The glow from his hands showed endless debris circling him, only a small path trailing behind him where he had cleared it away.

She could be anywhere.

A slight sound caught his attention. He whirled around, hearing a small avalanche behind him.

A delicate hand appeared, weakly thrust up through the rubble.

His breath left him in a rush. Max carefully picked his way over to her, unsure of the shifting rocks beneath him. A slab of rock had sheltered Liz's upper body from the brunt of the collapse. It leaned against the cave wall, smaller rocks almost burying the side of it. Max winced at the sight of Liz reaching her hand out from under it, rubble covering the area where her legs should be.

He touched her hand gently. "Liz..."

"Max," he heard a soft whisper, then coughing.

He quickly reached out and scooped rocks and dirt away from the slab until he was able to crouch beside it.

"Max?"

He peered back under the slab and saw her wide eyes watching him. His heart clenched as she shifted her weight, trying to move her legs. Shoving some of the debris aside, he could see that several large rocks had her legs pinned to the ground. Max reached out and touched the rocks, dissolving them and the rubble entirely. In the dim light, her legs looked badly bruised and gashed, and he was surprised she didn't seem to be in more pain. "It's okay. Everything will be alright," he managed to choke out.

But as he reached out to touch her, another rumble sounded close by. There was no telling how much damage Tess had done to the cave walls. The area wasn't safe at all. Max bent up under the slab and pulled Liz out, bringing her in tightly to her chest. She grabbed tightly at his shirt and took a shuddering breath.

Since he couldn't carry Liz forward through the wreckage, there was nowhere to go but back.

******

"Nice bear, nice bear..." Alex whispered as he backed away. "with nice, nice big... big teeth."

Michael reached out and pulled Alex back with the others. "No sudden movements."

They were silent a moment, then Maria spoke up with a shaky voice. "So, first he didn't want us to come in. Now he doesn't want us to leave? God, he must be from your planet. Any chance he's related to Max?"

Michael saw the bear glance her way and pulled her behind him. "Maria, shut up!"

******

After picking his way back along the path he had made, Max knelt and gently placed Liz on the ground. She was watching him with a peaceful smile, the glow from his hands bathing her bruised face in soft light.

As he brushed the hair off of her face and cupped her head in his hands, he whispered, "Liz?"

The countenance on her face fell. "No, it's still me," she whispered sadly. Tears filled her eyes and she reached up to put her one good hand on his face. The other lay limp at her side.

"Tess..." Max sighed.

"Max, don't you understand? I waited my whole life for you."

Max froze, touched by her words. His mouth worked at making a response, but nothing came out.

Tess watched him, then laid back quietly on the ground. She healed Liz's body and faded the dirt away.

Max's eyes travelled downward as her beautifully slim legs became whole again. He was suddenly aware again of how little she was wearing and pulled his eyes away. He knew Tess had undressed Liz's body, not Liz... but it still had the same effect.

Tess watched him and whispered painfully, "Please, Max, make love to me. Even if it is just making love to her. Please."

He shook his head.

Tess grabbed at his shirt desperately. "Max, you want to. I knew it when we kissed. I saw how much you love her. How much you want her."

He couldn't deny it, but it was wrong...

"Max, please... please... It will be all I'll have of you." Her eyes pleaded with him.

No- Liz's eyes pleaded with him.

Max pulled her hands away from his shirt firmly. "I can't do that to her, Tess. I'm sorry."

Her eyes closed. "Do you believe in reincarnation, Max?"

He watched her, feeling bereaved for her, but wanting nothing more than to see Liz set free. "Tess, let her go."

A breath of air whispered by Max, extinguishing the light from his hands.

He reached out in the dark for her...

*I'll always come back for you, Max. Always.*

Where did she go?

He heard scraping sounds and rocks crashing against the walls as he scrambled to his feet. But before he could rekindle the light, a sudden blow to his head knocked him flat on his back. "Liz..." he said weakly, trying to get up. Falling back against the floor, he closed his eyes despite his best efforts. The darkness swirled around him.

******

Michael felt completely helpless. Every time he moved, the bear Nasedo growled at him. He felt like growling back. He wasn't afraid for himself or Isabel, but there was no telling about Nasedo's intentions toward Alex and Maria. Probably not good ones, he guessed. He sighed noisily. It was eating him up not knowing where Max was, or if he was okay.

But all he could do was wait. Probably Michael's least favorite thing in the world. Definitely high up on his torture list.

A distant sound suddenly caught his attention. He glanced over at Isabel and saw that she had heard it, too.

It was a shifting, rumbling, crashing sound, getting closer.

By this time, Alex and Maria were looking over his way.

It was getting louder.

About the time Michael had decided that his first instincts were correct and it was dangerous, the bear lumbered back to the front of the cave.

Michael yelled, "Run!" The noise was deafening now... He grabbed Maria, pulling her along with him. Before they could reach the mouth of the cave, the noise reached a crescendo and Michael threw them both down on the ground. An explosion scattered rocks, dirt and debris all over his back.