Max nodded, "You bet. I'll be seeing you there, right?"

To his dismay, Liz shook her head sadly. "I won't be able to this time. Jasmine called in sick so I have to take her shift."

Max started to panic, "Isn't there anyone else that you can call? I mean, there are a lot of people who could take over…"

Liz frowned. "I'm sorry Max, but it was a little bit too late of notice. Almost everyone is going to the game."

"You won't be getting much business then, with everyone at the game. You can take off. They won't miss one waitress." Max replied, trying any excuse that he could.

Liz shook her head once again. "Then it'd be only Maria here to take care of everything. That wouldn't be fair to her. Listen, Max, it's only one game." With that, she walked off towards the back.

There had to be something Max could do. Time was running short and he had to get her out of the café before the shooting occurred. All of a sudden, Max heard arguing in the booth across the room from him. No, Max thought, it can't be happening, not yet. This is too soon. Someone screamed as one of the men waved his gun in the other's face. Max looked around frantically for Liz. This was it. There was nothing Max could do. He jumped from his seat and made a mad dash for Liz, who standing helpless in fright near the counter. The shot rang out right before Max made it to Liz and he caught her as she slumped into his arms. Gently laying her down, Max ripped open her shirt knowing exactly what he would see. Maria was screaming right behind him, but he didn't care. Concentrating solely on Liz, he tried with all of his might, with all of his heart to heal her. But there was nothing he could do. He had no powers anymore. He was just a normal human being. He watched as Liz's eyes dimmed and the blood pooled around her. Max cried out her name, knowing that this was the end. "LIZ!" And then he blacked out.

~~~~~~~~~~

The familiar mists swirled around Max once again. Realizing where he was, Max took off for Riverdog. Finding him in the same place as before, surrounded by flames, Max collapsed at the Indian's feet. "Please… bring her back. Make it how it used to be. I don't care what happens as long as she's alive." Max sobbed, tears of pain and sorrow running down his cheeks and hissing as they disappeared on the hot ground. Riverdog smiled gently and nodded. Standing, he made his way once again toward the cliff where they had gone before. Max knew the way this time and, still sobbing, he led Riverdog up the slope. Upon reaching the cliff, the old Native reached down and picked up the necklace from the ground hundreds of feet below them. As he turned to Max, Max held out his hand expectantly. This time, as the Indian pressed the necklace's symbol into his hand, Max felt an odd cooling sensation.

Suddenly, Max sat up in his bed, sweat drenching his body. Looking around, Max found himself in his own room. Opening his clenched fist, he found the necklace, with only an imprint of the symbol on his hand. Max rubbed it roughly and it slowly disappeared. Max looked around the room. No letter jacket was draped over his desk chair and no basketball team pictures adorned his walls. The sun shown brightly through his window and the clock on his bedside read 12:00PM. Jumping out of bed, Max threw his door open and raced into the kitchen, finding his sister, best friend, and past bride sitting at the table. He looked around at the expectant faces of Isabel, Michael, and Tess. "What's the date?" Max asked. The three teens were startled by his random question. "What's the date?" Max forcefully repeated.

Isabel answered him gently, "It's Monday Max. Monday the 15th. Are you feeling okay?" His sister looked concerned.

Max shook his head. "W…Where's Liz?"

Tess glared at the piece of pizza that she was eating and the other two aliens looked shocked. "Um, at home I'd imagine." Isabel supplied.

Max almost jumped for joy. "You mean, she's alive?"

All three gave him a concerned look and Michael nodded slowly. Frantically, Max grabbed the bottle of Tabasco sauce that was sitting on the table and, concentrating on the molecules, he turned it yellow, then back to red. Grinning, he tossed the bottle back to a surprised Michael, then headed toward the door. "Where are you going Maxwell?"