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Chapter Text

Rain was pouring, dripping from their hairs, the howling winds and cracking of lightning filled the dark sky. Two girls, a slender brunette and a taller blue-haired girl held each other, kissing as tears joined the drops of rains on their faces.

They broke their kiss sobbing.

"I'll always love you. Now, ... get out of here... please!" the blue-haired girl started to move away as she spoke to the crying brunette. "Do it before I freak!" The bluenette's voice began to crack with emotion as she turned away.

The brunette looked at the picture in her hand, tears running down her cheek as she tried not to crack and call for her beloved friend. She was about to leap into the picture as the voice called to her.

"And Max Caulfield? Don't you forget about me!"

"Never." she whispered as she jumped through time.

 Max Caulfield woke up in the girl's bathroom as she took the fateful picture of the blue butterfly, back on Monday October 7th.

Looking at the picture, she let it fall on the floor as she started to cry. She sat on the floor her back against the nearby stall as she heard the bathroom door opening, followed by the beginning of Nathan's self-pep talk.

Oh Chloe, why... why? Why can't I save you?

"I hope you checked the perimeter as my step-ass would say. Now let's talk bidness."

Max bit her hand trying to hold a cry as she heard the familiar voice of Chloe, her snark. She wanted to jump out and throw herself at her friend, to kiss her.

I have to... I have to let her die!

"You don't know who the fuck I am or who you're messing around with!"

Nathan's shout of anger woke her up from her thoughts.

"Where'd you get that? What are you doing? Come on, put that thing down!"

Max felt her resolve starting to crack as she heard the distress in her friend's voice. She wanted to help her, to save her, to be with her. She started to rock on the floor hugging her knees as she fought the urge to interrupt fate.

I have to... but I can't... it's not fair! I can't let ... but I have to...

As Max continued her internal struggle, the fight continued in the bathroom.

"Don't EVER tell me what to do! I'm SICK of people trying to control me!"

With each explosion of Nathan's voice Max shuddered.

"You are going to get in hella more trouble for this than drugs-" "Nobody would ever miss your 'punk ass' would they?"

Max wanted to scream that he was wrong, to yell that she would miss her, that she loved her.

Chloe panicked, she wanted the boy and the gun pressed on her belly to be far away. She pushed him.

"Get that gun away from me psycho!"

Hearing those words, the sobbing Max couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't go with this, couldn't abandon her friend, her love. Without even thinking about it, she leapt out of her cover extending her hand.

"CHLOE! NO!"

The scene froze in front of her. Chloe, hands in front of her, pushing Nathan. Nathan stumbling back stopped in mid-fall, his finger pressed on the trigger. Yet, no shot occurred.

Max remained there, crying as she observed the scene, events stopped within the slight delay between the moment the trigger was released and the moment the firing pin would strike the cartridge. Slowly, she took one step after another, closing the distance as she cried.

"Chloe... I can't..." she started, her voice raw with pain and sadness. "I can't do this Chloe… I can't let you die." She walked trembling as she inserted herself between Nathan and the blue haired girl.

Her hand reached up, caressing the frozen girl's cheek softly. "I ... would not be able to live... not without you..." she cried as she pressed herself on her former best friend, wrapping her arms around her in a tight hug. "I can't let you go... I love you so much..." she confessed although she knew no one could hear. She remained there as long as she could, feeling a sharp pain throbbing in her head as she fought to keep time still. Her nose bled, drops of scarlet dripping on her chin and hoodie as she looked up at the bluenette's frozen face "I'll always be with you. Please forgive me!" She sobbed before pressing her lips to Chloe's and letting go of her hold on time.

Suddenly, a sharp burning pain surged through her back. Her eyes flared open and her legs gave up before she could even register the report of the gun. As her vision blurred, she noticed the surprise in the blue eyes of her friend. Then everything turned black.

 David Madsen was posted by the main entrance of Blackwell Academy, watching as the kids walked past him to leave school. Now and then he cringed as he heard the squeals and laughter of the students as they ran, cheered and played pranks. He growled, thinking about what those cheerful faces must hide. He knew he had trouble accepting some of them were probably good kids, yet he couldn't help but thinking of them as just trouble makers of some sorts.

He remembered how his step-daughter came into drugs and alcohols while a student in this school. How she squandered her opportunity for something better to cover for her friend Rachel Amber. His eyes automatically moved to one of the numerous missing person posters as he thought of how she and Chloe had kept his house alive with tantrums and troubles. Not that he hated disorder per se, but he just needed the order and discipline of his former military life to feel at ease and forget about war, about his friend's death.

As he waited, watching the students slowly move around the hall, his mind wandered to his investigation, his personal search for his step-daughter's missing friend. He knew something in Blackwell was at the origin of all this, yet he couldn't find what dark secret was hidden from him. He hoped the surveillance camera network he requested would help uncover some crucial clue.

What had happened to Rachel? Had she really run away alone, abandoning Chloe? No surely not.

He wasn't sure but he believed her bound to his step-daughter was deeper than friendship.

Then what? Had she been kidnapped? And if yes, was a student or a teacher invo-

The loud report echoing through the hall jerked him out from his thoughts.

Gunshot!

What the...

The thought erupted in Chloe's head as time resumed its course. Going on overdrive, she tried to compute what had happened.

One moment, she was scared as shit, pushing that Prick-scott and his gun away. The next she was pressed against the wall, tightly held in a stranger's arms while their lips were pressed together and the taste of blood filled her mouth.

Her brain was just about to decide on a reaction when the deafening gunshot echoed in the bathroom. She saw the girl's eyes flare open at the same time a sharp sting hit her stomach.

The tightness of the hug decreased and she could swear she saw life leaving the eyes fixated on her with shock and pain before the weight of the girl brought them both down.

 The morning was quiet at the Two whales diner, and Joyce was about to refill Officer Berry's mug when his radio suddenly came to life.

"All units, shots fired at Blackwell Academy! Repeat shots fired at Blackwell Academy! All units respond code 3!"

The cop and his partner jumped to their feet dropping forks and food on the floor with a "Shit!" as they exited the diner rushing for their cruiser. The car roared to life with screeching tires as it sped away, sirens wailing and lights flashing, under the eyes of every patron.

No one even noticed Joyce standing there frozen in the middle of the diner as several other RMPs and Ambulances rushed on the main street.

Chapter Text

Everyone had been startled by the deafening detonation. Screams and panic came right after that. As David Madsen hurried toward the source of the shot, he pointed at Mrs. Grant with an authoritarian voice

"Get the students out of here!"

His right hand moved to his holstered handgun as he hurried to the bathroom, his left hand reaching to the mike on his shoulder as he barked "Gunshot in the girl's bathroom! Someone call 911!"

Gun at the ready he paused by the door, his back pressed at the wall as he breathed deeply, his military training taking over as he prepared to move. With a grunt he pushed from the wall and kicked the door opened.

"What is going on here!" he bellowed as his eyes quickly scanned the room. He noticed the familiar blue of his step-daughter's head, the red blood starting to pool beside her and the unconscious girl. He heard some gibberish coming from a boy who was on four, a gun beside his hand. He tensed, taking aim at the boy as this one slowly moved, hand reaching for the dropped gun.

Don't do it! Don't do it!

His thoughts repeated in his head as the boy's hand inched closer from the weapon. "Don't do it!" He screamed as a warning, his finger reaching for his own trigger as the boy's hand finally touched the gun.

As the boy started to raise and the gun left the tiled floor. His military conditioning took over – the boy becoming threat to be eliminated - and he pressed the trigger. Fighting the recoil of the gun, he pressed the trigger again... and again, delivering a three round salvo in a tight grouping directly at the boy's chest.

In the background the first wails of sirens started to cover the screams of students still running to leave the building.

"Adam 55-1, Boy 55-1, respond for possible gunshot victims, Arcadia bay Blackwell Academy, PD notified and on route."

John Stevens looked up from the report pad he had been using to catalogue the inventory of the bus, when his radio squelched. He looked up at his partner and nodded while slamming the cupboard doors close.

"Go, Go, Go!" He hurried to his seat as his counterpart started the Ambulance's engine and flicked the Siren's and flashlight's switches. He reached the radio on the dashboard "Blackwell Academy, 10-4, Adam 55-1"

The bus quickly sped up on the main street as it hurried to the high school; quickly overtaken by several police cruisers and joined by another Ambulance as it drove past Two Whales Diner.

"What you think? Another Columbine?" the driver asked looking at him with a somber face.

"Shit I hope it's not that bad."

Officer Berry was holding tight to his dashboard as the RMP took a drifting turn to leave the parking lot. "55 Charlie, responding to shot fired, BlackWell Academy." he said to the radio mike on his left shoulder

He kept his eyes on the road for oncoming traffic, ready to warn his partner at the wheel. "Fucking time for a shootout at a school!" he swore as the car swerved to overtake a truck, sirens wailing loudly and flashlight blazing.

"True dat." the driver responded "We're getting close." He said their unit having probably been the closest from this part of town. Already, they could see the torrents of kids running on the school ground, pouring from the building exits.

With screeching of tires, the car slid to a stop bumping on the curb as they finally arrived. "55 Charlie, on scene black..." three detonations ringing from inside the building cut him off.

He quickly pulled his gun from its holster as he and his partner ran, half crouched, toward the building entrance "55 Charlie, multiple shots fired! Repeat multiple shots fired! Send back up ASAP!"

He and his partner took position by the door looking carefully before he nodded and plunged in the hall, the other officer keeping his gun pointed inside to cover him. Slowly, they crept along the floor eyes scanning the room, free hands waving at the students that still ran toward the doors. As they reached the crossing of the corridors they heard the voice barking from the bathroom "Ray! I need medics! I got injured people here! We need help!"

Berry pushed the door open noticing the two wounded girls, the guard kneeling by a boy, his gun in his unstrapped holster, his hand on the boy's chest, and the gun lying on the floor further in room.

At the sound Madsen turned his head "We're clear here, I need medics though." he said to the officers before turning to the blue haired girl barking "Chloe! Chloe what happened for Christ sake!"

Berry nodded to his partner who turned to face the corridors. "Tell the others to scan the school for more, and send us the medics."

He reached the radio on his shoulder reporting "Dispatch, 55 Charlie, on scene Blackwell first floor's girl's bathroom. We got 2 maybe 3 gunshot victims, send EMT ASAP. We are beginning to sweep the building." as the girl he knew as Joyce's daughter started to frantically call at the unconscious one.

 "Oh god! Oh god! I didn't want this! Please I didn't want this!"

Nathan's panicked sobbing voice reached her ears as she looked down in shock at the unconscious girl in her arms, the familiar face, the freckles. For one moment she hesitated, "Max?" her voice showing disbelief as much as denial as tears started to fill her eyes.

"No... No... No! Max? Tell me it's not you please! MAX!"

At that moment, the bathroom door slammed open. "What is going on here!" the booming voice of David Madsen echoed as he charged gun at the ready. "Don't do it!" Chloe couldn't help and cringed with fear as three detonations followed the man's voice.

Curiosity made her look up a moment, and she noticed Nathan's body sagging slowly gun in his hand, with three red holes in his chest.

"Shit!" David's voice was the only sound left as he moved to the boy. He reached to the mike on his shoulder and barked frantically as he pressed his hand other on the boy's chest trying to stop the blood

"Ray, I need medics! I got two injured here, we need help!"

He turned his head to someone entering the room and said with a rough voice "We're clear here, I need paramedics though." Then he looked at Chloe and barked to her "Chloe! Chloe what happened for Christ sake!"

Chloe's hands frantically moved over the unconscious girl's body, trying to stop the blood flowing out "He shot her!... God! He shot Max!..." she started frantically "Oh God ... Max! Please don't Max!" she cried panicked as the other girl remained still. "Why were you there? You shouldn't have been here! WHY?" she started to ask the other girl.

She kept repeating her questions, her supplications again and again rocking on her knees as the paramedics entered the room, only breaking her cycle as they reached for Max's body. Then, she hissed and screamed - like a feral lioness when someone tries to take her cubs away - while they pried the unconscious girl from her hand "No! No! MAX! WHAT WERE YOU DOING HERE? MAX! PLEASE MAX!"

It took David and another of the Blackwell security guard to pull Chloe away and hold her as she kicked and fought to reach for Max. Only when they finally managed to pull her out of the bathroom, out of sight of her wounded friend, did she calm down, falling on her knees looking at her bloody hands.

David crouched beside her. "Chloe. Chloe! Are you hurt?" he asked seeing how bloody her clothes were. She looked up to him "Max is hurt... Her blood..." she started, but then adrenaline subsided and the pain that was hidden by her panic flared. She folded over, falling on the high school floor as David's voice called for help.

 John Stevens barely gave the time for the Ambulance to stop as opened his door and jumped off the bus. He ran to the back loading doors opening them and pulling the gurney with their kits out. As a second Ambulance came to park beside them, a police officer came to meet them. "We got gunshot victims at least two, one girl and one boy, both unconscious." He started to show them the way, as John asked "Where?"

The cop answered without pause, "Girl's bathroom across the hall from the entrance on the left. We cleared the first floor, still moving through the rest of the building." as he held the door opened to let them pass.

They stopped the gurney by the door, retrieving their kits as they went in the room, finding a guard busy putting pressure on a handcuffed boy's chest, and a girl frantically screaming at an unconscious girl bleeding on the ground.

He nodded his partner toward the boy and moved to reach the bleeding girl, cursing in his head as he saw all the blood on the floor. He tried to look at the brunette, but the other girl was hysteric and started to hiss and scream, slapping his hands away. "Get her out!" he called at the guards who nodded starting to drag the blue haired girl out of the bathroom.

He looked at the girl's belly noticing the ragged hole of an exit wound on the right, slightly below the ribcage, and winced. He reached for the body carefully lifting her and noticed the other smaller wound on her back with slight burn mark. "One gunshot, through and through, close contact." he called as he reached to verify the girl's pulse and breathing. "She's alive but we need to get her to the hospital now!" His partner nodded as he left the other victim to the second team and came to help preparing the girl for transport.

They were just reaching the door leading outside as they heard the call from the security guard.

On the campus ground, students were massed behind yellow tapes, gawking and looking to see what happened. As the doors of the school banged open, Kate Marsh, Victoria Chase, Dana Ward, Warren Graham and others could see one of the paramedic pushing a gurney as the other ran beside it, trying to apply bandages and IV on the run.

Several gasps could be heard among students as the unconscious girl was rushed toward the Ambulance. Cops helped the paramedics load the gurney and close the doors, tapping each side to signal the driver the vehicle was secured for departure. In response the Ambulance sped up while the siren wailed loudly, echoing against the brick walls.

Kate Marsh looked around her noticing the same name whispered on the other's lips, the name of the girl everyone in their class recognized. Maxine.

Chapter Text

The doors slammed open as a gurney was pushed by one paramedic, the other kneeling, straddling over the legs of an unconscious girl while he pressed two fingers through a bloody hole in the girl's belly.

As a doctor hurried to take charge of the wounded girl, the man started reciting "Female, 18, gunshot wound to abdomen. Shot in the back exit wound on the front, non-responsive, sever hemorrhage, crashed twice on the bus but vitals came back once shocked..." the man pointed his fingers with his free hand "I think she might have a nicked artery, but I managed to plug the leak with my finger. BP is crashing as soon as I pull out though... "

As the man kept reciting the data of his charge, nurses and doctors directing them to the nearest OR, the doors slammed opened again as another gurney rushed in and a woman called "Male 18 multiple gunshot wounds to the chest, no exit wound. Vitals weak but stable, collapsed left lung..." She pointed the handcuffs holding the boy and nodded to the police officer following them "Was shot in self-defense by a security-guard, the boy is in police custody."

And again as the gurney moved further through the hospital, the doors slammed open. A third gurney with a blue haired girl was pushed by another pair of paramedics, followed by a man in Blackwell's security guard uniform. "Female 19, gunshot wound to the abdomen, no exit wound, moderate bleeding. Was responsive when we arrived, but lost consciousness on scene. BP and EKG stable."

As the gurney was carted away toward the emergency rooms, a guard came to stop the man in uniform "Sorry sir, you can't go further."

The man reached to his head, pulling his cap off as he looked up, tears in his eyes "Please, she's my step-daughter."

The guard looked at the man noticing the empty holster and the blood on the dark blue shirt. He put a hand on his shoulder and responded with the sympathetic tone of a law enforcement officer to another. "She'll be taken care off. I'm sorry but until a doctor calls for you, you can't go further." He tried to lead the man away "Why don't you come have a coffee in our break room as you wait."

David looked up and hesitated "I got to call my wife... her mother..." Yet, he didn't move, staring through the small window in the door.

Joyce was back behind the counter, picking up the coffee pot in an attempt to occupy her mind and forget about her worries. Patrons who came here daily tried to cheer her up with reassurances such as "don't worry Joyce, David's a vet, he will be alright." "Yeah, he sure is alright you will see."

God please make it so.

Joyce nodded and started to move around the counter to refill cups and mugs when she noticed the Police cruiser parking in front. She hesitated a moment as the officers stepped off but as she realized it was Berry and his partner, she relaxed a bit thinking they just came to finish their interrupted meal.

Her thought didn't last very long. As they entered the diner, everyone noticed their somber expression and the room became quiet. The sound of the coffee pot crashing to the ground startled everyone into looking at her. "David?" Joyce strangled voice asked weakly. And every patron held their breath.

"No Joyce, it's Chloe." Joyce held her hand to her mouth stifling a sob as Berry took a step forward "She and a Blackwell student have been shot by Prescott's son."

A growl rose in almost every throat in the room at the mention of Arcadia Bay's most notorious business man and bully. Joyce fell to her knees and Officer Berry hurried to her. "Joyce, she's alright, she was conscious most of the time before they took her to the hospital. She's the least injured of the three."

A trucker's voice came up "Three? I thought they were only Chloe and another student? Who else did Prescott's filth of a son shot?" anger filling the diner.

Officer Berry raised his head "No one... Madsen shot the boy down in self-defense."

Mumbles and even congratulations filled the room, although no one cheered. Not while the daughter of their favorite waitress was among the victims.

"Joyce, I came to pick you up. I'll take you to the Hospital. David rode the Ambulance with Chloe and is waiting for you as we speak." He softly coerced the woman to stand and follow him.

As she walked to the cruiser, her legs shook with her grief and fear. She always knew her daughter would one day get into troubles she couldn't handle. That day, her nightmare came true..

 David was seated in the waiting room, an officer standing in front of him with his notepad and a pen in hands.

"Sorry David, but I need your statement." The man said, adding apologetically "You fired your gun, you know the procedure."

David looked up with exhaustion "Yeah ... I know..."

The officer looked down "Let's get it done with before Berry and Joyce arrives, so you can both be with Chloe when she gets out of surgery." He reached and taped his hand on the former soldier's hand. "Walk me through it, ok?"

David took a deep breath "Ok..." he sighed "I was by the main entrance, watching over the kids as usual while they left for the day... Then I heard the shot."

He rubbed his head with his left hand, the right holding a cup of coffee. "It ... It came from the bathroom... kids were screaming. I told a teacher to lead them out as I ran there."

The officer took notes, "When did you draw your gun?"

David closed his eyes. "Err... I dunno... right after the shot, I think... maybe while I was running…" He looked up "I reacted... like ... like in the desert you know."

The officer, also a former veteran nodded. "Yeah I know... go on."

David waved a hand as he tried to recollect what happen, an exercise he usually did at the VA when talking to the psys in the working to treat his PTSD.

"I ... kicked the door open... Chloe was against the wall on my right, the other girl ... Caulfield is her name, I think... she was in Chloe's arms... Prescott was on his knee further in the room, his gun was beside him."

The cop frowned, "He didn't have the gun in his hand?"

David shook his head, "Not when I came in, no." He took a deep breath before he continued, "I asked what was going on... and ... Prescott moved to get at the gun." David reached with his free hand to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"I told him not to... but ... he reached for it... He was standing up, a gun in his hand ... I had no choice!" he said plaintively as if trying to convince himself as well as the officer.

"So you shot him?" David nodded in response "How many round?"

David looked up, "Standard three rounds salvo..." he said with a pained blank voice. "I ... you know... I reacted... like I was still there you know..."

The cop nodded, Military and Cops had this in common - they trained to put three shots center mass of any threat.

"Yeah, I know..." he sighed "Okay David, from what we got so far, it's self-defense. It's a clean shot, okay?"

David scoffed "Clean shot... Yeah find me the arsehole who first called it that." He looked up with a stern face. "I shot a kid. Nothing really clean about that." he said with the harsher tone people have known him to use.

"Yeah right... Listen David, we got the guns, and we will get the bullets from the docs... Don't worry ok? You saved Chloe, maybe even the other girl ok? You couldn't know Prescott wouldn't shot them again. You did what any cop would do okay?"

David shook his head at the officer "He was cr_"

"David!" Joyce's voice filled the emergency's waiting room as she erupted from the door. "David! What happened? How is she?"

David Madsen jumped to his feet dropping his coffee cup "Joyce! I ... I dunno exactly yet." He moved and hugged his wife holding her "All I know is she's going to be fine... They say the bullet didn't do much damage." He pushed back from Joyce and held her shoulder "She's in surgery, but she will be fine." he added crying a little.

Joyce shook her head in disbelief, "How? How did she get shot? Did she... Did she..." Even now she couldn't bear to ask if her troubled daughter's rebellious activities could be the cause.

"I dunno Joyce. It seems she got hit by a bullet that went through the other girl." He scratched his head, thoughtful. "She seemed to know_".

As he talked a doctor came through a door and went to them "Mr. Madsen?"

David turned around holding his wife's hand. "How is my daughter?" Joyce asked with slightly panicked voice.

The doctor smiled reassuringly "She's fine, she is in the wake up phase of her surgery." He pushed his glasses up on his nose "As I said to your husband, the bullet didn't go far enough to do severe damages." He reached to the panicked mother and pressed a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "You will be able to see her as soon as she is moved to a room."

He then turned to David "Mr. Madsen, I need to know if you have the emergency contact information for the other girl." He consulted his notepad "Ms. Maxine Caulfield, is it?"

A squeal from Joyce brought both men's eyes to her. "Max?! Is she ... Is she the other..." she looked at her husband.

"Do you know her? Chloe kept calling her name too. I ..." David started but Joyce interrupted him as she reached for the doctor's blouse "She's Chloe's best friend! How is she?!"

The doctor looked puzzled at the woman's reaction, Joyce reacting as if his other patient had been her own child. "I ... I can't give you the details. I'm sorry, but ..." He sighed. "I need to contact her family. Her wounds are more severe and she's in a critical condition... They need to come immediately."

David nodded and reached for his phone "I'll see with the school's administration for ..." he started, but Joyce interrupted him.

"They are in Seattle." Slowly she reached in the pocked of her skirt retrieving her phone. Like a ghost, she slowly moved among the contact list as she searched for the phone number she hasn't used in years "It's... It's been over three years since we last talked... I ... I dunno if it's still the same..." she said as she pressed the call button with a trembling finger.

After a moment a woman's voice answered "Joyce! It's been years !" the voice cheerful as Max' mom responded to an old friend she hadn't heard of in years.

"Vanessa..." Joyce's voice was raw with pain and fear. She did not know how she could tell her friend about her daughter's situation.

"Joyce...? What's wrong?" The voice came back with unease as the woman heard the mangled tone.

Joyce couldn't talk anymore and broke into tears. The doctor reached for the phone as she nearly dropped it.

"Mrs. Caulfield? I am Doctor Ryan from Arcadia Bay Hospital. I... am sorry to disturb you but... It's about your daughter."

"Maxine?" the voice came back strangled as the woman's dread became more and more apparent.

"Yes Mrs. Caulfield... Could you and your husband come to Arcadia Bay as soon as possible? She's been shot..."

 It was very early on the following morning. The sun was just beginning to rise above the horizon, its light starting to brighten the large room with white walls, dozens of chairs and an L-shaped desk with nurses sitting behind it. Joyce and David were taking a break from sitting in Chloe's room, getting coffee in the waiting room to stay awake after the long dreadful night.

A tall bearded man, wearing a brown flannel shirt and black denim jeans, and a smaller woman in a green shirt and skirt came rushing through the door. From the dark marks under their eyes, it was evident they had been awake for too long, yet they hurried in the hospital room. As they spotted Joyce, they ran to her the woman crying "Joyce!"

Joyce raised her head and turned seeing old friends she hadn't seen since William's funeral. "Vanessa, Ryan!" she called back rushing to them. "Oh god!" she exclaimed as she hugged both of them.

Vanessa Caulfield looked up at the blonde. "How is she? How is Maxine?" she cried with anguish built on the long hours of their drive from Seattle. Her husband reached to her shoulder to pry her from Chloe's mother, trying to reassure her.

David, still in his bloodied uniform, nodded to the couple as he approached. "We don't know much. They can't tell us. We're not family. But she's out of surgery, that's all we know."

The bearded man looked at the former soldier seeing the uniform. "Are you?"

David nodded "David Madsen, I ... was the guard who found them yes."

Joyce took a step back and shook her head "Sorry ... This is David, he's my husband, Chloe's step-father." she said as an introduction.

Ryan stifled a yawn, rubbing his face. "Sorry, I drove all night." he offered as an explanation before extending his hand. "Ryan Caulfield, and this is Vanessa my wife. Thank you for saving our daughter." As David reached for the handshake Vanessa went to the nurse station. Keeping an eye on his wife Ryan turned to David and Joyce.

"How is Chloe? Is she ..."

Joyce nodded "She is still unconscious, but she should be fine... Seems... Seems she was hit by the same bullet as Max..." She sobbed "So her wounds are lighter, she ..."

Ryan smiled although pain could still be seen in his face "Good, I'm glad she's okay."

A man with a doctor blouse passed a double door, called by the nurse at the front desk, walking with the heavy stride of a man who had not had enough sleep.

"Mr. and Mrs. Caulfield?" he called, and both Ryan and Vanessa hurried to him, followed by Joyce. David followed his wife although remaining a few steps back.

"How is Maxine?" asked Vanessa verging on a nervous breakdown.

"She is out of surgery, and she is still alive so far. Please, sit down." he said trying to sound reassuring yet not as much as giving false hope as he led the couple to the chairs. "I won't lie to you Ma'am, her condition is critical; she was shot at point blank or very close range, and in those conditions a bullet can make a lot of damages."

He looked at the father and mother, "The bullet grazed her spine, nicked a major artery, damaged her spleen, all this while going through muscles and intestine, before exiting. She lost a lot of blood and if the paramedic who got her hadn't token upon himself to violate procedure by putting his fingers in the wound; she'd have bled out before making it here." He shook his head. "They had to resuscitate her twice on the way." he added wincing a bit. "But the good news is we sutured most of the damages to her intestine and muscles. The very good news is we managed to repair the artery." He offered a soft smile giving time to Vanessa to gather herself as she cried in her husband's arms. "She is in a coma and if she wakes up, she will still suffer sequels." he said. "We had to remove her spleen, and we don't know yet how badly her spinal cord might have been damaged."

Ryan looked at the doctor, his face livid under his beard. "How... bad ..." he started.

"As I said we don't know yet and won't know until she wakes up. At the worst, she could never walk again. At best, no sequels. In between, it could range from chronic pain, partial loss of leg control. Only time will tell us." He looked at the father as he continued, "That is for the spine. For the rest, well we had to remove her spleen, so she will need constant medication to compensate." He smiled trying to give them a bit of hope. "It is not as bad as it sounds; people can very well live without their spleen, provided they follow a diet and specific medication."

Ryan tightened his hold on his wife before asking "Can we see her?"

The doctor nodded. "Yes, she's in ICU, a bit further from Ms. Price's room. However, as I said, she is in a coma... I just prefer to warn you, so you don't get too shocked... she still has respiratory assistance attached to her. We don't think it is fully necessary, but we prefer to keep her with it for a few more hours to be..."

The door slammed and a buffy man with glasses roared "Where is my son!"

As everyone turned to watch Sean Prescott entering, a guard started to walk toward the man.

"Sir, this is a hospital. Please refrain from ..." "I don't care! I have a meeting in twenty minutes, so I have no time to lose with you. I demand to see my son immediately!"

The commotion attracted several people from the corridors, including officer Berry who had been posted in front of Nathan's room.

"Sir, I am Doctor Ryan" said the doctor as he stood to try and calm Prescott senior. "Your son is in his room resting and is out of danger." he started, "However, I cannot let you see him. He is in police custody."

"What the fuck are you saying?! Do you know who I am?!" the man boomed angrily. "I own this hospital, I own this whole city! And you better take me to my son if you want to keep your fucking job!"

The doctor shook his head. "Sir, even if I wanted I could not do that. It's out of my hands." he said apologetically.

Sean Prescott spotted the Policeman and boomed again. "Take me to my son NOW!"

Officer Berry approached calmly a hand in front of him. "Sir, you've got to remain calm. You cannot see your son. He's in custody and under arrest. Now, I understand you're concerned but..."

"Arrest! What for? He's the one who got shot!" the words erupted from the business man.

"Felony of bringing a weapon at a school, felony assault with deadly weapon and attempted murder." the officer responded.

"Attempted murder! Assault!" Prescott looked around him in disbelief. He noticed David and pointed at him. "My son's no murderer! Here's your murderer! Why is he here? Why is the man who shot my son not in jail?!"

At those words David clenched his fists, fighting the urges to punch the man. But the officer responded with a calm voice, trying to keep the situation defused "Sir, your son was shot in self-defense by the campus security. He was found with a gun, in a school, next to two gunshot victims. Evidences show your son shot them." The officer moved assertively between Prescott and the Madsen-Price and Caulfields. "I am sorry sir, but you cannot see him before he has been interrogated by a police investigator. That is the law."

Prescott hissed. "I am the law in this city!"

Officer Berry's hand moved to his holstered gun "Sir I must insist, you either calm down and sit in a chair quietly, leave the premises on your own accord, or I'll have to use the force and remove you after placing you under arrest for disturbance of the peace."

Sean Prescott's face was red with rage. He spat at the cop's shoes and turned "Fine, but I swear you'll hear from my lawyers! Now way those accusations will stand. I'm sure those bitches attacked him first anyway!"

Vanessa voice suddenly screamed from behind the officers as she fought to attack the man, only held by Ryan and David. "My daughter is between life and death because of your brat! Don't you fucking call her a bitch?!"

Prescott turned and looked at the woman with a smirk. "I'm sure the bitch deserved it, anyway."

It was too much. David released Vanessa and turned throwing his fist toward the man and smashing it in Prescott's face. "Shut up your arse!" He started hitting the man again. "Your son shot two people today! One of them my daughter! And all you got to say is they deserved it?!" David's anger exploded, the rage of seeing his step-daughter bleeding on the floor, the rage of having been forced to shot someone again. "No wonder your boy turned into a psychopath!" He called as Officer Berry and Ryan grabbed him and pulled him away from Sean Prescott.

The business man rose, his nose bleeding "I want him arrested! He assaulted me!" The officer still holding David looked at the man "Sir, you better leave now before I arrest you for harassment."

Stunned by the threat, Sean Prescott looked at the people around him, and growled some threat as he left.

The room turned silent as everyone started to regain their composure. Until, the shrill of an alarm suddenly rang behind the front desk.

Chapter Text

The light was bright, too bright, and Max kept squinting as she tried to see her surroundings.

"Wowser! You really messed it up this time!"

The voice made Max jump with surprise. She looked around her, turning around, but all she could see was complete, total white emptiness.

Who is here? Where am I?

Her mind went in overdrive trying to understand, to remember what happened

"Oh come on! You really don't remember?" The voice answered as if she could read the girl's mind. She startled and turned seeing herself, or another-self facing her.

"Wowser!" The other Max shook her head, walking around Max, studying her body "I can't believe you would decide to save your Punk again!"

Max frowned and looked at herself. She saw the red stain on her shirt, the hole in her flank. "Am... Am I dead?"

Other Max scoffed. "Might as well be!" She waved around. "You sure aren't in Kansas anymore!"

Max look at the image of herself. "Did... Is... Is Chloe alive?" she asked with dread.

"Are you Cereal? You're in the middle of nowhere, you got a bullet hole in your body and your only question is whether your Punk Bitch is still alive?"

Max clenched her fists "Don't call her that! She's... She's the most important one!"

"So important you ignored her for nearly five years? Come on! You really need to wake up!" Other Max pouted a moment as she thought. "Oh well, that might obviously be too late."

Max felt anger starting to fill her. She remembered the tone, the scorn in the version of herself she saw in her nightmare before the storm.

"Shut up! What do you know about me?" she screamed. "I love Chloe! I never wanted to leave her! I'd give everything for her!"

Other Max laughed loudly. "Love? Jeez, you barely talked to her for five years, you see her for five days and we're already in love? Dog, how stupid can you be?!"

"You can't understand!"

Other Max moved as she answered, "Oh sure I can. I am you, remember?" pressing a finger to Max's chest.

"You aren't me! You're nothing like me!" Max busted out and pushed at her doppelganger.

The other laughed again. "Oh sure, we are different." She raised a hand "You believe you are in love, that your little Punk girl is a saint." She raised her other hand. "I know it is not love and that she would not have done the same thing for you." She dropped her hands shrugging. "Nonetheless we are one. I know your thoughts, your memories, everything."

"You know nothing! You feel nothing!"

"Oh, I feel things... I feel pity for us... for you. You decided to take a bullet for a girl who feels nothing for you, and you stupidly think it would solve everything."

Max jumped at her ghost trying to punch her. "Shattup you sunovabitch!"

"Hey! Don't insult our mother!" Other Max scoffed taking a step back, the bruise from the hit flaring on her cheek.

Max kept attacking, punch after punch. "I did it! I fixed it! I fixed everything!"

Other Max suddenly disappeared leaving Max to stumble as she swung her fist in the emptiness. Max took a few steps to regain her balance, then looked around her searching her double.

The nightmare Max reappeared behind her, her face showing no more trace of the previous hits.

"Did you?" she asked with doubtfully. "I mean, you took a bullet. But do you know if your Punk is really saved? Did Nathan stop there, or did he shoot her after you lost consciousness?"

Max stopped feeling doubt starting to gnaw at her. "I ... I ..." she hesitated.

"See? You don't know." Other Max said waving a hand. She took a step aside walking around Max like a shark. "What about the storm? You really think that giving your life when your precious Punk was supposed to die will prevent it?"

Max' eyes opened wide.

"Are you cereal! Did you really forget?" Other Max shook her head amazed by the idea. "I can't believe it... You really making me look like an airhead. I mean you and your punk decided to sacrifice her to stop a tornado - which in the beginning was caused by you saving her - from destroying the city and what do you do?... You save her again? And this time you sacrifice us, so we can't even fix it?" Other Max raised her hand. "Dog! I give up! You are too stupid!"

She started to walk away. "You gave your life, don't know if it will save the city and worst of all, you don't even know if it saved the precious bitch you wanted to protect." She paused a moment "Yeah, you're a hero Max..." she said with a sarcastic tone. "Enjoy afterlife!" she added as she disappeared.

Max' surrounding started to darken, the edge of the white area slowly turning brown, like the side of a pictures as it slowly burns.

Is this the end? Does it mean I'm dead?

Max' mind look around her, the doubts her nightmarish double put in her mind gnawing at her soul, just as the darkness gnawed at the white emptiness.

Is Chloe alright? Is Chloe saved?

Those thought kept repeating in her mind as darkness reached her.

She was at the cemetery, sun was setting slowly, and groups of people were walking along a path in a procession following a casket.

There were no sounds, no voices and no cries. The faces were blurred, but she recognized the blonde bob cut of Victoria Chase, the unkempt hair of Warren Graham, the tightly tied blonde of Kate Marsh's bun.

She moved, trying to get closer but paused a moment. It didn't feel like she walked, more like she floated around.

She looked around her trying to understand. She wanted to join her friends, her classmates. So, she kept floating getting closer. As she got near the procession, she recognized more and more people. Principal Wells, Dana, Juliet, Joyce and David, even Taylor and Courtney were there.

Who are they burying?

She noticed that there was another couple just behind the coffin, a tall brown-haired man and a smaller brunette. They looked familiar. She looked around trying to see if she could find Chloe.

Joyce and David are here! Surely, she is here too!

Max kept looking around, seeing the sadness on every face, the pain in every eye. Yet she didn't see the blue hair of her friend's head.

Dog! She can't be the one in the coffin, right? I saved her, right?

The procession stopped, and the coffin was placed on a lowering device, ready to be lowered in its final resting place. People gathered around the grave. A man, a pastor, came and started to speak. Max could see every face grow somber, sadder. Yet she couldn't see who the crying couple was. Their faces were blurred, blank.

It can't be Chloe's funeral! Else they would be Joyce and David! Then who is it? Is it Rachel?

The casket started to slowly move down, lowering into the hole in the ground. There was no tombstone, no name, just an anonymous grave.

Where is Chloe?

She looked around trying to leave, trying to find her friend, her love. She wanted to be sure, to see her alive. But something kept her here. She could not leave.

As the coffin got lowered down, the edge of her vision started to darken again.

No! Where is Chloe? I need to find her!

Her mind kept screaming as darkness crept over her.

The room was bathed in the early evening light.

Is this the photography class?

She looked around her, noticing the pictures on the walls, the cameras in the cabinets, the desks and chairs. She looked through the windows seeing nothing but the trees and grounds of the campus. She searched in her pocket, finding her smartphone. Unlocking it she looked at the date.

Monday? Am I back to Monday?

She dropped her phone and rushed for the door.

I must find Chloe!

She reached the corridor. She saw students walking, chatting. Logan and another were bullying Daniel again. Everything was like that day.

Bathroom! I got to go the Bathroom!

She started to run between the lockers, but the more she ran the more the distance separating her from the main hall seemed to grow. She ran faster, panicking wanting to reach the bathroom in time.

Chloe! Chloe! Please be alive!

She felt like she ran for hours, when she finally reached the bathroom door. She tried to push it, but the door wouldn't budge. She cried in frustration and started to throw herself at it, pain radiating in her shoulder and back.

She slammed herself again and again at the door. Each time calling for Chloe, as tears filled her eyes.

Suddenly, the door let go. She went through tumbling and everything changed again.

She was on the path leading to the lighthouse. Lightning struck around her with deafening detonations. She felt a sharp burning pain in her stomach. Her hands reached to her belly and she felt a warm sticky fluid. Looking down she saw her shirt and her hand turning red with blood.

Chloe!

She started to walk up the trail, each step sending surges of pain in her back. She pressed her hands to her stomach, keeping half bent as she walked. She felt her legs weakening, each step harder to take. She stumbled a few times, nearly falling as her foot slipped on the dirt. Rain poured over her, covering her face, soaking her clothes and hair.

Chloe!

She called with her mind. She tried to voice her cry but only a painful wail escaped her lips. She reached the lighthouse winded, eyes blurry with tears, her clothes drenched with blood and rain. Panting, she looked around her and noticed a shape on the bench. Someone was balled up there, holding her knees. She slowly crept forward, pain pulsing in her body, her knees wobbling. The figure slowly got clearer and she managed to recognize the shoulder, the hair, the beanie hiding most of the blue mane.

Chloe! You're alive!

She bit her lips and groaned as she hurried her steps, reaching to touch her lover.

Wind howled around her, the sky was dark, but she couldn't see any sign of a tornado. Her sight grew dim as she got closer to Chloe. She saw the bluenette's shoulders shudder, the body trembling.

Chloe, are you crying?

