Goren wasn't sure what to make of the creature before him. It looked nothing like the man they'd fought on the pier, but he had no doubt that this was the same creature. Covered with thick fur, his head sported a small muzzle and triangular ears but he still had the appearance of a man. Yellow eyes, the same eyes he remembered seeing in the woods in Germany, the same eyes that watched him in New York, now glowed from the head of a spirit, a skinwalker.

"You wanted me to end your life."

Wolf shook his head as he stepped closer, circling Goren. "Teodor wanted his existence ended. I fought you right to the end. I was the one who drew your blood, and the blood of your friends. I am the one who maintains this link with you that threatens your life and has brought you here. Teodor is gone."

"So what now?"

"Now...we both have much to gain and much to lose."

"What are you talking about?"

"If you defeat me, you will sever your link with me and cement your link to your friends. Fail, and part of you shall become part of me. Then I shall return to your plane of existence to stalk them once again."

Much to gain and much to lose...his mind touched upon his partner, the warmth of her body against his at night...the love in her touch, her kisses...the one thing in his life that he simply could not lose, followed by Wolf's threat: I shall return...to stalk them once again. He could not allow that to happen. If Wolf returned, he would not be there to protect them, and that was unacceptable.

With a howl of rage, Wolf charged the distracted man, hitting him hard. There was no pain, Goren reflected oddly, but he felt something very strange, like strength being drained from him. And he was exactly right. Strength was being drained from him...the strength of his life force.

He turned to face Wolf and did not hesitate to go after the skinwalker. He had one powerful advantage that Wolf would never have. He had the ability to love and he could tap strength from the hearts of the ones who loved him.

In the ritual hut, Goren suddenly became restless. Logan had been sleeping for less than an hour when he heard Eames call to Reynaldo. "Something's happening."

Reynaldo rose immediately and hurried to the table. He threw a bundle of herbs on the fire and came over to kneel between Eames and Logan. "It is beginning. He has found the skinwalker."

"Now what?" Logan asked.

"They are engaged in a struggle for one possession: Bobby's soul. If he loses, he will never return."

"How can he win?" Eames demanded. "Bobby's not a shaman."

"He will find what he needs within him, or he will die."

Logan frowned. "Suppose he doesn't have it in him?"

"He does, Mike. He has what it will take. All he has to do is find it, and let go of the things that hold him back."

Logan growled in frustration. "Do you always talk in fucking riddles?"

"Mike.." Eames chided. She looked at Reynaldo. "Can we help him?"

The old medicine man shook his head. "No one can help him, child. But you both should prepare yourselves. Ben will guide them from the skinwalker realm and then you and Mike must go and guide him home."

"Prepare how?" Logan demanded, still irritated.

"Let your thoughts dwell on your friendship, on how much he means to you. He derives his strength from the both of you, and he will need that strength now more than he ever has. Concentrate. That is how you can help your friend."

He returned to the low table and began heating water. And they heard from a distance the low rumble of thunder as storm clouds gathered on the horizon.

Wolf came into contact with him again, and he fought back, both gaining and losing ground with one another. Neither had gained the upper hand. Kelsey watched anxiously as Benjamin held her arm firmly. "Grandpa..."

"There is nothing we can do, Kelsey. It is all up to him."

She turned her attention back to the battle as Wolf let out a growl of frustrated rage; he found his strength in his rage. Goren knew well what rage could do, and he'd often fought to keep his own from getting the better of him. Now, he felt no rage; he was having difficulty tapping that long-submerged well of fury. But he did feel desperation, knowing what was riding on the outcome of this fight. He could stir no feelings for his own demise; he wasn't afraid to die. But he was afraid...afraid of what it would mean to those he cared for, to those he loved, if he failed. And it was failure that he had always feared most. He hated to be wrong, but more than that, he hated to fail. And now...it was vital that he succeed. But he still hesitated to touch his rage, and his fears left him vulnerable.

Wolf hit him again, a full body assault, and Goren went down. The skinwalker gave him no chance to regroup and attacked again...and again...

Goren could feel his strength ebb, no matter how much he fought against it. His efforts had turned from offense to defense and now he struggled not to lose more ground, to be free from the monster who had him pinned. He refused to concede...but he was losing ground fast. He fought harder and he felt himself weakening faster. But he would not give up.

From out of nowhere, something hit Wolf hard, knocking him off Goren and freeing him from the skinwalker's grasp. He felt his strength return quickly and he jumped to his feet, only to find cold fear clench his gut. "No...!"

Kelsey had freed herself from her grandfather's grasp and attacked Wolf. Now she lay in the mist on the ground, not moving. Desperation and the fear of failure left Goren, replaced by a white-hot fury he quickly lost control of. He hit Wolf hard and never let up...

Outside the ritual hut, rain began to fall as the thunder grew closer and lightning lit up the darkening sky. Within the hut, Goren's restless thrashings had weakened, and Reynaldo shook his head. "He is losing. The skinwalker is too strong, driven by too much rage. Bobby cannot fight that."

"So what does that mean?" Logan snapped. "What are you doing to help him?"

Reynaldo shook his head. "You do not understand."

Before Logan could respond, Kelsey suddenly cried out and collapsed. Reynaldo gasped. "No, child..."

Eames and Logan looked at each other. "What's wrong?" Eames demanded.

The medicine man was kneeling beside the young woman's body. "I do not know, but something terrible has happened."

Goren's head tossed on Eames' lap and he groaned. Strength had returned to him from somewhere and with a lump of icy fear in her gut, Eames made the connection and met Logan's eyes. "Kelsey did something...to help him. And it's going to cost her..."

She shifted her eyes to Kelsey's still form, then leaned down to kiss Goren's sweaty forehead. "Please," she whispered. "Be okay...both of you.."

Benjamin knelt beside his granddaughter as Goren continued the struggle with Wolf. He gathered her into his arms and carried her away from the fight. "Kelsey..." he whispered. "Child of my heart..."

Goren gave the skinwalker no time to recover, continuing his assault against the spirit's strength and weakening him again and again. When Wolf went down, he still did not let up. And when the skinwalker's energy left his soul forever, Goren collapsed.