Max and Liz are still sitting on her lounge, facing each other.

Cut to:

Isabel is holding Ed's picture.

Isabel closes her eyes and concentrates. We can see the frustration building as it becomes clearer that she is not succeeding. With a heavy sigh, she opens her eyes.

Alex looks concerned at what that might mean for Liz, then his attention turns back to Isabel.

Cut to:

Liz is lying in her bed, relaxed, waiting. Her phone rings and she answers.

She hangs up the phone and picks up a framed picture of Max from her night stand, then she sits up in her bed, cross-legged, still holding the picture. She closes her eyes and concentrates. Nothing happens. She sighs, opens her eyes and reaches for the phone.

Cut to:

Max picks up his ringing phone.

Max chuckles, hangs up the phone, picks up his picture of Liz and starts concentrating.

Cut to:

Max observes Dream Liz and Dream Maria serving customers; Dream Max and Dream Michael are in their usual booth. Max turns to see Liz join him to observe the dream scene. She holds out her hand and he takes it in his.

Liz steps closer to Max. Their bodies are touching, her face is raised to his, their lips tantalizingly close.

Max smiles liking that idea.

Cut to:

Diane has fallen asleep on the couch. The TV is still on. An old cops and robbers type movie is playing. Several gun shots are fired.

Cut to:

The scene has suddenly changed back to that fateful day in September. Max and Liz turn and see the two men from that day (the Pilot) struggling over a gun. In shock they look at the other end of the Crashdown where Dream Liz is standing in the line of fire, like a deer caught in headlights. The gun goes off and she falls. Dream Max rushes to her aid and heals her.

Dream Max senses he's being watched and looks around. He sees his parents emerge from the shadows. They look stunned, wary, and unnerved. Dream Max stands up.

Suddenly there's a flash of light and Dream Max shapeshifts into Hank, then Desert Man, then back to himself.

Diane and Phillip back away from him.

Diane and Phillip continue to back away from him in horror.

Cut to:

Max is lying on his back in bed, awake. He seems troubled and deep in thought. There is a knock on the window. Max glances towards the sound, but decides not to respond. There is a second knock on the window. Max resignedly gets out of bed and heads for the window, talking as he walks.

Max stops short when he moves the curtain and sees that it is Liz. His mood softens, but he still sounds troubled.

He opens the window.

Max helps her through the window and they walk over and sit on the edge of his bed.

Liz puts her arms around Max. Max relaxes; we can see the pain in his eyes. Liz reaches up to touch his face; their embrace turns into a sweet kiss, then back into an embrace. They hold each other closely. A soft knock on the door interrupts them.

Max and Liz disentangle themselves, but remain seated on the bed together.

Isabel enters and is surprised to see Liz there. She glances towards the open window, then at the rumpled spread on the bed. She cocks an eyebrow at them both.

Liz looks at her quizzically. Isabel holds out a picture of Ed.

Liz looks anxiously at Max; Max gives her a quick look of reassurance. Liz and Max both nod their agreement. Liz moves to the middle of the bed, facing the edge, sitting cross-legged. Isabel moves to take Liz's previous position on the edge of the bed beside Max. She speaks as she walks and sits.

Liz has a moment of unease, but then nods with assurance; Max does the same. He takes a hold of the picture with one hand, staring at Ed's face intently, then places his free hand on top of Isabel's, which she has on the bed. Liz puts her hand on top of Max's. Isabel indicates that Liz should also hold the picture, which she does. They all close their eyes and concentrate.

Cut to:

Tess is on the sidewalk about to head into school. Michael, who is leaning against the wall by the front entrance sees her and approaches, blocking her way. Tess sees him and reaches out to shake his hand.

Instead of reciprocating, Michael folds his arms across his chest.

Tess lets her hand fall by her side. She looks at him quizzically, as if she senses something about him.

Cut to:

Michael and Tess have just entered the eraser room and Michael is locking the door behind them.

Tess tries to reach out and touch Michael but he avoids her hand as he walks into the center of the room. Tess hugs her arms; it's obvious she is wary of Michael's motives.

The disappointment clearly shows on Tess's face.

Cut to:

Michael is walking down a hallway from one direction and Max and Liz are coming from the opposite direction. They meet in the middle.

Michael takes off and Max watches him leave with a puzzled look.

Cut to:

Larry is on a payphone.

Cut to:

Deputy Green is on the phone.

Cut to:

The gang is all there discussing the new dreamwalk. We join them in mid-conversation.

Isabel and Liz nod their agreement.

Max and Liz nod their agreement.

The others have been standing back, letting them work this out of their system, but now Isabel steps in, before things get out of hand.

There is a knock on the door.

Michael opens the door to find Tess and Ed standing there.

She stops abruptly when she sees Maria, Liz, and Alex. Tess and Ed enter the apartment.

Assorted awkward "hi"s.

The gang exchanges glances as though wondering when they stepped through the looking glass.

He smiles again.

Max stops talking at the anger and horror on Ed's face; the fear on Tess's.

At the sound of Liz's voice, the anger resonating from Ed seems to grow so as to fill the room.

She turns slightly to Alex and takes his arm.

Michael, exasperated, raises his hand and uses his power to knock a pile of books off the kitchen counter.

All but Michael jump at the noise. Isabel, Liz, and Alex, almost as surprised as Ed and Tess, stare at the books then turn to Michael with a "what the hell" look. Michael turns and aims at a drawing pad at the other end of the counter. Maria grabs his arm, stopping him.

They all react to this statement with varying degrees of anticipation, curiosity, and suspicion.

Ed says nothing. Liz glances at Alex and Maria as if asking a question. They both nod slightly.

Liz leans toward Max and gives him a quick kiss. Alex and Isabel kiss, also briefly. Michael, glancing at Ed to make sure he's watching, in defiance kisses Maria as if he won't see her for days, then checks to make sure she is OK. Tess seems confused and hurt when she sees Max kissing Liz and Michael kissing Maria. Ed appears displeased.

Maria, Alex, and Liz leave.

Tess visibly relaxes when the door closes behind them. Max, Michael, and Isabel look wary. Both groups are being cautious, sizing each other up.

Cut to:

The private Larry met in Scotty's bar is alone in a room that is all white-white tiled walls, white tiled floors, white tiled ceiling, and no clear indication of where the exit is located. He is feeling along the walls, trying to find the door. He looks scared to death.

Cut to:

Liz is on her balcony, sitting in her lounge chair, writing in her journal.

Fade out.

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