She reached out wanting to comfort her friend. She wrapped her arms around the girl's shoulder resting her head on her back. But the girl did not react.

Chloe?

Slowly darkness started to fill her view again, all her senses slowly fading. Then, everything disappeared again.

The alarm behind the nurse's desk kept beeping and a nurse suddenly called out.

"Code blue! Room 219! Code blue!"

Doctor Ryan cursed and suddenly started to run toward the corridor, joined by nurses who pushed a defibrillator cart as they all rushed to the room.

Chapter Text

The alarm kept beeping from behind the desk and a nurse suddenly called out.

"CODE BLUE! Room 219! Code blue!"

Doctor Ryan cursed and suddenly ran toward the corridor, joined by nurses who pushed a defibrillator cart.

Chloe being in a different room, Joyce and David looked at the sudden agitation with just a bit of sadness, although a bit of relief. Vanessa, though, panicked trying to rush after the medical workers only held by her husband as she screamed.

"Is it Maxine?! What is happening?"

The pain in her voice made Doctor Ryan shudder but he had no time to spare for a response leaving a guard bar the access to the corridor so as to prevent people from hindering the work of doctors and nurses.

As he approached room 219, Doctor Ryan saw a nurse entering and stop in the door way with a stunned face. "What is it?" he asked her, and the woman turned around.

"She's not there!" she exclaimed, disbelief in her voice as she tried to understand.

"What! It's not possible!" Doctor Ryan shouted as he pushed his way through the door only to stare at an empty bed with an oxygen mask and several wires scattered on the mattress. He paused, eyes wide before turning to the medical team.

"Find her! Find her now!" he ordered. "She shouldn't move! She should not be able to! She can't be far!" As the nurses, doctors and guards looked at him pondering he shouted with authority. "NOW!"

Sensations started to reach her again - a dull pain in her flank, a throbbing in her head. Sounds began to fill her world. Agitation, running steps, shouts, everything around her seemed to be in chaos. Her mind was still foggy, and flashes of memories played in her head. Two girls playing pirates, hunting a treasure in a garden. The same two girls, chatting in a living room; one of them looking so sad, the other looking like she wanted to say something important but dared not. A girl, crying in a bedroom, cradling a tape recorder in her arms as tears poured from her eyes.

Everything looked familiar. Familiar and painful. She felt like something had been torn away from her leaving only emptiness.

More agitation sounds started to fill her ears. What's the fuck is happening?

The memory moved forward, the crying girl stood in a bathroom. She was older, her hair shorter and blue. She was talking with a boy. The memories started to blur, hard to really understand. She saw something metallic, threatening being pressed at the girl, a gun? She tried to see more, to understand... Things went unfocused for a moment and then a second girl stood between the boy and the bluenette. She had short brown hair, and freckles. Familiar freckles. What was more stunning to her was that the brunette was kissing the other girl, on the lips, in a more than friendly way.

The feeling of a weight pressing on her side, on her chest, started to attract her attention. Breathing seemed harder although still not difficult. Some soft pulse came from the tightness on her flank.

She started to open her blue eyes, her mouth feeling dry and parched. She squinted at the brightness, orange light filling her view. Everything was blurry, her head was throbbing, and the commotion outside didn't help. She slowly tried to turn her head to see what was pressing on her.

A person? Who?

She frowned trying to focus. A girl was nestled against her, head on her chest over her heart. She wore a hospital gown and her face looked even paler than the clothing. As she squinted, Chloe noticed freckles on the girl's face. They were familiar, but the haircut wasn't.

She swallowed a couple time before trying to move her lips. "Max?"

She didn't recognize her own voice. It sounded raw and weak and it tickled her sore throat.

She tried louder "Max?"

At the same time a door opened, and the room became even brighter as the lights were switched on.

Nurses, doctors and security guards were rushing along the corridors, opening doors and moving on after a cursory check. The search for the missing patient was frantic, and the hospital's emergencies started to look like a beehive under attack. Joyce, Vanessa, David and Ryan were still in the waiting room, a security guard barring the door preventing the anxious parents to move toward the rooms where their daughters were treated.

A nurse finally arrived at Chloe's room and pushed the door open. She paused a moment then seemed to reach for something on the wall. Light came to life in the doorway and the nurse turned to the corridor.

"Doctor! She's here!"

Doctor Ryan hurryingly joined her, looking inside confirming the nurse's report. "Get a gurney and EKG cart. We need to check her vitals before we bring her back to her room." Noticing some slight movement in the bed, he examined the situation more attentively and saw the opened blue eyes which were dancing around as if trying to find their bearing. He paused a moment his eyes wandering toward the waiting room, noticing the frown on David's and Joyce's face. "Also tell Mr. and Mrs. Madsen their daughter is awake. And let them in." He paused again as if struggling internally. "Keep Mr. and Mrs. Caulfield in the waiting room until we confirmed their daughter's condition." he finally added with a sour voice.

He entered the room followed by a couple nurses pushing a gurney and a cart. He moved to the bed and looked at the blue haired girl. "Hello Ms. Price, how are you feeling?"

The girl slowly turned her head toward him, her eyes taking time to focus "Where?" she asked with a parched voice.

The doctor reached for her wrist checking her pulse as he answered "You are at the Arcadia Bay Hospital. I am Doctor Ryan and I'll be taking care of you during your stay."

Nodding to himself after he released her wrist carefully, he made a slight move with his hand stopping the nurses from reaching for the brunette cuddled on Chloe. At the same time, a nurse guided Joyce and David in the room and the mother happily sobbed as she saw her daughter's eyes. "Chloe! Thank god!" She rushed to her daughter's side to take her hand. "You scared me so much!"

The doctor moved toward the resting girl and used his stethoscope to check her vitals. He nodded to himself before moving his hands on the other girl's body checking her back and abdomen. As he did so, his voice rose. "Ms. Price, do you remember what happened?"

Chloe seemed to hesitate. "I ... I am not sure... I think I was in a bathroom..." She frowned a moment. "It is confused... I was ... talking to ... I think it was Nathan..." She tried to shift her body a bit. She looked at her mother and said "Mom... I think I saw Max? Isn't she gone in Seattle?" her tone making it as much a question as statement. Joyce's eyes darted at the girl whose pale face rested on her daughter's chest.

"Max is right here honey." she responded, her voice shivering with dread as the doctor examined the brunette.

Chloe turned her head slowly trying to look at the girl lying beside her. "Max? Is that you?" she asked weakly, but she got no response. The other girl didn't even twitch.

Doctor Ryan pulled back after a moment. "I think she will be ok for now." He waved the nurses "Okay let's stabilize her and bring her back to her room carefully."

The medical workers started to move around the bed lowering the left ramp before they pushed an orange plastic board on the mattress. Slowly they reached at Max's hands to pry them away from the cover as they started to roll her on her back. Straps were applied on the girl, locking her head and back to the board before she was carefully lifted and put on the gurney. They barely moved the rolling bed an inch away from Chloe's side before the brunette suddenly started to trash, arms and legs pulling at the restraints, her body arching slightly.

"She's convulsing! Give me 2 milliliters!" He reached as a nurse quickly grabbed a syringe and filled it to a small vial. He took it and carefully inserted the needle in the girl's arm. Handing the empty syringe to the nurse, he hurried and helped another nurse stick the EKG electrodes to the girl's chest, the machine starting to beep erratically.

"Fibrillation! Get the paddle two hundred!"

As the medical teams were moving swiftly, Joyce and David's eyes were glued at the unconscious girl, apprehension showed on their face. Chloe grimaced as her mother tightened her grip on her hand.

"Mom? What is happening?" She asked with a weak drowsy voice. But she got no response.

Vanessa and Ryan were just in front of the guard trying to look over his shoulder at the corridor, as they peered at the nurses and doctors rushing in and out of the medical room. After what seemed like eternity, nurses started to cart a gurney out and both of them recognized the inanimate figure laying on it. "Maxine!"

Doctor Ryan followed the gurney and waved the guard to let them pass. They rushed in the corridor and he had to intercept them. "Please Mr. Caulfield, Mrs. Caulfield. I will take you to her room but please wait until she is back on her bed, let our teams to their work. For your daughter's safety."

They hesitated but after a moment nodded.

"Good, follow me then." He said as he led the way, keeping his steps slow so as to give time to the nurses and attendants to put Maxine in her bed.

"What happened?" asked Vanessa, her voice betraying her dread.

"I honestly don't know. Your daughter apparently, left her bed, ripping the ventilation mask and every electrode and IV from her body before moving to Ms. Price's bed." He shook his head "I can't explain it. We found her in the same state as we left her in her room, unconscious, non-responsive, in a coma." He looked at the parents. "Between this and her back injury, she shouldn't have been able to move this early." He frowned a moment before adding "She went into seizure when we moved her to the gurney, but we managed to stabilize her again."

They entered the room as the nurses were securing Max in her bed.

"There we are. You can stay here with her." he said with a soft voice before turning to a nurse in order to give her some instructions. He moved toward the door leaving the parents to sit around their daughter's bed. "I have to go check on Ms. Price, but I will be back later to see how your daughter's situation evolves. If you have any questions, please let us know."

Ryan nodded to the doctor "We will. Thank you Doctor."

Chloe was half awake as Doctor Ryan came back in the room. Joyce's voice broke the silence. "How... How is she?"

Doctor Ryan gave a reassuring smile "She is alive and stable."

"Thank god!" Joyce leaned her head on her hands, holding her daughter's right hand tightly.

Chloe fought to remain awake, drugs and pain making her feel fuzzy. "What happened?" she asked again.

The doctor hesitated. "Well, you and your friend were shot." He moved checking at Chloe's wound "To be more accurate. Your friend was shot but the bullet passed through her and hit you." He took a few notes on the pad at the foot of the bed.

Chloe closed her eyes. "She's not my friend." her voice giving out a touch of bitterness, bringing a soft response from her mother. "Oh Chloe, don't say that."

"A friend would not ignore you for nearly five years, mom." Chloe argued looking away.

The doctor shook his head "Well, I don't know the situation, so I won't judge. But from what I understood, she tried to protect you." He moved to take Chloe's blood pressure.

David, who had remained silent up to this moment, raised his voice. "Doctor, will Caulfield make it?" His voice, while clipped and stern, showed genuine concerned and Chloe looked at him wondering.

Is Step-douche really worried about someone?

The physician released Chloe's arm and looked at all three faces. He scratched his head nervously before shaking his head. "At this point, I really can't say. The damages themselves aren't really life threatening now that we repaired them, and aside from a few more or less important sequels her body should recover." He looked at David with a somber face. "The problem is she lost a lot of blood before she arrived. Until she wakes up from her coma, we can't know how much damage this might have caused." He sighed a bit "To be honest, an hour ago I would not have been ready to believe she would ever wake up again." he waved his hand to the door, "But she must obviously have done it, however temporary, to be able to come and lay with your daughter. So, I guess there is still hope."

He waited a moment, to see if there were any questions, but all he could see is David and Joyce looking at each other with worries and Chloe facing away her face showing hints of anger.

"Well, let's move on to other matters." he said reaching for the clipboard. "So far your injuries are light and healing correctly. We will keep you under observation for another day but if nothing wrong happens you should be able to leave tomorrow."

He put the clipboard back in its holding place and came to look at Chloe "You will feel discomfort and pain for a few days or weeks. The bullet mainly hit your muscles so moving will be difficult. Take things slow and you should be fine." He nodded to the parents. "Have her wait a couple hours for her to wake up completely. Then if she wants, she can start to move around a bit, but slowly and carefully. Don't rip your wound open by forcing too soon. I will not be happy if you mess up my work." he said the las words to Chloe with a smile.

"No shit! Like I hella want to stay longer than I have to here!"

"I will see you in tonight to see how things evolve." The doctor chuckled and left the room

Chloe leaned back in her pillow with a grunt.

David moved closer to the bed. "How do you feel Chloe?"

Chloe glared at him before turning away. "Like you care."

David grumbled something and took a deep breath. "Chloe, I do care about you. I don't want your mother to be unhappy."

Chloe scoffed "Yeah we all know what you want, David."

David passed a hand in his hair putting the other on Joyce's shoulder, stopping her before she intervened.

"Listen Chloe, I understand, you're in pain and you are worried about your friend..."

Chloe turned bursting "She's not my friend! Friends don't abandon you for five years! Friends don't come back to live in your town without a word! She used me for a time and dumped me like everyone does!"

David's tone turned harsher. "Chloe! You can't say that!"

"Why? Because the fact she got hurt should fix what she did? I don't need your lectures! Stay out of my life!"

David clenched his fist grunting as he fought the impulse to scream at the girl.

"Fine!" He then moved toward the door.

Joyce called him as he left. "David? Where are you going?"

He paused and turned around "Home. I don't see the point of staying here if all she's going to do is be ungrateful."

"Yeah, good riddance!" Chloe responded from her bed waving her middle finger good bye.

David opened the door and turned his head to look at Chloe.

"You know Chloe, I don't care that much anymore if you don't want to respect me. But I thought you would have more respect for someone who may have sacrificed herself saving your life..." He made a point to fix his eyes to Chloe's. "As any real friend would." he added before leaving the room.

Chapter Text

Tuesday afternoon

Chloe was reclining on her bed, watching some boring TV show. Yet she couldn't really pay attention to it. Her mind kept going back to what few she remembered of the incident. As she visualized the moment of the shot, the picture of Max's face so close to hers, the feeling of her arms around her, holding her, the feeling of something soft pressed to her lips, kept her confused.

Did she really kiss me?

Her fingers rose to her lips, her mind wandering again and again to that short moment before she saw her friend's eyes opening with pain and dread.

She did not know how long she had been woolgathering when someone knocked on the door. Blushing and taking a deep breath she called out.

"Sup?"

She moved to turn the TV off as the door opened. A girl with a tight T-shirt, dread locks and a green beanie hat came in with a smile, followed by two dark skinned boys.

"Yo Steph! And you brought Elamond and Drew? What brings you all here?" She asked with a smile.

Drew North grinned "Well I heard you tried to smart talk a bullet and lost! So, we came to check how bad it was." He headed for the food tray resting by the bed "Also, pudding!" He added reaching for it.

Steph moved to sit on a chair "Yeah we heard you got shot. To be honest it really worried me but, I'm glad to see it's not that bad."

Chloe nodded "Yeah well it's no big deal, although I'll have a hella battle scar." Her voice was joyful, making fun of the seriousness of the situation.

Mikey North, or Elamond for those who played tabletop games, giggled "A real barbarian indeed!"

"Hell yeah!" She exclaimed raising both arms in victory, only to wince as her move pulled on her damaged muscle and skin. "Fuck!"

Drew moved to take a seat by a small table "More seriously, how do you feel?"

Chloe grunted. "Like someone is playing with a fucking voodoo doll of me. No. Seriously, don't get shot. It hella sucks!" she half-joked making everyone laugh.

Steph tilted her head "Yeah well, I think you attract these things. Although, I still can't believe Nathan shot you. I mean he was weird, and I knew he was crazy. But, shooting someone?"

Drew nodded "Yeah. I would never have thought the prick had it in him."

Chloe shrugged as she thought about it "I guess... It's still confused for me, so I don't know if he meant it or not."

Mickey looked around the room and asked, "Do you know how Maxine is?"

Drew turned to his brother "Who?"

Chloe looked at the small boy frowning. "Max, never Maxine." she answered almost automatically. She paused a moment shaking her head.

What the hell is wrong with me, defending her like this?

"She's the other girl Nathan shot."

Drew turned to her and stood "Oh yeah. I heard there was another. You know her?"

Steph leaned back in her chair with a smirk "Sure sounds like she does."

Chloe sighed and rolled her eyes. "We were friends before, as in before she skipped town without giving any news the day of my dad's funeral."

Mickey hissed "Dude! That's harsh!"

Steph elbowed him. "She was at most 13 back then, Mickey! She didn't decide when and where she would leave."

Chloe snorted trying to sound harsh and angry, but her tone still conveying hints of the pain she felt at the abandonment and the confusion of the awkward reunion. "Yeah well doesn't change the fact she didn't consider me enough of a friend to even contact me."

"There is that yeah." Drew said with a shrug. "But from what I heard, she did consider you enough of a friend to take a bullet for you."

Chloe looked away feeling embarrassed "Yeah, well ..."

Mickey nodded and rose a finger "Which bring me back to my question. Do you have any news?"

Chloe bit her lip, shaking her head to clear her head, and sighed. "Still in a coma... Docs aren't sure she's gonna make it."

Silence filled the room as everyone looked down solemnly.

"Sorry Chloe." Steph said.

Chloe shook her head again both to clear it from the memory that kept coming forward and to brush Steph's concerns away. "What for? Not like I know her very well. I'd rather be out there searching for Rachel."

The three friends looked at each other. They knew Chloe had not given up, but even they figured that after six months, chances were Rachel would never be back. They also felt like something was not really straight about the way the punk spoke of her 'former' friend.

Mickey tried to cheer the room with tales of his latest adventures offering for Chloe to join him next time. For a few minutes they all forgot about the shooting, the wounded, the missing. They laughed, they teased. Of course Drew asked to see Chloe's scar, which she obligingly revealed, happy to see the big Football player turning pale.

At some point the discussion turned to Maxine Caulfield. Apparently, she and Mikey had a drawing class together, but according to him, she mainly stayed quietly in her corner, a loner, taking pictures.

In the midst of the discussion, Chloe's mind drifted to the events in the bathroom again. Things remained confused, but she remembered the tightness of the embrace. As the memory of a taste came to her, she raised her fingers to her lips, trying to understand.

"Chloe? Hey! Chloe?"

She jerked her head as she finally heard the call. "Err What?"

"You okay?" Steph asked with concern.

"Yeah sorry, still a bit tired I guess."

"Well we have to leave anyway so. You take care alright?"

Chloe nodded. "Yeah I will. I'll contact you later, give you news."

Steph nodded before she joined the two boys by the door.

As they left, she could head Mickey's voice greeting someone. "Oh, hey Kate!"

The door closed before she could hear any response.

Kate Marsh was walking shyly in the hospital corridor, looking at the plates by the doors looking for the room number the nurse had pointed her to. She had just passed one of them when it opened, and a familiar voice called her.

"Oh, hey Kate!"

Kate jumped, her heart racing. She stopped and slowly turned her head. "Hi Mickey." she responded with a weak voice, her tone slightly apprehensive, as she recognized the boy standing with a taller and larger version of him and a girl.

"You here for Max?" he asked. For all response, she only nodded shyly, her face paler than usual. "You ok?"

Kate nodded again. "Y... Yes... I just don't like hospitals." she lied as an excuse.

The older boy called "Mickey, we need to go!" and the young one turned away starting to walk out. "See you in class!" he called as he waved.

Kate felt her stomach churn. She remembered all the bullying, the video of her doing things she didn't remember. She wished all that would stop, that people knew how sick it made her feel; that they would leave her alone. Only a few hours earlier, she had caught herself looking at the door leading to the roof of her dorm, pondering about ending it once and for all; only to remember the only person who showed concern, who had been her friend through this terrible time, and who, pale as a corpse and covered in blood, had left school the day before in an ambulance.

She took a deep breath and walked the corridor, again; arriving in front of the room she was looking for. She knocked softly on the door and shyly started to open it, passing her head in the crack.

"Hello?"

The room had white walls. In the middle, on a bed, a girl was lying on the back, a mask on her pallid face. On each side of the bed, there were two chairs. On one of them, a woman in green shirt, with long brown hair was facing her as she held the unconscious girl's hand. On the other, a tall man with a lumberjack's brown beard and short brown hair turned back to see who came in.

The woman smiled softly. "Oh, hello. Are you one of Maxine's friends?"

As Kate nodded, the man waved his hand, inviting her inside.

"I ... My name is Kate Marsh. I... I am in Max' class."

Ryan nodded to her and waved at her again. "Well met Kate. I guess we could wish it'd be in better circumstances, but please come in... Max needs her friends." His voice was deep and warm, and Kate felt in other times, when not filled with pain and dread, his voice would have felt soothing and cheerful.

She smiled shyly as she walked closer.

"Are... Are you Max's Parents?" She felt silly as soon as the words left her lips, but both adults smiled to her warmly.

"Yes. I am Ryan Caulfield and this is my wife and Max' mother, Vanessa." The man responded as he fondly looked down at Max.

Kate looked at the inanimate figure of her friend, the vision somehow giving her the strength to face her own demons. She gripped the cross on her chest. "Is she? Is she going to be okay?" She asked heart catching in her throat.

Ryan ran a hand in his daughter's hair. "We don't know yet. She nearly died several times..." His voice was filled with raw pain, tears moistening his cheeks. Vanessa just pressed her lips to her daughter's hand.

Kate remained there standing not knowing what to say. Time passed in silence only interrupted by the regular beeps coming from the monitors. Their dreadful tone giving hope to the family and visitor, as they reminded them the girl's heart was still beating.

Kate moved, reaching for a chair. She sat down and began to pray for her friend.

After what might have been an hour, Vanessa raised her head. "Kate, thank you so much for coming. We are glad Maxine finally made friends at school. But… don't you have classes to attend? We wouldn't want you to jeopardize your future."

Kate raised her head from her prayer and shook it. "It's fine, Mrs. Caulfield. School is slow after what happened." She bit her lip at the lie she just said, knowing she would have to confess about it, but she did not want to go to school, to face the bullies, the snickers, the gossips. She felt like at least she had something better to do by praying for her friend.

"Didn't Max have friends in Seattle?" She asked after a moment, her voice shy as she feared delving too deep in her friend's privacy. "You... You said you were glad she finally made friends." she added as an excuse.

Ryan shook her head. "Max never was a very sociable girl, even before we moved to Seattle." He smiled as if remembering good time. "She only had one friend even before that..." He turned his head "Maybe you know her. Her name is Chloe Price. She was in Blackwell when we left." He looked at his daughter again "Surely she still goes. She was the other girl who got injured."

Kate shook her head. "I don't remember her. But I'm not really popular. Max is my only friend." She looked down. "How was she, before..."

Ryan thought for a moment. "She was an introvert. I'm guessing she still is. Preferring to look at life rather than live it, unless she was with Chloe." He chuckled at the memory. "God could they be a handful when they were together. Laughing, playing, getting in troubles all the time." He looked at his wife. "Remember how they used to play pirates?"

Vanessa nodded with a sad laugh. "Long Max Silver. She was so cute."

Kate nodded, glad she made them remember good memories of their daughter.

Ryan looked down sadly. "She was… torn apart when we had to move. I hated doing that to her, but… we had to." He took his daughter's hand and kissed it. "A twisted fate made that Chloe's dad died in a car crash a few days before. We moved right after the funerals..." He looked at his daughter's face. "I don't think she ever forgave me. She forgot maybe, but..." He sighed, "she... spent days crying in her room. She closed down even worse than before, never interacting with any other students. Two classmates did try to take her out, to make her enjoy life a little. But, I think she just followed because she never really knew how to say no." His voice sounded a bit broken as he remembered the distress of his daughter. "She was so happy when she got the acceptance letter from Blackwell. I think she hoped to see Chloe again." He smiled fondly "I am glad she did."

Kate nodded although she felt puzzled as she never saw Max with someone else but her or Warren. She hesitated a moment before simply saying "She's a great friend."

They remained there in silence, waiting for a sleeping girl to wake up, in vain. As night slowly descended and Kate bade her farewell, promising to visit again on the following day, Max was still sleeping.

Chapter Text

Thursday early afternoon

Chloe was in her room, laying on her bed, baking as she pondered about the previous days. As promised by Doctor Ryan, she had been discharged from the hospital on Wednesday morning and driven home by Joyce and David. She had gone straight to her room and had stayed there ever since, occasionally shuffling to the kitchen for food. During the day, her mom had knocked on her door several times, each time asking if she wanted to talk to Max' parents, each time trying to give her news about Max' condition. Each time, Chloe had just asked if she was awake and sent her mother back when she answered negatively.

Chloe felt confused. Part of her was happy Max was back in her life. Part of her was angry her best friend had ignored her for years. And another part kept worrying about Rachel, her real best friend, the one who would never have left without her.

Every now and then, Chloe's fingers came to brush her lips as memories of the kiss she received in the bathroom filled her mind. Every time, anger rose in her.

Did Max really think that kissing me would make up for her silence?

But with this rage, also came pain. The raw pain of when Max left her came haunting her again. And with pain, she also felt dread and fear. She had refused to go see Max every time her mother had offered. She had brushed the offers back, acting angry; acting like Max meant nothing to her anymore. But she doubted her mom had really bought it.

David probably had not. It was a novelty to her. Step-Douche had actually been concerned about her, asking if her wound hurt, telling her he understood how being shot could made you feel.

As if he would let me forget he was a soldier.

He had offered to talk about it whenever she felt like it, offered to talk about Max, telling her he knew she was scared, that he had been through this before. She remembered the picture he gave her three years before. The picture of his childhood friend who had not made it back from the war.

In an attempt to make peace, the first of many, she had taken the picture. In fact, she still had it now, lying on the bed beside her.

Would David really be able to help me?

She frowned and shook her head.

The hell with this! He's a douche! No way I'd need his sergeant drill shit!

She sighed and put off her joint. She closed her eyes trying to relax, but as soon as she did, the memory of her last day before Max moved out came to her mind, followed by the instant before the shot.

Fuck that!

Chloe stood up quickly, too quickly, cursing as her wound stung at the sudden move. She groaned, holding her flank as she waited for it to ease up. Then, she picked her jacket and headed for the house door.

She had been sitting by the lighthouse for an hour now. Looking at the sea, smoking cigarettes. She held the picture of her and Rachel in her free hand, looking at it with sad eyes.

"I sure could use your help Rachel. Fuck where do I start?" She ran her hand in her hair before she took a breath of her cigarette.

"So, well I got shot. How sick is that?... I was trying to get Prickscott to give me cash... You know hush money for not telling everyone he tried to roofie me. Thought he would cough up the dough and we could use it to escape from this shithole."

Chloe looked at the horizon.

"Guess I'm not smarter than you are. Remember how you got stabbed by that dickhead Merrick? Guess we are hella even now." She paused a moment. "Oh, remember that friend I told you about, who left for a more Northern and Greener place? She came back. She was in Blackwell..." She tossed her cigarette butt over the cliff, fishing in her pocket for another. "Been there since September... Been there for a whole month and didn't say a fucking word. Hella best friend forever right?"

She lit the new cigarette, taking a few drags, puffing out trying to make circle of smoke.

"Still... She got shot at the same time I did... She actually tried to protect me."

Chloe looked down at the picture, feeling tears gathering in her eyes.

"I wish you were there Rachel. I dunno what to do. She might die… and I want to tell her how I missed her. But ... I'm so angry… angry that she left me when I needed her. I know she didn't choose it. I know she didn't want it. Still..."

She started to cry, pouring her heart out.

"I keep thinking about what happened in the bathroom. It's hella confusing! I mean, one moment I'm pushing Douchebag Junior away, the next I'm wrapped tight in the arms of a girl I haven't seen in years... And Rachel, I... I think she was kissing me... What should I do Rachel? I ... I can't even visit her... I'm so scared... Scared she'll die, scared to see her broken..."

She wiped her eyes on her sleeve and looked at the picture again.

"Where are you Rachel? Are you okay? Did you go to LA... Did you really leave without me?"

She remained there, unanswered for another hour, smoking cigarette after cigarette, until she started to feel the chill of the Wind.

The sky was turning red as the afternoon came to an end. David's car was in the driveway as she came back and parked her truck. She sighed and headed for the house, steeling for a discussion she didn't want to have.

As she opened the door, David passed his head through the kitchen door. "Chloe! Where the hell have you been?"

Chloe pushed the door closed and leant her back on it. "Relax dude. I just needed to clear my mind!"

David looked like he was about to lash at her, but held it back. "I understand. It's good to do that sometime. But you're not supposed to drive. Not while you take those painkillers."

Chloe sighed "Yeah, sorry. But really Dude you got to chill, I'm a prudent driver..."

David eyed her up and down, noticing the puffy eyes. He sighed and nodded "Fine... I'm off work for the rest of the day. Let me know if you want to go somewhere. I'll drive you." He walked toward the living room, heading for the garage where he spent most of his free time, as he mumbled "Don't want to tell your mother she lost another person dear to her in a car crash."

Chloe was about to curse at him but decided to try and let it go this one time. She looked at her phone, checking the time, pondering a moment.

What the hell is wrong with me!

She grabbed her head with a frustrated grunt and went through garage door beside her. "David... I... need to go to the hospital." she announced as she entered the man-cave.

David looked up from under the hood of the muscle car he had been working on. "Is something wrong with your wound?" He asked worried, but Chloe shook her head. "Hell no... I'm good! Just... I thought I should at least go see her once."

As she finally surrendered to the idea and admitted it, she threw her hands up with exasperation.

"Oh. Okay. Let me get my keys." He moved to the back of the garage wiping his hands on an old rag in order to clean the oil from them. He came back with his jacket and they both headed for his car.

"Glad you want to be with your friend." he said as they boarded.

Chloe looked away, closing the passenger door and replied with an empty voice, "She's not my friend."

The drive was quiet and Chloe was so lost in her thought she barely noticed when David parked. She blinked a few times looking around as she heard the engine cut off.

"David? What the fuck? This is not the hospital!"

David nodded "Sorry, just need to pick up some paperwork I have to give to the PD. Thought I could give it to the officers standing watch over Prescott." He opened his door, the sounds of a party reaching them from the gym. "Won't take long." he added as he closed the car.

At the same moment, three patrol cars rushed in the parking with no sirens, flashlights illuminating the area in blue and red as they stopped with screeching tires.

Officers disembarked, and David frowned, heading to a black man stepping off the nearest car.

"Cole? What is going on?"

The officer looked up and waved at him.

"David! Good timing! We're looking for a Mark Jefferson!"

David frowned as he looked at the other officers rushing toward the school, hands on their holstered guns.

"The art teacher? What's this about?"

Officer Cole looked at the head of security's car and saw the blue hair in the passenger seat.

"Prescott woke up an hour ago. He gave it all up. Said he'd been drugging and kidnapping girls for Jefferson." He frowned a moment. "Rachel Amber was among them, said they accidentally killed her, gave us the location where they hood her body."

David froze a moment, blood leaving his face. "She... You found her?"

Cole nodded somberly. "Yeah… not pretty, she's been dead for months."

David passed a hand in his military regulation haircut. "Give me a few. Then I'll take you to the asshole!"

He moved to the car and looked at Chloe. As she saw his face she felt her heart stop.

"David? What's happening?"

"Chloe, I got some bad news..."

"What? Is ... Is Max dead?"

David shook his head. "They found Rachel."

For a moment, Chloe felt hopeful again and she started to step off the car. Then she remembered the dark face and tone David was using.

"No... No…"

"She's dead Chloe... She's been dead all this time." He reached for her, trying to sooth her pain. "I'm sorry."

Chloe's mouth was gapping in shock. She fell to her knees and wailed in despair. "NOOO! She can't be... Rachel can't..."

David reached to hug her and for the first time since they met, she didn't fight him. In fact, she didn't realize he was holding her as she cried.

"I'm sorry Chloe... I'll... I'll catch the one who did it. I promise. Please wait in the car..."

"You... You..."

He led the girl in the car and looked at Cole. "Can you get one of your guys to drive her back home?"

The officer nodded and called on his radio as David joined him. The former soldier paused and frowned as he looked around the parking lot.

"His car's not here."

"What do you mean?"

David looked at the officer again and pointed at the parking lot. "Jefferson's car. It's not here."

At that moment, two officers came, escorting Principal Wells. "Cole! Mr. Wells got info for us!"

Wells looked around, frowning at the officers. "I was told you were looking for Mr. Jefferson. Why is that?"

Cole looked at the man, waiting as he saw an officer leading Chloe Price to one of the cruiser and driving away, before he nodded "We have found evidences he is linked to Mr. Prescott in the drugging and kidnapping of several students, and the murder of Rachel Amber."

Principal Wells' face turned pallid. "God! He left a quarter an hour ago, after announcing the Everyday hero contest results." The man's eyes opened wide as he remembered something. "He left with Miss Chase!"

Cole swore loudly as he reached for his radio. "Dispatch, this is 55 David reporting from Blackwell. The suspect left the premises with possible hostage." He accepted a notebook from David and kept reporting "Victoria Chase, Female Caucasian, 18, Blond hair. Last seen leaving a school party at Blackwell. Send a bulletin for his car."

Soon the radio squelched "Copy 55 David... All Units, All Units! Be on the lookout for code 187 suspect, name Mark Jefferson, Male Caucasian, 38, Brown hair, driving a Bentley plate number Tango Papa Foxtrot Tango Hotel Lima Kilo. Suspect last seen with possible hostage, Female, 18 Caucasian. All Unit be advised suspect may be armed and dangerous!"

The officers rushed to their car and David looked at Cole "Did Prescott say where they might be going?"

Cole nodded "Talked about a bunker under an old barn. We haven't found which of those owned by the Prescott it could be."

David looked thoughtful, then he rushed to his car and popped the trunk taking out a duffle bag.

"I might have an idea! Let me go with you!"

Cole eyed the security guard and shook his head "I can't do that David. You're not a cop. You don't have the training or the equipment."

David Madsen dropped his bag, opening it, revealing the military flak jacket and equipment. "Cole, I been a soldier for two tours! I fucking know how to raid buildings!"

Cole scratched his head "I'm sorry, I still can't let you come with us."

David poked the officer's chest "Listen Cole! The asshole killed my daughter's best friend, and had his protégé shoot at my daughter! I'm coming with you or I'm going there without you!"

Cole thought for a moment. He knew Madsen was a soldier and had probably more experiences raiding dangerous building than most of the cops in a small town like Arcadia Bay. Also realizing that David would probably go on his own as he threatened, the officer sighed and waved at his cruiser "Fine! But you fucking stay behind us! You don't make me tell Joyce I had you killed in a police raid you had nothing to do taking part in!"

Both men boarded the cruiser and as it set off, Cole used the onboard radio to call it in.

"Dispatch 55 David, we have a possible lead on Mark Jefferson's location. Please send back up at ..."

Chapter Text

Thursday evening

The End of World Party was a moderate blast, shadows of the past week still haunting the mind of every student. Victoria was chatting with Logan and Taylor by the VIP bar, nursing a cup of wine. Taking a break from the boring discussion, she looked around the area, noticing Hayden and few others on the couches, tripping higher than usual. Dana and Trevor were dancing, or trying to dance behind the DJ booth; although the cheerleader's moves seemed forced to Victoria. It was obvious to her that the previous Monday was heavy on everyone's mind.

She sighed and went for a refill, glad she had talked the Principal into not cancelling the party. It allowed her, and probably others, to unwind and forget about everything. Not that she would admit this argument was actually a genuine one.

The beating music slowly tuned down and she heard taps on a microphone. She turned and saw that Principal Wells was on the stage.

"My apologies, for interrupting this party. But I promise, I won't take long." His deep voice filled the room as he walked to the edge of the stage, overlooking the swimming pool.

"I have two pieces of news to announce, and I'm sure they will help you all cheer up after the horrible events of this week."

As he spoke he was joined by Mark Jefferson and both men exchanged nods.

"First, I'd like to share with you the joy or learning, that following your fellow classmate Maxine Caulfield's injury in that horrible incident, we have received a substantial donation for our handicap accessibility fund. Now as some of you may have heard, Ms. Caulfield's injuries may be serious enough she might not have been able to attend Blackwell considering we are not up to date in our abilities to welcome disabled students. However, that was in the past. Thanks to this donation, work will begin around the campus as soon as next Monday in order to make the necessary modifications, and build a new dorm wing, fully up to par for the lodging, and welcoming of disabled students and teachers. Now, while we don't know at this time if Ms. Caulfield will survive, I am sure we all hope for the best and I wanted to share with you the news that, when she does wake up, her place in our academy is secured."

As he spoke many students had lowered their head, yet at his last words many started to clap, their moves solemn.

"Thank you! Thank you!" He pulled a piece of paper from his jacket. "I have here the letter to Ms. Caulfield and her parents, announcing that as soon as mid-November, our school will be fully prepared to welcome her, however severe her condition." More clapping rose in the room. "However, this is not the only news this letter will convey. I am honored to announce that the board of directors has decided, in honor of her selfless act in trying to protect another person at the risk of her own life, to christen the new wing of the dormitory as the Caulfield Wing."

Clapping and even whistles greeted his last announcement and Victoria was certain she saw his face turning red in the lights from the spots.

He raised a hand calling for calm. "I am not done. Please!"

Quietness returned slowly. "Thank you. Now, for the second piece of news. As you may know, today the winner for the Everyday Hero contest was selected by the jury. Please let me present to you, although most of you know him already, Professor Mark Jefferson, teacher of our photography curriculum, who will announce the result. Mark?"

He turned to the teacher as students politely clapped their hands.

As Mark Jefferson walked to Raymond Wells, Victoria felt her stomach tighten. She knew her chances were high, yet part of her felt insecure and she feared her picture had not been selected.

"Thank you, Principal Wells! Please another round of applause for the man who makes sure our school can exist!"

As the teacher called, students' clapping redoubled; and the Principal waved with embarrassment as he left the stage.

"Now, before I give you the name of the winner… I'd like to thank every student who entered a picture for the contest. It is never easy for an artist to offer his work to the critics, and face disappointment. So, thank you very much for having the courage of entering. You, all of you, are the everyday heroes. Now, as for the contest winner." he reached back for a white envelope.

"This year's winner for the Everyday Hero contest is… Victoria Chase!"

Victoria felt her heart stop for a moment, her hand moved to her mouth as she realized she had been called. She hurried to the stage, students applauding - although she felt that part of them were just being polite.

She reached for the offered microphone.

"Thank you! Thank you so much! I can't believe I won!" She moved a finger to her left eye brushing it. "I am so honored to represent all of you! And I would like ... to dedicate this moment to Maxine. Maxine Caulfield... Who put her own life on the line to save someone else's." She lowered her head down a bit "Maxine, I want you to know, we miss you and we hope to see you among us soon. You are the true Hero of Blackwell."

The reaction was mixed among the students, some of them clapped although with less energy as before, some looked at their feet. Silence filled the room and Victoria felt like she put a lid on the mood of the party.

Biting her lip, Victoria headed off stage as the music slowly returned. She was met by Pr. Jefferson "Congratulations Victoria! You deserve it."

Victoria put on a smile. "Thank you, Mr. Jefferson!! It is good to have good news."

Jefferson nodded. "Yeah, I... I know you and Nathan Prescott were close. I'm sure the events probably upset you; but please don't let it bring you down. You have talent and an incredible chance to make your future." He smiled. "Why don't you enjoy the rest of the party and we can talk later about the traveling arrangement for the trip to San Francisco."

Victoria looked around her and sighed. "Yeah, well I think I kinda put a damper on things with my speech... I should probably let them party without me." She shook her head a bit "I think I'll go get some air in town."

Jefferson looked at her pondering a bit. "Well, if you think it's best. Just know if you need to talk, my door is open." He reached and patted her shoulder. "Now, if you can excuse me, I'm not as young as you all so I'll call it a night. Do you need a lift?"

Victoria hesitated and nodded "I should probably accept. I had a few drinks, so it should probably not drive."

Jefferson nodded "Probably wiser indeed. I'll meet you at the car then."

Victoria nodded and moved to retrieve her bag and vest.

David was sitting in the back of the cruiser. The procession of a dozen RMP was heading out of town following directions from the former soldier.

"Make a left here. The barn's a few hundred yard down this path."

Cole nodded to his partner before he turned back.

