At the dry voice, Alex and Isabel pulled apart and stood up quickly, each wiping nervously at their mouth.

Michael stood leaning against the doorframe, Maria beside him.

"Oh my god," Maria gasped as she looked at Alex's bedroom.

Alex tried to wipe the hilarious grin off of his face in acknowledgment of the condition of his room, but his lips had a mind of their own. Who could blame them after coming into contact with that glorious creature. Other parts of his body were extremely jealous...

"Yeah, it's awful, isn't it," he finally managed.

"Well, you look okay. Are you okay," Maria crossed to him. "Because Liz said that you got attacked or something... but she didn't say who did it or how bad it was or anything. But this... this looks bad, really, really bad."

"He looks fine now, but it took some major healing to get him this way," Isabel said with a frown.

Maria suddenly noticed the blood on the floor beneath them and looked up at Alex, pale.

Isabel's phone rang, startling everyone. "I'll get it," she said firmly, grabbing the phone out of her purse and walking toward the hallway.

Maria threw her arms around Alex and hugged him.

Alex hugged her back. "I'm fine. What," he asked, pulling back from her. "You thought that was my blood?"

Maria smiled up at him shakily.

"No way," he smiled, shaking his head at her. "I pass out at the sight of my own blood, remember? And see, I'm staring right at it. No problem..." Alex started to frown. "Although it is... awfully red, isn't it?"

Maria grabbed one of his arms as he began to sway. "Maybe you should sit down," she said.

Alex nodded vaguely, "Maybe I should."

"So, who did this," Michael asked grimly. "Did you see anyone?"

Alex shook his head as Maria turned over a chair for him.

"We have to go," Isabel interupted as she snapped her cell phone shut. "Max wants us to meet him at the cave."

Alex blinked. "Wait, does this have something to do with Tess?"

Isabel tilted her head slightly, "How did you know that?"

"I just remembered," Alex said as he jumped up and started shuffling through the loose papers scattered all over the floor. "I've got something to show you."

******

The farther into the woods she got, the less sure Liz was that she'd done the right thing. This was suicide. The only thing missing was the bottle of pills.

Tess had powers; she played mind games; she hated Liz. The deep layers of evergreens blocked out most of the moonlight and Liz stumbled constantly over the uneven ground.

She swallowed nervously and tried to stop her train of thought.

It wasn't as if she'd be safe from Tess anywhere else.

And it wasn't as if her friends would be safe, either.

Or Max.

Liz looked behind her nervously. The forest was so dark and still back there. But it was even darker where she was headed. Liz took a deep, shuddering breath. She didn't want to face the darkness again.

******

Eddie could hear Liz's footsteps up ahead, but hung back, hiding the beam from his flashlight. River Dog said that was about to happen was necessary...

But he would be there, when the time came.

******

Max stared at the Parkers' car as he parked the Jeep beside it, unable to imagine any likely theory as to why it would be at the reservation. He jumped out and checked the empty car quickly.

Liz's purse was in the front seat.

He placed his hand on the hood of the car.

Still warm.

He glanced around quickly, but felt sure of which direction she had headed in. A feeling of dread stole over him. Had Liz heard Tess calling to him? Had she somehow driven here?

It didn't matter now... she was here.

And if Nasedo was here...

Oh god...

The fear almost choked him.

He sprinted for the woods, glad that he had atleast called Izzy for back-up.

******

Maria threw down the papers she was flipping through. "Alex, why can't you just tell us what it is?"

Isabel held up a sheet. "Is this it?"

She handed it to Alex and the others gathered around him. He glanced over it quickly, nodded and looked up at them. "Remember that fire Tess told you about? The one where she said that her foster family lost everything?"

Isabel and Michael exchanged questioning looks.

"Yeah," Michael ventured.