The Indian approached slowly, then stopped with a nod.

"Why are you hurting them," Max managed as his anger found a focus. "Stop hurting them!"

Nasedo shook his head.

"You don't understand-"

"No! You don't understand," Max snarled as he reached out to grab him. "Stop it, or-"

As soon as he touched him, they made a connection.

Max started to jerk back, but the rush of images came immediately...

FLASH

Close up Max's face, moving into his hazel eyes, magnifying the iris, then the individual cells in the iris, even down to the DNA structure (a strange shifting double helix structure)

FLASH

Close up Tess's face, moving into her blue eyes, magnifying the iris, then the individual cells in the iris, even down to the DNA structure (an identically strange shifting double helix structure)

FLASH

The two DNA strands side by side, mirror images of each other

FLASH

Max and Tess kissing

FLASH

Tess holding a baby

FLASH

Max with his arm around Tess, watching a boy fly a kite

FLASH

Max turning away from Tess...and toward Liz

FLASH

The little boy fades away....

FLASH

The blinking orb sounding off...

Max is frozen in place.

"Max," he hears Isabelıs questioning voice behind him.

Then Maria's, dangerously close to tears, "Oh my god, Liz....Michael."

She runs past them, Isabel right behind her.

Max releases his hold on Nasedo, but can't pull his eyes away.

"The orb is...?"

Nasedo's face is emotionless as he finishes, "The guardian."

Max nods and swallows hard.

He looks back at Tess behind him, then back at Nasedo.

"And if I choose her, then..." he trails off.

Nasedo gives Max a long look and steps out of the way, showing Liz lying motionless, her head in Maria's lap.

Max feels panic seize him as he automatically starts toward them. Liz looks dead already...

Suddenly, a small but strong hand on Maxıs arm stops him. Despite himself, Max feels a connection spring up with Tess at the touch.

Before he can pull away her fear, her love for him and her anguish at the situation wash over him. And he suddenly understands.

"You already knew," he whispers, looking back at her. "That we're..."

She nods, "Made for each other. You can't leave me, Max. You can't choose her."

******

Maria can't see through the tears blinding her eyes.

She can't see Michael's face, just the blur that she knows is him. He is still in agony, though he has become more still since Isabel connected to him.

She's helping him somehow.

Please, Isabel, help him.

She looked down at Liz, who was again unconscious, and groaned.

What's happening?

Maria glanced up in Max's direction. She instinctively knew that he was the key. Tess was pleading with him, saying something she couldn't quite hear from this distance.

And he was listening...

What the hell's the matter with him?

******

Max's heart twisted at Tess' words. He wouldn't willingly hurt her, especially now that he knew who she was.

"Max, this is it for me. Please."

Her eyes are pleading with him, trying to tell him something he can't quite read.

But Liz-

The orb will kill her to keep he and Tess together.

He doesn't even have time to think.

"Tess, Iım sorry. I love her."

"Max," Maria screamed at him, "Max, for God's sake, do something!"

He is gone before Tess can object any further, before even one of her tears falls.

She watches with dead eyes as Nasedo heads toward her, not even flinching when he reaches out.

******

Max connected with Liz as soon as he touched her, and in that moment, he knew what was happening.

The orb was using the connection Max had made with Liz's mind to kill her...

Somehow Michael had been fighting the orb, keeping the intense energy flowing through her from doing too much damage.

But even with Isabel helping, the orb was pushing them back, taking over Liz's body and burning her up from the inside.

Max focused his mind on the blood in her veins, cooling the temperature and slowing her heartbeat to normal.

And then the orb was on him.

An explosion of pain rocked his senses, and a searing pain behind his eyes told him that the orb was trying to blind him as he knew it had Liz.

He pulled back his mind and stopped the damage to his nerves, regenerating the tissue quickly.

The pain receded as his connection to Liz faltered, and he immediately sensed the blood in her veins heat up again.

The orb was too strong, he couldn't protect himself and Liz.

Somewhere, he was vaguely aware of Isabel and Michael being let go. Their presence was gone from Liz's body. He hoped they were alright.

Liz's heartbeat was frenetic now, and weakening by the second.

Max again reached out with his mind; he had to save her.

As her heartbeat once again slowed, the onslaught on his mind began again- full tilt, and in screaming neon colors.

Suddenly another presence joined him, strong enough to hold off the orb, pulling him back from Liz.

*No, she'll die!*

*The orb will kill you instead,* Nasedo whispered.

*I don't care. No! Don't pull me back!*

And suddenly, the pain stopped.

Max was thrown back from Liz, and found himself three feet away on his back.

He wanted to get up, to go to Liz, but the pain was too intense.

"Liz, hang on," he winced, and focused his sapped strength on healing himself.

He felt hands on him, and the warmth that flooded through him brought feelings of fear, love and despair. The combined powers of Michael and Isabel mended his body in seconds.

He looked up at them questioningly, "Is she okay?"

Isabel looked over and gasped.

As Max followed her gaze, his heart lurched. Maria was passed out on the ground beside Liz. Over them, Nasedo was bending down, his hand on Liz's neck- glowing.

"No," Max yelled as he jumped up. He was by Liz's side in two seconds, throwing Nasedo back away from her.

He glanced over at Maria stirring, glad to see Michael already by her side.

Liz was waking up, too, her face pale and on the verge of panic as she sat up. She swiped at the blood on her face and looked around with unfocused eyes.

"Max," she whispered.

He grimaced as he realized that she couldnıt see him.

"I'm right here," he whispered.

She was startled by his closeness, but immediately reached out a shaking hand towards his face. Before she could reach him, she stopped herself and lowered her hand.

Max suddenly remembered all that had come between them. He blinked.

It was all over. She had to know it.

He grabbed her hand and pulled it to his face, desperate for her to feel his love.

"Oh, god, youıre burning up."

Liz reached her thumb over and gently touched his lips as he spoke.

"I am so sorry. Are you okay," he asked softly.

He reached out, palm facing her and the remaining blood disappeared from her face.

Liz couldn't help the tears that filled her eyes.

"Yeah...I'm just a little..."

"Shaken up," he asked, his tone light.

"Yeah," she smiled painfully and dropped her hand from his face. "My head is killing me. Got aspirin?"

"I've got something better," Max said with a smile.

Liz wondered at the tone in his voice, but understood when he leaned in close and kissed her tenderly.

She was so shocked she almost pulled away. What had changed?

He placed his hands on her neck and made a connection as he kissed her one more time.

Liz felt a warmth flood through her again, but this time it brought feelings of love and regret. It soothed away the pain. Max was healing her body.

He pulled back after a moment, watching her carefully as she opened her eyes.

Her face immediately clouded up.

"I still can't see you," she whispered. "Why can't I see?"

Maria gasped quietly.

Max couldn't stand to see the panic on Lizıs face. He grabbed her and pulled her into an embrace, looking up at Isabel desperately.

"We'll fix it, Liz. Don't worry. Whatever it is..."

He quickly went over in his mind the steps he had taken in healing her, sure that he had repaired the damaged optic nerve-

"Max, Michael, where's Nasedo," Isabel's voice interupted his thoughts.

Max jerked his head back up, only now realizing the sidewalk was empty.

"What is it, Max," Liz whispered fearfully as she pulled away, her eyes darting around.

Max cursed under his breath.

"Nasedo is gone."