"David, when we arrive, I want you to stay behind us."

"Yeah Yeah! I know! I'm a civilian and all." David grunted his response before leaning forward. "Cole, you know I probably have more experience in raiding bunkers and hostile environment than you all put together. I've been raiding fucking terrorist strongholds for two tours!"

Cole raised his hand. "I know David. That's what I told the Chief, and that's why you are here." He turned back on his seat looking at David. "Understand this, you are here as a consultant, nothing more. You shouldn't even be there. I'm putting my badge on the line for this and you better not screw this up or I'll shoot you myself."

David rolled his eyes. "Fine! Fine! I'll stay behind you guys..." He sighed. "Thank you, Cole... I appreciate it."

The cars quietly approached the old wooden building and stopped. Quietly the policemen disembarked, and popped their trunks, pulling out flak jackets and putting them on, some of them taking shotguns too.

David opened his duffel bag and pulled out a light brown, desert cam flak jacket with ammunition pouches and a tag on the front saying, 'Sgt. D. Madsen'. He put a leather holster to his hip and slid a Colt M1911 in it after checking the magazine.

Moving to Cole her looked at the building. "Last time I checked there's a crack in the wall this way. You might want to send some of your men there. Keep half of the rest to secure the perimeter, take the other half through the front door. There were a few padlocks, so you will need cutters." He pointed the right side of the building. "Bunker entrance was under a trapdoor by the back wall on the right."

He shook his head. "That's as far as I could get, there was a safe door with an electronic keypad at the bottom of stairs... didn't have the code so I couldn't go any further."

Cole frowned. "Okay, I'll try to forget you trespassed there. Thanks for the info."

He waved at the men assigning positions and quietly every man started to move around the building, guns in their hands.

They paused a moment then Cole pointed at the barn door, the padlock, hanging in a metal hook, was opened. He reached for the radio on his shoulder and said just one word. "Go!"

Half the men rushed in the barn, gun at the ready, eyes scanning for threat. They moved swiftly and quietly to the opened trapdoor, while Cole and David looked at the Bentley parked inside.

"It's is car!" David confirmed putting a hand on the hood "Not fully cold yet, been there thirty, forty minutes at most."

Cole nodded toward the trapdoor. "Ok, let's go! Stay behind me!"

Everything was fuzzy. Everything was blurry. Gargled sound reached her ears. Her head felt heavy and painful. Victoria softly opened her eyes, confused, lost, her brain trying to remember recent past...

A sudden flash and soft whirring made her blink. She thought she heard some voices, but it was gibberish.

Slowly, her vision cleared. Sensations started to return to her body. She felt groggy, her mouth dry.

Another Flash and whirring.

Startled, she turned her head.

"NO! You messed the SHOT!"

She knew the voice. It was familiar. But the tone it was using was not. She tried to raise her hand to her head, but for some reason both her arms moved.

Why?

Slowly her eyes moved, her blurred vision showing some greyish band on her pale skin. She tried to pull her wrists apart, but the duct tape held them together.

Another flash and whirring.

"Yeah like this! Don't move!"

As her mind emerged from the drug induced haze, she recognized the flashes and sounds of a camera. Confusion filled her mind.

What is happening? Is this real? Am ... Am I tied?

"Oh Victoria, you look so lost." the voice kept saying between flashes and whirring. "So interesting, so artistic!"

Victoria started to feel gross as the voice kept jubilating. She slowly started to ball up, curling on her side.

"Yes, that's it. The fall from grace! The moment the snobbish queen finds out she is powerless!"

More flashes, blinding her.

"The moment innocence is lost!" the voice sounded more and more crazed.

Victoria pulled her head in trying to hide her face in her arms.

"NO! Victoria, I need you to STOP MOVING! You are to pose as I WANT!"

A hand pulled her head back by her hair, a familiar face entering her vision.

She stirred trying to move away. The face looked at her pondering.

"I think it's time for another dose... The last one's starting to wear off."

She blinked a few times trying to look around her. The room was dark, lit only by red photography spots. She looked as the figure of a man walked away toward some cart. He seemed to work on some small bottle when the sound of something falling startled him.

"What?" he asked with surprise as he reached for something else on a shelf.

David was following the officers as they filed down the stairs. Slowly they fanned out around the room, sliding along shelves filled with cans, cereal boxes and water bottles. For a moment he felt the tension of war again, his senses increasing.

He moved to get behind Cole, the officer standing by a plastic curtain on the left. Everyone was preparing to rush in the following room when an officer accidentally brushed a cereal box from a shelf, making it fall.

Frowning at the clumsiness, David and Cole looked at each other. David mouthed 'go!' and the officer nodded raising a hand with three fingers up.

He lowered a finger, starting the countdown. Every cop raised their gun getting ready. A second finger lowered, and tension started to fill the room. David loosened his shoulders looking around at each officer, trying to mark their location in his mind.

Just before Cole closed his fist, he heard a metallic sound. A very familiar sound. The sound a of bullet being chambered.

Shit!

Right at the moment Cole made his move, he charged, tackling the officer as he cried "GUN!"

They were both stumbling into the room when the first gunshot was fired. The bullet whistled past their ears as it missed and hit the wall sending concrete flakes around.

David rolled off from Cole and got to his knees just as two other officers rushed through the curtain. All three of them aimed their own weapon and as the man took his second shot, they fired.

The detonations were deafening, echoing mercilessly on the bunker's walls. One of the Officers stumbled back with a groan, a smoking hole in the middle of the letter 'O' of the Police tag on his flak jacket. Mark Jefferson's eyes were wide open as his body collapsed to the ground, several blood red holes in his chest.

As Cole stood up, David and one of the Officers slowly moved toward the fallen criminal. Their guns remained trained on him until the officer kicked the released gun back toward the room entrance. David sighed and holstered his gun, after uncocking it and setting the safety on, as the cop called loudly "CLEAR!"

Cole moved toward them and looked at David. "Thanks." He then looked at the blonde girl laying curled up, and sobbing. He carefully moved to her reaching for his pocket knife.

"Easy. It's over. It's over. You're safe."

His voice was soothing as he got closer, starting to cut the tape holding her. Seeing the distress and fear in the girl's face he took a step back. "Jones! You and Cooper take her to the hospital!" He turned to the officer sitting by a professional printer. "You Ok?"

The officer winced and nodded "Yeah! Took it in the jacket! Fuck that sting!"

Cole patted his shoulder. "You go to the hospital too, have them check you up."

As two female officers came to help the girl to her feet, the sitting officer was helped by his partner. All five slowly walked out as more Police officers started to search the bunker.

David looked at Cole. "I knew something was off with Prescott and that nutcase... but ... I didn't think it was that bad... Fuck! I'm supposed to protect those kids!"

Cole looked at the shelves covered with binders. "You're not a cop. Your job is to make sure the school is safe. Not to detect these kinds of things..." He shook his head "If anyone dropped the ball, it's us."

He passed a hand on his face. "Well, this will be a hell of a long night."

Chapter Text

Chloe was sitting on the bench by the light house again. The sky was grey, and a thin rain was falling. She pulled on her cigarette and frowned a bit at the tasteless smoke. She gazed at the sea, the waves slowly crawling toward the beach. She heard the rustling sound of crushed leaves and turned her head.

Beside her was standing a slender girl with long brown hair and almond green eyes. Her hair were brushed so her left ear was left uncovered, revealing the blue and white feathers of her earring. She was wearing a red and black flannel shirt over a white tank top and torn black jeans.

"Hey Chloe!" She greeted casually.

Chloe stood up and smiled "Rachel! I'm so glad to see you!" she responded as she went to hug her friend.

"Glad to see you too, Chloe."

"Where have you been? It's been six months Rachel?!"

Rachel smiled as she caressed the blue hair softly. "I know… I'm sorry."

Chloe let herself go and cry in Rachel's shoulder. "Why have you not called or texted me? I Left you so many messages, I called you so many times. Why have you not answered me? I was so worried."

Rachel's hand moved softly and comfortingly over Chloe's head "I'm sorry Chloe. I couldn't..."

Chloe sobbed a bit holding to Rachel, feeling the fears, the pain of her disappearance draining with her tears.

"I'm so glad you are back."

For the first time Rachel did not respond to Chloe's words. She just kept petting the bluenette.

"There so much that happened, so much to tell you." Chloe kept going, pulling at Rachel and leading her to the bench.

Rachel gladly moved and sat by Chloe. "I know, right? So, what happened in this hella place."

Chloe smiled at the familiar voice of her friend.

"Well for the first months, not much. At the beginning everyone was searching for you. But the police, your parents, everyone thought you had just run away. So, they quickly called it quit." Chloe looked at Rachel and enthusiastically kept going. "But not me! Not me! I knew you wouldn't fucking leave this town without me! No way Rachel Amber abandons Chloe Price!"

Rachel nodded "Hella right!"

Chloe pondered a moment before hugging Rachel. "I never gave up... I kept searching... For you, for cash so we could get the hella out of this fucking town when you got back."

Rachel said nothing just patting Chloe's back.

"I nearly got Prescott's spawn to cough it up, you know... But the jerk came with a gun... A real fucking gun!" She looked up "Oh yeah I forgot... Max... remember, my friend Max? She's back! She saved my life! Took Nathan's fucking bullet for me!" Chloe held Rachel's shoulder, feeling like all the joy of her life was back.

"I can't fucking wait for you two to meet!"

Rachel nodded "I'd like that too!"

Chloe stood up taking Rachel's hand. "Fuck! I'm sure you two gonna be hella best friends too! We can all run together, with us three, the world will fucking bow!"

Chloe started to walk toward the path leading down, but suddenly stopped as her arm got held back. She turned and saw that Rachel was standing but not moving with her.

"Rachel?"

Rachel shook her head, a tear in the corner of her eye. "Chloe... I can't."

Chloe looked at her friend and frowned "The fuck you can't! Max is back! You are back! We fucking belong together!"

Rachel shook her head her voice sad and solemn. "Chloe... However much I'm sure I'd love her, however much I want to, you know I will never be able to meet Max."

Chloe looked at Rachel her mouth gaping in surprised.

Rachel never was so categorical!

"Fuck What? How can you say that?"

Rachel looked at Chloe sadly. "You know why Chloe. You know why I disappeared. You know why I never called or answered your messages."

As the words from Rachel sunk in Chloe's mind, her smile slowly faded, her face slowly turned pale and tears started to fill her eyes.

"No... No..."

Rachel took a deep breath "Chloe... I."

"No DONT FUCKING SAY IT!" Chloe screamed shaking her head, putting her hands on her ears.

Rachel reached out, softly pulling Chloe's hands away.

"I'm dead Chloe. I'm sorry, and I wish I wasn't, but this is something that even Max cannot change."

Chloe fell to her knees crying "No... It cannot be... Why! Why did you die? Why did my dad die?" She wailed, her knees in the mud as rain poured from the sky, matching her tears.

Rachel crouched beside her and pulled her close to comfort her. "Everybody has to die one day, Chloe. Maybe we had to go earlier than we should, but this is just fate."

"Fuck fate! What kind of fucking fate makes it that everybody I love dies on me!"

Rachel leaned and kissed Chloe's forehead. "Not everybody. You still got Max. You said it, she is back in your life. Maybe Fate is giving you a chance. Maybe, I had to go so that you and she could be together."

Chloe shook her head violently "That makes no sense! Why would you have to fucking leave because Max is back?!"

Rachel smiled warmly. "I guess it's still too early." She leaned and kissed Chloe's forehead again. "Anyway, you're not alone. Your Max is back. So please, don't cry over me forever. You know I would rather you party for me anyway."

Chloe chuckled. "Yeah, hella party. But ... I don't have Max... I have no one... Dad died... You died... And ... Max... She's dying... She's dying Rachel! She gave her life for me! She took a bullet for me, the fuck up... and she's dying..."

Rachel put her hands on Chloe's cheek turning her head so she could look into her eyes. "Stop fucking calling you that or I'll kick your ass!" She smiled "She chose to see you live... So, she must see what I see in you too... But Chloe, she is not dead yet."

Chloe looked at the green eyes staring at her. She sobbed a bit as she saw the tears in Rachel's eyes. "She's not?"

Rachel shook her head. "Not yet. She is lost but not dead... Maybe she just needs someone to help her find her way."

Chloe looked down "I ... I can't see her like this, Rachel."

Rachel sighed. "Really! I thought you didn't care! I thought she was you best friend! What does it matter if she is jumping, dancing, playing pirate or if she is in a hospital bed? I mean, it didn't matter when it was me, so why does it for her?"

Chloe stared confused. "I... "

Rachel laughed "Chloe Price is speechless? This is Priceless indeed!" She moved a hand and ruffled Chloe's air.

"Now, it's time for me to go Chloe. And you, you should go see your friend. Make sure she finds her way back to you."

Chloe looked up as Rachel slowly walked toward the edge of the cliff.

Rachel.

Rachel turned smiling at her and waved a hand. "Goodbye Chloe." and she took a step.

Friday evening.

The crack of a thunder woke her up. She jerked panicking as she felt her hand getting caught in something. She struggled a moment, fear rising in her throat.

"No! No! Please no!"

She finally pulled her hands free and looked around her like a suricate surveying a field for predators.

As she slowly calmed down, her surrounding became clearer. She was in a white room, sitting on a hospital bed. On her legs, the cover laid untangled as if someone had fought to pull them away. She heaved a sigh as she realized what had held her hands were just the bedsheet.

Was it all a Nightmare?

She heard the door open and looked up from the bed. In the door way, a small blond wearing a dark blue skirt, a white blouse and dark blue cardigan looked at her.

"Victoria? I heard you scream. Are you okay?"

Victoria looked at the girl a moment.

"Kate?" she asked unsure. "What are you doing here?"

Kate closed the door and walked to the seat by the bed. "I was getting some water. I only left for a few minutes."

Victoria frowned. "Why?"

Kate smiled softly "I was thirsty."

Victoria shook her head her tone turning harsh "Are you stupid? I asked why are you here visiting me? We are not friends! I know you hate me!"

Kate looked puzzled and saddened.

"We may not be friends, but I do not hate you."

"Of course you do! You know what I did to you!"

Kate nodded. "It was not kind of you, sure, but that's also how high school goes. Besides, you didn't know."

Victoria frowned looking at the blond, her soft smile. She couldn't find any hatred in her eyes or her voice.

"Didn't know what?" she asked, trying to sound as cold and bitchy as usual.

The flash of a lightning lit up the room a moment. Kate shuddered a bit but Victoria did not notice. She suddenly clutched her head in her hands screaming, crying.

She felt like she was back in her nightmare, back in that dark cold room, with the flashes of camera lighting up the place now and then. She looked at her wrist trying to make sure she was not tied up.

The soft brush of a small hand on her head brought her back.

"shhh… You are safe Victoria. You are safe. He's gone, he won't hurt you anymore."

Victoria slowly looked up at the soothing voice, her heart slowly regaining its calm.

"He's gone. It's over Victoria, he won't hurt us anymore."

Us?

Victoria pushed away and looked at Kate her eyes gaping as she processed what she had heard.

Did she mean? Did Mark… The mere thought of the name made her hear race and she fought against the panic rising in her. Did he … do it to her too?

"Did… Did?" she stuttered a moment, but Kate figuring what she was trying to ask, nodded softly.

"Yes." The voice of the small blonde showed pain. "That's why I came to see you. So you knew you had someone to talk to."

Victoria felt the bed shift as Kate sat on the bed beside her, her small arms embracing her comfortingly softly caressing her back. She cried. Victoria did not know why, but she felt everything get loose, the dam breaking, and she cried.

Wait! It can't be!

She pulled away from the embrace, putting her hands on the small blonde's shoulders. "When?! When did … he do it to you?" The words were hard for her to say.

Kate moved a hand on hers. "You know when."

Victoria felt like she'd been punched as Kate confirmed her fears.

"Oh God! Kate… I hate myself! I am so sorry! I… I should never have made this video! I should never have put it online!" She cried more lowering her head. "I am so sorry Kate! I'd understand if you hate me! You have all the right to!"

Kate's hand moved and brushed tears from her cheek. "I do not hate you Victoria. You couldn't know." She moved her hand lifting Victoria's face so she could see her eyes. "There was no way you could have known." She smiled softly. "Beside, without your video I might never have known something was wrong."

Another lightning flash startled Victoria, making her squeak. Sensing she was about to panic, Kate, pulled her against her. "Sssshhh. It's alright. You're alright."

Victoria cried against the small girl's chest "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Kate hugged the taller girl, giving her soothing pat on her back. "There's nothing to be sorry about Victoria. And if there was, I'd forgive you."

The warm comforting voice soothed Victoria. She cried for a few more minutes before she said with a raw voice, her face pressed in Kate's cardigan.

"I can't believe you can forgive so easily, Kate. You're… You're like… An Angel."

"RACHEL!"

Chloe jerked up with a scream, tears in her eyes as a lightning struck not far. She blinked a few times looking around her frantically looking for Rachel.

She was in her room, sitting on her bed, still wearing the clothes from the previous day. She breathed heavily as she slowly remembered.

She had been driven home by an officer after David told her they had found Rachel's body. Joyce had been scared as hell when she saw how livid she was. Both her and her mother had stayed up all night, waiting. Waiting for news. Waiting for David to come home. For the first time in years, Chloe had spent time cuddled in her mother's embrace as Joyce tried to comfort her. In the end Chloe had cried herself to sleep.

The rumbling of thunder brought her back from her thought. She reached for her cellphone and checked the time.

Fuck I nearly slept all day!

She sighed and moved to sit by her window, pulling out a cigarette.

I feel like the dream I had was so real, so painful... Did it mean anything?

She moved her hand, raising the cigarette to her lips for another drag, and stopped suddenly as her eyes grew wide.

"MAX!"

She dropped the cigarette in the ashtray and jumped from her seat, grabbing her jacket as she ran out of her bedroom.

As she ran down the stairs, she heard her mother and David calling her, but she ignored it, she just ran outside, in the pouring rain. She climbed in her truck and drove off as David stepped through the door.

The engine roared to life as Chloe drove faster than she usually does. The wipers moved frantically on the windshield, trying to push away the rain troubling her vision. Chloe drove frantically, barely slowing down in the curves, barely waiting for the traffic lights to go green after stopping at the red. Every part of her instinct told her she had to see Max as fast as possible. That she might not see her again. The weather was horrid - Rain pouring heavily, lightning marring the sky. Every now and then a gush of wind would send water on her truck as if someone had tossed a bucket of water. Twice she felt the rear of her truck slip as her tires skidded on the drenched road.

Finally, she reached the hospital. Jumping from her truck, not taking time to lock the door as she ran across the parking, she rushed through the main entrance.

Drenched, her clothes sticking to her skin, water dripping from her hair, she ran through the corridors, reaching the elevator. She pressed the call button several times until the elevator arrived. She barely waited for the doors to open before she rushed in it, apologizing as she bumped into a woman stepping off. During the ride, she kept pressing the button, as if to try making the cabin go faster. As soon as the door opened, she rushed in the corridors again, sometimes barely avoiding the nurses and doctor as she crossed them.

She slammed the hospital room door open as she called "Max!"

She stood panting in the doorway, looking at the room. As her heart slew down, the silence of the room reached her. Silence only interrupted by the regular beeping of the monitors. She looked at the bed, at the figure of her friend laying on it, her freckled face, livid and half covered by the oxygen mask.

"Chloe?"

Chapter Text

She was at the cemetery again. Like before she saw the procession of people moving behind a wooden casket. They all moved their head hanging, their pace slow and solemn. The picture seemed clearer this time and she immediately recognized most of the people around her. Warren and Brooke were walking side by side. Dana held her face, her cheeks showing she was crying, as Trevor and Juliet were to her sides, holding her. Kate was marching alone, her hands clasped at the small silver cross hanging from her neck. She even saw Victoria Chase walking on her own, at the back of the group, her face stern and stiff, obviously trying to hide her feelings. David and Joyce were arm in arm, Joyce head resting on his shoulder as she cried, as they followed another couple.

The couple, same as before, had familiar figures, yet she couldn't see who they were. They walked, the man hugging the woman close. Beside them was walking Principal Wells, his face solemn, his eyes down in some kind of shame.

It was raining. Some people were carrying or sharing umbrellas. Others let the rain cover their face and hide their tears.

Max followed the group as they walked, following the path to a plot where a hole had been dug, and flowers were gathered.

The casket was slowly placed on a lowering device and the group slowly fanned out around it.

Max looked around searching for the flashing blue of her friend's hair. But she couldn't find her.

Where is Chloe? Is it her in the casket? Is she dead?

A man in a priest robe came forward. Max couldn't hear anything, but he seemed to begin a eulogy. It took time. All along his speech, people were sobbing. She could even see Victoria brushing a tissue at the corner of her eyes as she looked away. As the priest finished, the woman she couldn't recognized broke down and feel to her knee. The man with her hugging her and holding her close as she cried.

Max felt her heart tighten at the sight.

As before, the casket started his slow final descent. But this time, she could see a tombstone. Little by little, the stone which had been hidden by the coffin was revealed. Max' heart was crushed, her eyes moved to the woman crying, and she tried to go and hug her. But she passed through the couple as if they did not exist. Or, as if she did not exist.

It can't be!

Max looked at the stone again. On black marble was written in golden letter -

Here lies Max Caulfield

Beloved Daughter and Cherished Friend

Born September 21st, 1995 - Died October 7th, 2013

Everything had blackened out. Everything had disappeared. She kept looking around her seeing nothing but empty darkness.

"Well, it's a bummer."

The familiar voice made her tense, the contempt in it drooling.

"Really, I still can't believe you were so stupid."

Shut up!

"I mean I don't really care that you wanted to die for that little punk."

Shut up!

"But I'd rather you didn't drag me into this too."

Shut up!

"By the way? I didn't see that blue haired slut."

Shut the fuck up!

"Did she die too?"

Please shut up!

"Maybe she did."

Why don't you shut up?!

"Or maybe she never cared about us and she decided not to come."

"SHUT UP!"

"Oh! I heard you the first time you know. But seems you still don't hear me."

"Shut up! You won't make me feel bad about this! You won't! I saved Chloe! I saved her! I don't care if I have to die instead of her!"

"Oh, come on! You did save her this time. But do you really think she will live long? After all, she's a magnet for all kind of deadly trouble. How many times did you have to save her bacon already?"

"Why do you care?! You hate her! I'm not like you! I love her! I'd give everything for her!"

"Well you certainly did. Too bad she did not care about you. But then I told you that already."

"SHUT UP!"

Max was kneeling her hands clutched on her ears, trying to stop the voice of her doppelganger to reach her. She kept sobbing as the lashing contempt ripped her wounds open, letting her fears free to haunt her.

Chloe is alive. She's got to be alive. It's all that matters!

She kept repeating this in her head like a mantra. She felt broken, like she would not find any peace even in death.

The cracking sound of thunder startled her. She looked around confused as she realized she wasn't in darkness anymore. Slowly her eyes scanned her surrounding, the earth path climbing up between the trees, the picnic tables along one side of the loop.

The lighthouse again?

Rain was pouring, drenching her clothes, turning the path into mud.

Oh god! Not the storm, please!

She rose to her feet, her hands trembling as she slowly started her walk uphill. The wind made her shiver as it caught into her clinging clothes. Her heart beat louder and louder as she slowly climbed the path. Finally, she reached the top of the overlook, the white and red lighthouse standing tall in front of her, its light sweeping the dark clouds.

With dread, Max looked at the sea, at the town. There was no tornado, no hurricane, just a normal thunderstorm. She heaved a sigh of relief as she walked slowly to the promontory. Last time, she had found Chloe there. She was there this time too. Sitting on the bench, looking down, her shoulders trembling.

Chloe!

Max ran to the girl, reaching out to hug her. But she passed right through her. Confused, Max stopped and turned around, looking at her hands. Realization slowly came. She was dead. She could not touch her friend again, not hug her, not kiss her, not comfort her. She looked at Chloe and felt her heart melt. The bluenette was looking at that old picture of them, playing pirate. That picture she saw hanging in Joyce's living-room. Her blue eyes were puffy, tears running down her cheeks. Her lips were trembling, she was crying, speaking. Yet, Max could not hear a thing.

A lightning lit up the sky, blinding Max for a moment. As she reopened her eyes, Chloe was gone.

"Why didn't you save me!"

The accusatory voice of her friend suddenly rang in her ears. She quickly turned around and saw Chloe, a bullet hole in her chest, wearing the clothes she wore in the bathroom when Max saw her for the first time in five years. Chloe was standing at the edge of the cliff, her eyes full of hatred as she suddenly stepped off into the void.

Chloe!

Max ran to the cliff and looked down but saw nothing.

"You had me shot myself!"

Max head looked up in anguish. Chloe was wearing the clothes she had in the junkyard; the gun was in her hand as she looked at the wound in her stomach. Slowly, Chloe collapsed and fell in the void.

Chloe!

"I got ran over by a fucking train! Why didn't you help me!"

Max felt like someone had stabbed her as she heard the accusation. She had run, run and run trying to help Chloe. How many times did she fail before she finally managed to free her friend from the railroad points.

As she looked up to her friend, the deafening sound of a train horn blared in the wind and a ghastly train suddenly swept Chloe into the sea.

Chloe!

"You made me a cripple! You killed me!"

The voice was cold, pained. Max' hand reached out as she saw the Chloe from the alternative timeline, sitting in her wheelchair. Again, Chloe fell down the cliff.

No! Chloe!

"Why did you not warn me?"

Max turned her head again. Chloe was standing in beside her, a red hole in her forehead. The sight brought back the memories of her friend falling like a broken doll over Rachel's grave. The sickening feeling of the drugs, of Jefferson tortures in the dark room. Slowly, Chloe fell back, just like in the junkyard, and plummeted down the cliff.

CHLOE!

"You abandoned me!" "You abandoned me!"

There were two voices. Scared, Max slowly looked up. There were two Chloes. On the left, the young 13-year-old Chloe, in her black suit, her blond hair long and loose in the wind.

"You abandoned me when I needed you most!"

Chloe no! I didn't want to!

On the right, 19-year-old Chloe, her short blue hair heavy with rain, her eyes puffy with tears.

"You died leaving me all alone!"

Forgive me Chloe!

Max' heart shattered. She couldn't let it happen. She tried to grab the two girls, wanting to hold them, wanting to beg forgiveness. But she failed. Both girls jumped from the cliff.

CHLOOOOEEEEE!

Max felt herself scream. She felt tears in her eyes. She stood on the edge, looking down. And she fell.

Pressure was crushing her; her lungs were burning. She couldn't breathe. Every move was sluggish. She was drowning, a faint light shining above the surface. She tried to swim toward the surface, toward the light, but she felt something pulling her down. Turning around she noticed hands. Dozens of hands. Dark and ghastly hands. They latched on her, pulling at her. She heard voices laughing, mocking, cursing at her. She fought. She kicked, she waved her arms, she tried to get them to let her go. She tried to scream. Murderer, they called her. Monster, they called her.

Her eyes were bulging. She looked around as ghostly figures slowly appeared around her. Jefferson a hole in his head. Nathan, covered in dirt as if he had just left his grave. Rachel, half decomposed. The Trucker from the diner. Officer Berry. Evan, his head half smashed. As she looked around she recognized all those from the diner. Not those she met in the diner the two times she had been  there with Chloe. Those she saw, in her nightmare. Those who begged her not to kill them by saving Chloe. Those among whom, her mean doppelganger had been seating.

Max screamed, kicked, twisted, trying to free herself. She had to reach that light, she had to reach the surface. Pain was getting stronger. The burning sensation as she sought oxygen, growing in her chest. They would not let her go. However hard she struggled, they kept dragging her down to the abyss.

It's over... I'm too tired... I can't do it anymore... It's over.

Tears filled her eyes, mixing with the water as she gave up, her body slowly sinking. A sharp pain ran through her body and a flash lit up the water, as if lightning had struck the sea. The dragging stopped, and she felt like her body rose slightly in the water. But soon the pull resumed.

Another surge and flash ran across the water. She rose slightly more, the surface closer. But she was too tired to fight.

It doesn't matter anymore.

She let the hands start to drag her again.

Yet another shock. She thought she saw something at the surface, some shadow.

Another shock ran through her body. She heard some muffled sound.

Is that a voice?

Yet another shock. The ghosts shrieked, her body convulsed a moment. But above all she heard a faint call.

"Max!"

The voice was familiar. It seemed to come from the shadow, a blue shadow over her.

Chloe? is that you?

Another shock ran through the water, the voice stronger, full of pain and fear.

"Max! Please! Don't leave me Max!"

Chloe! It's alright Chloe. I'm glad you are alive.

She looked up at the shadow her eyes slowly closing.

I'm glad I got to see you again Chloe.

She heard the voice calling her, again and again, the shadow getting clearer. The face was sad, scared, searching for her.

But Max was tired. She was tired of the nightmare, of the pain.

Chloe is alive... It's alright.

"Max! Please! Don't go! Don't leave me alone! I need you!"

Max opened her eyes. Something was disturbing the water.

A hand?

She didn't move. Letting the ghosts take her.

A surge, stronger than any other suddenly shook the water. Max felt the ghost screaming, their grip loosening. Her body started to float up and she saw the hand reaching for her. She raised a hand, reaching for it timidly.

"I need you Max! Please!"

Max searched for a moment as her body moved up. She felt the hand grabbing hers and pulling.

"Please Max! I need you! Don't leave me!"

As she went through the surface, she took a deep gasping breath. Everything was bright, blinding. She felt a cold chill rushing on her skin. Her chest and belly hurt greatly as she breathed with difficulty.

"MAX! MAX! Please don't die Max! I need you!" The voice was louder, broken, raw with anguish, frantic with fear. It was accompanied by sobs and cries and other voices she barely heard.

Weakly she blinked a few times, a warm wet feeling slowly running down the skin at the corner of her eyes.

"Chloe?"

Chapter Text

"Chloe?"

Chloe looked up at the voice, noticing for the first time the couple sitting by the bed. She paused a moment, trying to place the familiar faces.

"Mr. Caulfield? Mrs. Caulfield?" She remained in the doorway stunned.

I should have known they would have come for Max.

Vanessa Caulfield stood up and walked toward her "Oh my God Chloe! You changed so much!"

Chloe frowned, her tone biting as she responded. "Yeah! People change when you don't see them for five years."

The wince in Ryan's face made her pause.

"Sorry." she grumbled looking down.

Vanessa came closer and hugged the tall girl, sobbing a bit as she remembered the times where both Chloe and her daughter played together in the garden.

Ryan looked down, apparently embarrassed. "We're sorry for this Chloe. We didn't have much choice. But we probably should have taken some time when William died, so you and Max had time."

Chloe looked at the man seeing the pain in his eyes. "Yeah, probably."

Ryan waved her in and Vanessa wrapped an arm around her pulling her in the room.

"Max would be so happy to see you here." The mother said rubbing a hand on the girl's arm.

Ryan nodded "She would." He looked at the girl on the bed. "She always kept talking about you. She was... crushed when she had to leave you."

Chloe looked at her friend, her heart tightening at the sight of the girl, livid on the bed. The room had the same white walls of every hospital rooms. Around the head of the bed, several flower bouquets, cards and get well balloons surrounded her friend's head. Her eyes even spotted a teddy bear with a bush hat and a camera. She smiled and regretted not having found one in a pirate outfit.

She moved her eyes to Ryan. "Didn't look like it when she stopped talking to me completely." Her tone was so bitter that both parents felt bad.

"She never forgot you, this I can assure you. She was so happy she got admitted in Blackwell. She said she would call you first thing once in Arcadia Bay." Vanessa looked up at the girl. "I'm glad you found each other again."

Chloe looked at her friend as if trying to decipher her. She remembered the first time she saw her again.

"She never did." she said, her voice cold. "The first time I saw her was when she put herself in between me and Pres-shit."

Ryan crooked an eyebrow at the girl's tone. He hesitated to say something about it, to defend his little girl. But in the end he decided to let it go. He knew his daughter and knew she probably had her reasons.

"Yeah. We heard you got hurt too." He pointed at her body. "How's the wound?"

Chloe looked at the cables and the mask on her friend and shrugged. "Just a flesh wound. Hurt. Feels sore if I move too fast. But it's fine. Thanks for visiting."

Vanessa tensed at the scorn in the girl's voice. Ryan was the one to respond though. "Yeah, sorry. We..."

Chloe grunted and rubbed a hand through her blue mane. "Sorry... I'm bad with this, with people. I tend to talk first and think later." She sighed. "I know you had more pressing matters."

Ryan nodded. "Yeah."

Vanessa moved a hand through Chloe's damp hair. "You should dry those Chloe. You wouldn't want to get sick while recovering from your wound." She moved to the small bathroom closet and came back with a towel offering it to the girl. "Maxine would not like that at least. Besides, would be a shame if your nice coloring were messed up."

Max, Never Maxine!

Chloe bit her lips so as not to say the retort out loud. She took the towel and started to scrub her head. "Waterproof. No risk." She looked at the woman. "And I can always redo it."

Ryan smiled warmly and sat back in his chair. Vanessa looked at Chloe, eyeing her up and down. "You grew up well. I'm sure you got many boys running after you."

Chloe stopped rubbing the towel through her hair and put it around her shoulder. At Vanessa's words, she shook her head.

"I... I'm not really a people person." she said diplomatically.

Vanessa frowned for a moment but let it go. She led the girl to Max's side and whispered fondly as she brushed her daughter's hair.

"Maxine. Sweetie. Chloe is here to see you."

Chloe looked at her friend, unsure about what she should say. "Hey Max. Long time no see."

The girl on the bed did not move. Chloe felt her heart sink, the pain of seeing her last friend - the last person dear to her - broken hitting her. She tried to keep the feeling in her, least she showed weakness.

"How's she?"

Ryan looked at his daughter then at her friend. "No changes since you woke up." he said sadly, his tone hinting at his grief.

My god, he already thinks he lost her.

"But, I'm sure she will get better. She's strong, even if it doesn't show." He moved a hand to wipe a tear. Behind Chloe, Vanessa stifled a sob.

Ryan looked up at the punk girl. "How have you been all these years?"

Chloe felt like she took a punch in the stomach. "How you think? My dad died, my best and only friend disappeared. Mom found herself a mustached dildo." Chloe felt anger rising. She bit her lip and took a deep breath. "Sorry... I ... I still hurt about all this." She looked down. "And recent events brought all back forward." She felt tears in her eyes. "I had a friend who helped... But..."

Ryan looked at the girl. "I understand." He tilted his head for a moment. "Was she... The girl they found? Your friend?"

Chloe nodded. "Rachel... Yeah... She was like my angel. She was the only beside Max I could talk to."

Vanessa moved to hug the girl. "I'm sorry honey."

Chloe tensed at the contact. She'd come to hate when people touched her. "Fuck fate." she softly cursed. She sighed and looked down feeling a bit ashamed when she kept going. "I had troubles... And ended up in more, I guess..."

Ryan nodded. "You had it rough... It's sad to hear, but I guess it couldn't be helped."

Oh it could have been if you hadn't taken the most important person in my life away!

"Yeah... I guess." she said. She leaned forward, away from Vanessa's hug and reaching for her friend's hand. It felt like it hadn't changed, like it still fit in hers perfectly, just as when they were kids.

She's so cold, so livid... She looks like she's already dead.

She raised the hand to her cheek, seeking contact with her friend. She felt like a twitch in the hand. She raised her head suddenly in surprise. "She moved."

Ryan and Vanessa looked at her frowning. "Are you sure?" Vanessa sounded hopeful, but Ryan looked down sadly. "We thought she did too at the beginning. It's normal to think she moved when you hope so hard for her to wake up."

Chloe looked at him frowning "I'm sure! She moved!" She looked between both "It was a twitch!"

Both parents looked down, not wanting to contradict the bluenette. Their daughter didn't move again though.

Chloe sighed, not wanting to fight. She tightened her grip on the hand.

The monitor's regular beeping skipped.

Chloe looked up at the monitor, her move startling Ryan and Vanessa.

Another beep skipped. Then another. Chloe frowned trying to read the monitor's numbers, cursing the fact she dropped out of school.

Yeah right, as if a high school graduate would know how this stuff work.

The rhythm of the beeping started to increase, numbers rising rapidly on the monitor. Then everything dropped. The graphic that had been showing an increase of pikes suddenly turned flat. The interrupted tone turned into a single continuous wail.

They all remained frozen looking at the monitor for what seemed like a long time to Chloe. Her eyes grew wide and she looked at her friend.

Her chest is not moving!

She panicked. She reached down and grabbed Max' shoulders, shaking the girl. "Max! Max! No Max!" her shrieking voice showed distressed as her friend didn't react.

The door slammed open as doctors and nurses rushed in.

Kate held Victoria for several minutes before the taller blonde finally calmed down. She had tried to release her after a moment but Victoria had held on to her. "I don't wanna be alone!"

Kate nodded "I'm not leaving the room Victoria. I'll stay here if you want." She smiled warmly caressing the girl's hair.

Victoria sobbed softly "Thank you." She pulled slowly back and looked at Kate "I don't deserve you help..."

Kate smile warmed her heart. The soft voice was kind and understanding. "No one deserves what happened to us Victoria. But it did happen... It is just natural that we help each other." She smiled softly.

Victoria looked away. "I suppose... but I never helped you." She said with a hint of guilt.

Kate put took Victoria's hand in hers. "Every help is different. Maybe taking care of friends is what help me?" She said it as a question but Victoria felt the girl was actually making a statement.

Kate released the girl's hand and moved away from the bed. "Do you want some tea? I'm sure it will help you!"

Victoria couldn't help but smile. Kate Marsh and tea were known to be synonymous. "O...okay."

She sat back in her bed holding her knees. Kate smiled and moved to the door. "I'll be right back. Everything will be alright okay?" She said reassuringly. As Victoria nodded she opened the door and nearly was run over by a medical worker pushing some kind of cart as several nurses ran accross the corridor.

Victoria frowned as she saw the girl nearly being trampled. She stood and walked to the door "Hey be careful!" she hailed the medical worker as he rushed through a door. She looked at Kate seeing the girl's face turning pale.

"Kate? Are you okay?" She felt unnatural when she asked but the concern in her voice was genuine.

Kate held her cross as she whispered eyes fixed on door the nurses had rushed into. "That's Max' room."

Forgetting she was in a hospital gown, Victoria took Kate's hand and slowly moved toward the open door.

Chloe kept crying and begging Max not to die, shaking the unconscious girl, trying to wake her. Doctor Ryan rushed into the room followed by nurses and attendant. He took a look at the monitors and rushed to the bedside, ripping the covers away from the girl's body. He reached, pulling the hospital gown open and pressed his stethoscope to the pale chest.

"Bring the cart! Start manual ventilation!" He reached under the bed pulling a latch that made the mattress lay horizontally. The nurse with the CPR mask tried to circumvent the blue-haired girl crying. Doctor Ryan felt the pain in the voice, but he did not have time to be gentle. "Someone hold her back!"

Ryan looked at his wife crying in a corner, her hands on her mouth. She nodded to him and he moved grabbing Chloe's shoulder and pulling her away. She fought. She struggled trying to return to her friend as she cried her name. Ryan Caulfield had to put more strength in his hold. In the end his built made it hard for Chloe to escape. She kicked him; hit him but he held on.

Doctor Ryan moved around the bed. "Give her a shot of adrenaline. Charge the paddle at two hundred."

He reached for the paddles of the defibrillator and put gel on them before looking at the girl, watching as a nurse quickly injected a standard dose of adrenaline directly in the girl's chest.

