, she turned to look up directly at Naman, raising a skeptical brow. "I have to believe you may come up a little short on most of those qualifications, despite your mysterious arrival."

Naman shot a glance at Lex, but remained silent. Lex walked over to join them. "And Segeeth? He is supposed to be the other half of Naman's soul, right?" He smiled at Naman over Kyla's head. "They belong together."

Kyla shook her head, frowning. "Together, yes, but I told you that was just one interpretation. The more accepted one is that they are sworn enemies, each representing good and evil, battling one another until the end of time."

"No!" Naman's shout caused the rock walls to tremble, small pieces breaking off to scatter across the floor. A heavy groan and then a sharp crack caused them all to look up, just in time to see a slab of granite break loose and begin to fall, directly above Earl's head. All Lex and Kyla could see was the look of horror frozen on his dark face before it was obscured by heavy pieces of shattered rock.

"Oh my God! Earl!" Lex scrambled forward frantically, immediately picking up rocks and tossing them behind him as he tried to uncover the buried man, Kyla at his side. "Naman, help me!"

There was a sudden heave in the center of the pile, and chunks of rocks tumbled across the floor, sending Lex reeling backwards in surprise. A dusty head of dark hair emerged, followed by the broad shoulders of Naman, who was holding a coughing Earl safely in his arms. Stepping carefully, he climbed over the rocks to meet the others, setting Earl on his feet as soon as they were on solid ground.

"Naman! Are you hurt?" A trembling Lex was patting Naman's body, unable to believe that the two men had survived the fall of tons of rock and earth. Naman gave him a quick hug before he pointed him towards Earl. "Earl, I'm sorry. Are you okay? Do you need a doctor?"

Earl, who had just taken a drink from the water bottle Kyla had offered him, shook his head. "I'm fine. I'm only a little shaken up, thanks to Clark."

"I'm sorry. It was my fault." The other three all turned in surprise at the halting apology from Naman. "I caused it. I'm sorry, Earl." He backed up towards the entrance of the room, his head hanging in shame. "I should go before...."

"Naman! Stop!" Lex hurried to catch Naman before he could finish his sentence, terrified that he would run away in his guilt and end up lost to Lex. "You can't go anywhere unless you take me with you." He grabbed one filthy hand and held on tight. "It was an accident...it could have happened any time." Coaxing him back into the main room, Lex could see Naman settling down as he spoke. "Look what happened when you fell through the ceiling before. It's probably been unstable all along. Earl was lucky you were there."

Earl came up to Naman and took his other hand. "I am lucky you were here, Clark."

"You really are Naman." Kyla's quiet gasp interrupted the three men. "Anyone else would have been killed."

"Kyla...." Lex turned to her and held out a hand. "You can't...."

Walking forward slowly, Kyla stared at Naman in awe. "Can you shoot fire from your eyes, too?"

Eyes wide in panic, Naman looked to Lex for help. Lex sighed and admitted, "As of two nights ago, yes. I have the scorch marks on my bedroom ceiling to prove it." He rubbed the back of his neck grimacing. "Kyla, you can't tell anyone about him. You'll put Naman in danger if the wrong people find out."

Nodding frantically, Kyla fumbled with the sleeve of her jacket. "Of course I understand. It's just...to have a legend come to life like this...it's amazing. I just wish I could write it up, but of course, no one would believe me anyway, so it's better not to write anything down. So, here!"

Naman looked down at the silver cuff that Kyla handed to him, puzzled. "What is this?" It was about two inches wide and set with what looked like raw amethysts. The intricate engravings matched the symbols on the walls around them.

"It's Naman's. The legend says it is supposed to be given to his beloved. My family has held it for generations, and now I can give it to you. It's an honor, Naman."

Staring down at the shining cuff, which was dwarfed by the size of his hand, Naman repeated quietly, "To be given to my beloved."

. . .

"He really is a good man, nothing like his father. He's good for Clark." Earl had come up behind Jonathan Kent as he stood at the kitchen window, grimly looking out over his land. The first snow had arrived that day, and he'd only had a few awkward minutes with his son before Clark had gone back outside to play. Now, Jonathan watched as the two young men stumbled through the drifts, building a snowman in between snowball fights and making snow angels. Martha and Rose, Earl's wife, were busy putting together the last few dishes for Thanksgiving dinner, while Earl held his sleeping son in his arms. "I think that if someone told Lex he would have to give up his right hand to save Clark, he'd sharpen the axe for them and then hold his arm steady."

