Lana Lang had never been happier.

Chloe Sullivan could see that clearly as Lana practically buzzed around the Talon that evening, taking orders, and even handing out a few freebies.

"Wow, so, you seem really happy," Chloe said, venturing a smile when Lana finally took her break. Lana slid onto a stool next to Chloe, and flashed her friend a quick smile.

"Yeah," Lana replied, "it's been a good week," she said, nodding her head with that little way she had. She ran a hand through her long, tousled locks and cocked her head. "Things are finally picking up."

"Really?" Chloe asked, suddenly interested. She leaned in closer to her friend. "Do share," she asked, prodding Lana lightly.

Lana shrugged. "You know…things between me and Clark are finally picking up, and -"

"Wait, hold it," Chloe said, holding up a hand. She shot Lana a confused look, wondering what her friend was talking about. "You mean Jason, right? Not Clark, but Jason."

Lana's expression of happiness slowly melted into one of shock as Chloe's words sunk in. "Jason…" she whispered, stunned.

"You forgot all about him didn't you?" Chloe asked in wonderment. "Ah, the super-stud that is Clark Kent." She paused for a moment, and let Lana's shock seep in. Chloe, on her part, was a little surprised but not horribly so. Heck, if she'd been with someone – anyone - and things suddenly perked up with Clark, Chloe knew for a fact that she'd go running to Clark. Who wouldn't?

Lana stood up and turned to look at one of the girls behind the counters. "Nora, can you cover me?" she asked the girl behind the counter. The cute young barista nodded her head. "Thanks," Lana said, smiling appreciatively. She turned to Chloe. "I'm going to have to go talk to Jason."

"What are you going to say to him? Are you ending it?"

Lana shrugged and shook her head. "I don't know."

Jason sat quietly on an armchair, flipping through a text book, waiting for Lana to come back. He felt incredibly guilty, had been feeling incredibly guilty, over the past couple of days. He realized that he shouldn't have contacted his mother when he started noticing weird things with Lana. His mother had assured him that there was nothing to worry about, and that Lana had probably been telling him the truth. Her voice, though, he noticed, had a certain edge to it. She was still hiding something from him, but what?

In a rush, his conversations with his mother before his trip to Paris came back to him. He hadn't been in the world's best place then. He'd recently broken up with his long-time girlfriend, an archaeology student who'd left him to go to Greece for a couple of semesters, and had somewhat delved into depression for awhile. Out of nearly nowhere, Genevieve Teague had suggested that he go to Paris. It'd be good for him, she prodded. He might meet someone special.

Wait. Did she say that he might…or that he would?

Jason slammed the text book shut and sat up, running a hand through his short, clean blonde hair. He should have realized that his mother was up to her manipulative games again.

But there was more than that, wasn't there? Genevieve wasn't just playing a game. There was something much higher at stake. There had to be. Genevieve had never prodded Jason to go anywhere before, never prodded him to find someone special. She wasn't that kind, in spite of the view that society got of her.

She was behind this somehow. Him and Lana, meeting, it can't have been an accident. Not with everything that was happening to Lana at that moment. If that was the case, then he would have to talk to Lana.

No, worse.

Jason would have to leave Lana.

Lana stood outside her apartment, a little apprehensive. She didn't know what she was going to say to Jason, or even how she was going to say it. He'd been so good to her. Amazing, in fact. Better than he had to be. Jason had even gone to the extent of following Lana all the way from France to tiny little Smallville just so that he could be with her. No guy had done that for her.

But now, there was Clark, again. Clark, who had completely opened himself up to Lana. He'd spilled all his secrets, and Lana knew that it had to have been hard for him. The only other people that knew were Zatanna, Pete Ross, and Bart, and each one for their own reasons. She understood why Clark hadn't told her earlier – she was sure that she would have freaked – but at the same time, she kind of hated having the information now. It made it so much easier to go back to him, but at the same time, she had Jason in her life right now.

Who was the right guy to choose?

Lana trusted her instincts to do the talking for her and braced herself before throwing open the door to her apartment. After all, her instincts were the core of her being – her id, as it were – and would tell her who she really wanted.

She stepped into the apartment and shut the door behind her, setting her bag and keys down on the end table next to the door. Slowly, unsurely, Lana walked into the living room, bracing herself, only to find Jason standing there with a duffel bag and a suitcase on either side of him.

"What's going on?" Lana asked, somewhat confused.

"I'm leaving," Jason explained, picking up his bags.

"What? Why? Jason, what's going on?" Lana asked again, striding up to him. She stopped just a foot away from him and looked Jason straight in his eyes. "Tell me."

Jason matched Lana's even gaze for a moment, faltered, and then looked away. "I think we're moving too fast," he told her. "I think we're moving too fast and I don't think that you're ready for that sort of relationship, and so I'm leaving. To give us a break." He moved past Lana, but Lana moved out in front of him again, trying to block him with her slim figure.

"Don't," she told him, her voice carrying a sense of urgency to it. "Please, Jason…can we talk about this? At least for a few minutes?"

Jason shook his head, glum yet firm. "I'm sorry Lana. I love you. But I'm sorry." He gently pushed past her and then opened the door, and walked out of Lana's apartment, and possibly even Lana's life.

Lana collapsed on the couch behind her, her eyes brimming with tears. So that was it, then, she supposed. Her decision was made for her. She could continue her relationship with Clark.

So then why did she feel so empty inside?

After a few moments of quiet sobbing, Lana rose once again, this time to wash her face and go back down to the Talon. She was interrupted, though, by a knock at her door.

Her heart soared, and Lana hoped that it was Jason at the door as she rushed over to the door to open it.

Lana threw the door open to find both Zatanna and Bart standing there, identical puzzled expressions on their faces.

"Lana, are you alright?" Zatanna asked, concerned at seeing Lana's tear-streaked face. The young woman gently nodded.

"I'm fine. What brings you guys here?"

"We need you to come to Salem with us," Zatanna explained. "We might not have a lot of time, but we'll more than likely get the answers that we're searching for. Can you pack a bag in under two minutes?"

"Yeah," Lana nodded. "How long will we be gone for?"

"A day or two. Why?"

"I need someone to watch over the Talon. Mrs. Kent or someone."

"Here, I can take the keys to her," Bart offered. "Be back in under a minute."

"Alright," Lana said, tossing him the keys. "Go."

Bart nodded and zipped off in a flash of red and yellow while Lana ran to pack up a few necessities. By the time Bart was back, Lana and Zatanna were loading things into Zatanna's car. Bart slid into the back seat as they buckled their seatbelts.

"Ready, guys?" Zatanna asked. Bart and Lana nodded. "Great. Looks like we're off to see the wizard then," the sorceress said, shifting the car into high gear.

Writer's Note: Hey guys. So, yeah…As most of you know, they're off to see Dr. Fate now. Could be interesting. -D. Like the idea of Marc Singer as Jim Rook, by the way. I can totally see that working. I might bring him back later as well. Ah, also, you'll be seeing another familiar face soon, which will turn into a catalyst for the one thing that all of this is leading up to. Personally, I'm excited about this is going, as I suppose I should be since I am writing it. Hope you guys stay with me for it, though, as I'm sure that I'm likely to tick a few of you off…

Keep on r-and-r-ing guys, I'm heinously appreciating it, and I should have another update by the end of the week, hopefully!