Clark stop moving. It was no use to try and thrash about on the ground, he had to concentrate to try and stop the pain, no matter how futile it was. He was having limited sucess. He continued fighting and fighting, until it was too much. He fell into unconsciousness, memories flooding to him until he settled into one.

Seven-year-old Clark jumped back from the second snake that was right beside him. Clark stopped crying, and held his breath. He heard slithering. He looked around, and under the pale moonlight, the ground near him was moving. There was two snakes here, or even three, there was a least a dozen. Tears started streaming down Clark's face, but he dared not make a sound. Could snakes hear? Clark didn't know. He just to get out of here. He wanted to see dad again. He wanted to see dad and mom and Pete and Greg.

The boy started inching away out of the small clearing, trying to stay away from the snakes, back the way he came. If he went back that way maybe he would find dad again.

"Clark?!"

Clark looked where he had heard the faint voice come from. Dad! Clark ran past the snakes, towards where the voice came from. "Dad! I'm right here!" Clark yelled out, racing for his dad. He would see him again! He ran and ran, until he saw his dad. Clark smiled, running up to Johnathan, throwing his tiny arms as far around him as he could.

Alex stood at a relative distance, watching it unfold, still overhearing the thoughts of whom she thought was Justin. She was wrong. What had she done? How was she going to get out of this? How was she going to get Clark out of this?

Clark hugged his dad as tight as he could. He wasn't going to leave him again. Dad was his protector, Clark had to stay with him so he wouldn't by things like those snakes. But then, suddenly, Clark wasn't a seven-year-old boy anymore. "Dad?" he called out. Jonathan had disappeared from the forest as Clark changed back to his present self. Kent looked around in confusion, but eyes widened once he saw Alex standing staring at him. "Alex! It's me, it's not Justin. Please, I need to wake up. We need to get out of here."

Mercer raced up to Clark and hugged him. "I'm so sorry Clark." she whispered. "Justin is still here. If you get up he'll kill us both. I guess he was waiting for me to kill you. Clark, how... why did you come for me?"

Clark held her closer. "Alex, I love you."

Alex smiled at Clark. "Clark, I'm going to wake you up. I have to keep the telepathic raid going with you awake, so he won't get suspicious."

Clark nodded. "I understand. I'll be ready, at least now I don't feel it."

"As soon as it stops, then you can come and get me. I'm going to stun Justin and hope that gives us enough time to escape."

"I understand."

The pain returned. Clark could feel around him, but his senses were being overpowered by the unbearable pain in his head.

Alex continued her mind raid, but she decreased it slightly for Clark. She waited several seconds, trying to find Justin. She found him. Justin was right behind her. She drifted her focus slightly towards him, just enough so she could target his mind and him not know it. She waited... waited...

With a war cry Alex turned around, with arms outstretched towards Justin. He fell back to the ground, hollering in pain. For half an instant Alex smiled inwardly, to see him suffer. But only for half an instant. She felt Clark grab her, then nothing but blurs.

Alex didn't know when she fell asleep exactly, a short time after Clark had slowed down to normal speed was all she could tell. In a state of half-reality and half-dream, she felt that she was being carried by Clark somewhere. In the dream she reached upwards and tenderly kissed Clark, pressing her lips against his, to show him just how she felt. But she didn't do that in reality, the situation was far too grim. The two had quite literally escaped death, and she was sure romance was the last thing on Clark's mind.

"Here we are." said Clark, slowly lowering Alexandra so her back rested on the cave wall. Clark was amazed at how tired she was, though that was to be expected. From his understanding she had accomplished quite a feat back at Edge High.

Alex opened her eyes once she was removed from Clark. Her eyes glanced around her surroundings, figuring out where Clark had taken her. She stared at him who was looking around the cave, looking at the cave paintings. "This place is importent to you." commented Alex. "Isn't it?"

Clark nodded. "It's one of the only things I have that can tell me where I came from and who my parents are.."

Alex looked at the ground. "Aren't you afraid that if you find out, you won't like it?" she said. "What if your real parents are evil?"

He paused, thinking. "I guess that's a risk I'm taking. Even if they are bad, they are a part of me. Thorns, I suppose."

Mercer remained silent at that, immediatly understanding. "What time is it?" she asked, "And how are we going to stop Justin?"

Clark looked at his watch. "It's about five... Pete should have been here by now. Maybe he had trouble tracking down Lex." replied Clark. "And iI/i am going to stop Justin. I'm not going to let him hurt you, Alex."

Alex stood up, shaking slightly. "That asshole has stolen everything from me." she said, angry. "I'll be damned if I'm going to let him take you. I can take care of myself, Clark, and whether you like it or not I'm fighting alongside you."