Maria clambers onto the boulders for a better look. "I think I can see it!" she chimes.

"Me too," Xander adds. "Just need to move a few more boulders, then we can get at it." But Maria doesn't wait; she dives in to retrieve the Crystal.

"I can't quite reach it!" Maria cries.

"Then let me move another couple of boulders!" Xander suggests, a little flustered by Maria's impatience.

"No, I can get it!" Maria counters. "I just need a better position…" She shuffles in order to get both arms into the gap she's reaching through; the extra reach proves sufficient. "Got it!"

"One down, four to go!" Danny exclaims.

"Need a hand, Maria?" Hanna asks.

"No, meanie, I don't!" Maria responds cheerfully. However, her attempts to extract herself prove unsuccessful; instead, she slips further into the gap. "Erm… help!" she cries as she slides completely through; a second later, a yelp and a violent profanity.

"Maria!" the others cry in unison. "Are you OK?" Danny adds.

"Yeah," Maria calls in response, voice a little shaky with fear; a few delicate grunts follow as she struggles to move. "Just a bit totally stuck. I feel like a sardine in a tin."

"Stay still," Rob requests. "We'll get you out. Xander, take extra care not to crush Maria."

"I know," Xander assures dismissively, "I'm not stupid." He turns to the gap. "Maria, pass the Crystal up."

"OK," Maria agrees; she stretches an arm up to hand Xander the Crystal.

"Got it!" Xander exclaims, pulling the Crystal out of the gap. "Hanna, catch!" Xander throws the Crystal to Hanna; she catches it cleanly. "And now to get Maria out." Xander carefully selects the next boulder to move. As he moves it clear, it frees a larger boulder that rolls to rest right over the gap Maria slipped through; the boulders surrounding Maria shift slightly, reducing what little space she has.

"Getting really scared now!" Maria shouts; the panic in her voice is palpable even when muffled by the boulders. "Crushed by boulders isn't the most dignified of deaths!"

"OK, don't move any more boulders," Rob commands Xander. "Just hold that one off the gap; Danny and I will try to pull Maria out."

Xander does as commanded. Rob and Danny scramble to the re-opened gap; each grabbing one ankle, they slowly pull Maria through the gap feet first.

"I… can't… hold… it… much… longer!" Xander grunts through gritted teeth; Maria is halfway out.

"I'm so tempted to shock Xander right now," Aquila goads over the collar radios.

"NO!" Maria screams. Panicking, she scrambles frantically to escape; she inadvertently kicks both Rob and Danny hard in the chest, winding them both. But they keep their hold, and as they fall back, they pull Maria free; she rolls to the base of the pile. Desperate to put some distance between her and her almost-tomb, Maria sprints to Hanna. Xander drops the boulder back over the gap; the boys scatter as the pile collapses.

"I don't wanna be on this quest anymore!" Maria wails; she hugs Hanna tightly, burying her face in Hanna's chest.

"Maria, calm down, it's OK," Hanna soothes, stroking Maria's hair; she scowls at Xander.

"It was so scary!" Maria sobs, her voice muffled.

"You're safe now," Hanna assures.

An hour later, with darkness all around, the group finally returns to the top of the cliff; Maria clings to Hanna, still shaken from nearly being crushed to death.

"We'll camp here tonight," Rob suggests.

"I wanna sleep with Hanna," Maria mumbles.

"Fine by me," Hanna agrees. "Rob, you can use Maria's tent."

"If I must," Rob sighs, a wry smile betraying both amusement and a little frustration.

"Why?" Xander asks.

"Because you moved the wrong boulder, and nearly crushed Maria in the process," Rob answers curtly.

"I didn't mean-," Xander begins.

"Just leave it," Rob interrupts. "Quick, let's get these tents up before it gets too cold."

"But-"

"Tents. Up. Now."