She'd had a fitful sleep after she went back to her room last night. When they all woke up after Michael's and her latest and most disturbing dream so far, they went downstairs to talk about it.

Max had looked at her strangely when she'd denied that Michael and her were doing anything important in the desert. But she just could not get herself to put any of it into words. It would give the visions a reality outside of the dream world. She was not yet ready to deal with the consequences this could have for herself, for Michael, and for any of the others.

She needed time to sort out that feeling she'd had that Tess was somehow behind these dreams. And what if this was happening because she'd never allowed anyone other than Max and Michael close? She had to find out for sure if any of her suspicions were true.

Her mind went back to the previous night's dream. She had been standing in the desert again, under the jutting rock formation, surrounded by signs from the message Nacedo had left for them in River Dog's cave. She kept looking at the sign in front of her, an X connecting four identical circles, each containing a tiny kidney shaped object. This was the sign Tess had made out of sugar cubes that day to represent the connection between the four of them.

A hand brushed her hair back. Even though he stood in the dark, she knew it was Michael. She turned to him. In the dream world, there was no need for spoken words between them, like long ago when they'd met and recognized each other in the desert. She was glad she was not alone anymore. Michael was going to help her find the answer.

The moment Michael bent down to look into her eyes, a radiant sun illuminated him, invading both of their senses with a luxuriant warmth that filled them with a sense of complete well-being and joy. She'd never felt so happy to just be and she could feel Michael's wonder also. His hands cupped her face and slowly brought her up to him. Then they were kissing, sharing everything they were in that connection. Isabel closed her eyes, willing him to feel all of her love and fierce protectiveness. She could sense his relief at having found her here after all his years of loneliness. Everything was perfect.

Except for an unfamiliar, growing presence leaking into the edges of their dream. She tried to follow it to its source and suddenly was overwhelmed by fear and a feeling of wrongness.

"Michael, no!" Isabel cried. She woke up in a panic, her heart beating wildly, as Max rushed into her room, followed by Michael.