Martha groaned behind them, "Earl, really. Are you trying to make us all lose our appetites?" Rose muttered in agreement.

"I'm just saying, Martha. You know I'm right. Clark wouldn't be here today if Lex hadn't insisted, and Lex made it happen because he knew it was the right thing for Clark." Earl rubbed his son's back gently, his eyes crinkling in pleasure as he watched his own boy's mouth twitch in a dream smile. "I'm not sure anyone else could have brought Clark back as fast as he did. It's only been a little over three weeks...."

A grating voice interrupted Earl. "He's not the son I lost. He's not Clark. That Luthor...."

Martha slammed a bowl down on the table, causing both men to look around in surprise. "He is our son, and always will be, Jonathan! He just needs more time. Lex...you need to stop thinking of Lex as Lionel's son, and start thinking of him as the man your son loves."

Jonathan stood looking at his wife, his face grim and his fists clenched. "I let him in the house, didn't I?"

Martha exchanged a glance with Earl, who winced and shrugged helplessly. She placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at her recalcitrant husband. "I swear Jonathan, one mean word out of you today, and I'll move in with Lex and Clark permanently. I want both of them to feel welcome in our home. As long as you continue attacking Lex, that won't happen."

Holding up his hands to placate his furious wife, Jonathan agreed sheepishly, "I'm sorry, Martha. You're right. I promise to be on my best behavior. I don't want to lose all of my family to the Luthors."

"Jonathan...just...hush, here they come." Martha looked over as stomping boots on the porch heralded the return of the two under discussion. "Oh, my gracious. Where's my camera?"

Cold air blew through the kitchen for a moment as the two young men entered and paused in the entryway to take off their snow-covered outerwear. They were laughing at each other, bright eyes and apple-red cheeks above wide grins. They turned away from each other in surprise at the flash from Martha's camera, still laughing at each other, and she caught them a second time. "Great! Now get those wet things off and come get some mulled cider." She placed her camera on the sideboard and went to pour two mugs of cider for them, listening contentedly to their banter and, checking to see if Jonathan was as well.

"I don't think there's an inch of my body not covered in snow, you cretin. Here, let me untie those wet laces before you snap them again. I don't think we have another unbroken pair left at home."

"You know, you need to find a better word to belabor me with, Segeeth. You used that one when I spit peas all over you."

"Give me your other foot. It still applies, Mr. I-Ate-A-Dictionary-For-Dinner-Followed-By-A-Thesaurus-For-Dessert. That reminds me. Did you go through those college brochures yet? You're running out of time to apply for the spring semester. The Luthor influence can go only just so far in the registrar's office."

"Segeeth, I'm still not sure I want to leave...."

"If you don't decide soon, Naman, I'm going to end up scrambling to find someplace decent to live that's close to the college."

Wet coats, hats and scarves hung up to dry and boots left by the door, Naman and Lex headed for their hot drinks. Martha handed them over with a smile and asked, "Lex, I don't understand about the living arrangements? They all have dormitories, and surely you should be able to arrange a single room for him."

Blowing across the steaming cider before venturing a sip, Lex shook his head. "Listen, I'm willing to give up a lot for Naman, but I'm not moving into a dorm with him." He only narrowly avoided wearing the hot liquid as he shoved the mug in Martha's general direction in order to accept a swooping hug.

Naman's voice was muffled in the neck of Lex's sweater, his snow-damp curls tickling Lex's pale face. "I thought you were sending me away from you, and I didn't want to go."

Lex rubbed Naman's back, soothing him with a soft voice. "Hey, hey, calm down. I'm sorry. I thought you understood that we'd be living together wherever you decided to go to college. I can run LexCorp from just about anywhere, and I will." Hands buried in dark waves, Lex pulled Naman's face up from his hiding place and forced him to look directly into his intense blue eyes. "Remember, I promised I'd never leave you. I'm your Segeeth and you're my Naman."