He moved and positioned the devices around Max's thorax as the machine whizzed while it charged.

"CLEAR!" He called as the device on the cart beeped, and every nurse around the bed took a step back as he pressed a button.

Max' body twitched at the electrical shock and the monitors showed a signal for a fraction of a second before resuming their litany.

Doctor Ryan frowned and turned to the nurse behind him as attendant started to ventilate the girl again, pressing a mask on her face and pumping air with a balloon. "Charge, two forty!" The machine whizzed again.

"CLEAR!" He delivered another shock, the girl's chest slightly arching up. But once again the monitors kept wailing the continuous line.

"Charge, two sixty!"

Victoria and Kate were standing at the door, watching as the medical team worked to save their friend. Kate was holding her cross in both hands, muttering prayers. Victoria's hand were on her shoulder, clenched painfully as if trying to keep a hold on life.

They both felt their heart break as they heard the wails and supplication of the tall and thin punk girl.

"GOD, MAX! DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE MAX! YOU ALL I HAVE LEFT! PLEASE!"

"CLEAR!" The doctor pressed the paddles to Max' chest again and a loud thud could be heard. Max naked chest rose above the bed and fell again on the mattress. The monitor gave a couple hopeful beeps, and resumed their mourn wailing.

"MAX!"

The doctor moved the paddle back and looked at the nurse by the cart "Again! Three hundred!"

The sound of the charging condensers in the defibrillator was too close to those of a camera flash. It made Victoria feel sick and each time her nails would dig in Kate's shoulders.

"CLEAR!" The doctor pressed the paddles again around Max's body. THUD!

"MAX!"

As soon as the shock was delivered, the nurse by Max' head pressed the breathing mask on her face again. The pale chest of the teenager rising as she pressed the balloon.

"One last time... Three sixty." The doctor's tone was somber and soon the whizzing of the machine began.

Victoria held her breath. She was sure everyone in the room did as they hoped.

"CLEAR!" Everyone moved back and the doctor pressed the paddle to Max's chest. THUD!

The monitor gave hopeful signs for a short moment and resumed its sad tone.

"Max! Please! Don't leave me Max!"

The cry from Chloe was so full of pain and fear, it moved Victoria to tears.

"Max! Please! Don't go! Don't leave me alone! I need you!"

The doctor kept the paddles in his hand, hesitating as to what to do. He bit his lips a second then said with a soft resolute tone.

"Charge at four hundred." The nurse looked him. "Doctor, it's ..." The physician looked at her as he ordered. "DO IT!"

The devices started to hum loudly, clearly straining.

"CLEAR!"

THUD!

Max' body arched on the bed and fell back on the mattress.

"I need you Max! Please!"

The monitors beeped, slowly, weakly, but their tone gave hope.

"Please Max! I need you! Don't leave me!"

Max's body arched up as she loudly gasped for hair, eyes wide open. The monitor's signals surging for a moment.

Chloe fell to her knees crying, lost in her fears, pain and grief.

"Max! Max! Please don't die Max! I need you!" Her voice slowly trailed off as her throat was sore.

Victoria thought she could see Max' eyelids move and some humidity on the girl's skin.

Then a weak and raw voice filled the room - a whisper barely covering the sound of the heart monitor. But the voice acted like soothing touch, easing the tension that had filled the room.

"Chloe?"

The bluenette raised her head blinked, before she threw herself at the bed, burying her crying face in her friend's shoulder.

"Max!"

Mr. and Mrs. Caulfield were hugging and crying in relief.

Victoria let go of Kate's shoulders and moved a hand to her eyes, trying to brush her tears away before anyone could see them.

As she lowered her hand, she saw Kate looking at her, a warm smile on her face.

Chapter Text

Most of the medical team had left the room. So did Kate and Victoria, although Max never really noticed their presence in the commotion. Vanessa and Ryan Caulfield were standing at the foot of the bed, watching over their daughter as the doctor examined her. Chloe had stayed too, although after her emotional break down during Max' Near Death, she had retreated in a corner by the hospital room door, out of sight as she tried to regain her composure.

Doctor Ryan had moved his stethoscope along Max' chest a few times, listening to her heart and her breathing. Apparently satisfied, he put the device around his shoulder as he looked at the girl.

"Hello Ms. Caulfield. I'm Doctor Ryan." His voice was soothing, and Max tore her eyes from the corner she had sawn Chloe disappeared into, and looked at him

"He..Hello." Her voice was still weak and raw, her throat dry and sore.

"I'm going to ask you a few questions and examine you, so we can see how far along you are. Is that ok?"

Max nodded.

"Good. Can you tell me your name?"

Max nodded softly and said "Max Caulfield."

Her mother gave a slight frown although her father smirked. "She never liked her full name." he explained at the doctor's puzzlement.

"Okay. Do you know where you are?"

Max looked around thinking. "It looks like a hospital."

The Doctor nodded "Yes. Arcadia Bay Hospital indeed."

He moved to the foot and the bed and pressed his hand on her leg. "Do you feel this?"

Max nodded "Yes."

Ryan and Vanessa sighed in relief.

"Very good. Can you try to move your legs please?"

Max nodded. He legs twitched weakly.

"Can you try to lift them off the bed?"

Max frowned, strain and concentration on her face showing that something wasn't as it was supposed to. Her legs shifted slightly, trembling, before they weakly left the mattress. Panting and groaning Max relaxed and her legs fell back on the bed.

"I... What..." her voice showed fear and pain as she stuttered with the shock or realizing her legs didn't move as she wanted them to.

Vanessa Caulfield took a step forward feeling her daughter's distress. "Honey ? What's wrong ?"

Max looked at her legs in disbelief. "I can't move them."

A loud thud reverberated in the room from the corner Chloe had retreated to. Ryan turned his head and saw the punk girl had sat down along the wall, her face buried in her knees.

"What... What is happening? Why can't I move my legs?"

Doctor Ryan looked at Max, feeling she was about to panic, and smiled. "Calm down Ms. Caulfield. No need to worry yet." His voice tried to be comforting and Max leaned back in her pillow tears in her eyes.

"I'll try to explain but first I need to do a few more tests, okay?"

Max nodded looking at her parents with an edge of fear then at the corner where Chloe disappeared.

I need you know Chloe, I need my friend.

Doctor Ryan moved a finger along the sole of her feet and she jerked in the bed at the surprise. Her leg moving on its own, further than when she had tried to move it on purpose.

"Okay. This is good news. You see, if your spine was damaged, your leg would not move, and you would not feel when I put pressure on it." He smiled as he placed the cover back on her legs.

He moved back beside the bed and moved to inspect her flank. "I'll take a look at your wounds." He stated. "Do you remember what happened?"

Max hesitated a moment as if searching her words. "I got ... shot, I think." She looked at her parents and then at the window. "There was a boy... I think it was Nathan... He had a gun... He was about to shoot ... Chloe?" she turned her head as she heard a muffled sobbing. "I... I tried to protect her I think."

The doctor nodded as he examined the bandage on her right side. "Good, your memory is fine. Can you roll on your left a moment?"

Max nodded and winced as she rolled slowly on her side. She felt the hand moving on her back and held her breath as the feeling felt uncomfortable.

"Okay you can lay down again." Doctor Ryan took the notepad by the bed and wrote a few notes. He then turned to Max and her parents.

"So. As you remember you got shot. Your injuries are severe but not as bad as we could have feared." He smiled encouragingly. "The scars are healing properly, your vitals seem strong and regular, your memory seems unimpaired, so I'd say you are recovering far better than we expected." He looked at the clipboard as he continued. "Better doesn't mean you without consequences though. We had to remove your spleen, so you will have to be on medication for the rest of your life."

They heard the door opening and closing. Ryan Caulfield looked up and toward the entrance biting his lip as he saw the bluenette had left.

At the same time Max had started to turn pale at the news and the physician moved a hand on her shoulder reassuringly "Do not worry, it is pretty current in many accidents and totally manageable. The change in your routine will soon become automatic and you won't notice it."

He took a step back. "Now, for your legs. The good news is you still feel them, and their reflexes are good. So that means the spinal damages are ranging from none to very light."

Vanessa looked at the doctor. "But why can't she move them?"

The physician looked at his pad "We'd need to run a few exams, scanners and such, to confirm. Best guess would be that something is putting pressure on the spinal cord, limiting the signals between the brain and limb." He looked up again. "It might be permanent, but the fact she still got full reflex mobility makes me think it might only be temporary. Scans will tell us more and I should have a more detailed idea with the results."

He looked at Max his face more serious. "Now, even if temporary, it won't be an easy recovery. You will have to relearn to walk. You will feel like your legs are weak at first, and it may be painful. However, if all goes well, you might make a full or at least close to full recovery on this part."

Ryan Caulfield looked at the doctor and asked. "How long?"

The physician winced at the familiar question, having hoped they would overlook that part. "Difficult to say for now. At best weeks. Months maybe. Until then, you will have to use a wheelchair and slowly move up to clutches and maybe a cane."

Vanessa Caulfield looked at the doctor. "When can she come home with us?" Her voice was strained, reflecting the fears accumulated in the previous week.

Before the physician could answer, Max voice rose. "Mom! I'm not going!"

Vanessa looked at her daughter. "Of course, you are coming back with us to Seattle!"

Max shook her head. "Stop it mom! I'm not leaving!"

Vanessa looked like all the tension of the previous week was about to blow. "Why Maxine? Why would you want to stay here? Haven't you been hurt enough?"

Ryan Caulfield reached out to hold his wife, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Vanessa..."

But the woman kept on going. "I knew we shouldn't have let you go to that school. You should have stayed in Seattle with us! All this wouldn't have happened if you had!"

Max felt anger rising. "Stop it mom! You know it could have happened anywhere!"

Ryan pulled on his wife shoulder "Vanessa... Wait." The woman looked back at her husband, tears in her eyes.

Max clenched her fist on the bed cover. "You can't coddle me mom! You can't keep me wrapped in cotton and protect me all the time!" She felt tears in her eyes as she fought with her mother for the first time.

Vanessa looked surprised at her daughter's response. Her mouth kept opening and closing, as if she hesitated.

Ryan moved to stand beside his wife, his arm wrapped across her shoulder to hold her. "Max. I won't say I don't agree with you. Just please understand. We are worried, it's normal - our daughter's been hurt. And we nearly lost you." He paused waiting a moment before he continued. "So please before this goes too far. Can you tell us why? I'd like to understand why you insist on staying here."

Max looked at her dad and thought.

I can't tell them I want to stay for Chloe. Even if dad may understand, mom probably won't.

She swallowed a few times before she said. "Because if I leave, they win, and I lose."

Ryan frowned a moment. "What do you mean?"

"I mean... If I leave... If I let this send me back home... I... I feel like I won't be able to live on my own again... I feel that, if I let this change my life, then I will let fear control me, and those who hurt me will have had what they wanted! Me, gone!" She looked at her mother. "I can't do that mom! I can't let them win! I can't let them decide for me! How would I be able to... move on if I did! If I keep being scared!"

Ryan seemed thoughtful. Vanessa tried to take a step forward. "But Maxine! You are ..."

Max shook her head. "You don't understand mom. I have to try! I have to try living on my own! What happens if I..." Fear caught in her throat as she approached the possibility. "If I can't walk on my own again? You can't be with me forever mom!"

Vanessa was about to interject but Ryan interrupted her. "Vanessa, she's right." He smiled warmly. "It seems you've matured a lot in the past weeks."

Vanessa looked at her husband. "We can't leave her here!"

Ryan pulled his wife tightly against him. "We don't really have a choice honey. She's all grown up."

"Grown up? She's my baby!"

Max rolled her eyes. "I'm eighteen, mom! I'm an adult! Not a baby!"

Before things went further, Doctor Ryan interrupted. "She'll need a few weeks before she can be discharged anyway. No need to rush a decision."

Max looked at the doctor then at her parents. "The decision has been made." she said with resolve in her voice as she looked at her mother, preparing for the fight her mother's face seemed to promise.

I'm not leaving Chloe.

Chloe leaned on the wall by the door of the hospital main entrance, smoking a cigarette slowly as she tried to regain her composure, to digest the news of how bad her childhood friend had been hurt because of her, of how much she had sacrificed for her.

Shit Max! Why did you have to play goddamn hero!

She took a last drag of her cigarette and crushed it in the ashtray before she headed back in. The walk back to Max' room was slower than the rush earlier that night. Much slower. Chloe dragged her feet in fact. It was going to be her first real talk with Max in five years, and she was scared. She was scared of all the changes in her friend. Scared her friend would hate the changes in her. Scared her friend would be angry after she had been hurt so bad because of her. Scared of her own anger, lurking in the back of her mind. And maybe most of all, scared of bringing more arm to Max.

As she walked she passed by Nathan's room. Two officers were in front of the door talking to a man who had his back toward her.

"I do not care what Sean Prescott wants! His son killed my daughter and he will face justice for that! And it won't stop there! I'm already seeing to have investigations conducted into Sean Prescott involvement. No way his son and an art teacher could afford such a bunker and brand new hi-tech professional photography equipment without someone to push the cash for it! So, I don't care. Even if he was the goddamn president! Sean Prescott can't see his son! I won't have them prepare and decide on their story before we had a chance of finding evidences!"

Chloe stopped as she caught the man's ranting. She hesitated a moment.

Fuck! Rachel's dad... Doubt he'd like to see me around.

She was about to walk away - more like make her escape - when the man turned and spotted her. "Chloe Price?"

Chloe winced, closing her eyes as she grimaced. Her shoulder sagged as she sighed and turned back.

"Hi Mr. Amber. I... am so sorry for Rachel."

There try to be nice.

She looked down expecting a tongue lashing.

"I..." The man paused apparently unsure about what to say. "What are you doing here? Your wound okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay, thanks... Just, visiting an old friend."

She felt him staring at her.

Dude! If you have something to say, fucking say it!

"You got another of your friends in trouble?"

And there it goes! Fuck!

"What do you mean, another?" Chloe looked up frowning. "You think I got Rachel in trouble?"

Chloe winced and regretted the last part right away. Me and my fucking loose mouth!

"Rachel wouldn't have strayed with this crowd if you hadn't turned her against me!"

What the fuck!

"What? It's not me who lied to her! Not me who tried to hide her real mother! Not me who tried to have said mother killed by one of the city's most notorious psycho, so my little secret would not fall apart!"

"I was only trying to do what I thought best for my daughter! It's you who by pushing the matter and broke my family! Without you she would not have tried to escape by any means she could find! She would not have had to deal with people like Prescott and Jefferson!"

Chloe felt like she had been punched. "What? Rachel fucking talked about running away since the day I met her! She only stayed because I held her back!" Chloe felt tears in her eyes.

Shit and after I had managed to calm down a bit!

"She died because she was still in Arcadia Bay! Because I held her back! Because for some fucking reason I pushed her to wait after she finished high school!" Chloe took deep breath.

"If she had not known me She would have ran away long ago! And maybe she would have been alive! Yeah, I feel responsible! No fucking need to lay it on me! My best friend died because of me!"

Mr. Amber looked at the punk girl his jaw dropped as the girl vented her own insecurities. He ran a hand in his hair in frustration.

"God! I... I'm sorry Chloe. That's... not what I meant..." He looked down at his feet. "It's just..."

"She's dead Mr. Amber. I wish I could change this. I wish I could take her place. But I can't! Now all I have left is a friend who fucking tried to protect me and who will probably spend the rest of her life in a fucking chair! So yeah! I'm a fuck up! Happy?"

The man reached out with a hand, paused and finally let his hand fall back at his side.

"That's not what I meant... Sorry Chloe, I guess the pain still raw and ... I keep blaming everyone for my mistakes..." He sighed. "You... take care of yourself and your friend Chloe. That's what you can do for Rachel... Me all I have left is making sure the Prescotts don't get away with this!"

Chloe looked up and nodded. "I hope they fucking suffer!"

Mr. Amber turned away as he answered, "On this we agree."

Chloe stood a minute her fist clenched as she tried to calm down. She took a deep breath and headed for Max' Room.
She noticed Ryan and Vanessa stepping out, obviously shaken by something, and arguing. She bit her lip and kept walking trying not to be seen as they crossed each other's path.

"... Ryan, I do NOT care! She's coming home with us!"

Chapter Text

"... Ryan I do not care! She's coming home with us!"

What the?

Chloe paused looking back at the couple as she caught glimpses of their argument.

"Vanessa. You can't force her!"

"Of course, I can! I'm her mother!"

Ryan Caulfield frowned. "She is an adult Vanessa!"

The mother looked at her husband. "So, what?!"

"So, you cannot force any decision on her anymore! Not if you don't want her to cut you out of her life!"

"I'm her mother!"

"Yes, you are and if I hadn't pulled you out of the room, she could have had us removed and there would have been nothing you could have done about it." He reached to try and calm her. "You both need to calm down. If you want her to come back to Seattle, you need to calm down and listen to her first..."

The conversation died out as the couple walked away.

They're taking her back to Seattle? No way!

Chloe felt like part of her had been ripped away again. Her mind raced.

Shit! Max is all I have left! I can't lose her too! No way!

She reached the door, pausing as she hesitated. Fear started to fill her mind again. Fear of seeing her broken friend. Fear of watching her leave again. Fear of being alone again. But also fear of dragging Max into more troubles and pain. Her hand was shaking as she pushed the door open.

Max sat on her bed, looking at the cards sent by her classmates, while she mumbled about her stubborn mother. She was surprised to see how many people had sent cards. She didn't remember knowing even half of them. Even among those she knew, she found cards from people, like Victoria, she was certain hated her.

No, it's not fair. Deep down inside, Victoria is actually a nice person. Okay, very deep down inside that bitchy shell she tries to hide in!

Some of the cards were cute, like Dana's with the chibi-cheerleader dancing to cheer a friend in getting better, or Kate's who prayed for her to "get well soon, tea is already waiting". Some were rather nerdy like Warren's 'Heard you got hurt by dirty Ape!'.

She reached for the teddy bear on the bedside table, smiling at how cute that safari photograph was, but couldn't find any name or card with it. It reminded her of the captain, who probably was still in her bed in Blackwell. She hugged the plush toy and laid back on her pillow, her mood turning gloom. She felt sad that Chloe had left the room, but at the same time relieved. She dreaded the reunion.

Would Chloe share her memories? Probably not. Will she still be upset about those five years? Will she feel the same about me? Will she return my feelings?

The sound of the door opening brought her back from her thought. The fight with her mother still fresh in her mind, and knowing her mom would not have given up, she sighed with exasperation.

"Mom! let it go! I'm not going!"

She rolled on her side, facing away from the room's entrance.

"Err.. Max? It's me?"

Max felt her heart rush at the sound of this voice.

Oh Dog! I'm si not ready for this!

"Chloe!" She turned around, a smile splitting her face as she saw her friend's blue haired head poking around the corner.

"Sorry, I thought my mom came for another try."

Seeing the punk girl, Max wanted to rush and hug her, forgetting about her injuries. She quickly sat up, twisting as she tried to move her legs to stand up and froze with a painful groan as her wounds sent her a 'forget me not' notification.

She gripped her bed cover, grinding her teeth. She heard hurried steps and felt hands reaching to steady her and slowly helped her in a half sitting position.

"Easy Mad Max! You gotta move slowly or it'll hurt like hell. Trust me!"

Max felt her heart pound in her chest as the warmth of her friend's touch reached her and the familiar scent of cheap men's bodywash and cigarettes filled her nostrils.

Oh shit! Do not blush you nerd!

She nodded to her friend with a slight grimace as she responded with strain in her voice. "Yeah... I think I found out what you meant."

"Chloe!" Max smiled happily as she saw her.

Wowser! You wouldn't think she nearly died not an hour ago!

Max pushed on her arms to sit up on the bed wincing a bit as her wounds probably hurt.

"Easy Mad Max!" Chloe hurried to her friend's side to try and have her relax on the bed. "You gotta go slowly or it'll hurt like hell."

Max let Chloe help her back on the bed and nodded. "Okay... I think I found out what you meant." Her voice was strained, obviously Chloe had been a tad late.

As Chloe settled Max back in the bed she had her first real look of her friend's face in five years. Her eyes wandered a bit, noticing the absence of braces on her now perfectly shaped smile, he cheeks turning slightly pinkish, highlighting the freckles doting her skin.

Holy shit! She got even cuter! How's that fucking possible!

Chloe felt her heart flutter a bit as she pulled back feeling embarrassed.

Chillax dude! You can't fall for her!

"Chloe? Are you okay?"

Fuck! Wake up you punk!

Chloe shook her head trying to erase any trace of being flustered and nodded. "Who me? Yeah, I'm fine! Just, I found out this morning, well more like yesterday now... that a very close friend of mine was dead."

Max's face paled for a moment.

Yay well done Price! Way to cheer someone who nearly died!

Max looked at Chloe pursed her lips. "Oh Dog... I'm so sorry Chloe."

Aaaand back to cute! Shit!

Chloe waved a hand. "Not your fault Maximus!" She smiled at Max, feeling a bit awkward. "So! You back to Arcadia Bay?"

Max nodded happily. "Yes. I'm so glad to see you Chloe!"

Chloe looked away a bit. "Really? I mean... I hear you been back for a month and all ..."

Max winced at the familiar conversation. She felt confused, her memory insisting she already had dealt with this issue.

And Shit! back to square one!

Max felt her confidence sinking as she realized she will have to deal with a brand-new Chloe.

"I... I'm so sorry Chloe... I'm sorry for those five years! I wanted to call you... So much... But each time... I didn't know what to say... I felt so lost without you Chloe! Then I... got accepted to Blackwell and I thought I'd call you right away. But I had a hard time to settled in... And I ... Didn't want to look like a total needy nerd." She looked down.

"Well that would have been hard. You are a nerd!" Chloe responded chuckling. "Well you are back now! And you made a hero's entrance, you hippie!"

Max blushed at her friend's words, the nostalgia of the nickname, the chuckle and excitement in her voice.

"Of course! Dork!" She smiled glad that so far, the discussion was going smoothly. Although in her heart she felt a slight pinch.

Have to be patient. Have to be patient... Oh Dog Chloe, why do you have to be so fucking hot! If only you know how badly I wanna kiss you! Down girl!

She fiddled nervously with her cover trying to put a lid on her feelings.

"Seriously though, you hella scared me Max." The change of tone in Chloe's voice made her look up from her internal struggle. "Why did you do that Max? Did you even recognize me? I mean, I hella look different after five years. Why would you risk your life like that for a stranger?"

Max looked down, unsure of how she should respond.

Shit, what do I say? Do I tell I did it because I love her? She'll run away so fast! Or... will she?

"I... I'm sorry I scared you Chloe. And yes, your style changed quite a lot." She smiled waving at the blue hair. "But you don't really look that different. I mean, blond hair or blue hair, your face's still the same." She chuckled a bit. "And your voice's definitively the same, although the snark sounded like it grew in strength."

She reached to take Chloe's hand in hers. "So, I did recognize you. I did right away in fact! No way I would forget how you look or sound! You were and still are my best friend!" She smiled. "So, well, I didn't risk my life for a stranger! I did it for you! And I'd like to point, I'm not dead!"

Jesus! Why is it so hard?

Max peered at Chloe's face trying to read her emotions, her reaction.

Chloe felt the Max' eyes looking at her and she tried hard to clamp on her feelings, to not let her tears go.

"You're not dead, but it was so close Max! I mean, you were hella dying just minutes ago! And... And look what happened to you?" She pulled her hand away and turned her eyes away, feeling the guilt building in her.

Fuck I can't do it! I can't look at her when she's like this because of me!

"I heard what the doc said Max... I know you can't move your legs..." She bit her lips. "Not to sound ungrateful, because hell I really appreciate being alive. But Max, was it really worth it?"

She felt fingers on her chin pulling her face toward Max. She wanted to resist, part of her not wanting to even look at her friend. In the end she followed the pull and met Max' eyes.

"Was it worth it to save my best friend's life? Of course, it was! Chloe, you are the most important thing in my life!"

Chloe felt like a blow had been dealt to her. She held her breath, trying to grasp what her friend meant.

What? Does she mean that...? No... can't be. She means just means I'm her best friend.

Chloe felt like her brain had gone haywire and would overheat. And before she could even think about an answer her mouth went first.

"Fuck Max! How do I deal with that! You got hurt because of me Max! I put you in a fucking wheelchair!" She stood up and started pacing the room, her voice rising.

"You probably hate me now! Or you will! Fuck! I never asked you to do that Max!"

Max bit her lips as she saw Chloe start to pace and vent. She had seen her do that a few times in the week that never existed. Start to talk and act before she thought, letting her emotions take control, like when she saw Rachel's bracelet on Frank's wrist or when she turned all murder-minded after they had found Rachel's corpse.

Why do I feel like I just armed a bomb and I need to disarm it right now or it'll blow up in my face?

"Chloe! Calm down geeez!" She pressed her palms on her temples. "You didn't hurt me! You didn't put me in frigging wheelchair either!" She lowered her hands.

Chloe looked at her almost screaming at her.

"You got shot because of me Max!"

Max pushed on her arms sitting up suddenly, her stitches and wounded muscles screaming at the back of her head.

"FOR YOU! I got shot FOR you Chloe, not BECAUSE of you!"

Fuck that hurts!

Chloe shook her arms in frustration. "It's the fucking same thing, Caulfield!"

Max shook her head, pressing her arms on her stomach trying to sooth the strain

"No! It's fucking not! You didn't play with a gun! You didn't even fucking know Nathan would have one! And you didn't ask me to get between you and gun totting prick! I risked my life on my own! Me, alone, on my own! I did it to save you! I did it for you!"

Chloe stopped in her tracks as she heard her friend shouting back at her. She blinked, a Max that argued back like that, not being one she was used to.

She reached up and started to scratch her head, before she let her arms fall and her shoulder slump.

"Shit Max... I never wanted this."

Max winced a bit as she answered. "Who would? And no! You won't make me regret it so stop trying."

Max's voice trailed at the end and Chloe noticed her friend holding her belly.

"Max? you okay?" She ran to her friend to look at her.

Shit she got excited and hurt herself!

Max smiled at her. "Yeah... it's passing already."

"Shit Max, I'm sorry... I didn't..."

Max interrupted her "Stop now Chloe... I don't think I can beat that 'Chloe Price is responsible for all the pain in the world' out of your head with a clue by four again today."

Chloe chuckled softly and sighed. "Sorry."

Max smiled as she slowly straightened. "There all good. But seriously Chloe, it's not your fault. And I don't hate you. Nor will I ever hate you. And next time please wait till the end of the doc talk before you bail! You would have known the wheelchair is probably just temporary!"

And let's leave it at that for now, however much I wanna kiss you till you pass out!

Chloe sighed and grabbed a chair to sit close to the bed. "Fine, Fine! Hell Caulfield, where did that come from? I thought you were a weak and shy nerd... and you bit my head off."

Max smiled. "Well I'm a badass now, I got the scars to prove it."

The girls laughed for a moment, although there was still some awkwardness between them.

Chloe looked down in her thought before she stood up. "I probably should go home before mom and my step-douche call the whole army to search for me." She hesitated and gazed away. "When... When are you returning to Seattle?"

Max frowned as she heard the question. "What? Who said I was going back?"

Chloe waved a hand at the door. "I heard your mom and dad talking about it while I came back."

"Dog, Mom! Can't you let it go for once?" Max cursed softly. "Chloe, I'm not going back. I swear to Dog, I'm staying here, well in Arcadia Bay..."

Chloe looked up feeling hope building in her stomach. "Really? But... Why? And, what about your parents?"

Max sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'm eighteen now, they can't force me to go with them like when I was a kid! Worst mom can do is cut out my allowance... Which dad will gladly give me in her back anyway. He understands the reasons I have, to stay... Well some of them."

Chloe frowned a moment. "What reasons?"

Dog, I wish you would not ask Chloe.

Max let out another sigh. "Well, I feel like I have to stay here, I have to try to stay here. Even if I'm scared. I can't let Nathan decide how my life will be, so I can't just go back to my parents with my tail between my legs."

Chloe nodded softly. "I can understand that. Never let the bastards know they hurt you."

Max looked down a bit, thinking about something.

"Okay Caulfield, that's one reason, a pretty good one. But you said you had more." Chloe's voice started to sound slightly playful again, like when she dared Max to kiss her.

"Well one more."

"Which is?"

Max bit her lip and felt her cheek flare as she responded softly, almost whispering. "Someone."

Chloe smirked as she found the perfect chance to tease her friend a little. "What? I didn't hear that Caulfield. Did you just say you were staying for someone? Woohooo Maximus' in love!"

Max felt her heartbeat increase as her friend started to bounce in the room.

"Who is it? Come on Ro-Max! You totally gotta tell me!" She moved to the cards and stopped. "Oh, wait let's see! Is it Warren? His card makes him look like the perfect nerd for nerd-Max!"

Max shook her head. "Stop it Chloe!" She turned away flushed with embarrassment.

"Could be that Daniel, looks like he is a good drawer. Probably know how to uses his fingers if you know what I mean!"

Max groaned and as she laid back on her bed. "Chloe stop! It's not like that! I don't have a boyfriend!"

"Oh, a girl then! Geeze Maxter! I didn't know you swing that way!" She looked at the cards again "So tell me maybe the cheerleader? You know she probably is the wet dream of any boy and lesbian!"

Oh shit! Now she won't let it go!

Max rolled and tried to hide her face.

"Or maybe that girl I heard came every day! Kate, right?"

Max raised her head from the pillow. "Are you cereal? She's a church girl!"

Chloe chuckled. "Ooh lala so risky!" She switched to a light voice "But Max? I can't love you! God forbids it!" She then switched to an approximation of Max' voice. "I don't care, Kate! I love you!" "Oh Max!" "Kate!" She kept alternating voice, switching position as she played the romantic scene.

Max screamed in her pillow feeling the frustration growing as her friend kept teasing her.

"Don't tell me it's that bitch of Victoria Chase?" Chloe kept on going.

Max threw her pillow at Chloe. "You are impossible, Chloe! I wont tell you! I swear to Dog, let it go, or..!"

The punk girl just took a step away avoiding the toss. "Or what? You throw like a girl Super-Max! And I totally won't let it go! Come on hippie spit it out!"

Oh Fuck it Chloe! You asked for it!

This is so much fun!

Chloe was enjoying teasing her friend, distracting them from the lingering issues she had at the back of her mind. She was thinking about the next poke into her friend's shyness when Max rolled on her back again and raised to sit, hands clenched on the bedsheet as she looked at her earnestly.

"It's YOU, Doofus! You are the other reason!" Max panted a bit, cheeks red as tomatoes. "I'm staying because I love you, Chloe!"

Chloe froze like a deer in the headlight, her blue eyes opening wide, her jaw dropping.

WHAAAAAAT?!

Chapter Text

The lights of late Saturday afternoon were starting to dwindle through the window of her room. Max had tried to watch the tv, to enjoy a football game with her dad. But the tension lingering in the room gave it a stifling atmosphere in which it was hard to relax.

Her mom was sitting in a corner sulking as she read a book. Her dad was watching the game without the usual cheer and comments from his chair beside the bed. Max was lost in her thought, haunted by how her discussion with Chloe had ended the previous night. Or to be more exact, how it had not.

Dog Chloe! Why couldn't you just say something? Why did you have to just shut down and hightail it?

It had not gone as she had planned for sure. She had lost it under the strain of Chloe's teasing and dropped what she now thought was a mini nuclear bombshell. It had been successful in shutting Chloe up and stop the teasing, alright. But after taking a moment to recover, the punk girl had just left the room with a 'oh..err... I guess I should be going now...'.

Not the reaction I'd expect from her.

Max had a rough time finding sleep that night. Replaying the events in her mind over and over. She even considered rewinding the events a moment, but sound of the thunderstorm outside had stopped her, reminding her of how her misuse of her power had caused a time storm so bad it had threatened to destroy the whole town.

I could probably have escaped with such as small change... Still let's save it for really important things.

In the end exhaustion had won and she had drifted to slumber only to be woken up when the nurse came to take her for some kind of scanner exam.

After getting the result from Doctor Ryan, in the early afternoon, her mom had come back with a vengeance about returning to Seattle. She had tried to sell it as a 'at least until you've fully recovered' deal, but Max had not bought it one bit. She knew if she accepted this deal her mom would make sure to find reasons to keep her locked in a cotton box forever. It had nearly ended in a full-blown fight again without her dad to play fireman.

I wish she would let it go. I don't need her bickering about returning to Seattle and leaving Chloe here when I already got trouble figuring how to make said Chloe respond to my feelings!

"Maxine? Maxine?"

Her mom's call brought her out of her dreaming. "Huh? What?"

Her mom looked at her a moment pondering. Then she waved a hand at the couple of teenagers standing beside her. "You got visitors."

"Hey Max-Power!"

The cheerful greeting of her fellow nerd Warren made Max smile. "Hey Warren, Brooke!"

The girl with glasses and red highlight in her black hair rose her eyes from her phone. "Hey Max."

That's Brooke alright always on her phone when not flying her drone.

As Max' parents retreated out of the room, Warren moved to stand by the bed, Brooke following quietly. "So how you doing Max? You really scared us all at school you know."

Max smiled. "I'm alright. A bit sore but okay. And sorry about the scare."

Warren nodded. "Glad to hear it! I mean we all know you done something cool and saved someone's life, but it would have sucked if you got hurt too bad you know."

Max tensed a moment, her eyes shifting quickly to the wheelchair parked by the coffee table.

Guess they figure it's just the standard one they use to move patient around in hospital.

"Yeah, that would have been pretty stupid." She chuckled, trying not to move so as not to give away that she couldn't move her legs.

"How are things at school? I heard... I heard some rumors about Mr. Jefferson..."

Warren's face turned sour. "Yeah... That was a shock to everyone. I mean, was pretty scary to see those cops storm a high school party already... But the rest... People were rather confused yesterday afternoon... Still were as far as the dorms are concerned... Guess we will see how it fares on Monday."

Brooke quietly nodded as she seemed to look something up on her phone, her eyes glancing now and then around the room.

"Yeah, that was much more surprising than Nathan shooting someone." She said matter-of-factly, her tone rather flat and devoid of much feelings.

She does sound like a robot now and then for sure.

"Yeah... anyway what you been up to?"

Warren looked down slightly embarrassed.

Wait is he blushing?

"Well, we ..."

Brooke interrupted. "Warren took me on a date at the drive in to watch the Planet of the Apes retrospective."

Yeah, she's totally not marking her territory with this! Down girl I'm not interested in taking your boy!

Max looked at Brooke with a smile. "Really? That's great! I'm happy for you two!"

Warren scratched his head. "Yeah... well... it kinda happened."

Max chuckled at his embarrassment. "Oh, Warren don't be so shy! You both look great together! Perfect match in nerdy heaven!"

Brooke raised her eyes from her phone for a moment. "Thank you Max. Sorry I won the race on this one."

Max shook her head. "I wasn't even in the race Brooke."

Warren looked a bit disappointed. "Oh?...okay..."

Max chuckled. "Warren. I do like you but not like that. You're a great friend."

Warren's dropped his shoulders. "I guess I walked right into that one." He sighed. "Well I'm lucky anyway. I mean at least Brooke understand when I talk science."

Max giggled. "Well I certainly don't! Sciences... eurgh."

Brooke showed a small smile behind her phone as Warren chuckled. "Fine! Fine! No science talk with you then. But you totally got to come with us at the Halloween party! I mean it's the nerdiest party of the year, so you got to come have fun and dance with us all!"

Max winced as if she had received a blow to the stomach. "Dance?... I ... Don't really ..."

Warren kept going cheerfully. "Come on Max! Don't be shy on us! You'll come right? I mean it's in two weeks, you'll be out by then, right?"

Max kept her eyes down a moment then nodded as she tried to keep a strong face. "Maybe, yes... But I dunno... I will think about it, okay?"

Warren was about to argue when Brooke reached to his shoulder. "Warren, we will be late for dinner if we don't go. Besides, Max needs to rest if she wants to make it to the party, right?"

Warren paused a moment and nodded. "Yes! Of course! We'll visit again! Rest well and get back to full Max Power!"

Max nodded with a smile. "I will! Oh! And bring me some movies... It's boring as hell here."

Warren waved as he and Brooke walked to the door. "Sure thing!"

Warren and Brooke were back in his car and leaving the hospital parking lot.

"I'm glad she's alright. Would have sucked if she'd been badly hurt!"

Brooke looked at Warren and shook her head. "She's acting tough."

Warren looked at her for a moment. "What do you mean?"

Brooke sighed and put her phone down. "You really need to be more observant as a scientist. You'd noticed she hasn't moved at all while we were there... or the wheelchair."

Warren frowned as he analyzed what the girl said. "Well I thought it just was painful for her to move with the scars. And wheelchair are usually how they move patients around in hospital no?"

Brooke put a hand on her forehead with another sigh. "They don't leave those in the patient room all the time. And even if it hurt a little people don't keep their legs in the same position all the time." She looked out the window as she said with the same blank voice. "She tried to hide it, but I think she can't use her legs."

The car suddenly swerved before regaining its smooth driving. "What? Why didn't you tell me! Geeze I was asking her to come and dance with us Brooke! I'm such an idiot!"

Brooke leaned back on the seat, resting her head on the headrest. "Not my information to share if she doesn't want, at least not openly. And yeah that was pretty stupid but well..."

Warren grumbled as he kept driving.

The thunder kept her awake. She had been back to school for a week, trying to live her life as if nothing happened, telling people her absence of a day had been because she had too much to drink at the last party. She had kept quiet about the dark room, the break down in front of Kate Marsh. Even Taylor and Courtney didn't know. She had tried to bury these memories deep behind her usual tough and bitchy shell. It had surprised many when she friendly had greeted Kate, but she had kept her distance, both to avoid suspicion and also because she felt embarrassed by how she had spent most of that night crying in the small girl's arm.

She had done her best to move on. But, the flashing of the thunder had brought it all back. She was huddled in her bed, with her cover wrapped around her as she shivered. With every flash lightening up her room, she could feel the disturbing presence of the camera her brain kept insisting was around her. She could almost feel the tightness of the tape around her wrists, hear the jubilant voice of Jefferson as he exulted while raping her soul with his camera.

Fuck it!

Victoria stood from her bed and cracked her bedroom open. She peered down the corridor a moment, making sure no one was in sight before she left the room wearing only her pajama. She hopped silently to the room next door, raising a hand. She paused just before knocking.

Shit! She's probably sleeping!

She remained there debating with herself for a moment, until another flash of lightning startled her into a soft whimper. Slightly panicked, she reached out to knock on the door. She barely brushed the wood with her knuckles when a half asleep small blond wearing cotton short and a fluffy shirt opened the door, one hand rubbing at her sleepy eyes.

"mmnn... Victoria? I thought I heard something." Her voice was soft and groggy as she stifled a yawn.

"err... Sorry Kate... I ... I couldn't sleep... so I... tried to walk it off." Victoria looked away. "I... Sorry I woke you up... I'll go back to my room." She quickly retreated to her room, leaving the smaller girl half sleeping at her door, feeling confused and ashamed that she needed help.

She was back sitting in her bed hugging her knees when there was a soft knock on her door. She shuddered and tried to crawl further in the corner of her room.

He's back!

She trembled with fear but then a soft voice reached her through the door.

"Victoria? Can I come in?"

Kate!

Victoria breathed deeply trying to calm down before she answered. "y...yes."

