Liz's face had gone blank, just like Max's.

"So, is this better or worse than the kissing," Maria muttered.

Then she turned away and crossed to Alex and Isabel.

"Alex, is Isabel okay," Maria stopped and gasped as the dim light revealed Mrs. Evans laying just beyond the kitchen door. "My god, what did Doug do to them?"

Alex shook his head and answered slowly, his voice a notch higher than usual, "I think they're just unconscious. But if I were you, I wouldn't bet any money on the home boy today. This is waaaay out of my league."

******

Isabel couldn't wake up. She struggled and beat fiercely against the weight of the unconsciousness imposed on her, but it was no use. It was suffocating... and big... and clung to her like wet denim.

But she could still hear Alex's worried voice, feel his gentle hands caressing her face and her hair...

He was so worried.

Isabel screamed in frustration.

******

Maria squatted down beside Alex and lightly touched Isabel's face. It was relaxed and cool, no hint of pain or fever. Her breaths were coming evenly.

"Yeah, I think you're right."

"I hope so," Alex sounded weary.

Maria slid her hand over his shoulder in a gesture of comfort, but her thoughts strayed instantly.

How the hell did Michael manage to miss this little party, she thought brusquely. After all, he is the one who started this. Him and those wandering lips of his.

"Uh, Maria," Alex's tense voice grabbed her attention and she looked up at his wide eyes, then over to where his gaze was riveted.

A tall, thin Indian was standing behind Liz, his arm reached out towards her.

It had been years since she had seen him, but she wouldnıt ever forget his face.

Nasedo.

******

Max was standing still, but it took every bit of strength to stay that way.

The force Doug was exerting against him was mind-blowing. Max could feel the pressure of the force pushing against him. Pounds of force squeezing in against every molecule.

And Max was focused intently on pushing out against it, keeping himself from being crushed like an empty aluminum can.

It was a new way of using his mind, and Max was having to struggle to make it work.

If he let just one small area weaken, he immediately felt the skin and muscles caving in down to the bone.

So far he had recovered from every lapse of his inattention.

But somehow, he knew that the smile on Dougıs face meant that he was only playing for now.

It could get much worse.

******

Liz was in. She wasnıt sure that she wanted to be, but there she was.

And it was the strangest feeling sheıd ever had. Being there physically, but knowing that it had to be only a psychic landscape. Their real bodies were in the Evans' kitchen.

She glanced around the darkened desert nervously. It seemed familiar, a lot like the one in Michael's head that she had seen when everyone had helped him regain his balance years ago.

But where was Max?

She looked around more slowly and finally saw two figures on top of a plateau, shapes just barely visible against the starry sky... Max and Doug.

They were facing one another silently, but Liz could sense the power being traded as it crackled around them.

Then a hand was on her shoulder and she was ripped away from the scene.

Liz gasped as the room came back into focus.

She jerked her hand off of Doug's and turned to face Nasedo, whose presence she had sensed instantly.

"Why did you do that," she asked. "I can help him!"

"You cannot do it alone," he answered her quietly. "You need the others. Where is he?"

As she stared at him, her mind raced to understand.

"Who? Michael? Yeah... yeah, he's here," she said with surprise, suddenly feeling his presence.

"What," Maria said sharply from across the room.

Then Michael threw open the door and reached Nasedo and Liz in two steps. He glanced Liz over and seemed satisfied. Then he paused and swore under his breath as he saw Max.

Liz didn't need to look again. She had memorized the graying skin, the beautiful, empty eyes and the bloodstain spreading on shirt.

"Nasedo says we can help him, but we have to have Isabel, too," Liz said urgently, casting her eyes toward the group on the floor.

Michael looked in the direction of her eyes and looked stunned.

"Maria! God, what the-" Michael burst out and then stalked over to her angrily.

"What," she said as he yanked her up by the arm.

"Leave now," he ordered her.

"No way. I'm staying, no matter how screwy this gets," and her flashing eyes told Liz that Michael might as well save his breath.

He must have agreed, because he blew out a breath and pulled her into a quick embrace.

