He held his eyes on her for a moment. She saw all the pain and grief in his eyes. And something else. Something just for her. Then she could see that he was determined. He would fight for her. He would give everything for her.

It won't be enough, the voice inside her said.

Darkness was racing toward Max as he steeled himself and lifted his right hand. Liz didn't need her newfound ability to see the future to know what would happen next.

She felt it, from someplace older and deeper than the source of her new powers.

"NO!" Liz screamed.

She didn't want to be here. She wanted to wake up, but she sensed this was not a dream. She didn't want to watch what was about to happen. Liz found that she could not even close her eyes. She watched Max steel himself from the darkness that was flying toward them now.

When the darkness was almost upon them, energy flared from Max's hand, and a green defensive shield appeared in front of them.

It's too big, Liz thought. Too strong.

She knew she had to do something. She had to help Max, but she knew it was already too late. Then the dark shape reached the shield and tore through it after less than a second's pause. There was only a moment now, Liz knew, and Max used that moment to fire a burst of energy into the darkness that swallowed it without even hesitating.

"NO!" Liz screamed as she watched the darkness tear into Max. Finally she was able to turn away, but she didn't need to see it to know what happened next. Whatever had raced into Max almost instantly tore him apart, and Liz felt him die.

Liz Parker screamed.

Liz was stirring.

She's having a bad dream, Max realized. No, not just a bad dream… a full-on nightmare.

As she tossed in her seat, Max considered waking her. He couldn't remember if it was better to let someone who was having a nightmare sleep or to wake them up.