The door opened softly, and Kate slowly walked in with a small tray she put on the coffee table before closing the door.

"I... Sorry. It felt like something was wrong earlier and I worried." She said softly looking at the blonde huddled in a corner of her bed. "Are you okay?"

Victoria buried her face in her knees and shook her head. "Not ... Not really... I ..."

Kate moved and sat on the bed beside her. "It is okay Victoria. You are safe." She reached and brushed a hand in the Victoria's pixy-cut hair.

"I... I thought I had put it behind me..." Victoria's voice was weak as she sobbed softly.

"You will, with time." Kate kept caressing her head comfortingly. "Until then, you can come talk to me anytime you know, if it helps."

Victoria raised her head softly, her eyes puffy as she nodded. "Thanks... but ... I don't wanna bother you..."

Kate chuckled softly. "I think it's more that don't wanna look weak. Or is it that you don't like me or my help?" Kate puffed her cheeks into a pouting face making Victoria chuckled and smile.

"No... I mean I appreciate your help... Just..." Victoria ran a hand on her face. "I dunno, I hate feeling so ..."

Kate chuckled and waved at the small table. "I understand. Do you want some tea? I made Chamomile. I thought it could help you relax and sleep."

Victoria nodded softly and started to move from her bed as Kate stood up to go get the cups.

Why do I feel already more relaxed with Kate Marsh around? Is it because she is so kind, I'm not afraid she would ... hurt me?

She walked to the couch and waved at the seat beside her. "err... please have a seat. You must be tired after I woke you up... sorry again."

Kate yawned a bit and nodded as she sat. "Thank you, and no need to apologize. I had my share of nightmare too." She offered a cup to Victoria and took the other, sipping a bit from it.

Victoria nodded. "I... I am sorry again for making it worse at the time."

Kate shook her head. "It's not your fault Victoria. You just acted like most teenagers do."

Victoria looked down feeling a bit embarrassed.

Jesus Kate! I'd feel better if you were chewing me up!

"How did you do?" Kate raised an eyebrow at Victoria's question. "I mean, to ... get past the nightmares?"

"Oh! Well, it took time... Also, I found out helping friends helped me focus on something else." She pondered a moment. "I think, it's seeing Max on that gurney... I realized I had to help the one who tried to help me when I was depressed." She took a sip and looked down blushing. "It's probably stupid."

Victoria shook her head. "If it works for you, it's not." She cringed a moment as a lightning lit up the room for a moment. "I doubt it would work for me."

Kate nodded. "Maybe not. But you may find something else to focus on." She smiled warmly. "Also, therapy helped. Well the couple session I had this week did." She looked down a bit ashamed.

That smile! She'd turn a demon into an angel with that smile!

"I... Maybe I should try too... I just..." Victoria looked down at her cup. "I feel so... gross... Like... everyone is judging me..."

Kate nodded silently. She looked like she was about to say something but remained silent.

"I don't want people to know what that monster did to me."

Kate reached and took her hand. "Take your time then Victoria. And if you need help I am here." Victoria nodded her appreciation and gave a soft squeeze at the hand.

Victoria felt her anxiety slowly fade away as they both sipped their tea in silence. Kate's presence somehow soothing and relaxing. She sat her empty cup back on the table and looked down. "Kate..."

"Yes?" The smaller blonde looked up at her wondering what she was going to say.

"Do you think... you could... stay with me tonight?"

What am I saying! Fuck!

Victoria felt flustered as she realized how weird her request could be. "I mean... Just be in the room... Like a sleep over... You could use the couch..."

Kate chuckled softly her head tilted slightly. "Of course, the couch is fine." She said with a smile.

Victoria relaxed and buried her face in her hands. "Thank you... I just... don't want to be alone... and I can't tell others the reason so ..."

Kate reached and patted her head softly. "It's okay. Let me just get my pillow and blanket."

The next morning, Victoria slowly woke up as her alarm clock rang. She groaned as she snoozed it and slowly rose on her bed rubbing her eyes. She stopped in the middle of her move as she noticed the couch at the foot of her bed was empty. She frowned as she saw the note resting on the cushion. She crawled on her bed and reached out to read it.

'Good morning,

I am glad you finally managed to sleep, and I hope you had enough rest. I am sorry I left before you woke up, but I thought that you would rather avoid having to explain why I spent the night in your room. Luckily, I'm one of the Blackwell early birds. And Max being away, I probably won't be seen, as I make my escape.

Do not hesitate to come to me if you need help about you know what.

Have a nice day,

Kate.'

Victoria let herself fall back on her bed with a sigh.

That girl's too much, damn it!

The door to the small shop opened making the bell ring softly. The usual customers, all sitting around a table, looked up to see the blue-haired punk girl entering. "Hey Chloe! It's been a while since you came here!"

They were five people around the small table that sat in the middle of Steph's store Fantas'ynk. The store was rather strange to begin with, a mix between tattoo parlor and tabletop game store, an atypical way for Chloe's former classmate to mix her drawing passion and her love of Game Mastering. While she kept a table for customer to play in the middle, there were shelves of Rulebooks and displays of dices and figurines on either side of the store. In the back, behind a curtain that was currently opened, two tattoo stations were kept neat and clean. All around the store, Steph's drawing and pictures of her most prized tattoos were stuck the walls. In all honesty, most of her revenue came from the tattoo and piercing part of her business.

She rarely had people coming for the gaming, but she still insisted on keeping that part of the store whenever the topic came in the discussion. In the end it had become the favorite hangout for a small group of nerds composed of Mickey and Drew North, Warren Graham and of course Steph. The fifth member of that day's group, a girl with glasses and red highlighted hair wasn't a person Chloe had seen in the store before, but she was glad to see her friend's store had new customers.

Chloe waved a hand dismissing the comment as she heard the greeting. "Yeah well, I was... busy with some stuff."

Mickey, Drew and Steph's face got darker for a moment as they knew why the punk girl had been away for so long. Steph looked down her voice showing grief as she responded. "Yeah... Sorry about Rachel... I know you and her were close."

Chloe gave out a sad smile to her friend. "Yeah... It sucks... I wish it had not happened but ... She'll be missed by a lot of people." She sighed.

Steph nodded. "Well, I suppose. Although, most of us had already started to grieve... I know, I did... And you know well that I had a crush on her so ... Anyway, you were the last one that kept hoping. So, I guess you are the most troubled one these days." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she waved at a chair. "Grab a seat. We just started, do you want to join?"

Chloe raked a hand in her hair hesitantly before she turned the chair around and sat on it, resting her arms on its back. "Mmm... Guess I could yeah... Got nothing better to do anyway. Whacha playing?"

Warren beamed as he happily joined the chorus. "Star Wars D20!"

Chloe sighed. "Crap I don't have a character for that..." She looked at the group. "Any advices?"

Drew scoffed. "I'd say a Sith for you!"

Everyone around the table but Brooke laughed. Brooke pondered a moment before she stated. "Wouldn't that be weird? I mean I thought the quest was about fighting them?"

Warren looked up. "Ah yeah! That'd be weird..."

Mickey chuckled. "Well then a Wookie I guess."

Chloe waved her fist at him. "Hey Elamond! Where in the world am I a hairy walking rug!"

Everyone laughed cheerfully, and Chloe felt like she could forget of her problems for a moment.

It's nice to laugh with friends now and then.

Steph pondered a moment before proposing. "How about a Mandalorian? A warrior or Bounty Hunter?"

"Oh!" "Yeah that would fit!" "Make it a Warrior with a sword!"

Chloe thought it over a moment and nodded. "Okay Mandalorian kick ass Warrior it is! Just give me a moment!"

Chloe went through the process of selecting her skills and starting items pursing her lips as she had a hard time finding what kind of equipment she wanted.

The game was rather fun. Strangely, there was only one Jedi in the party, played by Mickey. Warren and Brooke had elected to play a Bothan spy duo, which probably fitted the scientific nerd vibe Chloe felt from them. The most surprising one was Drew who had ended up as ... A WOOKIE!

Chloe had laughed, hard enough she even fell from her chair, when she found out, especially when she learnt it had been at Mickey's suggestion.

The quest, in itself, seemed pretty straightforward, although Steph had managed to put some nice twist into it. It had actually been touch-and-go on a couple occasion too, especially when a bad throw of the dice nearly had Chloe's character impaled on Mickey's lightsaber. Lucky for her she had a good reflex throw and got off with light damages and a destroyed main weapon.

While they played they kept chatting about nerdy stuff. Warren and Brooke kept making references to the Planet of the Apes which got into a pretty heated argument with the North brothers when the topic went to the comparison between the old movies and the new version.

"Oh yes, we went to see Max on our way back." At Warren's words Chloe felt her chest tightening and her smile slowly gave place to a more melancholic expression.

Shit, I came here to try and distract me from thinking about that! Max probably pissed at me too... for running like I did. But fuck! What was she thinking! She hasn't talked to me in five years and then she throws me the L-word on our first meeting! How am I to react to that? Worse! She ended up in a wheelchair because of me! How do I deal…

"CHLOE!" Steph' voice coupled with a sharp kick on her leg brought her back from her thought.

"Wwah? Oh sorry... I got lost in my own thought for a moment." She tried to put on a face to cover her worries.

Steph frowned a moment. "It's your turn!"

"Oups... sorry about that. I'm... still a bit tired...err... What should I do?"

Steph slid a hand on her face, then looked at the clock on the wall.

"Oh, well... maybe we should pause for today. It's getting late anyway, we can always finish this later."

Chloe looked down as she noticed her friend was covering for her. "Errr... Sorry again..."

Everyone around her nodded and started to gather their sheets and dice before they stood up.

"Yeah pretty late and Brooke and I have to be back at the dorm before curfew anyway." Warren offered. "Nice to play with you again, Chloe."

The North brothers waved on their way out too. "Don't be away too long! We got to finish this preferably before next year!"

In the end, only Chloe and Steph remained. "So, wanna talk about what's bothering you?" the shop owner asked as she put a can of coke in front of Chloe.

"Not sure... I'm just confused about stuff I think." Chloe cracked the can as she rested her chin on the back of the chair.

"Is it about your friend Max? Warren didn't say much but I gathered her wounds were rather bad." Steph took a sip from her own can as she leaned back in a chair. "You went to see her already?"

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, the day she woke up." She patted her vest with a groan. "Mind if we go outside? I need a smoke."

Steph nodded invitingly and they both went to sit on the steps, in front of the store. "So how bad is it? I mean her injuries... Probably pretty bad if I still can read you."

Chloe lit up her cigarette and took a long drag before she responded. "Yeah, it's not great... Lost her spleen and..." She sighed and looked down. "She'll be in a wheelchair for a while. Maybe forever."

Steph looked down with a solemn expression. "Shit... I'm sorry to hear that." She pondered a moment. "Does it mean she'll ... Leave the Bay again? I mean, as far as I remember, Blackwell not really equipped to welcome wheelchairs..."

Chloe shook her head "I dunno... She said she didn't want. Had a fight with her mom about that too. She said she had reasons that made her want to stay." She took a few drags from her cigarette, eyes lost in the sky. "Honestly, I don't remember her being so resolute about anything before so ... I guess she would find a way to stay if she wanted." Chloe chuckled. "Hell! She even chewed my head off when I felt guilty for her injuries."

"Oh? And do you still feel guilty?"

"Yeah... I mean, if I hadn't pushed him, that prick wouldn't have been there with a gun." Chloe leaned back against the door taking another drag of her cigarette. "I guess I'm just bad news to the people I'm close to... First my dad died... Rachel got killed... Now Max..."

"Wow wow wow ... Slow down a minute... I thought your dad was killed by a trucker running a red? No way it's your fault!"

Chloe closed her eyes. "Yeah, I know... Just... well feel like I'm cursed."

Steph pursed her lips a moment. "Yeah well stop. You aren't responsible for the pain of the world you know. You sure as hell didn't have anything to do with your dad's death. As for Rachel, she was not the kind of person you could pushed into doing what she didn't want to do, so I don't see how you could have hurt her. You certainly couldn't foresee a fucking psychopath teacher and his twisted apprentice doing what they did to her." She leaned back against the door beside Chloe as she kept talking. "As for Max, well you hadn't seen her in years right? So how would you have known she'd be there? Or that she'd try to protect you? Or even that the bullet would do that much damages?"

"I suppose... still doesn't change how I feel about it."

"Is that why you haven't gone to visit her?"

Chloe looked at Steph a moment. "How do you know?"

"You said you saw her when she woke up, but that's over a week ago no?"

Chloe sighed and remained silent for a moment, sitting there and just smoking. Steph raised her soda to her lips, sipping slowly when Chloe broke the silence. "She told me she loves me."

Steph sudden burst of cough showed she had been surprised. "What?"

"Pretty much my reaction... That and leaving as fast as I could." Chloe pressed the back of her hand across her eyes. "I ... I just don't know how to face that... She... She's all I have left... And she may spend her life unable to even walk again because of me... Still she said she wanted to stay here because she loved me!"

Steph chuckled. "Does she know you joined my club during her absence?"

Chloe shook her head. "Nah, no way... As I told you when you visited me, we hadn't talked at all in five years..." She sighed. "Although... I dunno... I keep having this flashback of the incident you know... I keep seeing her... kissing me as she put herself between me and Nathan..."

"Wow, that's rad!"

Chloe shrugged. "Not even sure if it really happened... Besides, how do I deal with this? I mean, how do I deal with a girl I hadn't heard of in five years who will maybe spend the rest of her life in a chair because of me and who says she loves me? Hell, what if she only means love as in she loves me as her best friend you know?"

Steph looked at Chloe, her face serious as she pondered about her friend. "Do you ... love her?"

Chloe straightened up and turned her head. "Yeah... No... Maybe... Fuck I dunno! It's confused!" She leaned back down against the door. "I ... had a crush on her when we were little... Before she left... Only realized when I heard my parents talking about her moving away, you know... I ... I think I was going to tell her... It was our last day playing together and I had this plan... To enjoy all the time we could have together, to tell her... But..." She pressed a palm to her face. "My dad died... And I kinda zoned out... Next thing I know, she's gone and all I have left is a fucking tape of her saying goodbye..."

They fell silent again both lost in their thought until Steph stood up, dusting her jeans. "Well, I don't really know either. But, you won't find your answer by sitting there and mulling about it." She looked at the sitting punk. "I'd say you first have to talk with her and see where it goes."

Chloe tossed her cigarette butt and stood up too. "Yeah... I suppose I should."

Steph nodded. "Yeah you should, and you probably should do it before I decide to see if she'd be interested in me." She smiled and bumped her fist on Chloe's shoulder. "After all I owe you one since you took Rachel before I could talk to her."

Chloe chuckled. "Hey, I didn't take Rachel... If anything, she took me."

Both friends entered the small store as they laughed.

Chapter Text

It was a rainy day. People were standing, gathered around the richly decorated casket as a pastor went on his liturgy. The Ambers were standing side by side, holding each other under a black umbrella. Behind the casket, a large picture of Rachel, the same Chloe had used for her posters, was propped up. Chloe missed that smile, those lively eyes.

Many people had come. Friends of the Amber family of course, but also everyone Rachel had somehow touched during her life. Chloe stood with Steph among a small group composed of Mickey, Drew, Justin, Trevor, Dana and the rest of the skater's gang. Rachel had been important to them. Always rocking, always laughing.

There were other groups of Blackwell students and teachers. Principal Wells stood, face down, his eyes closed as if he didn't want to see this. The acting teacher cried as if he had lost his star. Chloe remembered how the man had reacted to Rachel's and her improvising during the play of the Tempest at school.

Jesus, Rachel! I fucking didn't want to go and yet you made me do it! And to top it all you turned the damned play into some kind of... mushy love declaration or proposal!

Chloe felt tears in her eyes as she remembered how ecstatic Rachel had been after the play, how alive she was, how seeing her this way had made her heart flutter. She looked around, seeing the Vortex Club gang in a corner. Hayden looked as stoned as ever. Victoria was there too, but to Chloe's surprise, her face showed genuine grief.

Guess it's true what they say about people grieving their rivals even more than their loved ones.

She looked at her small group of friends, reaching out to wrap a comforting arm around Steph as she noticed her friend's tears. Justin was standing, eyes red from crying, and probably from weed too. He wasn't wearing his usual baseball cap, holding it in his hands in front of him in a solemn picture.

All the scene was quiet and grief.

Rachel would have hated it! She would have wanted us to play some rad rock and dance for her! She would have wanted one hella last party!

The pastor finally ended his monologue. Thank god!

One after the other, people started to line up and walk up to the grave for a final farewell. Most spent just a few seconds head down, eyes closed, before they turned and walked up to the Ambers to express their sympathies. Chloe waited her turn. She dreaded it. As she took step after step, she felt her heart tighten in her chest. When she finally arrived in front of her friend, her lover, she felt her tears pouring on her cheeks.

Oh God Rachel!

This is so hard! I... I just can't accept it yet, you know. I can't believe you died. You... You were my angel, Rachel. I was so lost, so confused when you found me... I had no reason to live, and you gave me one. I had a reason to stay alive for these three years. A reason to hope and believe I would finally escape from this shit hole. You made me laugh and smile, like no one had since my dad died and Max left. Why did you have to die? Why you?

I loved you so much Rachel! I... I know you weren't a hundred percent into me, even if you loved me too. I hated it sometimes... But ... You were just that kind of a girl, you know... Too much of a free spirit to stay attached to one person. I just... I wish you had talked to me about this last one... I wish I could have talked you out of it! I know we probably would have fought. Well, I would have probably been my usual jealous bitch. I guess that's why you didn't say anything, that you felt you had to hide it from me. I feel so bad about it Rachel!

She heaved a deep sigh.

I'm sure you watch over me from where you are so, you probably know... Max is back... And, she got hurt because of me... Why do I keep screwing up? Why do I get to get my friends, the people I love, hurt all the time?! You got stabbed by Merrick because of me. Now, Max got shot, and she may never walk again because of me. I'm such a screw up Rachel. I'm sorry about it. I just...

She wiped the tears from her eyes.

Geeze... I wish you were here Rach... I'm so confused by all this... I don't know what to think... Max told me she loved me, you know... She's hurt, she's broken because of me, and she hella love me! How am I to fucking react to that? I wish you could tell me. I know you would have the answer, or you would find a way to goad me into it anyway.

I wish you were here. I'm sure you and her would have been hella friends. I'm pretty sure we would have fought though! You and me for her, me and her for you. Maybe even you and her for me!

I'm gonna miss you so much Rachel! I... I love you... You wait for me okay? We'll all join you one day! And we'll rock the heaven with a hella crazy party, like no time had passed.

I'll see yah soon Rach... Love you!

Chloe sniffed and rubbed the talon of her hand to her eyes before she moved on. She hesitated a moment as she reached the Ambers.

Fuck! What am I supposed to say?

"Mr. Amber... Mrs. Amber... I... I'm so sorry for Rachel." She started, tears pouring in her eyes again.

Rachel's father remained there, his eyes fixed on his daughter's grave as he thanked her. Her mom reached out and surprised Chloe by wrapping her in a tight embrace.

"I... I know we had our problems, Chloe. But, I also know you and Rachel were very close." Her voice was soft and warm in her ear. "I'm sorry too." She pulled back and stood by her husband.

Both of them looked at each other for a moment, then Mr. Amber's voice broke the silence. "You take care of yourself, Chloe. You do that for Rachel okay?"

Chloe nodded her heart crushed by sorrow. "I will... You... You too... And Mr. Amber... Make them pay for it!"

The man nodded with a stern face. "I will! That I promise on my daughter's grave."

Chloe nodded one last time as she walked away through the alleys of the cemetery. She wandered a moment around the plot as if she wasn't ready to leave Rachel behind yet, when a commotion drew her eyes.

No fucking way! No fucking way he had the balls to come!

A man she had met only once before stood in front of the Ambers. A man she saw bullying his own son before the fateful play with Rachel. The Man was half bent, turned sideways as if someone had punched him. Which Chloe realized might have been what Mr. Amber had done, seeing how he was held by some of the mortuary workers.

Serve him right! Asshole think we would forget about his son killing Rachel? Fucking no!

She watched silently as two men in black suit dragged an angry Sean Prescott away. She took a deep breath and started to walk again. After a moment she took her phone out and looked at it.

There were a lot of messages from Max... Unread messages... She resigned herself and opened the messaging app.

Max: hey Chloe.

Max: Chloe.

Max: Chloe please say something.

Max: Anything.

Max: Chloe please tell me what I did wrong.

Max: Please I'm sorry! :'(

Max: Please come visit so we can talk about it.

Max: If you hate me just say it please! T_T

Max: I guess, you don't really care. I mean... with you hating me... But I wanted to tell you I should be out of the hospital on the 31st...

Chloe felt a pinch in her heart at all the messages.

Fuck, now I'm the one not answering!

Her thumb hovered over the touch screen for a moment. With a frustrated grown she moved to another contact.

Chloe: Steph, I need a moment before if it's okay.

Chloe: I'll still drive you back! Just wait by the truck.

After a few seconds her phone chimed.

Steph: Okay. Let me know if you want company.

Chloe: Will do. thx.

She put her phone back in her jacket and kept wandering until she arrived at an older grave. She looked at it for a moment, biting her lips as she realized she hadn't visited this grave in five years. The stone was covered in dead leaves and moss, the grass full of weeds.

Hi dad... I know... It's been a while. I... I just couldn't see you like this I guess. I don't really know why I came today either to be honest. I... I just buried a dear friend. Fuck, you'll see her soon, so I guess I might tell you she was more than a friend... And I wasn't here to protect her... I screwed up.

Max is back... Yeah, the little nerdy girl I crushed so bad on you had to hold me as I cried when I found out she was leaving, is back. I... dunno how I feel about it though... I never got to tell how I felt back then... Something... came up before I could... Not your fault though so, don't worry okay?

She made a hero's entrance back in my life... Jumped in front of me when a prick tried to shoot me. Five years without a word and... and she save my life like she'd never been gone. You believe that?

She got hurt though... badly hurt... All because of me... How many times will have keep screwing up with the people I love dad? What do I do wrong that I get them all hurt?

Seeing her... it's so confusing... It brought feelings I thought I had buried, back, you know.

She took a deep breath.

She told me she loved me... How am I to respond to that! I put her in a fucking wheelchair! I don't deserve her love! I don't deserve to be with her! Fuck I can't even face her!

Things are so confused in my head, dad... My feelings for Rachel, for Max... The pain... I wish you were here... You probably would have something hella cool and goofy to say that would make all this easier...

I ... I guess I'll have to figure it all on my own...

I... I have to go now... But... I'll try to come more often... I miss you.

Chloe wiped her tears with a sniff. She slowly turned away from William's grave and started to walk slowly, head low, shoulder slumped. She reached in her pocket and took a cigarette from her box. She lit it up as she walked, trying to sort her thought.

The weather was good on that autumn day. The sun was shining, warming the air, they skin and the heart of people around. Max enjoyed the view of the multicolored trees, the falling leaves floating delicately with the wind. She spotted a squirrel sitting on a branch, an acorn in his front paw as he looked around. She hesitated a moment.

Shit now I'm scared of this too!

She took a deep breath a raised the camera carefully and pressed the button. The whirring of the polaroid film being pushed out by the camera startled the little creature, making it dash frantically on the branches.

"Oh sorry!" Max called to the squirrel as she set the camera and developing picture on her legs. She leaned back against the back of her seat, looking around at the hospital garden.

Soon... I'll be out of here soon...

Max sighed as she watched the other patient and their family, friends, lovers, walking around for fresh air for a bit. She had just been allowed to leave her room for short periods and she had decided to enjoy the change of scenery. But as she saw two kids playing, one with her arms in a sling, the other running around her, she felt a void forming in her. For what may have been the hundredth time, she reached for her mobile phone in her jacket.

Still no words... Dog Chloe! You made complain about me not talking to you for years and as soon as you see me once, you shut down and ignore me for days! Dog damn it Chloe! Just say something!

Drops fell on the screen in her hand. She looked puzzled a moment, raising her fingers to her eyes.

No no and no! I cannot let this take me down!

She wiped her sleeve on her eyes and put her phone back in her pocket. She reached over the armrests and started to push on the wheels of her chair, slowly gliding back to the building's door.

As she got off the elevator, her arms where already feeling sore from the pushing and maneuvering. She had finally caught the trick to control the chair more or less precisely. Enough, at least, that she didn't bump into corners or people through sheer momentum. Yet, she still had to build the muscles.

You wait for it Chloe! When I'm done with this I'll be able to beat you in any wrestling match! If you ever talk to me again that is...

She rolled her chair through the corridor, lost in her gloomy thoughts, when she heard the cheerful voice.

"Max!"

Max raised her head and saw the blond girl smiling and waving at her. She felt her burden lighten a bit at the sight. Her parents, unable to stay away from work any longer, had gone back to Seattle the previous week end, not without another attempt from her mother at making her come back with them. That one had been rather ugly, what with the tears, the broken voice and the guilty tripping, Max had nearly caved. But in the end, she had elected to stay. Luckily, Joyce had offered to watch over her, and with David working security at her school, her mom had agreed that Max would be watched over at least decently.

This meant that Max' room was now mostly empty, and Joyce and the little blonde who now stood in front of her door, were the only visitors she had since.

At least they come every day, or close.

Max stopped a moment and waved. "Hey Kate."

She was about to reach for the wheel of her chair again when she felt a push, her chair suddenly moving on its own toward the small blonde.

"Whaaa!"

"Jesus, Caulfield! I'd really appreciate if you stayed put in your room! Bad enough I have to play taxi for her, but now I have to run around to find you!"

Max turned her head, surprised by the voice.

It can't be...

Her eyes opened wide as she got confirmation.

"Victoria? What are you doing here?"

"Pushing you to your room. Really, how stupid can you be!"

Max rolled her eyes.

Dog, she's still a bitch!

"Not what I meant! Why are you here?"

Victoria sighed. "I told you, I'm playing taxi... I had an errand to run around and she needed a lift." They joined Kate by the room's door.

Kate smiled at Victoria. "Thank you for bringing her back, Victoria."

Victoria's voice was somehow flustered when she responded. "No need to thank me... I just don't want to waste more time, that's all."

What? What with the embarrassed tone?

Kate opened the door and Victoria pushed Max inside silently. "There you go." The tall blonde said leaving Max in the middle of the room.

Max reached down and pushed on the wheels to move her chair by the bed. She carefully settled her camera and the picture on the bedside table before reaching for the clutches resting at the foot of the bed.

Kate looked concerned as she moved closer. "Do you need help? We could call a nurse."

Max shook her head as she positioned the clutches carefully. "No... I need to learn how to do it anyway." She bit her lip and grunted as she slowly shifted her weight, using her arms to push herself, her legs unfolding. It took her time as she maneuvered, her feet shuffling millimeter by millimeter as she turned, wincing in pain as her scars stung. She moved awkwardly backing carefully to the bed before she tried to seat. One of the clutches slipped and she ended up falling on the bed more heavily than planned.

"Max!" Kate's worried voice filled the room as she reached to steady her friend.

"I'm fine, really. I been able to move them a bit more... I just need time..." she said trying as much to convince herself as to convince Kate.

Victoria eyed her with a frown. "Yeah, well now that you are all settled. I'll leave you two to your tea party. Some people are busy you know."

She turned trying to look irritated as usual as she walked out. Kate just waved at her smiling. "Cya later Victoria."

Max could swear she had seen the blonde, blush as she left the room. Using her arms, she shifted herself on the bed, pulling her legs up before she laid back on the raised mattress. She looked at Kate as the girl prepared the usual tea and cookies.

"So... you hang with Victoria?" Max asked unsure. She knew the taller blond was actually a good person deep inside, but it still felt weird to see Kate with her.

And why the hell would Victoria blush and be troubled like that?

Kate nodded softly. "Just now and then. We are not really friend. Besides, I know she can be a bit ..."

"Bitchy?" Max proposed making Kate chuckle.

"Yes. Bitchy. But, I think she just tries to act like it, because she's insecured." She took one of the cup and offered it to Max.

"Yeah, I can see that." Max said her thought wandering at the personality she had discovered while talking with Victoria at the party in the other timeline.

"Anyway, how is school?"

Kate moved a chair by the bed and sat in it before sipping some of her tea. "Oh, the same. Homework is bad or course." She took a cookie and bit in it softly. "The mood is getting better I think. A lot of rumors were flying about why Mr. Jefferson had been absent or why the police came to arrest him. I think when the news got out, a lot of people were shocked too."

"Understandable. I would not have expected that." Max took a sip from her tea as she thought. "I guess... It's good we figured what happened to you though... People will stop bullying you."

Kate nodded. "Yes, that is a good point. Although some still do it. The normal campus life I suppose."

"Yeah, some never really turned into mature adult." Max reached for a cookie as Kate presented the small plate to her. "And, how are you?"

Kate smiled and raised her arm as if to show muscle. "I'm fine! Therapy really helps. I still get some nightmare now and then, but it will pass."

Max nodded as she nibbled the little cake.

Yeah... Wish my nightmares would pass... but not like I could really get therapy for those.

"And you Max? How are you?"

Oh, I'm not too bad Kate... Just you know, lots of nightmare due to my time traveling and the difficult moment I had to live and relive and relive; my arms are sore from all the wheel chairing, the clutch hopping... and I'm depressed because I'm in love with a girl that shut me out of her life as soon as she heard the news! Yeah perfect!

"I'm okay, thanks... I wish I could walk and move as I want... But the doctors say I'll get there eventually. Guess I just want eventually to be now."

Kate chuckled softly. "Yeah, well don't push yourself. We wouldn't want you to hurt yourself."

Max nodded. "Sure."

They spent time sipping tea and chatting about school. At some point, they just kept drinking and eating cookies quietly. Max reached for her phone, checking it as she has done regularly.

Still nothing... Dog!

"Something on your mind?" Kate's voice sounded concerned.

Max raised her head, blinking a bit. Kate was putting away the cups.

"Oh sorry... Yeah... Nothing big..."

Kate looked at her a moment and shrugged. "Okay. Just let me know if I can help."

Yeah, well I doubt you can Kate... I mean how do you ask your religious friend, love advices? Not to mention the tiny little detail that the focus of that love is another girl.

"I know, Kate. But, it's nothing really. Thanks."

Kate smiled. "Then, it's okay." The small blonde pursed her lips a moment. "Max, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"I... Did that friend of yours visit you again? I mean, the one with the blue hair." She blushed a bit. "I don't mean to pry. Just I haven't seen her since that day, so I was curious."

Max winced and looked down. "No... Not since that day. We talked a bit after I woke up... But she hasn't visited or even talked to me since."

Kate frowned as she did when she tried to understand some math problems. "Oh... It's strange... I mean, she looked like she was close to you, is why I was curious."

Max nodded. "We are very close yes... at least we were. We grew up together... before my family moved to Seattle."

Kate smiled. "Oh! Well I hope you get to see her soon then!"

If she knew how much I hope so too!

The door opened, giving way to Victoria. "Hey, are you done already? I still got some homework to do!"

Then fucking go home Victoria!

Kate smiled warmly. "Yes, I think we are! Thank you for waiting!" Kate hugged Max which, Max was certain, drew a slight scowl from the taller blonde. "See you tomorrow Max!"

Max nodded. "Yes! Drive safe!"

Victoria scoffed. "Of course, I drive safely!"

Both blondes left as Max laid back on her pillow reaching to look at the picture she took.

Chapter Text

The last week of October was reaching to an end. Life at Blackwell had started to regain some kind of normality. Students went to class, chatted in the hallways, chilled on the campus or in the dorms. Rumors about the events of the months had started to quiet down a little. Some explanations had finally met the news and shock had been present on many faces. While it had made the buzz for a few days, having a definite answer to the question that had been on everyone's mind had made the rumor mill to dry out.

Victoria was sitting on the side of the fountain, facing the main entrance, watching a busy group of students walking in and out of the gym as they prepared it for the Halloween Party. Her hands were shaking slightly as she held her camera. She had tried to take pictures of the campus life, of the trees with their red, yellow and brown leaves, of the students working, or hanging out. On several occasion, she had seen great photography opportunities. Yet, every time, she had not been able to take the shot. Every time, her finger had frozen on the button, obstinately refusing to push down. Her hands had started to shake, and she had started to hear his voice again in her head. It had taken all of her pride and strength not to just break down into tears on the spot and find her way to sit as if she was just waiting for a chance.

That jerk, that asshole! He even managed to rape this part of me! How am I supposed to...?

"Hey Victoria! Took any good pictures today?" She raised her head blinking a moment as she was pulled out of her thought. Kate Marsh stood in front of her, long blond hair tied into a tight bun, wearing a white blouse under a dark blue or black cardigan. Her bag was hanging from her shoulder.

Victoria tried to keep her tone and face composed and neutral. "Not really. I haven't found anything interesting yet."

Yeah nice Victoria! Lie to the girl with a direct line to Jesus! Sure, way to go to hell.

Kate smiled softly. "Well I'm sure you will find something. You take great pictures so I'm sure you will manage!"

Victoria bit her lip for a brief moment. "err... Yeah, probably. Thank you."

Kate prepared to leave holding her bag. "Well I got to get that homewo..."

She was interrupted when Principal Wells approached them. "Ms. Marsh, Ms. Chase. Could you please join me in my office for a moment?"

Kate, who had not noticed his arrival, almost jumped as his voice surprised her. Victoria frowned a moment wondering what could possibly have earned them a convocation in the Principal's office. Both girls, nodded to the man and followed him as they walked back to the school building.

The office was a bit gloomy, with walls painted in red or paneled in dark wood. Most of the walls were covered with cabinets filled with files and books. On the few areas that were not, paintings from not very renowned artist, but still not badly made, hung in wooden frames. The place was not really to the taste of Victoria - the leather seats, the bronze bird on the desk and the lamps looked posh to her - and she cringed mentally as she took one of the offered chairs.

The principal sat himself in his large executive chair and leaned forward, resting his elbow on the desk while his hands joined in front of him.

"I'm sure you are wondering why I asked you to come here. Please do not worry you are not in trouble." His deep voice began, and Victoria let a soft sigh of relief.

"Now, as I am sure you heard, all this troubling affair with Mr. Jefferson has finally made it to the press. Of course, we have tried to keep the name of the students involved as secret as possible. However, we never know which information may be leaked and some people will see a vested interest into pushing as much information as possible on what Mr. Jefferson did, as way to distract the attention from their own part in the story."

Yeah, I bet Nathan's dad will be first among them.

Victoria nodded with a slight frown. She looked to her side to see how Kate was reacting, but the girl was just sitting straight hands on her thigh, as the Principal kept on.

"Now, most of the victims have already graduated from our Academy, so we cannot protect them as much as we would want to. However, it is not the case for you two." He paused looking at both girl for a moment. "It may come a time when reporters, or more likely sensation journalist searching for some tidbit, will seek to interview you. As I'm sure you are aware, those people can sometimes be pretty invasive. I'd like you to know that we already have requested to the local courts, an order to forbid any such interview to take place on the campus ground, in order to ensure the safety and tranquility of our students - in other word you two." He paused and leaned back in his chair with a wave of his hand. "Now, there is no doubt, some of those so-called reporters will attempt to interview you anyway. I would like to ask you to call for the campus security if anything like this happened."

He looked at the girls to see if they understood and Victoria and Kate nodded softly.

"This is not only for you, but also for future students. As I am sure you know, Ms. Caulfield has decided to come back to Blackwell despite her injuries. With the trial of Mr. Prescott approaching, those same reporters may come to try and interview her. And we cannot let them disturb the quiet and rest she needs for her recovery."

Kate was the first to respond. "I understand, I would not want her to be bothered by this either."

Victoria nodded in agreement, more for the form than real wish to protect the other girl.

The principal nodded and moved to reach for a file on the side of his desk.

"Now, I have here bad news for Ms. Chase." He pulled a sheet of paper and presented it to her. "As you may have feared, while your plea for the continuing existence of the Vortex Club had prevented its dismissal after the incident involving its president, the discovery of Mr. Jefferson's crime and the involvement of Mr. Prescott coupled with the fact they seemed to have used the events organized by the club has left the Board no other choice than to vote for the immediate disbandment of the Vortex Club."

Victoria grinded her teeth a moment, not really liking the idea, but she had expected it. "Yes sir. I understand."

The man nodded as he gave her the notification of disbandment. "I know this may be a sad news for some of your members. But we hope those students will be willing to join the student committee in organizing our annual events."

Victoria nodded. "I am sure some of them will."

Principal Wells gave a small smile. "Good, those talent should not go to waste." He then reached for another file, one with the name of M. Caulfield printed on the label.

"Now for this last part. Ms. Caulfield should be released from the hospital on October 31st, which would be tomorrow. However, I have come to understand that she will be at least temporarily forced to use a wheelchair."

Both Kate and Victoria nodded, having seen the brunette as they visited her in the hospital.

"When I had this piece of information last week, I have requested that the work for the handicapped access of our facilities concentrate on the new wing, and to be more precise, I asked that they focus on having the first rooms and amenities finished as early as possible. Luckily, they managed to finish these parts. The construction work is still ongoing, but the Wing should be able to host Ms. Caulfield."

Kate's lips curved into a smile at the good news.

"Now, with her current condition, we can't obviously leave Ms. Caulfield alone. In fact, it would be negligent to leave any student with a disabling handicap without the presence of someone to support her. So, as you both have the same schedule as Ms. Caulfield, I'd like to ask one of you to volunteer in helping her."

Victoria frowned and was about to argue, but the Principal raised a hand to ask her to wait.

"Of course, you are not expected to perform any nursing duty, or anything usually handled by professional aides. What we would like is to have someone present, to call for help should it be necessary. For example, should Ms. Caulfield fall or collapse. We felt that giving this task to a student she is familiar with would be more comfortable for everyone. It would also give some company to the students in this wing, and of course help them integrate."

Victoria sat back in her chair, her concerned having been brushed aside. She remained silent though, not really eager to spend time with Max.

Kate raised her hand. "I'll do it!"

Wells nodded appreciatively and wrote down something on a form. "Very well. Thank you, Ms. Marsh. The rooms are ready, so you can move your belongings whenever you have time. Just please make sure to do it by tomorrow. Also, it would be a great help if you and some other student were to move Ms. Caulfield's belonging to her new room. You can ask Samuel for help if you need."

Victoria pursed her lips as Kate nodded. She sighed, trying to make it look like she was doing it under duress as she nodded too.

"Thank you, both of you, for your assistance. That will be all for now. Please let us know if you find any problem with the new lodging. May as well have those fixed while the workers are here."

"We will do Sir." Kate answered cheerfully as both girl left the room.

The room still had the smell of fresh paint. It was still so strong that the small group of students busy with setting it up had decided to open the windows and block the door so as to create a breeze. Kate and Victoria had hired the help from a few Blackwell students in order to move the contents of both Kate and Max' rooms in their new lodgings. Dana, Juliet and Warren had been happy to help. Taylor and Courtney not so much. The organization was rather straightforward. Kate had volunteered to pack Max' belongings in boxes, with Victoria's help, which Warren, and Juliet and Taylor carried in the new room for Dana and Courtney to set up.

Victoria had frowned at the sight of Max' wall. The myriad of instant pictures that formed an intricate mosaic was interesting, but she dared not say it. She took her cell phone out and took a few shots, commenting to Kate and Courtney as they looked at her. "Better we set it back up exactly the same. Else she'll whine about it for days, and I don't want to deal with that."

Courtney had given some agreement in a way of "Totally!" Kate had simply smiled at the taller blonde as if she had read her true intentions.