Blinking away tears, Martha looked over to where her husband stood silent, his eyes intent on the two men holding each other close. His eyes flashed to hers and he gave a slight nod, his face relaxing into the tiniest of smiles. Earl walked over to where his wife stood quietly, her soft cocoa eyes sympathetic as she watched, and he gave her a kiss, whispering that he loved her. Everyone began to gather around the table and take their place, scraping chairs and clinking china the only sounds heard until they were all settled and had clasped each other's hands.

Jonathan looked around the crowded table at his friends and family, and bowed his head. "Dear Lord, we ask you to bless this house and all who are in it on this Thanksgiving Day. We thank you for our children and our spouses, our homes and our hearths. I'm especially thankful that my son and his friend are here, and I hope this is the first of many Thanksgivings and dinners together. Amen."

A table full of smiles greeted Jonathan as he raised his head, and Martha squeezed his hand gratefully. Bowls and platters began to travel around the table, and the pleasant murmur of a family celebrating the season overtook the house as the snow continued to whitewash the world.

Chapter Nine

New Moons can also indicate bad weather. Sometimes, when a new Moon occurs on a clear night, a faint, golden outline of the full Moon can be seen as a continuation of the bright crescent. Traditional folklore refers to this as the 'Old Moon in the New Moon's arms,' a phenomenon created by earthshine — the reflection of light from the Earth back onto the surface of the Moon. Old customs take this to be the sign of a storm or misfortune; as one old ballad goes:

Late, Late yester' ev'n I saw the new Moon
wi' the old Moon in her arm
and I fear, I fear, my dear master
that we shall come to harm.
The Lunar Almanac

"Mr. Luthor, you're just in time. We're about to start another set of trials."

"Naman, come on over here with me. I think you'll find this interesting. Dr. Christiansen, I'm afraid I've fallen a little behind in the case studies. Fill me in on this cycle?"

"We're still evaluating the results on the effects of irradiation on the genetically-engineered seeds, with regard to long-term storage and drought resistance. We've recently located a new mineral, which has shown some promising results in the other sections. We're set up over here, and about to start up the laser."

"I hadn't heard of any new mineral under consideration. What is its composition?"

"Oh, it's unique to this area. Let me just start the sequence...there. As you see, we've set it up so that, as the shielding is raised, the crystal is positioned for the laser. There, it's starting."

"Dr. Christiansen, what is the composition...oh my God, shut it down! Naman, no, get out! Fuck! Shut it down, now! "

"Segeeth!"

"I don't understand. It's never reacted like this before. The radiation level is...."

"Shut it down! Naman, get out of the way!"

"Segeeth! No, Segeeth, stay back! Aauuuugghh!"

"Naman! Call the medical alert team, now! He's going into convulsions! Naman! Hold on, please, hold on. Breathe for me, Naman. Breathe...."

. . .

"Are you at least going to go down there and say hello to him?" Earl stood beside Lex as they observed the plant floor. One story below them, Gabe Sullivan, the plant manager, was conducting a group of high school students on a tour of the facility. One young man in particular stood out from the crowd, walking a little behind everyone else, awkward, slump-shouldered, dark hair unkempt. Looking at least three years older than the other students, he seemed a complete outsider.

Lex shook his head, his eyes never leaving the students. "Why? He doesn't know who I am, Earl. He's heard about me from his parents and friends, that's all. I'm Lex Luthor, the eccentric in the mansion, the strange man who let Clark and Martha Kent stay with him for six weeks until Clark regained his memory."

A dark hand reached out to clasp Lex's shoulder gently. "You're Segeeth. Are you going to just give that up?"

Lex jerked away and turned his back on Earl, facing away from the window. "I'm not Segeeth, not to him! Not since that damn experiment...not since he...woke up and the last thing he remembered was falling into the cave."

"But what if all he needs is to be reminded? What if...."

Lex whirled around, his face a mask of agony. "Earl, stop! Do you think I don't want him back? Do you think I wouldn't give anything...everything to have him walk in here and call me Segeeth, make me laugh and...hold me every night?" Walking to the window, Lex leaned his forehead against it, his eyes automatically searching out that one special student. His voice dropped to a raspy whisper. "He got his life back, Earl. He can be normal, one of the guys, go out with his friends, date a cheerleader, and maybe go to a basketball game or two. It's his chance, and I can't take that away from him by trying to make him remember me, remember what we had."

"Lex, you and I both know he's never been normal. He needs...."

