Awareness returned gradually. Goren rolled over and groaned before slowly getting to his feet and stumbling toward Benjamin's kneeling figure. Looking down at Kelsey's still form, he whispered, "No..." and dropped to his knees with a groan. "What did you do, little girl?"

Benjamin looked at him. "Her sacrifice allowed you to get in touch with that rage inside you that you were afraid to access. She gave you what you needed to be successful."

"But...at what cost?"

"She felt it was worth it, to save you. My granddaughter is a rare soul and she has always felt everything deeply. She loves you, and she could not bare to see you fail, to lose you. You always touched her heart, Bobby."

Lowering himself to sit on the ground beside her, he gently pulled her into his arms and held her. He gasped softly, recognizing that odd energy-sapping flutter he first felt when Wolf hit him, but this was different. He wasn't left feeling weakened by it. Ignoring it, he turned his attention back to the young woman he held in his arms. He ran his hand over her hair and lightly kissed her forehead. "What were you thinking?" he grumbled. "I can take care of myself, you know."

Her head lolled against his shoulder and she gave a soft moan. "I know," she whispered. "You just need a little help sometimes."

He tipped his head down to look at her. "You shouldn't have done that," he murmured softly.

"You wouldn't have beat him, Bobby. He had you down for good."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do. You're afraid of what's in here." She laid a hand on his chest. "But you shouldn't be. Sometimes you need the rage to balance you. Sometimes, it's not a bad thing." She took an unsteady breath. "Grandpa?"

Benjamin's entire demeanor spoke of relief. "I'm here, Kelsey."

"I'm sorry I disobeyed you."

"We will discuss it after you recover."

"That's fair. Can we go home now? I'm tired."

She nestled against Goren's broad chest and closed her eyes. He looked at Benjamin. "What happened?"

"When Kelsey hit the skinwalker, did she touch you?"

"I have no idea."

"She had to have, or he would have taken from her what you just returned. My granddaughter would make a powerful shaman, if that was her calling. She knew enough, intuitively, to trust you with part of her. That was what gave you the strength to continue fighting until yours returned. When you held her, she took back that part of her that you protected."

"I don't understand."

"Kelsey did not collapse because the skinwalker harmed her. She held back enough of her energy to sustain her, and the rest, she gave to you. When you thought he had harmed her, you were able to reach deep enough and rid yourself of your reluctance to use the rage that's in you to fight for your own life. Your guilt bogs you down, son,"

Both men rose to their feet, and Benjamin offered to take Kelsey. He understood when Goren refused. The old healer touched Goren's arm. "Come now. We must leave. The other evil that dwells here will not remain at bay for long. We must be gone by the time they overcome their fears."

"What fears?"

"The fight you just fought was fierce. I cannot say how much time has passed. Maybe hours, maybe days." He began walking down a path Goren thought had disappeared. "Had you lost, your courage and your passion would have become part of Wolf...and that would have given him access to the path to return him to the physical world. Since he lost, his energy was released into the cosmos. That is the only way to truly defeat a skinwalker. Otherwise, they do find their way back to torment us, eventually. In maintaining a link with you after his death, he drew you here for a final encounter. He did not expect to lose."

"What if I hadn't come here?"

"You would have died. And, in time, Wolf would have returned...maybe not to stalk your friends, but your children would never have been safe."

"I have no children."

Benjamin remained silent as they came to a fork in the path. "The path diverges for a reason, son. Kelsey and I must go this way, directly back to the physical world. You must follow this path. Look for Alex and Mike. They will find you and guide you home."

"But...why...?"

"You are not done yet. There are unresolved issues in your heart that must be addressed. I will take Kelsey home, and we will wait for you there. She will be fine, I promise." Reluctantly, Goren placed her in her grandfather's arms. Benjamin met his eyes. "Open your mind and your heart to the path that awaits you."

Goren watched Benjamin walk slowly down the path, carrying Kelsey back home. He hesitated, then headed down the other path.

In the ritual hut, Reynaldo remained beside Kelsey. Eames and Logan watched in silent apprehension. When Goren began to moan and thrash again, Reynaldo looked grim. Logan's eyes narrowed at the healer. "What's going on?"

"He is in a death struggle with the skinwalker. Only one of them will survive."

"How are we gonna know which one?"

"If he loses, he will die. And so, I am afraid, will this child."

Eames frowned. "Is Kelsey fighting, too?"

Reynaldo shook his head. "No. But he is fighting for his life--and hers. I do not think he realizes it, but he is."

Logan shuddered. "You know, all this is really creeping me out. I want to know what's going on, and I want my friend to be all right. That's why we came all the way the hell out here into the fucking desert, so he'll be all right. We didn't come all this way to lose two people!"

