All I could see was Liz’s frightened look as Nasedo brutally gripped her neck and held her in front of me. Liz’s dark brown hair was matted down to her forehead with sweat and I could see how her eyes were calling out to me. Quickly, I felt the rage inside of me building as Nasedo smirked at me gleefully. “Little Lizzie, ahhhh in quite a bind now, huh Maxie?”

I ignored Nasedo completely. “Liz...” I whispered. “Just stay calm, honey.”

Liz nodded, her brown eyes wide.

Nasedo watched us communicate with interest. “Awww! How cuuute!” He said and tightened his arm around Liz’s neck. “You know, it almost makes me take pity on your ‘Star Crossed Lovers’ crap.” Nasedo grinned at me suddenly. “But, wait... she has to DIE before you can become star crossed lovers... Okay... I’ll be a pal and help you out.” Nasedo quickly pulled out a knife from his jacket pocket and slid it across Liz’s beautiful, delicate neck. As the dark red line of blood slowly dripped from the wound, Nasedo released his hold on Liz and in slow motion, she crumpled to the floor.

“NNNNNOOOOOO!!!!!!” I screamed and ran to Liz’s side, but it was too late. Sobbing, I tried to place my hands over Liz’s wound, but there was too much blood and in my panicked state of mind, I couldn’t properly connect with Liz to heal her. “Liz...” I sobbed and grasped one of her lifeless hands in my mine which were coated in her blood. Liz’s blood. I slowly sank my head down to hers in defeat and gently kissed her lips for the last time and closed her blank eyes. As I did, I heard Nasedo cackling in the background.

Completely full of rage, more so that I have ever felt, I stood and faced a grinning Nasedo. “I’m going to f**king kill you.” I whispered and clenched my fists. When Nasedo failed to respond, I launched myself at him and we topped over backwards, hitting the floor with a thud. Pinning him to the ground with my body, I reeled back and landed one solid punch to Nasedo’s face. I heard the crack of his cheekbone and before I could land another punch to his face, Nasedo suddenly began to change. His grey hair morphed into curly blonde hair and his body shifted to that of a young teenage girl.

“Maxxxxx...” The Nasedo/girl breathed. “I’m soooo glad that you feel this way.” She pushed her body against mine and attempted to hold me against her.

I screamed and leapt off of that thing as fast as I could. Without warning, her face was all around me. “Max... I’m your true soulmate...” The words kept reverberating off the walls around me, sinking into my skull as I pressed my hands against the sides of my head in desperation as I tried to drown out her voice...

I fell to my knees, screaming...

With a start, I sat up straight in my bed completely drenched from sweat from what was probably my absolute WORST nightmare EVER. Slightly shaking, I recounted the nightmare, in which I had lost the most precious person in my life. I swallowed down the bile that had arisen in my throat and glanced at my alarm clock - 2:41 am. Ugh, still too early to actually get up for school, even though I’d rather just stay awake to avoid any more nightmares. With a sigh, I wiped the sweat off of my forehead and before I settled down into my pillow again, I wondered if my Liz was okay and my nightmare wasn’t a premonition of some sort.

You ever have one of those nights where it seems like you can’t stop dreaming? Well, this was apparently one of those nights, because as soon as I fell back asleep, I was dreaming again. This time, I recognized the grey slate that I was walking through as the background that I met Liz in and I eagerly looked around for her.

“MAX!” I heard Liz call out my name and as I spun around I caught Liz in a hug. Holding her tight against me, I was extremely thankful to have my Liz with me. “We’ve been trying to get through to you all night Max.” Liz whispered.

“Maybe you couldn’t get through because I’ve been having nightmares all night. But now it’s okay...” I whispered and I pulled my lips to hers. I guess that with all that had been happening, I let myself go completely to Liz and with that our connection roared to life. In the myriad of flashes, I saw the group trying to get me home - Nasedo posing as me - Liz sobbing as another attempt to get me home failed - Michael and Izzy working on a new plan to get me home. In return, Liz saw the whole situation with Nasedo - him confronting me - the shooting - the rules of the game - everything. As our kiss and the connection faded, I looked down into Liz’s eyes that were wide with surprise and amazement.

“Max... I.... I can’t believe it.” Liz whispered. “You would do all of that for me?”

I smiled down at Liz. “I would risk my life for you, over and over in any lifetime.” I ran my hands through her hair and pulled her close to me. “Always, always remember that Liz. It will always be that way.”

Liz nodded with tears in her eyes and kissed me again gently. “Max, I’d better go... Have sweet dreams, Max.”