"Earl...." Lex's cell phone interrupted, and he pulled it out of his pocket impatiently. "What now! Yes, this is Lex Luthor." He listened for a moment and then shot his hand out, groping for the edge of the nearby desk and leaning heavily on it. "When? I see. No, I'll take care of the arrangements. Thank you." Closing his phone carefully, Lex placed it back in his pocket. He straightened up and visibly pulled himself together, and then walked very precisely toward the door.

Earl followed him automatically, puzzled by his behavior. "Lex? Are you all right?"

Lex ignored the question and continued walking. "You have your passport, right? We need to fly to Switzerland tonight."

"Switzerland? Lex, what's going on?"

"Yes, Earl, Switzerland. I need to bring my father's body back home."

. . .

"Lex? Why are you sitting here alone, in the dark?"

"Earl, it's Christmas Eve. Go home to your wife and son. Enjoy your holiday."

"Martha stopped by earlier and left you a pie, and there's a present under the tree from the Kents. She wanted to talk to you and wish you Merry Christmas, but you were in that teleconference with Japan. She said she invited you...."

"Yes, it was very kind of her, but I wrote back and explained that I didn't think it would be a good idea."

"Then I wish you'd join us for dinner tomorrow. It would be just the four of us, and Rose would love to have you. If you change your mind...at least let me turn on the lights before I go, Lex. It's a beautiful tree."

"Yes, it is. Martha and...Naman really did...yes. Now, please go home, Earl. A Merry Christmas to you and Rose and little Earl."

"All right, Lex. Good night and Merry Christmas to you, too. Take care of yourself. I'll see you on Monday."

The study door closed softly behind Earl, leaving Lex sitting on the sofa in front of the unlit fireplace. The only light in the room emanated from the Norway spruce that he and Naman had cut down themselves the first day of December, and then set up in the corner with an equal amount of hilarity and aggravation. Lex had located boxes of his mother's heirloom ornaments, and they'd spent one evening going through them and selecting the ones they wanted on the tree this year, and marking others for years to come. The strands of white twinkle lights had reminded Naman of the stars, and he loved to watch them blink, sprawled out on the sofa with his head in Lex's lap.

The lights glinted off the package Earl had mentioned, and Lex stared at it for a while before getting up and retrieving it from under the tree. He turned it over, weighing it, even shaking it a little before taking it back to the sofa. He pulled the envelope free and opened the cheerful card, reading the message aloud in the dim glow from the tree.

Dearest Lex,

I've wanted to thank you in person for all you've done for us, but you've been a difficult man to contact, and I always seem to miss you. You've been wonderfully generous with the clothing, Clark's schooling and, of course, your time. Jonathan, Clark and I would really like you to join us for Christmas dinner, and I hope you'll reconsider.

We were sorry to hear about your father. Please let us know if there will be a memorial service. We'd like to attend it. With that in mind, I've included something I know is very special to you in your gift. Naman told me about it when you gave it to him, and I don't want you to lose that piece of your past.

I hope you like what I've sent and will take it in the spirit it is meant, as a reminder of a special day, one that I hope we might share again someday, if you'll visit us. I truly do miss seeing you. Merry Christmas.

Love,

Martha

Lex set the card aside and idly traced the silver and gold snowflake pattern on the shiny paper. He slipped one finger under the flap at the end and tugged it loose, carefully pulling the paper open so that it had no tears in it when it joined the card beside him. Lifting the lid of the slim box, he pushed aside the red tissue paper, exposing a brushed metal frame with a photograph. The twinkling lights were enough for him to see the details, and his finger only shook a little as it stroked the glass, lingering over the smiling faces that were red-cheeked from playing in the snow.

Wiping away the drop of moisture that marred the glass, Lex was about to place the frame back in the box when he noticed another thin box underneath. He slipped that out and then set the larger box and the picture frame aside. Weighing the smaller box in his hand, he opened it with trembling hands, already guessing what was inside. He closed his eyes, unable to bear the sight of the golden watch bearing the face of Napoleon, remembering....

"Here, let me have your left hand, Segeeth."

"What are you doing?"

"Kyla said this was for my beloved."

"Naman, I..."

"There, I'm the only one who can take this off. You can't escape being my beloved."

