Oh god... A sob tore through him. "Liz!" His hands started glowing hot. His lips curled back in a snarl as he tried to pour as much energy into his hands as he could. He wanted that bear to feel his pain. To die from pain or let her go.

In the darkness, he heard Michael's ragged voice. "Max, it's Nasedo. The bear- it's Nasedo."

Max froze. Before he could even process the thought, a flashlight beam cut through the darkness. It rested on Max's face, then on the bear and finally, on Liz.

"Liz," Eddie shouted. He ran to stand in front of Max, glancing at him before speaking to the beast breathlessly. "You don't have to kill her. There's another way."

Max blinked, trying to formulate a coherent thought. A way to do what? To get rid of Tess? Max glanced down as the bear sat still, its jaws digging into Liz's neck. She coughed up blood helplessly, unable to move an inch. Max swallowed. He felt the seconds tick by...

One turn of the bear's head and Liz's neck would be broken.

In the glow of the flashlight beam, he could just make out her panicked eyes as she fought to breathe. Max fell to his knees beside her, tears filling his eyes.

Liz grabbed for his hand weakly, her eyes locked on his.

Max felt like he was suffocating with her. He bent over and put his face beside hers, closing his eyes and whispering his love.

Liz choked and sobbed quietly beside him. Suddenly the bear released her. He reared back and Max looked up just in time to see a huge paw swing in his direction. The impact flung him against the cave wall, the darkness swirling in again...

******

Eddie took a step back as the bear looked over at him next. He steeled himself for an attack, but none came.

"There is another way," Eddie repeated. He felt Michael come to stand behind him. "Just as you taught River Dog before, these five can become as one again, and send the presence on. There is no need to kill again."

The bear was still for a moment. Then it lumbered its way past Liz and toward the back of the tunnel.

The torches lit up as it passed.

Eddie took a deep breath and walked to Liz's side, his eyes hard.

She looked up at him wearily, blood streaming between the fingers at her throat. "You could heal her."

Her eyes narrowed and then closed.

Eddie shook his head and looked up at Michael as he approached. "She's dying; we have to hurry," Eddie paused. "Uh... pick her up."

Michael stared at him, then looked at Liz's... slightly dressed body below them. "Like that? Max would kick my ass."

Eddie shifted uncomfortably.

Alex pushed his way between them. "Excuse me," he said as he removed his outer shirt and laid it over Liz's body. He put his arms under her legs and back, cradling her bloody body to his chest.

He grimaced and looked over at Eddie. "Follow that bear."

Eddie nodded curtly and led the way. Michael turned to see Maria standing by his side, white as a sheet.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him.

******

Isabel connected to Max immediately, and felt a surge of rage and despair flow from him. "Oh god," she whispered as a tear slipped down her cheek.

She felt with her mind the exact spot of the bruising in his brain and healed it quickly. Max stirred and opened his eyes, the connection between them flowing his thanks and love to her.

She smiled tearfully and kissed his cheek, then he was up and running after the others. Isabel sat back on her heels, wiping her face with a shaking hand.

She took a deep breath and stood up, following close behind Max.

******

Maria walked on in silence, pulled forward by Michael's hand. She shivered and stumbled on a rock. Michael turned back to steady her, then kept walking.

Maria wanted to help Liz, she really did. But she had long since lost the ability to think rationally.

She just hoped someone would tell her... Oh god... exactly what to do. The light from the torches threw strange shifting shadows on the walls ahead. Just like that night not so long ago.

Only then, it had been Michael's life on the line.

And now, it was Liz... glowing Liz... barely alive Liz...

It was so horrible.

Maria's breath was coming in gasps. She yanked back on Michael's hand.

He turned to her, concerned. "What?"

She grabbed his arms. "Did you see her? Did you see that blood all over her? Oh my god, Michael, she's going to die. The bear-"

He grabbed her, trying to be as firm as possible. "It's not a bear. Remember? It's Nasedo!"

Maria screamed at him, tears in her eyes. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Michael pulled her to him, crushing her in an attempt to silence the panicked words. Then he pulled her back and looked into her tear-filled eyes. "Maria, I'll make you a deal. Right now, you've got to pull yourself together. In thirty minutes, thirty minutes exactly, I promise you, you can fall apart all you want, and I'll hold you. You can cry, scream, hit me, kick me, whatever. But not right now. Okay?" He stared at her, willing her to take strength from him.

Maria stared at him for a moment, then smiled. "Okay," she whispered. "Thank you."