A slight smile slid across Maria's face but Michael released her just as quickly and bent over Isabel.

He glanced up at Alex.

"What's wrong with her?"

Alex grimaced and Liz felt his frustration at being so helpless.

"I have no idea. Can you help her," his voice was pleading.

Michael wasted no time. He reached out and instantly connected. Liz felt the swirl of power intensifying around them.

She took one last look and then turned back to Nasedo.

"What are we going to do," she asked quietly.

******

Michael had never been so exhausted in his life, but he focused all of his remaining energy on dissolving the heavy blanket of unconsciousness in Isabel's mind.

It was oily and thick, and stunk like hell.

But what could you expect from a guy like Doug?

A nice, warm quilt?

Michael shook loose that thought and focused on pulling apart the darkness, stretching it out until holes began appearing in the dense fabric.

A flutter of thoughts rushed by him and then he felt Isabel's anxious thankfulness.

After a dizzying moment, he opened his eyes to see Izzy buried in Alex's arms.

Michael felt a pang, then turned to see Maria watching him carefully.

Without a word, he walked over and pulled her close again.

Thank God Doug hadn't invaded her mind like that...

******

Isabel moved back slightly from Alex and brushed away a tear before pressing her lips to his.

She felt his lips tremble under hers and sighed.

His warm hands slid up and down her back, as he whispered, "I'm here, Izzy."

Isabel she reluctantly opened her eyes.

"What happened," she looked into his soft blue eyes in the moonlight.

Alex looked over her head to Michael.

"Uh, Michael, you want to handle this one?"

Isabel turned to him, then looked over to the group standing in the kitchen.

"Oh my god," she gasped and jumped to her feet.

Without even thinking, she found herself standing breathless beside Doug and Max, looking anxiously between them.

"We can help him, Isabel," Liz intoned quietly.

Isabel stared at her.

She looked so calm...

"How?"

"You are stronger in pairs," Nasedo said, and Isabel saw him step out from the shadows. "It is the way our people were created. And when two pairs work together, that is the strongest of all. Stronger than any single power source, even that of a hunter."

In pairs? That would be... she and Michael, like the orb had tried to pair them up years ago. Maybe the pairing could still work.

"Michael, come here," she barked at the couple still holding each other in the corner.

Michael broke away from Maria quickly and hurried over, worry intensifying his characteristic frown.

Isabel reached for his hands and pulled him in until they were face to face.

Michael looked from her to Nasedo, then assented with his eyes.

She closed her eyes and focused on relaxing her breathing.

******

Liz nervously chewed her bottom lip as she watched Michael and Isabel form a connection. She felt their power link in front of her, then surround Max. The electricity in the air was sparked with intensity and Liz knew how worried the two of them must be. It was still a new feeling, and she shook her head to push on to her part.

She glanced at Nasedo, who gave her a nod.

She reached out and took Max's hands in her own, feeling the shocking coldness in them. It was almost like he didn't inhabit that body anymore.

A shiver ran through her and she closed her eyes.

Yes... there he was. Max was distracted, fighting for his life... but she started the connection using all that she could pull from him.

******

Max felt Isabel's and Michael's presence. They were sending him vibes of love and power, and he knew they were there to help.

But he could only allow them a fleeting thought. Doug's power had intensified seemingly every second they had been in this battle, and it was all Max could do to hold off the weight ready to crush him.

Then a warm breath of soft, shimmering love slid up his body and he gasped. Liz was here.

He felt her essence begin to connect with his, and her warmth settled around him like a sigh.

But a sudden jump in the pressure squeezing him caught his attention again. Suddenly his head felt like it had been put in a vise and the pressure intensified until he thought he couldn't stand it anymore.

And Liz... she would feel it, too.

Max shoved Liz away and fought to thicken the layer of protection his mind generated.

But it was uneven, stretched in places, and Doug was testing its limits.

Max's forehead ached from the presssure and he pressed his lips together in a grimace.

Then the pressure was gone and Max felt his protective layer expand outward in response.

Doug's power had backed off...

And then it punched through- and the world ran red.