The packing had been rather uneventful. Victoria had scoffed at the view of Max' wardrobe, her lips pursed in disapproval, she had packed the clothes in a box making sure to hold them far away like some dirty rags. To Kate, it looked like she tried too hard.

The only big drama had been Juliet slapping Warren on the back of the head when she saw him reach for the open box labelled 'clothes.'. "Hey you perv! No touching a girl's clothes or I tell Brooke!"

The boy had looked at the box confused, then turned crimson before he reached for the next box in line, while the girls giggled.

The setting of the new room had been different. Courtney and Taylor had complained early on. "How come she get a bigger room than us?"

To which Dana had replied dryly. "Wheelchairs need more space to move! If you're not happy, I'm sure Max would love to give you her Wheelchair and all the privileges attached!"

"Ugh, no thanks!"

Regularly, Dana found Courtney sitting on the new bed, playing with her phone rather than helping. She had tried to put her back to work a few times, but in the end, she had given up.

At some point Samuel and Warren had arrived carrying the small couch from Max' old room and the girl had been forced to move in order to avoid being hit by the lifted furniture. She had gone to put Max clothes in the new dressing, scoffing and chuckling at every pieces of clothes which irritated Dana, quite a bit.

Later, Kate and Victoria came in the room with the last boxes. They sent most of the hired help to their own business and Courtney quickly left without a word.

"Well, it's not so bad! We just need to put her pictures on the walls and it would be like her old room!" Kate had exclaimed as she entered.

Dana had smiled warmly. "That was the idea!"

Victoria said nothing, and just started to pull a series of instant pictures from a box, carefully checking on her phone before she positioned them on the wall above the bed. As she stuck the last one she took a step back, her head tilted on the side and nodded silently. She looked at the rest of the room, studying it.

It was about half again if not twice the size of the usual dorm room. The desk was slightly lower, and every shelves and cupboard had been placed close to the floor. The closet was larger, but also lower, no doubt to allow someone sitting to reach for every shelf and hanger. There were more electricity outlets too and more space around the bed, probably for those who needed special equipment.

"Your room as big as this Kate?" she asked thoughtfully.

Kate paused as she was fixing the Seattle Seahawk flag on the wall. She looked around a moment before responding.

"Not sure. I think the room is smaller. Bigger than my old room though. I suppose they expect people in wheelchair to visit even normal students now and then."

Victoria and Dana nodded. "Yeah. Make sense."

The girls finished and took a last look around to make sure everything was set. Then Dana looked at Kate. "Need help with your stuff?"

Kate simply shook her head. "No, thank you it's fine. I just need to unpack, and I can take my time."

Victoria let out a small sigh of relief. "Good! So, I'm not needed anymore. Cya soon then." She left the room and Kate chuckled softly.

Dana frowned a moment. "She didn't have to help if she hated that so much."

Kate giggled louder. "Oh, I think she wanted to help! But Victoria being Victoria, she would never admit it!"

Dana looked at Kate puzzled then giggled too.

Thursday October 31st

Chloe was laying back on her bed, an arm under her head, the other holding her cigarette as she smoked, the ashtray on her belly. She hadn't done much more than that since Rachel's funeral. She spent her time looking at the smoke raising to the ceiling as she tried to gather her thoughts, her feeling into some kind of coherence. However, she still hadn't been able to sort her feelings. The only thing she had really managed to accept was that Max was important to her. But that acceptance had also made her fears even stronger.

If I let her get too close, she'll get hurt one day... Like everyone I loved... That or once she graduates, she'll leave me here and forget about me again!

She knew the fears were not really logical. It's not like she caused car crashes or other freaky accidents, but she had come to deal with sketchy people. Not something she was eager to show to her friend.

She sighed and took a look at her phone.

8:00am ... Fuck... This is so fucking boring!

Rolling her eyes at how slow time passed, she reached for her jacket as and left her room, deciding she needed a change of location.

She drove for a few, mostly driving around town without real goal. At some point she passed in front of Fantas'ynk as Steph was at the door and she decided to stop. She parked her old truck and lit a cigarette.

"Yo Steph!"

The girl waved back having seen the rusty truck. "Hey Chloe! What bring you here? Need a game? Or maybe some ink?"

Chloe chuckled and shook her head. "Nah. Not yet anyway, for the ink that is. Just, trying to kill time..."

Steph smiled. "Yeah, guess you pretty much lost your focus."

Chloe blew some smoke rings. "Yeah... I didn't notice searching for Rachel filled so much of my time... Now I have way too much free time... And my brain won't stop grinding the same problems again and again and again."

"Still haven't gone to see her I guess."

Steph didn't mention the name, but Chloe knew whom she was referring to. "Nope... I ... thought about texting, but couldn't either... I just don't know honestly."

Steph looked at her friend and opened the store's door. "Well feel free to kill time inside. It's pretty slow this morning so can always chat if you want."

Chloe tossed the remains of her cigarette and followed her. "Thanks..." She walked to the table grabbing a chair and sitting on it backward, resting her chin on the back.

Steph went and started to resupply the tattoo station. "When is she getting out from the Hospital?" She asked as she exchanged a few expired bottles of ink.

Chloe sighed. "In a few hours. I think Step-douche is supposed to pick her up this afternoon or something."

Steph hmm'd softly. She checked the drawers to make sure she had enough of every tool she may need should a customer come.

Chloe sighed, feeling bored. "Need help?" She asked from her chair.

Steph raised her head and pondered a moment. "Sure, can you grab a couple roll of paper cover for the seats? They are in the back room."

Chloe stood and walked lazily. "No problem." She entered the back room and looked around at the shelves of boxed goods. She searched for a bit and finally grabbed two rolls still under their plastic wrapping exclaiming triumphally "ha ha!"

As she left the storage and went to put the rolls on the seats, Steph was sitting on a stool by the station. She didn't turn back as she asked. "You should be the one to pick her up."

Chloe froze, dropping the last roll of cover on the floor. "What?"

Steph turned around and looked at Chloe. "Who do you think she would want to see? You or David?"

Chloe frowned. "Seeing how we left things... I'd say David."

Steph rolled her eyes. "So, what is your plan? Avoid her entirely? I thought Joyce was going to look after her. Doesn't that mean she'll be spending time at your house?"

"Fuck! Thanks for reminding me!" Chloe grunted as she went back to sit on the chair by the table.

Steph sighed softly and joined her taking another chair. "Why don't you want to see her?"

Chloe groaned burying her face in her arms. "I want to see her okay... I just... I just don't know what to say to her... And I'm scared to hurt her."

Steph stood up and went to the coffee machine by the small desk at the back of the store. "Well staying away won't help. So, I guess you have to go see her." She poured two mugs and walked back to the table.

Chloe reached for the mug presented in front of her, but Steph pulled it away.

"What the hell?" Chloe frowned raising her head, surprised by Steph.

"Only if you go pick her up." Steph smiled mischievously.

Chloe groaned and rested her forehead on the back of the chair. "You really are stubborn."

Steph chuckled. "Take one to know one!" She sat the mug on the table in front of Chloe. "More seriously, I think you should be there when she is discharged from the hospital."

Chloe sighed and took the mug sipping from it. "Fine!" she said grudgingly.

Steph laughed. "Yeah, as if you didn't want to be there! You just needed a little push!"

Chapter Text

It was getting late. She didn't know how many times she had checked on the clock hanging on a wall of her room, feeling like it mercilessly slowed time. Doctor Ryan was supposed to have been there for the final checkup before her release over an hour ago. Yet, she was still waiting. He stuff was packed. All the cards, clothes, gifts had been stuffed in a duffel bag that was sitting on the bed beside her. The plan had been for David Madsen to pick meet her in the lobby and drive her to the dorms, but with the physician running late, she started to worry she would be left here for another night.

I hope he won't be too pissed at having to wait so long!

Finally, the door of her room opened and the man wearing his usual blouse entered.

"I am sorry for running late, but we had an emergency. Some maniac managed to run over a young boy with his car because he was texting as he drove." The doctor frowned apparently upset. "Happens way too often, really."

Max nodded in understanding. "I hope the boy is okay."

The doctor smiled. "Yeah nothing too drastic, broken leg and wrist, a few contusions. He was lucky."

He moved to pick up the clipboard on Max' bed. "Okay, so last check up right? You probably are itching to leave so we will keep it short." He read a few notes on the board nodding to himself. "Looks all good so far."

He reached for his stethoscope and walked to Max as she sat on the side of the bed her legs dangling. He carefully listened to her heart and lung as she breath slowly and tried to relax. Max chuckled a few times as the shifting of the device tickled her a bit.

"Sounds good. Let me check the bandages." He added as he reached on her flank and then her back checking the scars and to make sure the bandages were clean. "Any pain lately?"

Max shook her head. "A bit sore still, but not as much as before." She pursed her lips before adding. "My back is lancing during the workout with my legs though."

The doctor frowned a bit and reached to inspect her spine. "Well, we will have to keep an eye on that. Hopefully it should go totally at some point, but I prefer to warn you that you may feel it chronically... Better that you be prepared for that."

He let a small grunt of approval at the condition of his patient and walked back to stand in front of her. "What about your legs? Any progress?"

Max nodded. "I can take bigger moves yes... Still difficult."

The man smiled encouragingly. "It will take time, but from your last scans, you should recover almost completely. You may need to keep a cane handy, but that should be the worst case. Just keep working out slowly and carefully. Don't push yourself, it would make things worse."

Max sighed softly and nodded. "I will be careful... I just wish it would be faster, you know."

"Yeah, I can understand that." the man said with a soft chuckle as he reached to make a few annotations on the clipboard.

"Well the good thing is, by the time I'm done, I should have killer arms, right?" Max said cheerfully as if trying to find a silver lining.

"Oh no doubt about that!" The man took a last look at the papers. "Okay, we are done here! You can go sit on the chair, and I'll push you out." He said with a smile as he signed at the bottom of the first page.

Max reached for her crutches, carefully setting them before she leaned forward and let herself slide from the bed until her feet touched the floor. She grunted a bit as she started shuffling them carefully moving slowly to the chair waiting a few steps away. She slowly lined herself with the seat and very carefully started to shift her weight, one hand on the armrest, the other on one of her crutches as she lowered herself as she had been taught.

She sat down with a sigh of relief as her arms didn't have to carry her. Carefully she pulled her legs up, placing her feet on the stands. She then picked her crutches and laid them across her legs.

She unlocked the breaks from the chair and started to move it toward the bed in order to retrieve her bag, but the doctor picked it up and came to offer it.

"Thank you." She reached for the bag and laid it on her legs too, enjoying the pressure she felt that reminded her the chair was only temporary.

"You're welcome." The man moved around her and started to push the wheelchair. "Okay, you be careful out there, I don't want to see you again if possible." The man said as he pushed her along the corridors. As they reached the elevator he carefully drove her in the cabin as he asked. "Is someone picking you up or do you need us to call a cab?"

Max shook her head. "Mr. Madsen should be waiting for me in the lobby. He's the head of security at my school so he will drive me back to the dorm."

The doctor nodded as he pushed her out of the elevator as the doors opened. "Good. Although now I feel sorry I made him wait too."

They barely moved a few feet from the elevator when a familiar voice announced from behind Max. "I'll take it from here doc!"

Max head jerked and turned searching the person who just spoke.

Chloe!

"Ms. Price. Glad to see you so well. I trust your wound is fully healed by now."

Max looked as the tall, skinny blue haired punk girl reached to take the chair's handle from the doctor.

"Yep as good as new! Well nearly. I'll need a new tat to hide the scar I guess." She smiled at the man as he took a step aside.

"You came with Mr. Madsen?" he asked as he remembered the man was the punk's step-father.

The punk shook her head. "Nah, told the step-prick to stay home and rest. I think he has a long night of work ahead of him too."

"Well good of you." The man moved in front of Max, who had her lips clamped, unsure what she should say at Chloe's surprising presence. Part of her wanted to scream at the girl for leaving her alone for weeks. Part of her wanted to pull her by the collar and kiss her.

Yeah, I'm screwed!

"I suppose I'll let you leave now. Sadly, there always work to do for us physicians! You take care of your workout and if you have any questions or troubles do not hesitate to call."

Max nodded her understanding at the man. "I will."

"Good. Now remember you have a follow out appointment next week."

Max smiled and reached in her pocket taking out her phone. "Already in the calendar doc."

The man smiled and winked at her. "Good, now go before it's too late."

Chloe feigned a panicked voice. "What you want to keep her locked up? No way!" She then started to push the chair toward the exit with increasing speed as if she was trying to escape the doctor's grasp.

Max let a small giggle escape as her friend's antics.

Yeah, that's more like my Chloe!

They slowed down as they left the building, Chloe carefully leading them across the parking lot.

Max had waited for them to be alone, but she had to ask.

"Why did you come Chloe?"

Chloe kept pushing the chair. "What Caulfield? A girl can't come pick up her best friend?"

Max frowned her hand tightening on the bag. "Oh, we are best friends now? You ignored me for weeks Chloe!"

Chloe quipped back. "And you did for years! Payback is a bitch Maxi-pad!"

Max shook her head angrily. "It's not the same! I was miles away, out of reach and unable to come see you! You could have come and see me anytime!"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on! It's not like you were alone! I'm sure you had lots of friends coming to visit anyway."

"Stop." Max said assertively. And Chloe frowned as she came to a stop.

"What is it?"

Max grumbled something and reached for the wheels.

"I can push you Max... You don't have to exhaust yourself you know."

Max tightened her hands on the wheels. "Let go of the chair, Chloe! If you're going to be like that, I don't need your help!" Her voice was shivering as she let frustration and anger escape. She started to wheel herself forward toward the beat up old truck.

"Max! Don't..." Chloe sighed pressing the palm of her hands on her eyes, frustrated, before she quickly walked to follow.

Max stopped by the truck and raised her bag high so as to push it into the bed. Chloe reached and took the bag from her to help, but all Max did was grunt and move toward the door.

Chloe sighed and went to unlock and opened the passenger door. She reached toward Max, but the girl swatted her hand away.

"Don't!"

Chloe looked at her friend surprised by the tone and aggressivity.

"Max, I just want to help." Her tone was soft and actually caring but Max shook her head.

"No, you don't! If you had wanted to help me, you would have been with me when I needed it! Well guess what Chloe Price! I had weeks to learn how to move on my own. I don't need your help or pity!" Max voice was slightly broken, and as she started to shift her body to stand with the help of her crutches, Chloe saw the moistness on the girl's cheeks.

Chloe's shoulder slumped as she saw her friend struggle to just take a few steps between the chair and the car seat.

"Max... I... I'm sorry... I ... I'm not good with hospitals... And..." she started hesitantly.

"You never answered to my messages Chloe! You can't say I didn't try! Not this time!"

Chloe took a deep breath. "I... I know Max... Really, I'm sorry... I... I had a lot on my mind I needed to deal with first..." She reached forward to help Max. "Please let me help..."

Max relented and let Chloe help support her weight as she moved to sit in the truck. She pulled the crutches with her, propping them beside her and reached for the seat belt as Chloe folded the chair and placed it in the bed of the truck.

Max closed her door as Chloe climbed in the driver's seat.

"I'm sorry again Max... I... It was just too much to deal with..."

Max frowned and looked at the punk girl. She was hunched, her forehead on the steering wheel. "What was too much? Me being hurt or the fact I confessed what I felt?" She turned away facing the side window her arms crossed. "You think it was easy for me? I fucking confessed! And what did I get?" She tried to impersonate her friend's voice. "'oh ... err... okay... goodbye'"

Chloe winced. "I'm sorry Max... I was... I was surprised when you dropped that bomb. Hell Max, just a few minutes before you were fucking dead with a doctor zapping you like mad!"

Max grunted. "You think it was easy to say? I didn't want to say it, but you had to push push push and push again! You kept asking who I loved so much I wanted to stay in Arcadia Bay. Even when I told you several times to let it go." She looked at Chloe. "Well don't fucking complain because you don't like the answer!"

Chloe sighed softly fiddling with her keys. "I didn't say I was... I... was just surprised..." She slid her key in the ignition and started up the engine.

"You still could have said something." Max said in a pouting voice.

Chloe shook her head. "And say what Max? I didn't know what to say! I just had lost a person I loved! Seen another die in front of me! Because of me! I was so scared so confused! And then back from the dead, after five years without a fucking word, you drop the L word like that! How was I supposed to react, Max!"

Max grunted. "I dunno..."

Chloe sighed as she switched the car to reverse. "Yeah well, I don't have a fucking idea either!" She carefully backed up the truck then reach to shift it into drive. "I needed time Max. Time to think... Time to grieve too... For the last six months I been spending all my time, all my thought into finding my friend who was missing. And literally the day before I saw you in that hospital room, I was told they'd found her and that she was dead."

Max mellowed a bit as she remembered the pain in Chloe's voice and face in the other reality, when they had found Rachel buried in the junkyard. "I'm... sorry."

Chloe shrugged. "I needed time Max, I was lost and confused... For the past three years she was all I had. And she was gone like that." She snapped her fingers as she drove out of the parking lot and turned on the road. "And then I saw your heart fucking stop. And the last person I cared for, the last important one, was gone... And they resuscitated you! I was so glad, so happy... Then I heard how bad it was... and your mom saying she would take you away... It broke my heart Max!"

Max sighed. "I'm not dead Chloe... And I already told you I'm not leaving."

Chloe nodded, reaching up to wipe a tear. "Yeah I know... Anyway, I think you dropping the L-word... It was just too much... I didn't know what to do, what to say... Hell I'm still not sure I believe it either... I mean You were silent for five years... I... Need time to process all of this... "

Max bit her lips. She wanted to say it was true, that her feelings were there. But she felt Chloe was still confused and she was scared Chloe would react badly.

Dog! It's so frustrating!

Max sighed. "How much?"

Chloe looked at the road as she answered. "I dunno... I'm sorry Max... I... Don't wanna ignore you... I just feel like... we barely know each other anymore and ... I need time to sort it out..." She slowed down to make a turn, the truck suspension groaning softly.

Max looked at the window thinking. "So, what do we do?"

Chloe tapped her fingers on the wheel nervously. "I dunno... We could... start with being friend again..."

"Best friends?" Max asked.

"Hella best friends, yeah... just... Let's see how it goes from there okay?"

Max felt torn in two. She wanted Chloe to be more, she needed Chloe to be more. But at the same time, she needed Chloe to be in her life, no matter how... And if she pushed, she felt like Chloe would run away.

Why does it have to be so complicated?

With a soft sigh Max nodded. "Okay..."

Chloe looked at Max a brief moment, as if she was going to say something. Then she changed her mind and concentrated on the road.

Maybe Max had felt it. Maybe she had seen Chloe's reflection in the side window. "What?" she asked softly.

Chloe bit her lips trying to find something to say instead of her original thought.

"How did you know it was my truck? You went straight for it."

Max winced a bit at the question, realizing she messed up with this one.

Because I have seen it before, Chloe. Because for five days you don't remember, you've driven me around town with it. Like I could say that!

"Because it was the most battered one and the only one cheap enough you would drive it!" She replied with a hit of snark.

Chloe frowned a moment. She had caught Max' hesitation and part of her felt like her friend wasn't telling her everything. She decided to let it go for now.

"Oh! Should I take that as a compliment or an insult?" She asked teasingly.

The brunette giggled. "Definitively an insult!"

The punk girl punched her shoulder lightly "Why you! I'll make you pay Caulfield!"

Both girl laughed for a time enjoying the jokes and pranks. Max finally felt like she had found the friend of her youth back. She tried to ignore the nagging in her heart. The same feeling, she had felt since she heard she would be moving out of the Bay.

The sun was down, and the night was close to settle down as Chloe pulled over in the parking lot of Blackwell Academy. Music could already be heard coming from the gym. The punk girl shut down the engine and look at the flashing lights in the gym's windows.

"Seems they're having quite a party!"

Max nodded pursing her lips. "Yeah I think today is the Halloween party." She sighed as she remembered Warren's visit.

Chloe looked at her friend and reached to punch her shoulder lightly. "So, what's the plan Caulfield?"

Max pondered a moment. "They probably expect me to go... I mean some friends even asked me to go ... dance with them."

"So, go!" Chloe said enthusiastic.

Max turned to look at her friend with a serious face. "Chloe. Did not hear? They want me to dance! Dance!" She waved her hands at her legs.

Chloe winced. "Max... It's... They probably didn't know."

Max grunted. "Yeah... It's just I don't want everyone to see me like this."

Chloe reached to hug her friend. "Come here." She pulled her friend and patted her head. "You know they will all see you one day. I mean it's not like you don't go to the same school."

Max tensed as she felt her friend's arms around her. Then she let herself go in the embrace.

"I... know... It's stupid."

Chloe ruffled her hair. "Yeah pretty stupid! But that's also totally like Max Caulfield!"

Max chuckled as she heard her friend comforting her. She pressed her head on her friend's shoulder.

I hate to admit it. But I missed this. I wish I could kiss her.

Max pulled back, feeling a bit awkward. She looked down "Thanks Chloe."

Chloe smiled. "That's what friends are for no? So, what do we do? Should we crash this party or what?"

Max pondered a moment her hand moving to grab her other arm nervously. "I ... I dunno."

Chloe groaned slightly frustrated by her friend. "Come on Caulfield! Better if you go proudly rather than if you let them know you're scared of them! Besides I want to celebrate having my best friend back in my life! Let's party!"

Max rolled her eyes. "Okay fine! We go... but not too long. I'm still recovering."

Chloe nodded. "Yes yes." She got out of the truck and pulled the chair from the bed, unfolding it as Max opened her door and carefully let herself slid out with the help of her crutches.

Chloe helped Max to sit in the wheelchair then took the crutches to put them in a sling on the back. She reached in the truck pulling two duffel bags.

Max frowned a moment. "Why do you have a bag too?"

Chloe smiled and opened her bag, pulling out a red bandana and a black eyepatch. "Come on we go to a Halloween party! Of course, you need a costume of some sort!" She put the bandana on Max' head "So here it goes... Long Max silver is back!"

Max laughed. "You're crazy!"

Chloe reached in her bag pulling a small pirate hat and put it on her head. "Yep totally crazy in the head! Still we are back! Captain Bluebeard and Long Max Silver are back!" She made a flourish with her hands before hanging both bags to her shoulder.

Max shook her head smiling as she put the eyepatch on.

"Okay fine! Avast Captain Bluebeard! Let's get wind in our sails ..."

"... And let's raid this party for some booty!" Chloe finished as she ran, pushing the chair with a beaming smile.

Chapter Text

Victoria was standing chatting with Taylor and Courtney. For some reason though she felt the discussion was boring. All the talk about fashion, which nail polish to use, lipstick and other tips were something she enjoyed before. But lately it sounded dull. She didn't know why, what had changed in her since that dreadful night.

Or maybe I feel tensed because it is the first party since that time.

She kept looking around, her hands fidgeting with on her costume. She wore a white sleeveless Gi with a gold obi harboring a large knot in the back. She had put white and pink kimono sleeves on her arms held by golden cords. She also wore purple hakama with pink flower design at the bottom of the legs. She had died her blond hair to a light brunette and was carrying a blue and gold scepter.

Only Warren had seemed to recognize who she had dressed as. It was somehow recomforting as it somehow hid her nerd status. It was also frustrating because she had put on some effort into making this costume. She sighed softly turning to look at the rest of the person present.

Warren and Brooke were dancing, dressed as what she figured were apes. Beside them were Dana and Trevor. Dana was dressed in what she imagined was Catwoman. She wasn't sure what Trevor came as, maybe a vampire. Justine was covered in make-up dancing slowly, trying to pass for a zombie. Juliet had come alone. Rumors around the campus was that she and Zachary had broken up bad this time. She wore some kind of fantasy outfit, maybe some barbarian girl from some movie or game, Victoria wasn't sure.

At some point she saw Zachary approach the blonde, but she just shouted at him and moved away.

Yep, this time it looks like it's for good.

Her eyes swept around the gym, decorated with fake skeleton, some jack o lantern, false spider webs and other spooky prop. She noticed a smaller girl in a cute witch outfit entering. She frowned a bit unsure.

I'm surprised she came. I thought she would hate parties after what happened to her.

"Vicky?" She jerked her head back toward the two girls she was talking to.

"Err what?"

Taylor pondered a moment. "You okay? You looked spaced out?"

Victoria nodded. "Yeah I'm fine. I'll be right back. I have something to ask Kate."

Both teenagers looked at each other dumbfounded.

Victoria walked to Kate and tapped on her shoulder as the girl was turned the other way looking at the buffet.

"Hey Kate."

Kate turned her head quickly, surprised. "Oh, hi Victoria. Nice kimono." She smiled warmly.

Victoria smiled softly, feeling her cheeks heating up a bit. "Err... Thanks... Your costume is nice too. A witch?"

Kate nodded. "Yes! I hope they don't burn me at the stake tonight!" She giggled.

Victoria chuckled at the girl's joke. "Yes. Are you... okay here? I mean last time..."

Kate nodded. "I am. I'll be careful." Her face darkened a bit. "I won't stay long. I just... wanted to confront my fear."

Victoria smiled. "I understand. Let... me know if you feel bad okay."

Kate smiled and reached up to ruffle Victoria's hair. "Same for you."

Victoria pulled away as she felt the hand in her hair, putting an offended face. "Hey!" She moved away returning to the other girls.

Taylor and Courtney looked confused. They were about to ask something when the music stopped, and they heard a girl's voice shouting through the gym, and another laughing.

"Behold Scallywags! The most fearsome Pirates of the Bay of Arcadia are back to ransom you all!"

A wheelchair was rolling through the room a girl with a red bandana and a black eyepatch sitting on it and a blue haired girl wearing a pirate hat hanging on the back of the chair letting the momentum carry her. Students started to laugh and applaud the girls as they made their entrance.

"Bow you filthy maggots! Bow before Long Max Silver and her fellow pirate Captain Bluebeard, scourge of the seven seas!"

Chloe pushed her toward the gym using what looked like brand-new ramps. They paused at the door and Max looked back at Chloe. The girl was fiddling with her phone.

"Chloe? What's the matter?"

Chloe smiled mischievously. "We got to make a hella entrance for your big return, right?"

Max rolled her eyes at her friend, although she enjoyed her exuberance.

At some point the music faded out and Chloe started to push the chair again, taking momentum as she ran. Suddenly Max felt a weight on the back of her wheelchair as Chloe hopped on the back. She giggled at the punk antics but was even more surprised as they suddenly raced through the gym with Chloe bellowing as loud as she could.

"Behold Scallywags! The most fearsome Pirates of the Bay of Arcadia are back to ransom you all!"

Max laughed loudly and blushed as she started to hear the students laugh and applause.

"Bow you filthy maggots! Bow before Long Max Silver and her fellow pirate Captain Bluebeard, scourge of the seven seas!"

Max wanted to crawl under her chair and disappear. She felt embarrassed by her friend's crazy entrance.

Dog, she's sooo crazy! But Dog I don't want her to change!

"Max!" She heard many students running to them as the chair finally stopped in the middle of the room. Kate, Dana, Warren, Juliet and others came to meet them. Some reached to hug her, making Max feel warm and loved. She blushed and felt tears building at the corner of her eyes. The music returned softly and most of the crowd around her started to scatter to dance, get drinks and chat in small groups.

Max turned to look at her friend, the punk harboring a wide smile, happy with herself.

"How did you do that?" Max asked.

Chloe waved a hand. "Not my idea... Well not totally... Step-douche said Dana had asked him to bring you to the party on your way back. I just asked signaled him, so he had the music stopped for the entrance."

Max giggled and offered her arms to the girl. Chloe leaned and hugged her happily.

"Thank you, Chloe!" Max said sobbing softly.

Chloe laughed it out. "Oh no big deal Maximus! You are a hero, so you got to make an entrance!"

Max blushed and pushed her friend away softly as she blushed even more feeling embarrassed. "Oh, shut up!"

She looked at her friend smiling. "So, Captain Bluebeard? Do you think it's time to raid the tables for drinks and grubs?"

Chloe looked up and around. "You bet it's time!" She rushed behind the chair and pushed it toward the buffet.

The party was nice. Not as crowded or animated as the one she had seen by the swimming pool in the other timeline, yet still lively enough not to be a bust. Unlike the Vortex club party, there was no alcohol served, just a wide selection of soda, juices and homemade alcohol-free cocktails. Some students had brought home made cakes, either made by themselves or their parents. Max had especially loved the chocolate and pecan brownies and she had found the pear, peach and cherry mix rather interesting.

Unfortunately, she wasn't able to enjoy it as much as she wanted. A nearly constant stream of students, mainly people she didn't know, had kept showing up to ask her stupid questions such as "How does it feel to get shot?" or "Did it hurt?", and other such interrogations. At first Max had tried to laugh it off, answering lightly in a more Chloe-ish way that did bring a smile and chuckles from the blue haired girl.

"I'd give it a 0 out of 5, do not recommend at all."

But in the long run she started to find these questions annoying and she had to fight that part of her that wanted to just snarl.

Of course, it hurt you dork! Do you think I'm in this chair for the fun of it?

There had been a few derogatory comments too, mainly from hormone fueled jocks craving for the attention their two brain cells couldn't get them. Mostly those had left when they noticed no one was laughing with them. Although one of them, who seemed to have pre-gamed generously as far as Max could tell, had pushed things too far. Max had ended up tossing her drink in his face and rolling her chair away, making sure to actually roll one of her chair's wheel on his foot. The boy had howled and reached to actually swing at her cursing. Chloe had intercepted him with a tactically placed knee, which had finally attracted David's attention. When Chloe had joined her after the incident, Max had blushed slightly embarrassed by her own reaction and Chloe's attempt to be a knight in shining armor.

"Thanks Chloe..." She bit her lips a moment before adding. "I think we should call it a night."

Chloe nodded. "You're welcome. And yeah, if I have to hear another of those idiots I'll start bashing head with one of your crutches."

Max laughed softly and pointed an arm to the gym's door. "Then to the dorms, captain!"

Chloe chuckled as she reached to push the chair along. "Aye Aye Ma'am!"

As they reached the exit, Max spotted Kate running to join them.

"Max!" slowed down panting a bit as she started to walk beside the chair. "You going to the dorms?"

Max nodded. "Yes, I'm starting to feel tired so..."

Kate gave an understanding nod. "Okay. Just let me show you the way to your new room."

Max frowned a bit confused. She had been told that the school would prepare things for her to be able to access the dorms with her chair, but she had heard nothing about a change of assigned room.

"New room?"

Kate smiled softly. "Of course! You can't really climb two floors of stairs in a wheelchair I suppose. So, they moved us to the new wing."

"Make sense." Chloe remarked from behind. "Although I totally could make Max climb those stairs as it is."

Kate and Max giggled a bit at the punk girl's boasting.

"I know you could!" Max responded before she turned to Kate. "Wait. They moved you too?"

Kate nodded. "Yes, they wanted another student to be around in case you needed help." She smiled and blushed a bit. "I volunteered. I hope it's okay?"

Max nodded "Of course. Thank you, Kate."

They crossed the campus easily and Max was surprised when Kate led them toward the same entrance than the usual dorm. Using the newly added ramp to reach the door, then went through the main corridor before they turned left to enter the new wing. Max noticed that there was still work on going. The corridor's walls weren't painted yet, and she could swear that some of them weren't even paneled yet. As she saw the construction site she groaned as she realized she would have to move her belongings.

Chloe looked at her. "Is there something wrong Max?"

Max sighed softly. "Nah, just realized I'll have to go pack my stuff and then I'll have to unpack again." she complained.

Kate chuckled softly but said nothing, although she did look a bit nervous which made Max suspicious.

She totally did something!

Her suspicions were confirmed when, they reached her room and opened the door. Max noticed all her belongings had been transferred.

Shit they even placed them as they were in my old room!

She turned to Kate her eyes moistening. "You... did this?"

Kate nodded. "Yes, with the help of a few!"

Max extended her arms offering to hug the small blonde who leaned to accept it. "Thank you so much Kate!"

She heard Chloe move and gave a small peek as she released Kate, noticing the creased brow, the head looking away and the crossed arms with a finger lightly tapping on the sleeve of her jacket.

Dog Chloe, you jealous? You really need to know what you want!

Max reached to roll her chair further in the room, exploring her new space. She locked one wheel with a hand and pushed the other to make her chair spin, facing Kate again.

"Thank you, Kate! It's, just like my old room."

Kate nodded and clapped her hands. "It was the plan!"

Chloe gave a soft cough which brought Max and Kate's eyes to her. She looked at Max and nodded at Kate mouthing 'who?'

Max blushed. "Oh Dog! Sorry I forgot!" She rolled her chair closer. "Kate this is Chloe Price. I think I already told you about her, but we literally grew up together." She turned to Chloe and smiled. "Chloe Price this is Kate Marsh, she's a friend who is in the same classes."

Chloe rolled her eyes mouthing a silent 'at last!' before turning to Kate. "Sup Katie! So, Max already told you everything about me?"

Kate giggled. "Hello. And no, not everything... I saw you the day Max work up, and I kinda asked about you because I didn't see you again."

The punk girl winced a bit, both embarrassed as she figured Kate had witnessed her break down, and lightly annoyed at the reminder of her silence and lack of visit. "Yeah I was busy, is all."

The blonde nodded accepting the explanation without questions. "Anyway Max, I'll let you get settled. My room is just next door if you need help. It was nice to meet you Chloe."

Chloe waved at the small blonde as she left and closed the door. "I see you made nice friends." She said wryly to Max.

The brunette rolled her eyes. Yeah, she's jealous okay!

"Aww my little Chloe is jealous?" she teased the bluenette with a smirk.

"What? no! Just..." Chloe slumped her shoulders in surrender. "Okay forget it..."

Max giggled softly. "Kate is friendly with basically anyone. Basically, spreading Jesus' love around. Although yeah, she's probably my best friend..." Max winked at Chloe as she paused a moment. "... second after another girl who I refused to name."

Chloe mimicked some pouting and crossed her arms playfully. "Not fair... You know who my best friend is!"

Both girls broke into laughter.

"Does she know you ... prefer girls? I mean if she's that religious..."

Max felt like the atmosphere got heavy suddenly.

Awkward!

The Brunette sighed. "Dog, please don't remind me... and no, she doesn't... And I'm not into girls per se... Just one."

Chloe nodded judging best not to press further. She moved to set the bags she had been carrying all evening in a corner, then took a look around. "Anyway, it's a very nice room they gave you!"

Max nodded. "It is! Quite larger than the one I had in fact. Although I am grateful it is, I'm not really sure I could have moved that chair around in my old room."

Chloe's lips twitched at the reminder of the wheelchair. She spent a moment looking at the decorations checking the collage of Max's photo above the bed. Her jaw dropped, and her eyes opened wide as they scanned each picture.

"Woooaaa! They're all yours?"

Max nodded, her cheeks turning pink. "Yeah... I know they aren't great though."

Chloe shook her head. "Shut up! Their just ... magnificent! Max you've hella got talent there!"

"You think so? I'm not sure..."

Chloe chuckled. "Still so shy uh Maxi-pad!"

Max shrugged as she moved toward her desk to check her emails.

Chloe moved checking the rest of the decorations, mainly family pictures and so.

"Friends from Seattle?" She asked pointing at the picture of Max with Kristen and Fernando.

Max cringed a little. "Sort of... I mean, they tried to be at least... I just never really connected."

Chloe looked at the brunette who was facing her computer. "Why is that? I mean if they wanted to be friends..."

Max paused whatever she was doing and looked up a moment as if searching an answer. "I don't really know. I think part of me didn't want to form any ties because I didn't want to acknowledge I'd be staying in Seattle."

Chloe pursed her lips pensively, then asked. "And the other?"

Max sighed as she resumed perusing her mails. "Didn't want to risk being hurt as badly as I was when I had to leave Arcadia Bay." She said flatly, trying to hide her emotions.

Chloe remained silent, thinking. She could understand what Max was saying, the pain had been bad for her too. Just, she somehow couldn't face that her friend had been hurt as much as she had. The part of her still angry at Max, would not relent.

Max groaned and pulled away from her desk. "So much mail! I should have asked Kate to bring me my computer at the hospital!"

Chloe felt a pang of jealousy and guilt.

Enough with Kate! I know I screwed up no need to hammer it!

Max turned around and looked at the Punk who was standing. "I'm glad you came to pick me up."

Chloe looked shyly toward Max. "You are?" She hesitated and nodded. "I'm... glad I did too..."

Max pushed her chair to go beside the bed and was happy to see the bed had been set at the same level as her seat. She carefully positioned herself before sliding her body to the mattress. She moved to sit on her bed her legs dangling slightly. "Do you have time before you go home? I mean, we could chat a bit, catch up if you want."

Already planned that Caulfield, although not sure I wanna hear how good your life was...

Chloe smiled and pointed at her bag. "I'm staying over if that's okay. I mean first chance in five years for a sleepover, not like I would want to miss it."

Max giggled. "You're a dork! But you're welcome to stay. Not sure the bed is big enough though."

Chloe shrugged. "I can sleep on the floor! I mean it's brand new so should I that mean's I get dibs too!"

Max laughed.

Chapter Text

The wake up was slow, sluggish. Her head felt heavy and groggy. Her was mouth dry. She was sitting in a chair and her neck felt sore.

Did I fall asleep in my Wheelchair?

She tried to stretch but something held her arms down to the chair.

Oh god! I'm tied down! Shit no not again!

She started to pull at her wrist, trying to free herself from the tape that mercilessly held her. She looked around her.

The room was dark, there was no light, natural or artificial. She felt a presence, someone was around. The sound of an electronic fan started to buzz, and a white light started to draw a square on what could only be a screen. Using the glow from the projector she looked around trying to figure where she was.

The room seemed to have no window. On one side, closets were drawing long and angular shades. In front of her she could recognized the shape of photography equipment - spots, tripods, and one of those white background drapes.

No! I can't be back here! I can't!

"Ohhhh, Maxine! I am so glad you are awake! I was going to start the projection!" The voice came from behind her. It was familiar and deranged.

"Jefferson..." She whispered, "No... it can't be..."

"Aww ... Maxine, I am so sad you don't recognize me. After all the good work we did together."

On the screen, a picture of her laying on the floor, tied, unconscious, appeared. Max felt her heart start to pound in her chest, her stomach churning.

"It is so kind of you to have come back." Jefferson changed the picture again displaying her on another angle, showing how pale her skin was.

"I don't know what I would have done had you decided to go back to Seattle." Another picture, this time she was tied to a wheelchair, awake but her eyes looked confused, lost. She appeared drugged. Tears were running on her cheeks.

Oh god stop this! I don't wanna see this! He is dead! He was stopped!

"Look at you Maxine! You are such a nice model!" The picture changed again. She was huddled in a corner, her knees folded, her arms in front of her. Max felt her stomach rebel as she noticed the Max on the picture only wore a pair of panties and the duct tape binding her wrists and ankles.

No! It didn't happen! I changed it!

"So much innocence... So frail... who could resist such beauty!" The picture changed for one of her tied in a chair again. As for the previous picture, she was only wearing the bottom part of her underwear, the pale skin of her budding chest clearly visible. Her face showed fear mixed with despair and shame, her eyes raw with tears.

It is so sick!

"And how expressive can you be too!" Max was scared to see the next picture. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see pictures of her in much more nefarious settings.

"You have got to look at it Maxine! The pain on your face, the move as it trying to stop time!"

What?