"So I see. That's good, because I don't see myself ever wanting to run away. Strange...this isn't silver, is it? I've never seen anything like it."

"Of course not, Segeeth. It's unique and special, like you."

"Wait. Naman, I want you to have something just as unique. It's a one-of-a-kind. Here it is. My mother had it made for me before she died."

"It's beautiful...but it was from your mother, I can't...."

"She gave it to me after telling me the story of Napoleon having his mother painted into the picture of his coronation, so she would be there in his memory, even if she wasn't there in real life. I want you to have this, Naman, so you always have a piece of me to carry with you."

"Then yes, Segeeth, I'll keep it with me forever to remind me of you."

Regretting his destructive mood of a few days earlier, when he'd smashed every decanter of liquor in the house because Naman had always hated the smell of it, Lex held the watch in his hand and tried to decide where he would store it, since he couldn't wear it himself. Shoving back the sleeve of his sweater, he held up his left hand and watched the lights glitter off the metal and stone that had taken its former place on his wrist.

Naman had been right that day, and Lex couldn't remove the cuff.

He'd never even tried.

. . .

"Lex, you can't keep going on like this. The cook tells me you're hardly eating, and the housekeeper said your bed hasn't been slept in for weeks."

"Wonderful, so now I live in a mansion filled with mother hens. Earl, I'm fine. In fact, I'm fucking on top of the world. Haven't you seen the latest stock prices for LexCorp?"

"In that case, maybe you should think about taking some time off to celebrate. Find a nice island. Relax for a couple of weeks. You haven't been out of Smallville in months, not since your father...."

"I can't leave."

"Lex...."

"I'm not my father, Earl, no matter what Jonathan Kent or the rest of the world may say. I keep my promises."

. . .

The figure standing on the bridge, leaning against the rail and staring out over the river in the fading light, looked familiar. As the Porsche drew closer, Lex could make out more details, and he winced in recognition. He slowed automatically as a courtesy to a pedestrian, vaguely disappointed when there was no corresponding movement, not even a glance at the passing car. Watching the tall form recede in the rearview mirror, Lex felt the aching weight that he carried every day grow heavier.

Suddenly, he set his jaw and, with a protesting squeal of tires, spun the Porsche around one-hundred-eighty degrees. Driving back towards the bridge, he pulled over to the side just before it, shut off the engine, and waited. After a minute or two, he got out and walked up slowly to join the other, who still gazed out into the distance. Taking a chance, he leaned on the railing just a foot away. They stood there in silence, watching the bands of red painting the sky deepen to purple, a single star heralding the oncoming night.

"Can I give you a lift?" Lex could barely make out the negative shake of the dark head against the gathering shadows, but he could detect the warmth of the body next to his, warmth he craved every night. "Anything I can do to help? Call your parents, maybe?"

A careless shrug shifted the backpack thrown over one broad shoulder, but the carved profile never changed, remained stoic and distant. "I'm fine."

"Kyla Willowbrook mentioned you've been spending a lot of time in the caves. Do you think that's a good idea, considering everything that's happened?"

"I really couldn't say, because I don't know what happened, do I? Nobody does, it's all in bits and pieces, my life interrupted." The strong jaw lifted, and Lex caught the glint from a glance in his direction. "My mom and dad told me that you know about what I can do, that I'm different, but that's all they've really told me. I lived in your house for almost two months, and I don't remember anything about it, but I want to know what it was like there, what I was like." Within the next instant, Lex felt him withdraw, hunching inward as if to make himself smaller, weaker. Lex had to listen carefully to make out the whispered words. "I feel as if something's missing inside of me. I wake up sometimes in the middle of the night and I can almost figure it out, and then it's gone, and all I know is...it hurts."

Lex jerked and turned to face him, his hand outstretched, hovering, aching to touch. "You're in pain? Martha never said...why didn't she call me? What...."

"What can you do?" Lex flinched and dropped his hand when the powerful body straightened and stepped back from the railing. "You can explain to me why you would even pretend to care, why I was with you all that time and yet you've never spoken to me since." Lex watched him, helpless as he began to back away, receding into the darkness until he was simply no longer there, leaving only the echo of his anguish to tear at Lex's heart.

"You can tell me why I wake up shouting, 'Segeeth.'"

