Maria sucked in air deeply as all of the memories of everything flooded back to her. Katie's childhood, her different form, that had had to be destroyed to cultivate the second of three keepers. The child had been his sister. She looked at the boy who was crying in Liz's arms. He had died from heartache.

Liz, it was strange, not a week ago she would have thought of Liz as her best friend. Now, despite the fact that she still loved the brunette deeply, it was as if the girl was a stranger to her.

"Max?" Maria asked in a small voice. He looked over at her and burst out in tears again.

"She's gone!" he wailed into Liz's shoulder.

The confused girl was doing her best to comfort him, but it was in vain.

"Max, she's not gone. She's within Katie, she is still your keeper," Maria's voice was a mask of calm, but her heart was racing, and so was the thrum of the shards in her hands. She still needed to get the three keys and the two remaining stars before she could test her unspoken theory.

"Is that why we're going?" he asked, almost a child again.

"Yes, Max, we're getting our Katydid back, for good." Isabel said forcedly, she was frazzled from the vision of the Maryjanes. It had been his, Max's, and she'd felt every emotion that was coupled with that image of a little girl's shoes.

"We're almost there, Izzy," Maria said in a hushed voice.

"Can someone please explain this to me?" Liz asked, irritated.

Alex sat silent, knowing answers would come soon enough.

"Katie," Michael said, as a vision flashed through his mind. Katie, his Katydid, was sobbing in a messy heap, her clothes tattered and bloodstained, her hair knotted, no longer its golden shimmer, but stained from blood. He could feel her pain. "Stop!"

Isabel slammed the breaks and hurtled out of the car. Michael did the same, while Maria slipped the shards into a small satchel before hurrying to join the two others.

Alex, Max and Liz all hurried, but at a more sedate pace. Max still weighted down and shaky from his memories, Liz and Alex confused beyond belief.

To the casual observer there appeared to be nothing there. Of course these six weren't casual observers anymore than the two apparitions that hovered near them, unseen, were.

"This is it?" Isabel smiled, "How…"

"Stereotypical?" Maria provided as the group advanced on the metal gate that barred them from the complex system of gray domes.

"Quite," Isabel laughed and pressed her hand to the padlock. The lock turned and slid free of it's confines, letting the group pass through the gate. They moved towards the buildings, the strong feeling within at least four of them telling the where to go. They found themselves ushered to the large building at the center of the complex, and all lightheartedness disappeared. It seemed impenetrable, but then Isabel felt something, a presence, a force, she couldn't tell, but it gave her hope, and she tried the lock.

It shifted easily and the door was open. They filed inside, slowly and silently, and shut the door behind them. There was a sense of finality in the soft 'click' that warranted the door's lock being changed back, and they all stood in silence for a moment.

"We should split up to look for her," Michael finally suggested. Isabel nodded, looking at Alex and Liz.

"Liz, you come with me, Alex, go with Max, Michael, you and Maria go together. Stay close, don't lose each other, and for gods sake, tell us when you've found her.

"How, you can't possibly expect us to shout across the complex, Izzy," Liz said softly.

"Michael, Maria, Max and I can probably speak to one another through a telepathic bond," she looked at her brother and then at her two dearest friends, and they nodded in agreement.

"Ok, then it's settled. Alex, come on," Max said, hurrying down the corridor to the left. Alex waved goodbye and hurried after his assigned companion.

Isabel hugged Maria tightly, fearful she'd never see the girl again. "I love you, Ria," she whispered.

"I love you too, Izzy," she smiled, and pulled back. Isabel looked up at Michael and kissed his cheek.

"Let's go, time's wasting!" she said, pulling Liz behind her as she took off down another corridor.

"Did you just get the sense that that would be the last time we see some of them again?" Maria asked sadly.