Max opened her eyes and she saw the first time Chloe died. The bathroom, Nathan stumbling the gun raised with a flame coming from its barrel. Chloe falling back, a red cloud erupting in front of her. In the background, Max stood, jaw opened as if she cried, her hand extended as if she tried to catch the bullet somehow.

Chloe!

She struggled against the binds holding her.

"It's is so interesting to read the panic on your face." The picture changed. Max stood sideway, hunched, arms low slightly bent as she cried out. The rest of the picture was filled by a train, wheels sending sparks, a red stain on its front a dark and light blue ball shaped object tossed on the side.

No! Chloe!

"So many expressions too!" The picture changed. The same setting was depicted. The only difference being that on this picture Max was pressing on a giant wire spool, her face frantic and panicked.

Oh god! Please!

"It is really so artistic! To see how expressive, you can be when your faux punk slut of a friend dies!" The voice was jubilant, happy, enjoying the mental torture as it moved to another picture of the train shredding Chloe's body apart.

Oh god Chloe! I'm so sorry I was so slow!

"And look at this one, the so innocent Maxine, killing her friend!" The man laughed as the picture of Max, crying, pain in her eyes as she sat beside a hospital like bed where a blonde Chloe lay eyes closed, head slightly rolled to the right, a tube in her throat a soft peaceful smile on her face. "You are such a hypocrite Maxine! I mean, you still call me a monster after you killed your her on your first day together!"

She was suffering so much! I didn't want to do it! She begged me... Oh god Chloe!

"But I think this one is even better!" The picture changed again, displaying the scene in the junkyard. Max was laying on her front, head raised, a hand trying to reach for Chloe as tears filled her eyes. Her face showed how powerless, and helpless she felt - the pain of failure as her friend died yet again. Chloe was on her back, sprawled across Rachel's grave, a gun beside her hand. Her face looked surprised, her mouth slightly gapping in an O shape, her eyes wide and lifeless, a tiny red dot in the middle of her forehead. And under her head, a pool of red with small pinkish part.

No, I have to turn back time! I got to save her!

"Look at your expression! The despair, the helplessness! So poignant! And even your friend actually managed to be of use! That lifeless face forever fixed in surprised as if she tried to understand she had died!"

Max wailed loudly. Her voice filling the room as she called "CHLOOOOOEEEEEEE!"

The room started to shake around her, as if the earth was trembling. A blinding light, like a flash filled the room.

Max rose suddenly, sitting on her bed as she called loudly "CHLOE!" her voice filled with pain and frantic panic, hear head pounding painfully.

The scream woke her up.

She had gone to bed early after leaving Max in her room with her friend, smiling as she had seen the protectiveness with which the blue haired girl dotted on the wounded brunette. She had been happy to see Max laugh so openly when they had made their entrance. It had looked so natural, so alive. She had seen Max laugh before, but not like this, it had been more forced, as if something had haunted the girl. None of that existed anymore with the blue haired girl around. Max had looked like she had been a kid again. To Kate it had been as if the two girls were meant to be friends. There was still some tension between them, it was obvious to her, but she was glad the two childhood friends had been able to find each other again. She was sure the residual issues would be worked out in time.

She didn't know when Max had gone to sleep, or the other girl had left. It had happened after she had gone to bed anyway. Kate had enjoyed a rather uneventful sleep. Her own nightmares getting rare as time passed and her mind found solace in helping friends.

Until a scream woke her up.

MAX!

It took her only a moment to react. The shrill, the pain, the panic in the voice that had reached her through the walls tied knot in Kate's stomach. She threw her cover away and jumped out of her bed running through the small distance separating her from Max' door. She knocked on it softly.

"Max? Max? Are you alright?"

After a brief wait a voice called back. "It's okay Kate! She had a nightmare!"

The voice was familiar but unexpected.

Oh, Chloe is here?

She softly opened the door and squeezed her head through getting a quick look. In the dim moon light, she saw the shape of the taller girl kneeling on the bed wrapped around another girl.

"Can you turn the light on please?" She heard Chloe ask.

She reached for the switch and flicked it. Max sitting, her arms wrapped around the taller girl, her face buried in her chest and her small shoulders were shaking as she sobbed. Chloe was kneeling holding her friend protectively a hand caressing the back of the brunette's head as she leaned to peck soft kisses in her hair.

They had spent most of the evening chatting, mostly exchanging about music and movies they liked. Max had asked Chloe about Rachel, about how things were for her, what she had been doing, how she was filling her days and so on. Chloe had asked how life in the big city had been. Both had stayed away from difficult topics such as, the five years silence, Max' confession or, for Max, the week that never was.

In the end exhaustion, had reached Max and she had slowly drifted asleep. Chloe had reached to make sure she was tugged in her cover, then had reached for the plaid on the couch and set herself to rest on the floor.

Chloe hadn't been a good sleeper since her dad had died. The loneliness and dreams haunted her. The anger had acted like so much caffeine, ramping up her nerves. But that night, Chloe felt more relaxed. She laid on her back for a while, listening to the breathing of her friend, and she felt like some tether was grounding her again. Slowly she had drifted to sleep as well, closing her eyes, a smile on her lips.

It had been faint at first, but a small change in the room had woken her up. A sound, a change of pattern in her friend's breathing. She listened closely trying to figure what it could be. For a brief moment she had thought it was her imagination, then she heard it again. A groan escaped Max' lips, followed by an increase in her breathing.

Chloe sat up, frowning with concern. She peered at the bed. Max was on her back, her face tensed, her lips curled into a slight grimace of pain and strain. Her small chest was heaving faster. Chloe rose and walked toward the bed whispering.

"Max?"

The girl did not react. She groaned again her head jerking, her arms flailing as if she was struggling against something. Chloe reached and tried to pat her shoulder, hoping to wake the girl up, to see what was wrong.

"Max?"

Max turned her head arching her body slightly, her breathing becoming more intense, sweat starting to cover the brunette's brow. Chloe felt her belly tighten at the sight.

Fuck she's in pain or something!

She reached shyly down trying to wake her friend. Max moved in her slip, another groan on her lips made Chloe more confused.

"Chloe?"

"Max?" The punk girl responded to the whispered call, her heart aching at the pain and fear expressed in her friend's sleep talk. she reached to grab her friends shoulder giving her a little shake. "Max wake up!"

The brunette kept shaking and trashing in her sleep. Her face was pale, turned ghostly by the dim moon light coming from the window.

"Chloe..." The voice sounded strained, pained, maybe even scared.

Chloe spoke with a soft voice and reassuring words, trying again to wake her friend from what she realized must be a nightmare.

"I'm here Max. I'm here."

The brunette's moves got more frantic, more forceful. Her breathing increased. She suddenly sprang up, surprising Chloe, as she sat up a hand extended reaching for something as she screamed tears in her eyes. "CHLOOOEEEEE!"

Max' face looked confused disoriented. Chloe felt her heart break at the sight of her panicked friend. She reached wrapping her arms around her pulling her head to her breast. "Max! It's okay Max! I'm here! I'm here!"

Max panted loudly, her body shaking in the bluenette's arms. "You were dead! You were dead! So dead! I couldn't save you!"

Chloe bit her lips hearing the pain and fear in her friends trembling voice. "I'm here Max! I'm alive!"

"So many times! So many times! I kept trying! I kept! But you were dead! I couldn't save you! I kept losing you!" Max voice broke as she started crying in Chloe's arms.

"Shhhh! It's just a bad dream Max. I'm here. I'm alive... You saved me! I'm here!"

The sound of knuckles rasping on the wooden door filled the room mixing with Max's sobs.

"Max? Max? Are you alright?"

Chloe sighed softly as she rose her head. "It's okay Kate! She had a nightmare!"

The door slowly opened, and Chloe saw the small head with long blond hair squeezing through shyly. "Can you turn the light on please?"

Without a word the light filled the room. Chloe held Max tightly caressing the soft brown hair as she kissed the girl's head softly.

"It's okay Max... just a nightmare... I'm here okay."

She turned to Kate trying to force a smile. Chloe had never felt so scared as when she heard Max' voice, so broken, so fragile.

Well there was that time she died! Okay second worst scare of my life then! But god Max I hate seeing like this!

She felt Max sobs and tears against her chest. She started rocking her softly as she nodded to the blonde.

"Thanks Kate..."

The blonde shrugged softly "Oh it's nothing... Is, she okay?"

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, just a bad dream... A very scary one I think... But just a dream..." As she talked, she wasn't sure she wasn't trying to convince herself as much as Kate.

Max started to relax against her although her small arms were still tightly wrapped around her chest. Chloe pressed her cheek on the Max's head shushing softly to comfort her.

Kate's voice rose gently. "Do you want some tea? I always find it soothing after a bad dream."

Chloe looked at the blonde raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

That girl has bad dreams?

She whispered in Max's ear softly. "How about it Maxi-pad? Want some tea?"

She felt the head shifting as the brunette nodded softly. Chloe raised her head "Tea would be good. Thank you, Kate."

The Blonde left the room for a moment and came back with a few cups and an electric kettle. It didn't take long for the water to boil and Kate poured it carefully.

Chloe coaxed Max into releasing her hold, so she would be able to drink her tea. She had to keep her own arm around the girl's shoulder though, the brunette whimpering and trying to reattach as soon as the contact seemed to decrease.

Kate reached for the first cup turning to bring it to Max. She froze and gasped as soon as she faced them. Chloe saw the girl's face loose its colors.

"Max... Your nose!" The blonde's voice sounded worried.

Max pressed her face in her friend's chest, seeking the warmth and the lulling sound of her friend heartbeat. Seeking confirmation her friend was alive, as she cried softly trying to push her fears away from her head. She barely paid attention to the words Chloe and Kate exchanged. She just concentrated on the voice, its softness, its warming presence. She nodded when she was offered tea not wanting to talk yet, not trusting her voice. She kept her eyes closed, scared that if she opened them, Chloe would disappear.

At some point though she had no choice. Chloe started to pull away as the tea was ready. Max tightened her hold as the closeness decreased. She needed the warmth, the security. Slowly she let Chloe go though. Her face raising softly from her friend’s shirt.

She froze as she heard Kate's gasping voice. "Max... your nose!"

She reached with a hand dabbing her fingers to her nose and felt the sticky wetness. As she pulled them back she started to shiver at the sight of her blood.

No! It can't be! I haven't used my power! I haven't!

Chloe's voice hand pulled on her chin, tilting her head. She saw the sapphire eyes widening at the sight of her bloody nose.

"Can you get us some tissue please!" Chloe asked the small blonde, her voice showing a faint shiver of worry.

"Are you okay Max? Is it another ... "

Max shook her head softly. "It ... it's not because of that no... I had this for a few now... I dunno, I guess my nose is fragile..."

Dog, what happened during my dream? Could I have used my powers during my sleep? Did I rewind without knowing it? That's dangerous! What if it triggers another storm!

She looked at her friend as she felt the tissue pressed under her nostrils, the worried face warming her heart.

"It's Okay Chloe... It's just a nose bleed."

Chloe felt her heart skip a bit as she saw Max' bleeding nose. Her brain kept running the possible link between the injuries her friend suffered and the bleeding as she waited for Kate to bring back some tissues.

Oh god Max! I'm so sorry! You should never have gotten hurt for me!

"Are you okay Max? Is it another ... "

She inspected her friend's face carefully her fingers soft on Max' skin.

Her friend shook her head slightly. "It ... it's not because of that no... I had this for a few now... I dunno, I guess my nose is fragile..."

Chloe was not convinced by her friend's words, her voice not sounding right. She reached taking the tissue offered by Kate and started to carefully dab it under Max's nose.

Max... What are you not telling me?

"It's Okay Chloe... It's just a nose bleed."

Is it?

Chapter Text

She felt frustrated.

A month after the incident, she wasn't getting much better. She still couldn't take any pictures, still had nightmares where she saw herself bound helpless, still heard the sickening glee in her captor's voice. She had regained her composure during the day, enabling her to hide her emotions, her fears, her weaknesses. But nights were difficult. Sleep was rough on her, especially during bad weather. Many times, she had sneaked into Kate's room for support. The small blond had always welcomed her without questions, just a smile, a hug and comforting words. Victoria never thought she deserved this much kindness. She felt pampered, loved.

It was something new to her. Her parents had never really showed much attention or displayed much affection for her. They barely cared that she had been kidnapped, drugged, abused and saved in the nick of time from probable death. Her friends didn't know, and she preferred it like this. But either way, they never had really shown comforting moves when she had needed it, like Kate had. Even Nathan, who had been like a brother to her and with whom she had exchanged comfort in some difficult times, had not felt so warm and protective.

Victoria felt confused. She had started to question her feelings at night. Started to wonder if it was right that she slept better when cuddled in Kate's arms. The first time it had happened, she had been a mess. She was on the small girl's couch, trying to return to sleep after a particularly bad nightmare. But all she could do was cry and sob. In the end Kate had left her bed to come and hold her. She had felt so flustered when she had woken up in the arms of the small girl.

It had happened several times since that night. At the beginning Victoria had tried to fight it. She had tried to avoid it, to stay on the couch alone. But in vain, she had to relent or simply accept the fact she would not sleep.

It had gone on until Halloween. About twice a week, she had ended up in the small blonde's bed. But since Kate had moved to the new dormitory wing, she had tried to stay in her own room, sleep or no sleep. It was one thing to sneak from her room to the one next door. It was another to sneak through two whole floors. Especially since she didn't want Taylor and Courtney to know. So since Maxine Caulfield's return, she had tried to bite the bullet.

It had been nearly a week now, and dark bags were showing under her eyes, although she did a pretty good job concealing it behind makeup. She also got more edgy, bitchier and easily upset, more prone to snappy comments. Taylor and Courtney had started to suspect something was wrong and she had ended up telling it was just annoying her to see everyone dotting on Caulfield just because she was in a wheelchair. They had bought it easily too.

I'm literally telling I am jealous of the attention given to a girl who ended up in a wheelchair saving someone's life, because I don't want people finding out about my own problems! God how low can I actually be!

Part of her bitchiness was due to lack of sleep of course. And she wanted to believe it was only that lack of sleep which was the cause. But she knew too well. In almost every class she kept an eye on Kate Marsh. She didn't know why, she didn't know when it had started, but she had started to look after the girl, to make sure she was okay.

Must be because I feel guilty about that video.

It had just been a glance here and there. Until the Halloween party where she had gone to talk to the small blonde, out of concern.

Thank god Caulfield and her friend had distracted Tay and Courtney from their questions!

It had been more obvious to her since then. Maybe because she had noticed signs that Kate wasn't getting as much rest as she needed. The girl had started to yawn in classes, dark patches were appearing under her eyes, her reactions slowed down and even her responses to a few teachers' questions showed she wasn't as concentrated as usual.

Victoria had started to worry that the move had messed with Kate's head, that she had been having nightmares again. But then she had noticed that Maxine's seemed worst. The brunette's eyes had bags that could have allowed traveling for days. Her skin was turning paler every day and her appetite was decreasing. She also seemed to withdraw even more into herself. She had started to look more and more like a living corpse. The only moments Victoria had seen her show any real signs of life were at the end of classes. The girl would hurry to put her stuff in her bags and to roll her chair out. She wasn't sure why Maxine reacted like that, although she had seen her a couple of time with the same blue haired girl.

I think I know that girl, Kari Price or something... Was always with Rachel. If I remember she was crying that night when Maxine nearly died.

With that worry, Victoria had started to feel something else. Jealousy. She couldn't help feeling a slight anger rising every time she saw Kate move to help the brunette, or every time she saw the concern on Kate's face. Victoria wasn't sure of what those feelings meant, but she had started to feel guilty about them. Guilty because she had no right to monopolize the great pool of kindness Kate could offer. Guilty because she feared such feelings would not be appropriate toward another girl, especially one as religious as Kate Marsh. And guilty because she had no right to have them for a girl she had helped abuse.

And so, Victoria Chase was frustrated. Frustrated by her inability to forget about the dark room. Frustrated by her lack of sleep. Frustrated by her inability to help Kate Marsh. Frustrated by her nascent feelings. Frustrated because she couldn't suppress those feelings, nor be true to them.

She saw Maxine starting to roll her chair quickly toward the school's exit.

Probably going to meet her little punk!

She sighed and quickly walked to Kate, relieved she didn't share this period with Tay and Courtney.

"Kate?" she asked softly, and the smaller blonde jerked slightly as if pulled out of her dreams.

"Oh! Victoria! Is there something I can help you with?"

Victoria felt her heart flutter at the blonde's smile, although she noticed how weak and lifeless it felt compared to before.

"I was just wondering if everything was okay. I mean, you look so out of it lately. Do you have difficulties to sleep?"

Kate seemed to hesitate, which aroused Victoria's suspicions. "A bit, but it's getting better. I think it's the change of room. I need to readapt to it."

Kate seemed to be hiding something? Should I ask Max when she gets back?

Kate smiled softly as she picked up her bag, and then looked at Victoria, examining her.

"And you? You look tired too. Are you still having ...?" she left the rest of her sentence in the air but Victoria understood it anyway. She raised a hand waving it in a so-so gesture.

"Let me know if I can help you." The smaller blonde offered.

Victoria nodded and let her go.

I hope she get some rest this weekend.

Chloe was laying back in the bed of her truck, a cigarette in her lips as she watched the clouds slowly drift in the sky. The past week had been bizarre to her. She had gone, more or less against her will, to pick up Max at the hospital and finally she had enjoyed the evening spent with her friend. Although some lingering tension remained, she had felt like they were tweens again and it had felt good. Then there had been the crazy wake up, Max's scream, her frantic behavior and need for contact, the nosebleed. Chloe had never seen Max in such a state and it had crushed her heart. From what her mom had told her after every visit, the brunette had not shown such nightmares in the hospital. At least Chloe hoped they wouldn't have let her go if she had.

As much as she understood the dreams after a traumatic event, the way her friend had been so clingy, as if to reassure herself that Chloe was really there, was rather concerning. Chloe somehow felt like her death wasn't just some simple dream in Max' head, and she couldn't explain why. The nosebleed weren't a good sign either, even if Max had downplayed it.

Maybe I should take her to the hospital.

Chloe wasn't sure she believed the 'I got those now and then' defense Max had given her. In fact she felt like Max wasn't telling her everything and that bothered her. Part of her wanted to pry, to ask, to demand the truth. But part of her feared she would bring bad memories and more harm to the brunette.

She had spent the rest of the night in bed with Max, holding her close while the girl slowly fell asleep, her head pressed on her chest, hands tightly wound around her body as if she was scared she would disappear. It was not the first time Max and her share a bed. They both had during the several sleep overs they had when they were young. But it had felt different.

It had felt wrong on so many levels. Like she didn't deserve to be in the same bed as the girl she had hurt. Like, she didn't want to be in the same bed as the girl who hurt her so deeply by ignoring her for years at the worst time of her life. Like after Max' confession, she felt she should not give the girl false hopes while she sorted out her own feelings.

It had also felt so right. Like, they were meant to be together, like their bodies fitted perfectly against each other. Like her soul had found a piece that had been missing for so long.

In the morning she had left before Max had woken up, leaving just a note saying she was sorry and that she would call later, and visit her. She had. She had called, she had texted every day. She had come to visit Max after school. She noticed how exhausted her friend looked day after day. How haunted her smile was. How relieved the brunette looked as she hugged her tightly, as if she couldn't believe Chloe was alive.

They had mainly gone to Max' room and they had spent time chilling on her couch or bed, watching movies. Each time Max had drifted to sleep quickly, her head pressed on her chest, her arms tightly wound around her.

Chloe had felt strange. She had wanted to wake up the girl, but seeing how her innocent, relaxed sleepy face had been such a contrast compared to the zombie that had greeted her, that she hadn't found the strength. It had taken all she could muster to actually leave in the evening, despite Max asking her to stay.

Chloe was not ready, and her friend insistence had annoyed her, made her want to lash out. Her anger had died when she had seen the ghosts behind her friend's eyes.

And also the freckles... God damn those fucking freckles!

She hadn't abandoned Max though. Maybe Max felt like she had, but she had kept an eye on the brunette. Before she left on the first day, she had given her number to Kate, asking her to warn her if anything wrong happened. And the blonde had. Nearly every night she had received a text.

Kate: Max had another nightmare.

Kate: nightmare again. No nosebleed but she is so frantic!

Kate: Max had a bad one. Can you call or can I? She won't relax! She needs to hear your voice.

The texts had crushed Chloe's heart. But at the same time, she still couldn't forgive Max for ignoring her when her dad died. She couldn't forgive herself for Max' injuries. She couldn't let herself too close to the brunette. She had called just to make Max hear her voice. But she had refused to rush to the dorms. Or more exactly she had stepped on the impulse, hard.

She took a drag of her cigarette and blew a few circles.

Well, she will spend the week end at my home. It might help her.

The sound of wheels moving on the pavement and closing brought her out of her day dreaming. She sat up and looked over the side of her truck.

"Hey Caulfield!"

Max stopped and smiled, her bag and crutches across her legs. "Hi Chloe!"

"Ready for a weekend in the Price household like old time?"

Max nodded. "You have no idea! I missed Joyce's cooking so much!"

Chloe pouted a bit. "Oh! So, you coming just for my mom's food? Geeze me who thought some time with your best friend was what you were looking for!" She looked away feigning to be angry. "I should have gone with my first choice and go for a road trip of my own."

Max chuckled. "Oh it would be a nice addition to spend time with you!"

Chloe tilted her head softly. "It would? And how much of your weekend would you want to give your friend? An hour? Two?"

Max put her index on her lip as if thinking. "I'd say at least two days. More if I could have it." She smiled.

Chloe smiled and jumped out of the truck's bed. "Good cause you are stuck with me!" She opened the passenger door and grabbed Max' bag tossing it in the truck. "Get in Caulfield!"

Max nodded and started her complicated dance with her crutches to board the truck.

Chloe watched over her, paying attention to her friend's tired traits, her dark eyes. Chloe knew Max wasn't doing as well as she tried to pretend.

Max, what are you not telling me? What are those nightmares really about?

She helped the brunette boarding, then folded the chair and placed back in the bed. She moved around the old truck and crushed her cigarette before boarding.

Maybe I should mention it to David. I can't fucking believe I'm thinking it! But well he would know something about nightmares coming after a traumatic event. Geeze does Max have PTSD?

She put the key in the ignition and started the engine. "Next stop, Priceland!"

Max giggled softly as Chloe turned on the music and started to back up.

Chapter Text

They were getting close to Chloe's house, Max realized. She felt some jitters as she tried to remind herself again that she had not been there for years, not just a few weeks. It was going to be tricky. To look surprised at Chloe's room, but not too much as to make the punk girl suspicious. She tried to remember what her reaction had been the first time, but it was completely lost in the background of drama, detective work, scare, frantic panic over Chloe's several demises, complete trauma at being tied and abused in a dark bunker and so on...

Yep, I had it rough really! I wish they had a Time travel PTSD program somewhere!

During the first part of their trip, she had felt Chloe's eyes glancing at her now and then. She knew the girl was probably checking if she was alright. Hell, she knew she didn't look alright too! She had started to feel like Chloe had some suspicions too concerning the half-truth she had told, not to mention the outright lies, her friend's brow showing this light crease when she considered something. Max remembered seeing it quite often when Chloe's dad had been pulling pranks and all, her friend considering whether he was messing with her or not, which wasn't always easy because William had been goofy even when he was serious.

Max had thought carefully about telling or not telling Chloe the truth about that fateful week. In the end, she had decided to keep it to herself, at least for now. She wasn't sure she was in shape to mess around with time in case she had to prove herself to Chloe, and she didn't want Chloe to feel bound by the decision and love expressed in the other timeline.

And let's avoid the awkward, 'well I managed to save your dad too, but then I had to kill you in return' situation.

Most of the time though, Chloe was concentrated on her driving, both hands on the wheel, eyes always checking around. It was completely out of character for her rebellious punk persona, but Max rather understood why Chloe was like that.

I suppose when you lose someone important to a freakish car crash, you are extra careful when you drive.

Being a careful driver didn't mean Chloe was only concentrating on the road. They had chatted, hummed songs, Max even saw the girl beat the tempo of one she seemed to particularly like on the wheel. To Max' delight Chloe seemed to be as energic as she always knew her.

Things had calmed down a bit though. Max was not sure why, but Chloe had turned all thoughtful. As Max looked at her, Chloe was leaning on the side, her elbow propped against the side window and her head resting on her fist, while the other hand remained on the steering wheel. Her face seemed a bit sad, as if she had dark thought, or maybe painful ones. Through the window Max could see the sea shore with the promontory and the lighthouse. She took her camera out of her messenger bag and trying to be as discreet as possible, started to frame her shot. Carefully she pressed the button and the camera whirred as it spit the small photo.

Chloe blinked and looked at her. "Hey not fair Caulfield! You should warn me, so I can show you my best side!"

Max smiled as she shook the picture in front of her. "Oh, trust me this was your best side!" She looked at the image forming on the paper and with a nod showed it to Chloe. "See?"

Chloe took a quick glance at the picture her cheeks slightly blushing. "Okay true! You do have talent! Still you should avoid surprising the driver when on the road."

Max nodded. "Dully noted."

A few minutes later the truck parked in front of Chloe's house. Without thinking about it Max' eyes rose to check if the surveillance camera she remembered, was still posted on the wall. She noticed only a few holes where the metallic plate had once been.

Maybe with that story over, David's paranoia has finally withdrawn.

"Yeah hasn't changed much, has it?"

Max turned to look at her friend and shook her head. "Not really no. I thought it would have been painted by now but..."

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, I dunno why Step-douche never really got around that."

Chloe stepped out of the vehicle and started to prepare the chair as Max let herself slide down, resting on her crutches and feet for a while. She still couldn't hold herself on her legs or move long distance, but she wanted to use this chance to practice.

She waited a moment until the wheelchair was ready and then shuffled slowly to sit in it.

"You made progress. It's good." The bluenette remarked.

Max shrugged as she placed the crutches across her legs. "Well yes, but not as much as I'd like, or think I could."

"It will get there." The punk responded, taking Max' duffel bag.

Max nodded and started to roll her chair toward the door, waiting for Chloe to open it.

As she passed the door, Chloe called in the house. "Yo! I'm home! And I brought a street racer girl with me!"

Max chuckled at her friend's antic. Yeah, she really didn't change at all!

She rolled her chair through the door, the maneuver tighter than she would have wanted, and further into the familiar house, letting Chloe close the door.

Joyce poked her head through the kitchen door and smiled happily. "Max! I'm so glad to see you! I hope this week wasn't too hard!"

Max blushed a bit as Joyce ran to her and hugged her. "No, it was fine Joyce! Of course, I'd have done without the cart, but at least I got a big ass room now so..."

Joyce nodded and waved toward the living room. "Come on in! You know you are like at home here!"

Max smiled looking around. "Thank you, Joyce. It hasn't really changed, it's nice!"

Joyce frowned a bit. "Thank you, kiddo but we both know the house could use a bit of work."

Max shook her head. "No really, it feels like I never left."

Joyce chuckled. "Okay. I know you will probably spend most of your time upstairs seeing that all the amenities are there, but dinner should be ready soon so why don't you both enjoy some time down there for a bit."

Chloe nodded. "Sure ma... I'll go put her bag in my room and be right back."

Max nodded and rolled her chair, looking at the pictures at the wall.

Yeah really is the same as that week.

She heard the front door opening and turned around to see David stepping in in his uniform.

"I'm home!" he announced before her looked up and spotted Max. "Oh, hi Maxine. I forgot you were coming this weekend, sorry."

Chloe chose that moment to return. She jumped the last few steps, landing with a loud bang as she interjected.

"It's Max! Never Maxine!"

Both girl looked at each other and laughed as Joyce called from the kitchen. "Oh dear! It's been a while since I last heard that!"

It took a moment for Max to calm down, especially since David Madsen had grunted unhappily at being reprimanded by Chloe.

"Hello Mr. Madsen. It's not really a big deal." She finally managed to say. "And thank you for having me."

Chloe chuckled and went to join her with bouncy steps. "Not his choice to make! You were part of the house before he was anyway!" She reached to high-five Max, who shook her head and gave it to her.

"Don't be a dork!"

"Who you calling a dork, nerd?"

"You, Doofus!"

"Oh, is that right, hippie?"

"Punk!"

"Hey that's not even an insult to me!"

Both girl laughed again while both parents shook their head.

David scratched his head and moved toward the stairs. "I'm going to get changed. I'll pick up the sheets for the pull-out couch while I'm at it."

Chloe frowned. "Dude! You finally going to use it instead of polluting my mom's bed?"

Joyce rolled her eyes. "Chloe..."

David sighed. "Let's not fight tonight okay? I just want it to be ready, so Max felt comfortable tonight."

Chloe took a step toward him putting her fist on her hips. "Dude no way! Max sleeping in my room as she always did!"

David pointed at the stairs. "It would be easier for her if she didn't have to climb those, Chloe!"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure, I mean of course the bathroom is upstairs, so I guess she'd need to hold it in for the whole weekend... But well..."

Joyce looked at David as she added. "She got you there, David. It would be easier for Max if she spent most of the time upstairs. Not that it changes the fact Max always slept with Chloe and I don't see why it should change."

David grunted and raised his hands in surrender as he climbed the stairs. "Fine! Fine! I guess I forgot about the bathroom issue."

Chloe turned to face Max raising her fist in victory which made Max giggle at her banter.

Joyce shook her head although her smile showed she was actually amused and happy to see her daughter smile and laugh again. "Chloe, although I hate to rain on your parade, could you set the table for dinner while I finish cooking?" She moved back the kitchen as she added. "You can go choose a place Max. I'm sure you are tired after your first week back at school."

Max felt that Chloe was about to complain but she just bit her lip at the mention of Max apparent exhaustion and moved to the kitchen. Leaving both Price women to their work, Max rolled her chair close to the table and reached to pull a chair slightly back. She went to park her wheelchair in a corner, locked the wheel in position and then started to stand with her crutches.

She was halfway to the table, moving her legs carefully while most of her weight was on her arms, when she heard Joyce. "Dear Lord Max! There was no need to push yourself like this! You should just have stayed in your chair!"

Max let a little grunt as she kept moving, her voice slightly strained, more from trying to keep her arms steady than the sorta walk she was doing, as she said. "It's okay Joyce... I need to practice... And I want it to be like it was before..."

Joyce shook her head slightly amazed by the stubbornness of the girl she remembered as shy and withdrawn. She moved closer, watching over the brunette as Max moved.

Max was glad when she finally sat down and set the crutches on the side of the table. She felt she had made progress with that this week. She could slightly raise her feet now, not enough for her to be able to climb stairs yet, but enough that she could take what looked like an awkward trembling step without her feet shuffling on the floor or catching in the carpets or something.

Joyce came over and made sure Max was all set as she said. "Really, Max, you should not push yourself. It will come back in time."

Max nodded silently, not really eager to argue the point anyway. Chloe came with a pile of plates and silverware and started to set them up around the table. "Let it go Ma... She kinda found a way to become stubborn while she was away. At least as far as trying to live as she wasn't injured is concerned."

David chose that moment to enter the dining room. He frowned a moment as he caught the last words of the conversation but elected not to say anything. He moved and took his place at the table beside Max.

Probably to avoid being beside or in front of Chloe.

The dinner itself was quiet and nice. Joyce had made a nice pot-roast, which seemed to annoy Chloe somehow although the punk didn't voice her feelings, and everyone ate more or less in silence. Max wondered if it was how David did things or if it was just how things had evolved out of the tensions between him and Chloe. The contrast with the joyful and animated meals she had with William and Joyce when younger made it all the more awkward.

When everyone was finished. David rose with a 'it was delicious Joyce as usual' and headed for the garage. Chloe helped Joyce with the dishes while Max stayed seated at the table, then she excused herself and went outside searching her pockets.

Joyce joined Max at the table. "So, tell me, how are things kiddo?"

Max smiled. "Not too bad considering."

Joyce nodded. "Yeah you really scared us. Well you and Chloe both, but hers was a flesh wound. You got the scariest one."

Max nodded. "I... suppose yeah. But then I guess I'm glad it ended up this way."

Joyce shrugged. "I can understand. And well, yeah, I'm happy Chloe's alive and well. But I would still have been horrified if you had not made it Max."

Max blushed. She understood, after all if she had seen Joyce as a second mother, Joyce probably saw her as a daughter.

"Anyway, I'm glad to see you back." Joyce looked at the window, watching Chloe leaning on the fence smoking. "I haven't seen her laugh like she did earlier since William's accident and you left for Seattle." She smiled softly "I know Vanessa wanted you to go back, so well I'm glad you decided to stay."

Max nodded looking at Chloe fondly. "I ... had my reasons. Beside I can't really let mom coddle me all my life."

Joyce chuckled. "Oh, I wish you would teach that to Chloe! But yeah, I guess you are right. Although I understand where your mother stands. It was certainly hard enough for me when they told me Chloe was hurt. I imagine how hard it was for your mother, especially with the several scares, and your current condition."

Max shrugged softly. "I understand, but still. I just couldn't leave. I had to stay. I couldn't let this beat me."

Joyce nodded proudly. "Good! That's a good way of looking at it." Max kept looking at Chloe, enjoying how her friend looked lost in her thought as she smoked looking at the sky.

She felt Joyce's eyes on her and turned to face the older woman.

"So, tell me, how are things between you two? I had a feeling there were still some tensions now and then."

Max sighed, wishing Joyce didn't have such keen eyes for human relationships. "Yeah... I guess it's my fault though... I mean, I understand she is upset that I didn't write or call all those years."

Joyce waved dismissing hand. "Not your fault kiddo. And I'm sure she knows it too. You didn't choose to move, nor when you would do it. And I'm sure you had your hands full in Seattle too." She leaned back in her chair. "Besides, Chloe been angry at everything since her father died. I'm not sure she has really moved on. I didn't help. I had to move on to be able to keep on going. I met David and I hoped it would help her. But, I suppose she was not ready."

Max shook her head. "You couldn't stop living because she was not ready Joyce. I mean you do have right to try and be happy too I guess."

Joyce nodded. "Yeah I know. And I'm not apologizing for my choices." She sighed softly as if dismissing the negative thought. "Anyway, it's nice to see you so close again, to see you still like each other as if time had not passed." She looked serious for a moment. "I hope you can be a good influence on her Max... You take care of her okay Kiddo?"

Max nodded. "Of course, Joyce, you didn't have to ask."

"Good! Now tell me what has you both all so distant and all! I mean when you were kids you were hugging playing all the time!"

Max sighed and looked out the window as Chloe lit up another cigarette. "I don't really know Joyce... I think there is those five years to begin with. Then, I think she feels guilty I got hurt."

Joyce looked out for a moment and back at Max. "Yeah I suppose that would put a damper on things. How do you feel about this?"

Max lips curved slightly. "I feel a bit guilty for those five years of course. But I think Chloe should not feel guilty for my injuries. I choose to try and protect her, to risk my life for her."

Joyce studied Max' face attentively. "Yeah I can see that. I guess those five years didn't really change how you felt for her right?"

Max shook her head and look down. "I... Dunno Joyce... It's ... complicated."

"Well she's important to you, that is obvious."

Max blushed and nodded silently.

"So, what's the matter? I mean you and her have been best friends nearly all your lives. It's normal that you care about each other, right? No need to be awkward about it kiddo!"

Max groaned and dropped her forehead on the back of her hands pressing her face on the table. "It's not that... I... I love her Joyce." Her voice was softer, almost a whisper.

Joyce shrugged. "Of course, I mean you are practically sisters."

Max shook her head slightly. "I mean, not like sisters or friends love. Like, Love love."

Max heard Joyce holding her breath a moment as she processed the news. "I see... Does she know?"

Joyce's voice was warm and devoid of any judgement, making Max relax and realize she had actually tensed up as she waited for the mom's reaction.

"Yeah... I kinda... blurted it out when she visited me at the hospital..."

"Oh god!"

"Was not my plan... I think the painkiller had me a bit unaware, I told her I was staying for someone, in addition to the whole 'don't want to let them win' thing... She started to tease me, not letting it go... "

"Yeah that's Chloe. Always pushing."

"I was tired... Sore... I mean I had just woken up, literally from being dead if I understand how it happened. And I had just learned about... you know." Without raising her head, she moved a hand pointing toward the corner with the wheelchair. "So, I... blurted it out to shut her up..."

Joyce nodded softly. "And what did she say?"

Max groaned again. "Nothing... Not a word for the reminder of the month."

"Oh... I suppose I found it strange she refused to go see you, although she did ask how you were doing."

"We discussed it a bit when she came to pick me up... asked that we be friends for now."

"Well, then don't worry too much kiddo. Let things go their own pace. Leave her time to sort things out and then you will see if what you have is a happy life or a broken heart okay?" Joyce reached and patted Max back comfortingly.

Max sighed as she said in a tired voice. "I ... Sometimes, I wish I had not made it you know... Died for the one I loved... Might have been easier."

Joyce froze a moment. "Don't say that Max! A lot of people are glad you made it! And I'm sure Chloe is too! Be..."

Chloe's voice interrupted her. "You sure I'm what, Mom?"

Max tensed on the table.

Shit! Please Dog, don't let her have heard all of it please!

Joyce raised up to stand. "Glad that Max is back in our lives, Chloe."

Chloe bounced and reached to hug Max. "You bet I am! I got my best friend back!"

Max forced herself to smile as she rose up. And Joyce laughed softly. "Okay girls! Why don't you move it upstairs? And don't stay up too late too, Max still need her rest to recover fully." She added the last part looking at Chloe meaningfully.

"Yes mom!" Chloe said rolling her eyes as she helped Max moving to the Wheelchair.

Chloe pushed the wheelchair toward the stairs. She stopped at the bottom and thought for a moment. "Okay Caulfield. I guess we have no choice, but you will totally have to pay me back somehow." As she talked Chloe moved in front of her and dropped one knee. "Hop on! I'll piggyback you to the bed and then I'll come back for the chair."

Max pondered but seeing no real alternative other than crawling her way up, she moved to hang on her friend's back. "Thanks Chloe." She said burying her face in Chloe's back as the tall girl reached to grab her legs before she stood up.

Once the move upstairs had been completed, that teeth had been brushed, clothes changed, the girls chatted a moment before exhaustion caught up to them. Max slowly drifted asleep lulled by sound of Chloe's voice, the warmth of her presence and her sent on the bedsheets.

Chapter Text

It wasn't that late yet. Not even midnight according to her phone. She just laid in the bed watching the ceiling listening to the breathing of her sleeping best friend.

She sure crashed fast! Probably need a lot of sleep judging by the number of times Kate texted me!

Chloe sighed, not really feeling like sleeping at the moment. She turned her head to look at Max. The brunette was laying, curled up on her side, hand tightly wound around a piece of the blanket she kept pressed to her face. Chloe found the scene cute as hell, and maybe a bit creepy.

Only thing this blanket smells like is me, Max.

It kinda pleased her that Max seemed to carve for a reminder of her presence. It made her feel loved and cherished, something she hadn't felt in months.

She wanted to believe it had only been since Rachel's disappearance, but if she was being honest with herself she couldn't help but admit Rachel and her had started to drift apart much earlier. They had stayed best friends, hanging out, having fun, fooling around. But for some reasons, the magic of that night on the school theater scene and on the way back to Rachel's house had died out. In the last months before her disappearance, her murder, Rachel had been more distant. Chloe had been all the clingier because of this and Rachel had understood where it came from.

Rachel always had this creepy Jedi power of reading people...