Conclusion

Chinese legend speaks of the Man in the Moon who secures the destiny of lovers by uniting them with an invisible, silken cord, which he ties around their waists. At the time they are destined to meet and fall in love, he draws the cords together.

"Excuse me, sir."

"Earl, what is it? We're right in the middle...."

"I'm sorry, sir, but it's an emergency. I have Mrs. Kent waiting for you in the hall."

Since he'd told Earl that morning about the meeting on the bridge, Lex feared the worst. "Of course, bring her in immediately."

After quickly excusing himself, and placing the teleconference on standby, Lex rose from his chair and hurried to greet Martha as she was escorted into the office by Earl. "Martha, what is it? Is it Naman...Clark?"

"He didn't come home last night. I mean, he did, but then he and Jonathan...." Martha broke off, too distraught to continue.

"Here, Martha, come sit down here and drink this." Lex escorted Martha to the sofa, and helped her sip from the tumbler of scotch Earl had brought over from the re-stocked bar at Lex's signal. "Now, tell me everything that happened."

"He came home so upset last night, talking about not feeling like he belonged anywhere and how he was too different to be with and then, oh God, Lex, he put his arm in the wood chipper!"

Lex swayed, suddenly finding it hard to breathe through airways that hadn't suffered from asthma since the day of the meteorites. "He wasn't hurt, he's okay?"

Martha nodded and took another sip of the scotch, choking a little at the burn. "Jonathan decided he needed to tell him, that he needed to know." She looked between the two men who stood ready to do everything they could for her son, and burst into tears again. "Jonathan took him into the storm cellar and showed him the ship."

Lex sat down on the sofa, hard, and Earl took the chair opposite. Taking a deep breath, Lex repeated slowly, "Showed him...the ship."

"The ship he arrived in, the day of the meteor shower. Jonathan put it in the back of the truck under a tarp and, after we took you and your father to the hospital, he put it in the storm cellar. It's been there ever since, covered with the same tarp."

Martha finished her scotch and handed Lex the tumbler. He set it on the floor beside his foot as he sat there, silent, his eyes distant in thought.

"He's an alien."

Earl's blunt statement recalled Lex from wherever his mind had taken him, and he turned to Martha, speaking urgently. "You said he's gone. Did he say anything or give you any ideas as to where he might have been headed?"

She shook her head, frowning. "I'm not sure. He said he wasn't surprised, that it made sense and it was why he'd never belong anywhere. After that, he was quiet and he touched the ship, and then he said he was sorry that he'd ever come back, that it would have been better if he'd just stayed missing. And then he...left."

Lex's eyes were bleak as he looked across at Earl, seeing the confirmation in his dark, concerned face. They rose as one, both voices announcing the same conclusion. "The caves."

. . .

Moonlight was the only illumination in the stone-quiet night, light's comfort forsaken in a wait without end. Seated on an insulated pad and wrapped in a blanket, leaning against a wall that never warmed, Lex patiently watched the wall opposite for any sign of change. Close to him were the clothes left behind as the only evidence, the faint scent that still lingered a scant, yet welcome comfort.

No alterations had been made to the underground room, no monitoring equipment, no drilling or seismic testing, nothing that could introduce a new variable to the environment. He'd attempted to recreate the exact conditions of that Halloween night, but something was obviously missing or different. The wall remained nothing more than painted stone under the pale, ice-white moon.

. . .

"You're going there tonight?" Martha placed a piece of cherry pie in front of Lex before serving Jonathan. "Are you sure there's nothing else we can do to help? I'm getting worried. You look so thin and tired."

Lex sighed and shook his head. "I'll be fine, Martha. There's nothing more to do, really. I have everything set up. I don't know what else to try that doesn't involve potentially damaging whatever mechanism or device was used. I'm just not willing to take that chance."

"But it's been months, Lex," Jonathan protested. "You're there every night. Earl says...."

"I'm not going to give up." Lex pushed the half-eaten pie away, his appetite almost nonexistent since that day in the lab. "I know there's something I'm missing, but I'm researching all the time." He stood up and walked to where his coat was hanging. "I'm going to bring him back home." He shrugged on the coat, buttoning it up before he turned back to face the Kents, his face weary and filled with self-disgust. "I promised I wouldn't leave him, and yet that's exactly what I did. I left him to cope with all those changes by himself, left him with no one he felt he could talk to who might understand. I should have found some way to help him, instead of letting myself be so selfishly focused on what I lost."

