DISCLAIMER

Smallville belongs to the WB. I only own the plot.

THREE WEEKS LATER

Lana laid her head against Jason's shoulder as they watched the sun set.

"Jason, it's so beautiful," she sighed.

"I'm glad you like it," he smiled.

"Jason, how can I not?" Lana queried. "I mean, you go to all this trouble and---" her voice trailed off. The past three weeks had been an emotional rollercoaster, what with Jason's mom nearly killing Lex and his father, and Jason telling Lana all about the woman's obsession with finding the cave stones.

"Well, I figured you needed a break after that whole mess with my mother," Jason stated. He still couldn't believe he had almost let her talk him into murder. He had told Lana all about his mom's obsession, and how he had just blindly followed her. How devoted he had been.

"Jason, you know I don't blame you for that," Lana told him."I know, but---" his protest was silenced by his girlfriend's kiss. At first, Jason fully reciprocated the kiss, but when Lana's fingers went through his hair, he stiffened. A woman's fingers ran through his hair.

"Jason," she breathed seductively.

"Wait, wait. Lana, stop," Jason said, pulling away.

"What? What's the matter?" Lana wondered.

"Uh---not here. It's too, uh---" Jason began.

"Too what?" Lana interrupted with a laugh.

"It's---it's---" Jason stammered. "Uh, let's just slow down a little," he suggested.

"Yeah, sure," Lana agreed. She pulled away. Jason rubbed the back of his head and blew out a breath. He stared at the ground.

"Jason," the woman whispered.

"No," a young Jason said in fright. He began to struggle, but was pinned down.

"No. No, please," he begged.

"Jason?" Lana's voice broke Jason out of his reverie. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Uh...yeah. Sorry," he apologized.

"Where did you go just now?" she wondered.

"Nowhere. Nowhere important," he lied. He didn't want her to know what was going on inside his head. That had been then. This was now. He was free from all of that. He just had to remember that. It wasn't going to happen again.

"Hey, what is it?" Lana asked.

"Nothin'," Jason told her.

"Are you sure?" Lana questioned.

"Yeah," Jason answered. She looked unconvinced. "Kiss me," he said. She obligied. For a moment, in his mind's eye, he saw someone else kissing him, and his throat muscles constricted. Then, he shook away the memory and let himself get lost in Lana's kiss.