Maria would know, Max realized.

"No!" Liz practically shouted in her sleep.

"Maria…," Max began, but he was interrupted by Liz saying, "Max, behind you!" Her voice was clear, and for a moment Max was certain that she had woken up.

Then she lapsed into unconscious moaning and twist- ing in her chair. That's it. That's enough, Max decided.

He reached for Liz. Maria did the same and said, "Hey, Parker.”

As they did, Liz let out a terrifying scream and pitched violently forward in her seat. "NOOOO!" she howled as she thrust her hands forward.

Her hands would have cracked into the windshield if it were there. But a burst of white energy exploded from her hands and shattered the windshield outward. Max slammed on the brakes and swerved the wheel as the van skidded.

He was vaguely aware that the blast that came from Liz's hands traveled down the highway. Hoping there were no cars in front of them, Max skidded onto the road's shoulder.

As soon as the van came to a stop, Max turned to Liz, who was wide awake and reaching for him.

"Max," she sputtered as her hands cupped his face and she studied him with a wide-eyed stare.

As someone opened the side door of the van, Max pulled Liz toward him. "It's okay, Liz," he said, fighting to keep the worry out of his voice.

"No," Liz said forcefully, pulling back from him. "It's not okay. Oh my God, Max, you died.”

She's terrified, Max thought. Completely terrified.

"No, I didn't, Liz. I'm right here," he said gently.

Max could see that Liz was fighting for control. She pulled him toward her and started to cry. When her sobs began to die down, he whispered reassuringly into her ear, "Liz, it was just a dream.”

Pulling away again, Liz looked at him with a new expression on her face. It wasn't fear this time. It was grief. "No, Max, it wasn't," she said clearly.