"Son," Jonathan got up and walked over to Lex, placing work-worn hands on his slumped shoulders, "you can't take all the blame for this. I'm the one who told him everything that night, and did a piss-poor job of it, too. You did more than anyone could expect for him, for us. He was a complete stranger, and yet you took him and Martha in, for no reason. I sure didn't make things easy for you, either."

Lex looked up at Jonathan's earnest face, and then across to Martha, sitting there quietly with tears in her eyes. He shook his head with a bitter smile twisting his lips. "But, you see, that's where you're wrong. I had a reason. From the first time I looked into his eyes, I had no choice but to give him everything he wanted or needed. It was because he saw me, his Segeeth. When he looked at me, he didn't see Lionel Luthor's son, or an heir to millions, or even the freak with no hair. It all meant nothing to him." Lex looked away from both of them, ashamed. "He was unique, and I didn't want to share him with anyone else. I would have done anything to keep him with me forever, that one person who wanted me, who made me happier than I'd ever been in my life."

Shaking his head, Jonathan squeezed Lex's shoulders gently, and then released him. "Lex, you have to stop thinking of yourself as the villain of the story. You're a good man, and nothing you just said changes that. Just try to remember that Martha and I want you to take care of yourself, not make yourself sick over this."

"I...thank you for dinner." With a short nod, Lex left. A few muffled footfalls on the porch and the growl of an engine were the only sounds heard as the Kents sat at their table, staring helplessly at a half-eaten piece of pie.

. . .

"Come on, Lex, you don't want to miss this window of opportunity." Lex rolled his eyes at Earl as he listened to the raspy voice at the other end of the speaker phone. He was still tired from the night before, and he wanted to finish the call so that he could sleep for a few hours before leaving for the caves. "I'm telling you, something like this only comes around once in a blue moon!"

Lex froze. The pen he'd been passing over and under his knuckles dropped to the desk with a clatter. "What did you just say?"

"That you don't want to be sorry you missed...."

Leaning forward intently, Lex interrupted, "No, the part about the moon."

There was silence for a moment before a tentative voice replied, "It only comes around once in a blue moon?"

"That was it. I'll have to get back to you on this." Skipping any of the formalities, Lex terminated the call and jumped up from his chair. He began pacing behind his desk while Earl watched in surprise. "It was blue, the light, somehow...why...it was the moon...." Stopping abruptly, he sat back down in his chair and opened his laptop, typing in his password without delay. "Blue light...no...blue moon. Fuck, sixty million hits. Wait, there's a wiki entry...."

Lex began reading aloud. "The most obvious meaning of blue moon is when the moon (not necessarily a full moon) appears to a casual observer to be unusually bluish, which is a rare event. The effect can be caused by smoke or dust particles in the atmosphere, as has happened after forest fires in Sweden in 1950 and Canada in 1953 and, notably, after the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883, which caused the moon to appear blue for nearly two years." Looking up at Earl, who was waiting intently for him to get to the point, Lex frowned. "The bonfire. Do you think that might have been enough? Especially if the wind currents...atmospheric pressure...."

Jumping back up, Lex started for the office door, tossing orders back over his shoulder. "I want another bonfire set up out there immediately. Call whoever you need to for permits...."

"Lex, stop! Just stop and think for a minute." Earl caught up with Lex just before he could leave the study, and seized him by the shoulders, giving him a little shake. "Tell me what you think is going to happen. Explain it to me so I can be sure I understand what you need."

Lex took a deep breath and nodded. "Right. You're right. The light on the wall that night was blue."

Dropping his hands from Lex's shoulders, Earl took a step back, cocking his head in puzzlement. "Yeah, the blue lights were flashing in sequence. You've said that."

"No. The moonlight on the wall was blue, not white. I'm so stupid. How could I have missed that?" Dropping his head in dismay, Lex rubbed the back of his neck as he berated himself. "The particles in the air from the bonfire must have changed the light, and that triggered...."

"In a cave."

"What?"

"We're talking about changing the light in a cave, Lex. Do you really think these aliens, or whatever they were, set up their machines to work based on the color of moonlight...in a cave?"

