Connections 25

Liz awoke the next morning to find herself in Max's arms. She shifted slightly so she could see his face and she smiled. He was still asleep, and he looked more peaceful than she'd ever seen anyone look. She traced his jaw lightly with her finger and softly kissed his lips. His eyes opened slowly and he seemed to wake up automatically at the sight of her.

"Hey.." she whispered. Max wrapped his arms around her entirely and kissed her forehead.

"Hey Liz."

"How are you feeling Max? Are you still drained from breaking the connection?"

"I'm better now. Sleeping helped, and waking up to you." Liz smiled and ran her hand over his arm. "How about you Liz? Are you doing better now?"

Liz grinned up at him. "Yeah. Thanks to you." She put her arm around his shoulder and sighed.

"Max, I missed you so much, I..."

Liz was stopped by Max's finger at her lips. "I know Liz. I missed you too. I love you, I always will."

With that, Max connected with her again, and Liz could feel everything he'd felt for the last year. She entwined her fingers with his and closed her eyes with him inside her head, and her inside his. They stayed that way for a long while, just reveling in the feeling of being beside each other once again. The morning light came upon them and the rest of the house began to awaken.

Everyone ended up eating at the Evans' and they stayed there making plans for that day. Nasedo would be coming and they had to be prepared. With all of them there, it shouldn't be too hard to deal with him, but if he were able to single any one of them out, they would have a problem.

It was decided that the six friends would go on ahead and go to school, but always stay with someone else. That way no one could be split apart from everyone else.

Max and Liz walked together. Liz got edgy as they got closer to the school. She shivered even though it was warm outside.

'Are you alright Liz?' he thought to her.

'Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. He's here though. Very close.'

Max looked around at the teens milling in to the school. No one seemed out of the ordinary, but they knew that Nasedo would take on another's form, making it difficult for them to find him before he found them.

Michael and Maria moved through the crowded school hallways easily. They moved around people and backpacks until they were suddenly stopped by a kid in the middle of the hallway who wouldn't move.

"Come on man. We just wanna get by." Maria watched the guy as he arched his eyebrows confidently and, almost sinisterly. Michael's eyes narrowed and he shoved the guy. Maria moved back just in time to see the guy hit the opposite wall and bounce back up onto his feet.

He grinned evilly and walked forward toward Michael and Maria again. They both watched expectantly, knowing what he was.

"You should've sent her back to me as soon as you found out who she was. It would've been safer for all of you." Nasedo took on Ed Harding's form once again and put his hand out in front of him. A light shot from his hand and hit Michael square in the chest. Michael staggered back violently, but got back on his feet quickly.

Maria moved to intercept Nasedo and put her hand out. She shot him with a bolt of light and he went flying against the wall again. Nasedo merely looked up at her and stood up across from her. Michael and Maria stood opposite him, both ready with their hands held out towards him.

Nasedo came forward and laughed at the couple's confidence. He put both of his hands in front of him and closed his eyes. A bright white light grew between his hands. He opened his eyes and smirked at the two in front of him. Maria had moved forward and was watching him carefully.

The light changed colors and turned dark green. It began to move in small circle between his hands and it quickly picked up momentum. Nasedo was so busy concentrating on producing his weapon that he didn't notice Maria moving to his side. She raised her hand quietly and blasted him to the side hard against his head. His form flashed and the weapon of light and energy blew off the wall of the school. He struggled to his feet, his form still shaky. Michael came up behind Maria and raised his hand. He and Maria both shot at Nasedo until he fell to the ground once again. His state was weakening every moment.

Isabel and Alex rounded the corner, followed closely by Max and Liz. Maria shot at Nasedo one last time and he lay motionless on the cold off-white tiles. They walked up to him slowly. He was silent and still. His body lay flashing until it came back to his last form, Ed Harding. It stopped changing around and soon it became a withered corpse of his human form.

The group sighed a joint breathe of relief. Max stooped down to the form and waved his hand over it, causing it to disintegrate quickly and disappear. He looked up at the rest of the hallway and sighed. It was over, but they still had to clean up before they prepared to leave.

They all set to work quickly and diligently. Isabel fixed the lighting while Liz worked on the floors. Maria took care of the teachers' memories and Michael, the students'. Alex waved his hand over the wall in front of him and it slowly pulled itself back together.

It was done. Nasedo was gone forever. They couldn't go on to the station yet; there were still things to take care of...