Isabel stood in the place of dreams. She couldn’t see Max or Michael, but she could feel them there. She felt and heard Liz’s dream bubble, still hovering by. The sound was sour and the feel was like that of fingernails on a chalk board. It ran up and down her spine setting every nerve on edge. Isabel called it to her and held it lightly in her palms. ‘I can do this’ She thought to herself, and then placed just her fingertips against its surface. They weren’t going to enter in. Yet. They were going to see it as Liz saw it. “Okay boys, here we go.”

They saw Max, only not Max, appear. * A shape shifter! * *Shh, wait. * They felt Liz’s fear as she thought the same thing. Saw the proof of the Mariachi band, and the roses. Heard his reason for coming, what he had to ask her to do. They felt the pain and heartache as she tried to do what had to be done. The planning with Kyle and the unendurable grief it caused when Max looked in and saw them. Then there was the kiss and all the acid-like memories that were etched onto her mind. The horror that nearly consumed her. Her determination. “I’m glad that happened. Max. It will help make me strong. Every time I want to tell him, you, I’ll remember this and I won’t let it happen.” Then the dance and when he disappeared, there was the belief that it had worked, that crushed her to her knees, there on the roof.

They saw Max, only not Max, appear…

* Enough! * Max was beyond caring what the consequences were for everyone. He had to get to Liz. He had to hold her and tell her that there was another way. There had to be, and they would find it. * Iz. Get me in there! * He demanded. * Max! It’s dangerous! * Isabel cried.

* Do it! *

Isabel spread her hands and the bubble expanded, then Max stepped through and disappeared from sight.

Max stepped into a dense dark fog. It felt oily and had the smell of something dying. The overpowering sensation of utter despair. He began to call for her. Pushing against a strange resistance. It was Liz. She didn’t want him to find her.

Instead of using his eyes, he now used his feelings. All the good things that had happened between them. All the best memories. These he used as a weapon against the resistance. Even as a divining rod, they began to lead him toward her.

Finally the mist started to lift ahead of him, and there, kneeling on the ground was Liz. His Liz. She was rocking back and forth with her face in her hands. He rushed forward to take her in his arms, but at his first touch she leapt up and started to run away.

* Liz! * There was so much pain in that one word, that she stopped for a moment.

* Could he still care? * Asked her heart. * No! You can’t! * She yelled, backing away. * Leave me alone! *

* Liz I love you! I’ll always love you! * He cried, putting every bit of feeling into it that he could.

* No Max. I have to stay away from you. * She wailed and began to disappear into the mist again.

* Liz! Listen to me. There is another way! There has to be. Max, the other Max is gone. But I still love you. I love only you! Liz, he’s gone, and I still love you!* Was it his imagination or was the mist beginning to thin?

* Max? * Liz called meekly. He looked around trying to see her in the darkness. * Max, if it’s true then I can’t come back yet. *

* But why? * She could feel his hurt, but she had a handle on the first hope she had felt since this whole thing started. She wasn’t about to give it up.

* Max, if there is another way to keep Tess there , with the group, then you have to find it. For her, for us, for everyone we love. Find it Max. And then I’ll come back. * Max felt himself being pushed firmly out of the dream bubble. * Find it Max. I’ll wait. I can now. I’ll wait forever as long as you love me. *

Then he was out. The last thing he heard before he left was a distant sobbing cry. There was sorrow and loneliness in that cry, but there was something else there too.