Lex's head rose and he stared at Earl, eyes narrowed in thought as he considered the point Earl had made. He nodded slowly. "Of course not." Eyes distant, he took the last few steps to the study door. "I'll going to the lab, Earl. I'll see you tomorrow."

Earl watched the study door close behind Lex, and shook his head ruefully. He suspected the lab workers were going to have a long night ahead of them.

. . .

Watching the flashing sequence under the third blue-filtered light source he'd tried, Lex felt his heart begin to race. He glanced around the cave at the preparations he'd made and wondered if he should have at least had Earl standing guard outside, in case something went terribly wrong. It was too late to change his mind. He wasn't going to waste this opportunity. As he touched the final light and the power exploded through his body, his last thought was that if it didn't work, if Naman didn't return, then he didn't want to survive this pain.

. . .

He watched dark lashes flutter and held his breath, waiting for a glimpse of green. The heavy head cradled in his lap nuzzled against his belly, the softest of lips murmuring sleepily as pale fingers roamed through silken curls. Dark emeralds began to gleam in the lantern's light, a sweet smile following close after.

"I was dreaming about you."

"Were you? What was I doing?"

"I'm not quite sure. It was so strange, Lex."

His hand stilled and his heart stuttered, and it took all his will not to leap to his feet and rage against the cruel fates that had stolen his life, his love. He summoned his remaining strength, and betrayed nothing.

"What can you tell me about it? Do you remember any of it?"

"You called me another name, not Clark, and we were laughing. It's all so jumbled...I'm still confused."

He sighed and nodded, making an effort to smile and hoping the shadows concealed the pain.

"Do you think you can sit up? I have your clothes here. You should get dressed."

Another smile, so close to the grin he'd cherished each day, and then his arms were empty. He rose slowly and took a few steps away, his back turned for modesty's sake.

"Lex? Where are you going?"

"Nowhere. I'm right here, Clark."

There was a rustle of fabric behind, and then warmth, drawing so near to his back, but still failing to touch.

"No, you've already left. Why?"

"I can't...I need some time. What we had isn't real anymore, and...."

"It may have been a dream, but it was the best kind, one that I never want to wake up from."

He'd done what he'd set out to do, he'd succeeded, yet he'd also failed. Now he needed to keep the pieces together long enough to deliver his prize safely home, and then he could shatter.

"Your parents...I need to get you back."

"You promised you would never leave me!"

When Lex turned back in shock at the words, Clark captured his left arm, sliding his large hand down to Lex's slim wrist and skimming back the sleeve. Touching the cuff, tracing one of the markings, Clark's lips parted in breathless amazement and he whispered, "I ran away because Jonathan...Dad told me...I came from the sky. This is the same metal...." Lex was slowly drawn closer until he was wrapped in arms he could never escape. Clark smiled down into stunned, dark-blue eyes. "You can't escape being my beloved, Segeeth."

"Naman." The choked whisper forced its way past a throat that struggled to find breath. "I thought...Naman, I...."

"What is it? You can tell me."

"When I lost Naman...when I lost you, all I could think was that I hadn't taught him, hadn't shared the most important words of all. Every time I saw you after that, I kept wishing I had him back long enough to tell him, to make Naman understand...."

"What, Segeeth? What was it?"

"I should have said...'I love you, Naman,' every day that I had him with me."

"You may not have said those words aloud, Segeeth, but Naman knew. I'm sure that was why Clark...why I felt something was missing, even then. Now we're back, both of us, and we both love you. I love you."

The kiss was sweet, just a taste, with a promise of more.

"I am your Naman and you are my Segeeth."

Alabaster hands buried in dark silk, blue eyes vowed forever to devoted green.

"Naman, you and I, we're going to be the stuff of legends."

fin

***

Blue Moon lyrics by Lorenz Hart, music by Richard Rodgers

Blue moon,
You saw me standing alone,
Without a dream in my heart,
Without a love of my own.

Blue moon,
You knew just what I was there for,
You heard me saying a prayer for,
Somebody I really could care for.

And then there suddenly appeared before me,
The only one my arms will ever hold,
I heard somebody whisper, "Please adore me."
And when I looked,
The moon had turned to gold.

Blue moon,
Now I'm no longer alone,
Without a dream in my heart,
Without a love of my own.

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