"Your anger will not change the outcome, Mike. It's entirely up to Bobby now. The skinwalker is strong. If your friend cannot, or will not, reach inside him for the power he has to defeat him...there is nothing we can do to make him do that." He sighed and looked down at Kelsey, who was barely breathing. "All we can do is wait."

"Yeah, well, I'm no good at waiting."

"Mike," Eames said softly. "Please..."

He shifted his eyes to her. She was sick with worry, he could see. Reaching out, he touched her hand, which she allowed him to take and hold. He sat back with a frown, holding her hand but still not liking the situation at all. Mike Logan hated feeling helpless and he'd never felt more helpless than this in his life.

For hours, Kelsey remained too still. Eames held Goren's head in her lap, stroking his sweaty forehead as he intermittently thrashed and groaned. Logan just sat there, feeling useless and annoyed, but he stopped complaining, at Eames' request.

Eames sat upright suddenly when Goren went still. She looked at Logan, and then Reynaldo. "What's going on?"

Reynaldo waited, watching both Goren and Kelsey closely. Slowly, Kelsey's breathing became deeper and more regular. Goren's condition didn't change. The healer nodded. "It is over."

He rose to his feet and walked to the table. Logan looked at Eames and frowned. "That's it? 'It is over.' That's all you have to say?"

"What else would you have me say? Your friends still live. Bobby is no longer struggling and Kelsey is no longer near death. Do you need further interpretation, Mike?"

Eames started laughing and Logan gave her an annoyed glare. "I'm really hating this, just so you know that," he snapped at her irritably.

"It's no picnic for any of us, Mike. Just settle down." She looked over at Reynaldo. "Now what?"

"You and Mike must prepare to guide Bobby home."

"You know," Logan said, trying to sound profound. "I was just wondering...since Benjamin is already there...why can't he bring Bobby back, too?"

Reynaldo sighed impatiently, reminding himself that all of this was a new experience to Eames and Logan. "Bobby has a restless soul, tormented by many things. Where he is now, he has the opportunity to resolve some of those issues. Ben cannot help him. But you and Alex can, if you're willing. I know that Alex still is. What about you, Mike?"

Logan sighed. "I didn't come all this way to be a wallflower. I promised him I'd help, if I could."

"There is more to it than that. You have to want to help him."

"I'm the balance, Rey, and I'm his guide. Point me in the right direction and I'll get him home, sooner or later."

Eames smacked his shoulder. "This is serious, moron."

"Relax, honey. I am serious. We'll go over to wherever it is he's at and we'll bring him home. And then we'll go back to New York and he can spend the next two-and-a-half years making it up to me for scaring the shit out of me like this."

"You're an idiot."

"So I keep getting told."

She shook her head. "What do we have to do, Reynaldo?"

He brought them each a cup of hot liquid. "Drink."

"What is this?" Logan said, sniffing the brew and wrinkling his nose. "It smells...bad."

"It is a mixture of herbs that will help you make the crossing."

"Is this the same stuff Ben gave Bobby in the sweat lodge?"

"No. It is similar but nowhere near as strong."

Eames downed her drink and shuddered, handing the empty cup back to Reynaldo. Logan looked into the dark liquid, closed his eyes and drank it. He handed the cup to the healer and said, "Yuck."

Eames laughed again and he gave her an annoyed look. Reynaldo returned the cups to the table and said, "Lay down in your places; maintain physical contact with Bobby."

Logan laid down beside his friend and grabbed hold of his arm, looking at Eames and saying, "I am not going to hold his friggin' hand."

She shook her head with a small smile and said, "Idiot."

"Thank you."

She laid down at Goren's head and placed her arm along his head with her hand resting on his chest. "Okay, Reynaldo. Now what?"

"Now close your eyes and simply listen. Do not be afraid; do not struggle against anything you feel. When you are aware of being in the spirit realm, remain together and go to find Bobby. He knows you are coming, but he may be too distracted to search for you. You must find him. Whatever happens, do not separate from one another, and once you find Bobby, do not let him leave your presence. Bring him home."

Logan grunted. "And I'm supposed to know the way?"

"You will."

"Suppose I take a wrong turn somewhere along the way and we end up on Jupiter?"

Reynaldo smiled. "You will not guide them wrong. Trust yourself."

"That's easier said than done."

"Okay, fine," Eames said. "Get us lost and you'll spend eternity getting smacked upside your fat head."

"Thanks for the incentive, Alex. I'll remember that."

Conversation ceased and Reynaldo began to chant.