They had fought, argued, screamed. All the things old couples do when loves dries out even if they still consider each other as the best friends in the world. It had been like that dream she had once where her dad had warned her about fire. He had said Fire was beautiful, magnificent, but that the beauty of fire may hide something even more beautiful. He had also said that fire was jealous and that she had to be careful not to get burned.

It had token her until only a few days ago to realize that it had been a metaphor. Fire had been Rachel, Beautiful, passionate, burning with life. Fire had been their relationship, strong, vivid. But Fire never last long, and their relationship, the lovers part at least, had died out too.

Or maybe I am the fire, burning with passion and anger to the point I can't really control it. Jealous to the point I got clingy and maybe pushed Rachel away. Dangerous to the point everyone around me get burned... Latest case in point being the little brunette beside me.

Chloe shook her head and sat up looking at Max.

If there's someone I don't wanna get burned Maxine... It's you.

She sighed and stood up picking up her cigarette pack from the table. She started to reach for open the window, then changed her mind and walked out of the room after putting up some pants. She walked down the stairs and frowned as she realized the lights were on in the kitchen.

Oh well, not like they don't know I smoke.

She walked to the slide window and reached to open it when she heard David's voice.

"Can't find sleep?"

The question was actually caring, but Chloe still wasn't done feeling angry at the man for forcing his way in the house. She was about to lash out again. Then bit back her words before nodding. "Yeah... Max fell like a log, but well it's still early."

David nodded. "Yeah I can understand." He waved to the window. "Sorry for snooping... Go on."

Chloe frowned a bit. Dude? Really?

She shook her head a bit surprised and then headed outside. She went to sit on the swing lighting up a cigarette. A moment later David stepped out of the house carrying a couple beer bottles. He took one of the lawn chair and sat it down by the swings.

"So how are things with Max?" He asked softly.

Chloe looked at the stars thinking. "Good I think. Still some, awkwardness I guess."

David nodded. "I'm glad to hear it's going good. You deserve to be happy."

Chloe looked back at the former soldier, pondering a moment if the sky might fall.

"Who are you and what have you done with my step-ass?"

David sighed. "Chloe, I don't want to fight..." David paused a moment, then chuckled. "Sorry. I guess seeing our history, it's a normal reaction." He reached to put one of the bottles down and popped the cap of the second one.

"How is she doing?" He asked.

"I dunno... Physically it's pretty obvious. She doesn't seem to be in pain at least... But I can see it bothers her to be in that chair." She took another drag of cigarette collecting her thoughts. "I don't really know about her mental state."

David took another sip of his beer and leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees. "Nightmares uh?" As Chloe looked at him an eyebrow lifted, he smiled. "I'm the head of security at her school remember? Of course, I heard about her nightmares..."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Yeah I should have figured... And yes... I'm not sure what's going on with that though..."

David nodded. He pondered a moment then reached for the second bottle offering it to Chloe as she put out her cigarette. She looked at him trying to understand.

"Just don't tell your mother." He just added as she took the bottle.

"Thanks." She said popping the cap. "David... Do you think she may have ... PTSD?"

David took a sip of his beer. "I'd be surprised if she didn't. It has been a very traumatic event." He looked at Chloe. "What are her nightmares like?"

Chloe took a sip of her own beer and looked down. "Me... Dying." She reached for a cigarette and lit it up. "The first night, she woke up saying she kept seeing me dying again and again. That she kept trying to save me and failed."

Fuck I'm like talking to David! What's going wrong with me? I mean, he's a douche! But I guess he's the only one I know who went through that crap too.

"David? Was it like that for you too? I mean when you lost your friend."

David sighed and looked at the sky. "Part of it, yeah. I'm not going to lie and say it is all of it. I saw enough horror back there, done things... That's marks you a lot! But yeah, part of it was that I even when I tried, I couldn't save him."

Chloe sighed taking another sip of her beer. "How do you deal with that? I mean, Max... She ... just can't calm down you know. She freaks out! I mean she does calm down after a while, but for a moment, she... just clung to me... Held on to me as if I was gonna disappear..."

David reached and put a hand on her shoulder. "Chloe, she thought you were going to die in that bathroom. She got hurt trying to prevent it..." His voice was softer than Chloe remember having ever heard it. "Of course, she will fear what could have happened if she had failed."

Chloe looked down. "I thought I was gonna loose her too."

David nodded. "I know, Chloe. I know. I saw you in that bathroom, remember?"

Chloe bit her lip, the memories of the shooting still blurred in her mind. "Not completely no..."

"Okay well never mind then. Are you still afraid of losing her?"

Chloe hesitated. She didn't want to talk about this. Maybe David sensed it because he didn't wait for her answer.

"Never mind, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Chloe relaxed a bit. "Thanks. I'm not sure I'm ready."

David took a sip. "Yeah, I can understand that too... Anyway, you will have to be patient with Max."

Chloe frowned. "What you mean by that? You think I don't care about her?"

David shook his head. "Not what I meant." He reached up to scratch his head. "Please bear with me. I'm bad with this..."

Chloe scoffed. "Bad with parenting?"

David waved a hand dismissingly. "Bad with talking with people." He took another sip of his beer. "What I tried to say is... She will go through difficult phases... Especially if she has PTSD..."

Chloe nodded. "Yeah like having nightmares every night isn't bad!"

"Yeah, well it's only part of it... At some point she may try to control everything around her... excessively..."

Chloe groaned. "Yeah well tell her I already got one trouble overcontrolling nut in my life."

David's lips ticked at the veiled attack. "Yeah... I'm still dealing with mine... But, you may find her changed... sometimes she will look moody, sometimes she might put herself in danger... I've seen it happen in some of the guys at the VA."

Chloe looked at the sky taking a drag of her cigarette. "Is it why you choose to be a security guard? To find some danger?"

David shook his head. "No, I just needed some ... frame, discipline. I needed a structure close to that of the Army..."

Chloe stared at him a moment then sighed before taking a sip of her beer. "Why you’re telling me about what Max may or may not do?"

David looked at Chloe, directly in the eyes.

Wow, that's hella strange!

"Because, she will need you to ground her, to be there and watch over her so she knows you are here for her."

Chloe pondered a moment at the words, then nodded softly. "Who was there... for you?"

David smiled warmly, a smile she had never seen. "Your mom."

He took another sip of his beer. "By the way, your mother told me some interesting thing."

Chloe raised her head. "Did she?"

David nodded. "Yeah. She said... Max told her how she feels about you."

Chloe groaned. "Oh god... I'm surprised you haven't charged upstairs to have her sleep on the couch."

David chuckled. "Chloe, I don't have a problem with that. I mean... I always knew about... you. Why do you think I tried to bond over my car?"

Chloe shook her head. "I dunno, to piss me off?"

David sipped his beer. "Yeah well... I guess I was trying to ... I dunno maybe treat you more like a guy... Guess it's been what I did all along... I kinda tried to ignore the problem and treated you like you were any other kids in my unit rather than a daughter... I'm sorry about that."

What the hell? Is he serious?

Chloe took another sip of her beer looking at the cigarette slowly consuming itself in her fingers.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Chloe shook her head. "I don't think so... I'm not sure how I feel about this..."

David nodded. "Okay. Anyway, just remember that I'm here if you need to talk... I know I'm not really good at expressing myself, or talk... But ..."

Chloe nodded finishing her beer. "Thanks..." She chuckled. "Never pegged you for being a shrink kinda guy though."

David finished his beer and stood up. "Well I'm cheating... I kinda tried to talk like the one I see at the VA, you know... Anyway, it's getting late... Try not to stay up too late."

Chloe grunted and gave him the finger. "Yeah, didn't work before won't work now!" she said lightly before she walked into the house.

When Chloe walked back into her room, she found Max trashing in her bed, groaning in her sleep.

Shit! Again?

She hurried to the bed, kicking her boots on the way before she quickly went to sit by her friend. She reached out pulling her friend's small body to her. "Sshhh, Max... I'm here... I'm here." she whispered as she slowly rocked the brunette. When she had the girl's head pressed to her chest, Max' arms quickly wrapped themselves tightly around her chest. After a moment the girl's shaking turned to soft shivers, then disappeared.

God Max! I so hate to see you like that! What's so screwed with your dreams that you need to hear my heart to hella be able to relax?

She sighed and pulling her friend tight she laid back on her bed, a hand caressing Max' back and hair.

How am I going to deal with all this? God Max... How can I deal with all this at once?

Chloe felt her eyes tearing up as emotions and confusion started to overflow. She remained there silently holding Max, listening to her breathing, feeling her heartbeat against her side. She felt somehow relaxed by the presence. Soon she found herself breathing with the brunette and slowly she drifted into sleep.

It was fresh when she woke up. A chilly breeze made her shiver and she reached to snuggle into the covers. She reached at her side, searching for the warmth of her friend, and found nothing. She rose up suddenly and grunted as the swift move pulled on her scares. She looked up, eyes scanning the room and felt relieved as she spotted the blue haired girl sitting by the opened window. She smiled softly as she pulled the covers tightly around her eyes staring at the scene in front of her. The girl was sitting one knee up, foot on the table, the other dangling, her eyes lost in the void, smoking a cigarette. With the light of breaking day coming from the window it settled a mysterious noire aura.

Wowser! This is such a nice shot opportunity!

Max shifted quietly and reached for her bag by the bed. She pulled her camera and made sure the flash was off before she lined it up carefully framing her friend before hitting the button. The sound of the shutter and the whirring of the camera spitting out the instant photography made Chloe turn her head.

"Hey Sleepyhead! You found any interesting pictures to capture, hippy?"

Max chuckled. "Yep I think this one will be the main piece at the Caulfield wing of the Louvres one day!"

Chloe giggled. "That's the spirit!" She put down her cigarette and turned to look at Max. "How was the sleep?"

Max shuddered and pulled the blanket tighter. "I ... It was better I think, but..."

Chloe nodded. "Yeah I know, you had a nightmare."

Max looked down. "I'm sorry I woke you up."

Chloe smiled. "It's okay I wasn't asleep when you had it." She jumped from the table and hopped to the bed. "So, wanna tell me about it?"

Max pulled the cover over her head, leaving only her face to be seen. "It's confused... I think it was the same as the others..."

Chloe frowned a moment. "Max... Please tell me what's bothering you... I'm your friend..."

Max barked back. "Chloe, I swear to dog! Let it go! I can't talk about this!"

Chloe flinched at her friend's snappy voice. "Can't or won't! Fuck, Max! You got freaking nightmares every fucking night because of me! Don't you think I should know what's got you so scared? Don't you think I should know what's going on, so I can help?"

Max tossed the covers angrily, tears in her eyes. "I can't! I need time to deal with this! Do you think I don't wish all was okay? I want my life back Chloe! I want to be able to laugh to smile to have fun with you like we used to!" She pointed at the chair and crunches. "I want to be over with those! I want those whole five years to have never happened! I wish I never had to move away, that I'd been there for you so that all this shit never had happened! So that you never had to be hurt!"

I want this fucking week to never have been even just for me! I want us to be just happy and together without all the shit!

Max turned away, trembling with frustration. "I feel so powerless Chloe! I hate being like this!"

Chloe reached for her, her voice trying to be soft but still showing hints of doubts. "Max... You are not powerless okay! You saved my life, you are dealing with your injuries, not mopping in a corner. You decided to stay here and face your fear instead of running back to Seattle. You are stronger than you think, Max... And I want to help you, so let me do it please."

Max tensed as she felt her friend's arms reaching around her. She wanted to refuse the support of her friend, wanted to be stronger so as not to worry her. "I... I need more time Chloe... please."

Chloe's arms seemed to pull away slightly. The girl sighed and moved back reluctantly. "Fine..." She left the bed and reached for clothes. "Okay get dressed Caulfield. Time for eggs and bakey."

Max slumped and reached for her pants. "I'm sorry Chloe." She said softly as she started to dress up.

Chapter Text

Saturday morning had sadly been spent at the hospital. She had to suffer long hours at the hands of doctors, nurses and technicians as they auscultated, scanned, interrogated her. The hardest part had been the questions about how she was feeling. Max had a tough time navigating through this.

How do I mention that I keep having nightmares about events that didn't take place?

Max had tried to say she was fine, but the doctor had not bought it. The dark patches under her eyes had probably betrayed her, unless they kept tag on her. She had resorted into talking about a half-made up nightmare where she failed saving her friend. She just had kept the how her friend died to herself. She also kept to herself the part where she woke up bound to a chair while a maniac took pictures.

Yeah go explain you were a victim from a jackass but it was all in another life... would end up in some padded wall room.

In the end, Doctor Ryan had let her go suggesting she see a psychiatrist. Max had simply responded she would think about it as she had rolled out of the examination room.

She joined up with Chloe on the parking lot and they both got into the battered truck.

"How did it go?"

Max looked up at her friend as she slowly backed up. "Okay I guess. They say the swelling is steadily decreasing and should be gone by Christmas."

Chloe nodded as she shifted in to drive. "Good, means you should be out of that chair soon then."

Max smiled. "Yep! Can't wait for this! It will be hella best Christmas present!"

Chloe chuckled. "I bet! And I'm glad to hear it Max! You know I hate to see you like this" Her voice was down, with hint of sadness.

Max reached and patted her shoulder. "I know Chloe... But I'm fine... well aside from the ... you know?"

Chloe reached with a hand to pat Max'. They drove for a moment before Chloe asked. "Did you... tell the doc about your nightmares?"

Max sighed and retreated to her corner of the truck. "Yeah I did..."

Chloe looked at Max rolling her eyes and head. "Okay... what'd they say?"

Max groaned and looked up at the truck ceiling. "That I should think about consulting."

"Maybe you should Max... You know, if it helps..."

Max bumped her head on the side window a couple times. "I'll think about it."

Max felt Chloe's eyes looking at her. "Good... I guess..."

Max rolled her eyes. "Dog Chloe! Can't you let it go! I said I will think about it!"

Chloe sighed. "Okay, Maximus, Okay! I'm just worried about you, is all!"

Max groaned softly and looked out the window not saying anything. She watches the building passing by as they drove toward the center. "Where're we going?"

Chloe smiled at her mischievously. "I got a nerdy surprise for my nerdy hipster friend!"

Max sighed. "I had enough surprises for the rest of my life Chloe. And I'm not a hipster. Punk!" She smiled slightly.

Chloe smiled as she kept driving a bit more. "Sure, you are Nerd!"

Max chuckled. "No, I'm not! Dork!"

Chloe parked and looked at her. "Yes, you are, pipsqueak! And we are there, so hop off while I get your throne ready oh my nerd queen!"

Max giggled. "Of course, oh Milady De Punkster!"

Max exited the truck using her crutches to take difficult steps away from the truck. She looked around her seeing the decorated window of what looked to her like gamer's store. She turned toward Chloe. "Is this the store you want me to go in?"

Chloe stopped beside her holding the handles of the chair. "Yep! Nerdvana slash punkvana! Come on hippy, get on the chair so I can push you in there!"

Max looked at the door a moment and smiled wickedly. "I think I'll run through the door!"

"Max. Take it easy girl!"

Max giggled softly. "Obviously I won't run. But if you could hold the door open for me please, I'd like to try walking in on my own please."

Chloe frowned a moment. She hesitated then sighed and walked to the door, pausing before opening it. "You promise to sit right after you entered?"

Max sighed. "Okay fine! I promise!"

Chloe eyed Max a moment seeing how she strained her arms to just stand. She sighed reading the resolve on her friend's face. She pushed the chair to the door opened it and pulled the chair behind her struggling a bit with the step. She pushed the wheelchair inside before holding the door calling inside the store while Max slowly advanced on the walkway.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Please let me present to you, freshly returned from the Emerald City where she plundered the hipster lounges, the scourge of the Arcadia Bay, faithful first mate of your servitor Captain Bluebeard, the hero of Blackwell!"

She waved a hand gallantly as Max slowly arrived at the step.

"Long Max Silver Caulfield!"

She's such a dork!

Max blushed as she slowly raised her feet to pass the small step of the door. She entered the store applauded by a small group of people. She recognized Warren and Brooke. The smaller dark-skinned boy looked familiar though she couldn't remember if his name was Michael or Mike. She passed Chloe giving her a mock annoyed look as she paused.

"Hi" Her voice was shy and only the fact she had to hold to her crutches prevented her from reaching for her arm in a nervous way. She smiled nervously, unsure about the two complete strangers and wondering what to so when Chloe tapped on her shoulder.

"Caulfield..." The bluenette's voice sounded ominous and Max only needed a quick moment to remember she had promised to sit.

She sighed. "Yeah, yeah... I know..." She moved to carefully sit in her wheelchair with a soft grunt, her arms stiff as she had stood, lifting herself on them for longer than ever before. "There. Happy?" She asked the punk who had moved to stand behind her and started to push her to the table where everyone was gathered.

"Sooo... Max, you already know Warren and Brooke and I think you might remember Mickey North who's in a drawing class with you." Chloe moved pointing at each of the member around the table. "The big bad boy beside him is his brother Drew, starting quarter back of the Oregon State University, Go Beavers!" Chloe winked coyly at Max the other girl around the table chuckling.

Knowing Chloe, there was some gross sexual innuendo in there!

"And last but definitively not least! The Mistress of our gaming nights, the Mistress of this fine establishment Steph Gingrich!"

The girl wearing a green beanie took a bow and went to get closer reaching with a hand. "Call me Steph. And welcome to Fantas'ynk."

Chloe interrupted. "Okay, Okay! Now keep your hands away and let me finish!"

Steph laughed "Oh come on you know I owe you one!" Both North brother laughed at the words.

"Shaddup!" The punk girl retorted before bowing. "Everyone, here is my fellow pirate, best friend who saved my life, Max 'Never Maxine' Caulfield."

Max quirked an eyebrow. "Did you just introduce me twice?"

Chloe froze, arm still waving theatrically toward her as every other in the room scoffed. Mickey smirked as he interjected "Dude you totally did!"

The punk growled at him before she looked at Max as if she was trying to find a retort, then she gave up her shoulder slumping "Shaddup hippy!"

Max laughed as she rolled her chair forward. "Okay I will for now... But I totally will remember that!" She turned her head long enough to see Chloe giving her the middle finger. She stuck out her tongue at her embarrassed friend and looked at the others. "So... Chloe just told me this was a surprise, so I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do here."

Steph smiled warmly. "Well we usually gather here for some tabletop gaming. Chloe and the gang started a Star Wars game a few days ago and we offered her to continue." She smiled. "Also, we told her to bring that friend of hers she told us she used to play with." The girl winked at Chloe.

Chloe sighed. "Okay yeah! Max's the one! Now can we play and eat pizza?"

Steph laughed and pointed to the table. "Sure, let's get this party started." She looked at Max. "Wanna join? I could get you a character."

Max pondered and nodded. "Sure!" She rolled to the table and parked herself on one side as the North brothers sat together the side of the table to her right. Brooke and Warren took chairs to sit on the left side. Chloe reached for a chair and sat beside her reaching to open one of the pizza board as Warren asked. "How you Max? Haven't seen you much since the party."

Max felt Chloe stiffen a bit beside her, but she smiled. "Yeah, sorry about that but you know... convalescence... Kinda exhausted."

To her surprised Mickey nodded. "Yeah I remember. Strange how I was bored to death in the hospital but didn't seem to get enough sleep when I got out."

Chloe looked unhappy with the talk but kept it to herself. Max tilted her head. "You got shot too?" She asked with a bit of snark.

The table got silent at the snap in her voice, everyone looked at her almost holding their breath. Chloe frowned and started to reach for her when the boy shook his head shyly. "No... I... Broke my arm."

Max paused a moment shaking her head. "Sorry... as I said lack of sleep." She looked down feeling silly as everyone looked down at their sheets. Chloe's hands reached to grab her wrist as she was about to say something else, stopping her.

Mickey shrugged it off. "Is okay." Max hesitated a moment reaching for a slice of pizza as Warren found his voice back. "Yeah well, anyway it's good to see you. And I see you can walk again. ouch!"

Max paused as she was chewing her pizza, looking up quickly she saw Warren reaching under the table to rub his leg while Brooke and Chloe stared at the boy with rather unhappy faces.

God! I'm just making it awkward for everyone!

They all kept eating for a moment in awkward silence. Max felt the eyes of nearly everybody looking at her, trying to gauge her. Those who didn't know her tried to get a feeling of who she was. Those who did know her were trying to see how much her injuries had changed her. As for Chloe, the punk looked at Max with concerns and interrogations.

Max was nibbling on her slice, feeling like she was the elephant the room. She was only three-quarter through when she dropped the remainder of her slice on the paper-plate with a sigh, startling everyone. Chloe looked at Max. "You alright Max?"

Max nodded softly. "Yeah, just not that hungry." she responded.

Chloe frowned a moment and pushed Max' plate closer to the brunette. "You should eat Max. You barely had breakfast too. It's not like you."

The bluenette's voice was soft, full of worries and apprehension. Max rolled her eyes. "I'm not hungry, Chloe." She almost snapped pushing the plate away before starting to roll her chair back.

Chloe stood up. "You okay? You want to go home?" She asked with puzzlement, but Max shook her head.

"No, I'm fine... You all finish your pizza, I... Just gonna look at the shelves for a moment." She rolled her chair further toward the store displays.

The others started resumed their meal in relative silence. Now and then some chat was exchanged but Max didn't pay much attention as she perused the gaming handbooks titles, now and then picking one to read the description on the back before putting it back down. She also spent time looking at the arts stuck to the walls.

Chloe was rather surprised by Max' attitude. She remembered the girl as being shy almost awkward when anyone but their parents were with them. Yet the girl had been open, almost cheerful at the beginning. That in Chloe's opinion was a nice evolution of her geeky friend. She had been a bit miffed when Max had cheerfully made fun of her double introducing her, but at the same time she had been pleased to see the girl smile and laugh.

It had been different when she snapped at Mickey. Chloe figured Max hadn't really meant to be so snarky, but for some reason the brunette seemed edgy, easily annoyed and prone to anger.

It worried Chloe. Sure the lack of sleep was probably a reasonable explanation to those changes. At least partly. But Chloe thought about what David had said and she started to think maybe they were beginning to see the first signs.

She sighed as she finished her slice of pizza, looking as Max wandered the store. She bit her lip as most of the people whispered.

"Is she really alright?" Warren had asked.

"Yeah, just... She has trouble sleeping." Chloe had said.

Mickey had pondered a moment. "Pain?"

Chloe had shaken her head and was about to say something when Brooke had just said one thing.

"Probably Nightmares."

The cool matter-of-factly voice annoyed Chloe. "What would you know about that?!" she softly barked.

The girl just looked at everyone before shrugging and explaining. "Well, she's been shot and was seriously injured. I'd say anyone in this situation would suffer some kind of Post Traumatic Stress of some kind. Now, I never saw Max being anything other than shy and introvert before. I don't know her that well but I doubt she'd be the kind to switch mood as she just did." She looked at Chloe as she asked. "Right?"

Chloe nodded with a grunt.

Brooke shrugged as she added. "And the most common symptom of PTSD are nightmares. That's all."

Drew looked at Chloe as the punk started to pick at another slice of pizza nervously. "That's true?"

Chloe sighed rolling her eyes. "Yeah... She been having them every night since she got out of the hospital... As far as I know at least... Step-douche been talking about it with me yesterday..."

Steph nodded. "Yeah, guess David would know a thing or two about that... Maybe you should have him talk to Max at some point."

Chloe nodded. "Yeah."

Mickey looked at the punk and asked. "And how you doing? I mean it must be hard for you, no?"

Chloe groaned crossing her arms on the table and dropping her head on them. "Yeah well I worry about her of course. I mean she's my best friend..."

Steph coughed softly attracting a frown from the bluenette who added. "And I feel a bit responsible too seeing she got hurt saving my ass, yeah..."

The store owner simply nodded turning her head to look at the girl wandering the store on her wheelchair. "If everyone's done with the pizza maybe we should get ready to play." she said softly.

Chloe started to stand. "I'll go tell her." She whispered but Steph stood up with a smile. "Mind if I do?"

"Max?"

The voice was soft, gentle, without the bite present in Chloe's. Max raised her head from one of the book from the tattoo counter and looked up to see Steph standing beside her.

"Yeah?" she asked softly as she looked back at the pictures of girls with tattoos and piercings.

Steph felt a bit at a lost with the girl. She didn't know her very well but judging by Chloe's reactions, the mood swings they had witnessed weren't the usual brunette's behavior. She hesitated a moment.

"We are getting ready to start. Still up to join the game?" She tried her best to look cheerful, but the girl didn't even look up as she turned the page and responded.

"Still want me to join?" Max' voice sounded slightly shy, making Steph wondering if the girl was embarrassed about earlier.

"Sure, we do!" She leaned on the counter taking a look at the pictures the brunette was looking at. "Find anything you like?" She asked with her warmest seller's smile.

Max looked up a moment and looked around. "Err... No, not really... I mean they are good work, I mean all the tattoos the drawing and everything... Just not sure it be my style though."

Steph chuckled. "Doesn't have to be, not gonna push you into getting inked or pierced you know. And thank you, I drew them all! Well almost. A couple of the drawings on the walls are Mickey's."

Max looked up. "I'd say that one and that one are his?" she said pointing to an elf barbarian drawing and another of a mage fighting a minotaur.

Steph smiled. "Good eye!"

Max blushed a bit and tilted her head. "Not really, the styles just different." She looked at the pictures in the book for a moment. "Did you take the pictures too?"

Steph shrugged. "Some. I'm not a photographer so I usually stick with the close up on the tattoos. I got a former classmate who did photography in school do the others." She smiled. "The guy likes tattoos and piercing... Actually, at this point not sure he would be able to get within one mile from an airport without setting off the metal detectors." Steph smiled as Max chuckled.

Yep she got humor!

"So, what you think? Worth a few free tats?" She asked the brunette.

Max looked up. "Why do you ask me?"

Steph shrugged. "Mickey mentioned you did photography. So, I thought you could give me your take."

Max cringed a bit. "I dunno... I mean it's not bad... Just..."

Steph smiled. "Just not that good?"

Max blushed a bit and shook her head. "Depends I guess..."

Steph nodded. "Well... yes. Anyway, let's go game okay?"

Steph noticed the slight slump of shoulder on the brunette slim body as she set the book down. "Okay..."

Chapter Text

Max slowly rolled her chair back in her spot at the table. She felt tensed and kept looking down, still not sure the others would accept her after her slight outburst during lunch.

Dog! Now, I'm not so sure it was a good idea... They probably hate me... Can I still opt out of this?

She glanced around her as the people started taking character sheets, pencils and dices from their bags. She bit her lip feeling unprepared, although part of her knew it couldn't be helped considering Chloe had not warned her. She frowned a bit seeing the thin punk girl was perusing a display case in a corner by the store's register.

What is she doing?

The blue haired girl turned her head with a mischievous smile as she called back.

"Yoh Steph put those on my tab!" She said waving two small plastic boxes with her hand.

The store owner rolled her eyes. "Sure, not that I should expect to see the money anytime soon."

Everyone joined Steph as she started to laugh when Chloe gave her the finger. "Hey shut up! Not my fault I'm broke!"

Max shook her head before shyly reaching her bag. "I'll pay..."

Chloe reached and gave a soft slap behind her head. "No, you don't! I'll pay! errr... eventually."

"Hey!" Max growled as she rubbed her head. "Back in my life for barely a month and she already broke me into pieces with her violence!"

Her tone was light as she jokingly complained. The boys and Brooke laughed although with a touch of nervousness at the slight play between the girls. Steph, though, bit her lip, her eyes darting toward Chloe remembering how strongly the punk had expressed her guilt and devastation over Max' injuries during their talk after the previous gaming session.

Chloe said nothing as she sat back beside Max, her jaw clenched, lips ticking nervously. She silently moved an arm in front of Max and placed one of the small boxes in front of the girl.

"There you go... Nerd." Chloe's voice tried to be cheerful but carried a slight hint of angst which betrayed that Max' joke had upset her.

Max didn't react to it, though. She stared at the small transparent plastic box holding a set of pink colored, translucid gaming dices. Her hands stopped rubbing the back of her head as she slowly looked at the bluenette who had started opening a similar box.

"Err... Thank you." She softly said.

Without looking at Max, Chloe just waved a hand dismissively. Max kept staring at the box reaching slowly toward it as she carefully started to open it as if she opened a treasure.

Chloe finished opening her own box and set a group of translucid sapphire colored dices in front of her. "Hope pink's still your favorite color." she grumbled without looking at her friend.

I can't believe you remember that, Chloe!

Max nodded softly. «Yes... Thank you."

Max felt the tension around the table decrease slightly, as if everyone had held their breath a moment waiting to see the girl's reactions and had simultaneously sighed in relief. She extracted the dices looking at them as she placed them carefully on the table in front of her.

"Okay. Before we start, Max, can you tell me what kind of character you usually play? I mean are you more the battling warrior rushing into danger like Chloe? Or, the careful mage?" Steph looked up from a series of sheets she had behind her screen.

Chloe scoffed softly. "Max not really the warrior or rush without thinking kind! well recent event excepted."

"Hey! That's not true! I always kicked your ass when we played pirates!" Max complained reaching to slap Chloe's arm as the bluenette stuck her tongue out. "But... Well yeah more the quiet careful kind. Like a ninja..."

Steph pondered a moment. "Well, no real ninja in Star Wars... not on the good side at least and I don’t see you as a Sith." She smiled at the brunette. "How about one of those? I got a Jedi Consular or a Jedi Sentinel. I had them set so that the Consular is a Miralukan and the Sentinel is a Togrutan, but we could always switch that."

Max pondered a moment. "I'm not sure if I remember correctly... Togrutans are like Ashoka, right?" Everyone around the table nodded. "What about Miralukans?"

Warren frowned. "You'll have to give your nerd card back for that one Max! Miralukans are the blind folks. They look human but have no eyes."

Max lips formed an 'o' as she made the connection. "Oh yes! Sorry, I never really remember the names of the races."

Steph nodded. "Okay so which one you want?"

The brunette pondered a moment. "If I remember, consulars are the long-range power specialized Jedis and the sentinels are the more fighting skills and power balanced kind, right?" Once again everyone nodded.

Chloe smirked. "I bet she takes consular!" Which was seconded by Warren and Mickey quite fast, while the others just shrugged.

Max pondered a moment. "Do I get to choose some of the equipment? Weapons at least?"

Steph thought a moment. "Well it depends... consulars are more one handed light saber orientated and will probably lack the dexterity stats for a dual wield."

Max nodded. "Of course."

Steph sighed. "What you all think?"

Everyone shrugged but Chloe frowned. "Hey when you gave me Calamastia, I didn't get to choose!"

Mickey smirked. "True but you didn't ask either!"

Chloe growled and waved a hand dismissingly as she started to pout. "Fine, whatever!"

Max chuckled softly at her friend's antic.

Chloe never liked to lose!

Steph nodded softly. "Okay." she started as she handed Max a blank sheet of paper. "I'll let you choose what kind of lightsaber style you want - dual blade, dual wield, one handed blade, tow handed blade - the description of the weapon or weapons, and the clothing. You cannot choose the stats or any other items you may have in your inventory."

Max nodded with a smile as she took the paper and said. "Then I want a Miralukan sentinel!" She said sticking her tongue out at Chloe and the boys.

"Who are you and what have you done to my Maxine! That girl always played a mage class before!" she said with an exaggerated shock.

Max smirked. "I recently learned I could also stepped to the front line."

Steph smiled and made a few changes on a sheet of paper before handing it over. "Okay here it is, you got a basic background, but you will be able to improve it and chose your name when we introduce you. I'll let you choose the powers and skills you want but you can only buy what the amount of SP you got on the sheet allows you to."

Max nodded after reading the quick background and quickly put some notes on the blank sheet before returning it to Steph.

The girl read it quickly and smirked. "I see... Should be interesting." She set the paper down and looked around the table before she nodded. "Okay, let’s go then. Max I'm sorry but you will have to wait a bit for them to cross your path. Take the time to think about your introduction while you can."

The boys smiled, and Chloe slapped a hand on the table as she exclaimed. "Ha! You totally have to make it hella epic Maximus!"

Max nodded softly as Steph continued. "Now if everyone's ready, we paused last time as you reached the base of Darth Jeversius after defeating the guards covering the grounds from the spaceport to the large gate."

Max started to think of a cool name as Steph continued to recount the previous sessions.

"Now War'rowh and Bro'oke," she pointed at Warren and Brooke, "cracked the security lock and alarm. And we were all looking forward to know how our Mandalorian Warrior Calarien will act."

Chloe pondered a moment tapping her fingers on the table as she looked at her character sheet. "I open the door just a tiny bit and throw a grenade inside." She threw her dice proud of her decision. "Yes! 17!"

As Chloe bounced on her chair, Steph smiled and looked at her charts behind the screen. "The grenade bounce a few times before exploding, killing the four guards in the entrance..." Chloe woohooed raising her arms in victory.

Dog Chloe you are such a dork!

"... and jamming the doors." Steph finished cutting Chloe's antics short making the other chuckle. "Durgarooow?"

She looked at Drew who smiled and answered. "Yes?"

Mickey slapped his arm. "Dude! Don't break character!"

Drew sighed and grunted as he tried to change his voice. "Braaaahhhoooo!"

Everyone laughed as Max looked confused. Drew looked at her and looked apologetic as he pointed at his brother. "He made me a Wookie..."

Max chuckled as Mickey beamed happily. "I tried to have Chloe be one too, but she didn't want."

Max giggled. "Oh, thank Dog! I don't wanna imagine her as a hairy person!"

Chloe paused a moment and leaned toward Warren to whisper loud enough for everyone to hear. "Dude! I need to borrow your razor!"

Everyone laughed before Steph raised a hand. "Okay Durgarooow, your turn! And you can talk English for that."

Drew rolled his eyes. "Thank god for that! Okay... I try to force one of the door panels open." He threw a red dice and crossed his fingers. "18! Woot!"

Steph smiled. "You manage to open the door but cut your hand... err... paw... no, hand on the sharp edge of the door. Take 2 damages. Eli Wan, you're up!"

Mickey nodded and scratched his head. "I use the force to sense forward as we advance."

Steph threw a dice as Mickey did too. "Err... 4... Damned..." The boy seemed bummed and Max felt a bit sorry as she saw him take it rather bad. Steph smiled comfortingly. "Sorry, but you feel nothing."

She looked at all of them and kept going. "Okay, you follow the corridor until you reach a crossing. All of you throw a dice."

They all did, and Max joined them for the fun of it.

"Dude why you threw your dice? You not even with us!" Chloe said cheerfully as she reached to wrap an arm around her shoulder.

"She said all of us, Doofus!" Max responded poking Chloe's side

Steph shook her head at the two girls while she looked at the results. "A battle droid appear in each of the corridor leading to the intersection. Eli Wan, Bro'oke, War'rowh and Durgarooow managed to dodge the first salvo. Calarien is hit..." She threw another dice. "In the buttocks! takes 4 damages!"

Chloe groaned. "Shit! now I got 2 assholes!"

Bro'oke looked at her sheet and pondered a moment before saying "I toss an electronic shock grenade on the droid on the right." She tossed her dice and made a pumping motion as she saw the dice land a 20. "Yush Critical!"

Wow it's probably the most expressive I ever seen her!

Steph whistled softly. "The grenade destroys the circuits from the droid who's dying finger clench on his blaster trigger sending a salvo that damages the sensors of the droid on the opposite corridor as it falls."

Warren high-fived his neighbor and looked at his skill sheet. "I... Shoot Overcharged blast at the droid behind us!" He threw his dice and crossed his fingers. "15... not that good." He threw the dices for damages and smiled, "yes maximum damages!"

Chloe elbowed Max. "He called for you!"

Steph nodded. "The droid is hit center body. Burn marks appears and he staggers before standing up again. But he lost track of his target and will pass his turn."

Chloe rubbed her hands. "I use booster charge on the sucker who shot my fine little butt!" She threw her nice blue dice on the table. "Urg 12..."

Steph threw a dice and nodded. "Glancing hit throw your sword damages divided by two."

Chloe threw the dices. "Fuck are you kidding me! I fucking got my Irish lucky charm beside me!" She looked at Max... "Yeah well I have to change it, it seems."

Steph pursed her lips. "The sword cut one arm of the droid sending sparks in the room, but the droid remains on his feet."

Drew pondered a moment. "I use triple blast on the blind droid!" He tossed his dice and made a spiking gesture. "Hell yeah 18!" Chloe gave him the middle finger as he prepared to toss the damage dices.

Steph nodded at the results. "The head of the droid blows up and his body falls lifeless."

Mickey high-fived his brother and quickly said. "I use Force wave on that last droid!" He threw his dice. "Yes 19!"

Chloe grunted. "Max you really killing my game!"

"The droid is tossed to the doors hitting the still closed panel and is sliced in two by the edge."

Everyone cheered at the victory.

"Okay you have a choice to go left or right."

Mickey pondered a moment "Can I force scan again?" And Steph shook her head. "Sorry you need to wait a bit more."

Brooke smiled. "I use my scanner pad!" She tossed her dice and woot happily at the 20.

"Dude! How you do two in a row! I'm sure you got loaded dice!" Chloe complained.

Steph frowned a bit unhappy as she clearly wanted to surprise the group. "Okay the scan shows a lot of energy signs on the left, that would correspond to about 20 battle droids in charge mode."

Chloe waved a hand and simply said. "Pass!"

Steph smiled and kept going. "On the right you detect several energy readings corresponding to machinery, one droid and a weak life sign."

Chloe raised her hand. "We totally go to the right, right?"

The others nodded, and Steph smiled.

"You arrive to a door with a codded lock. It seemed to be reinforced like leading to a prison."

Mickey smiled. "I use my lightsaber to cut it open!"

Steph smirked evilly. "A second blast door slams over the first one."

"Crap!" He sighed and waved to Warren and Brooke. "Okay pickers... time to hack!"

Warren looked at Brooke. "Can I?" and the girl nodded silently.

Warren smiled happily and tossed his dice. "NOO!" he moaned as the dice stopped rolling on a 1.

Steph smiled. "Your computer takes triggers a defense mechanism that makes it take a surge. You are thrown back by the blast. Reflex throw everyone."

They all tossed their dices and Chloe grunted as she hit the lowest score. "Again!"

"War'rowh crashes into Calarien... Another throw Chloe to see if you can get your sword away on time."

Warren's eyes opened wide. "I'm so dead!"

Chloe looked at her dice. "Come on! You're one toss away from ending in the trash can little dice!" She then whooped happily. "How about that! 20!"

Steph nodded. "Calarien manages to pull her sword away the blade impaling the security droid that had been coming killing it. But War'rowh still takes 8 damages from the blast and Calarien 5 from catching the flying Bothan."

Chloe looked at Warren pointing her eyes with her fingers before pointing them at Warren. "I swear Warren! You hella gonna regret this!"

Everyone chuckled.

Brooke had more luck with the hacking and Steph announced the doors opening. Everyone cheered as they entered the room.

"You find yourself in a torture room. On a rack hang a Miralukan... Max toss a dice."

Max did frowning at the poor 9.

"A Miralukan, in her underwear..." Max blushed heavily. "Her pale skin marred with bruises. A torture droid is in front of her facing away from the group. On the side are several storage units, showing arrays of torturing tools and weapon. On a table you can see what looks like clothing and equipment."

Chloe raised a hand. "I poke the eyes of every males around with my fingers." she said jokingly seconded by Brooke who looked at Warren warily. Chloe smiled and shook her head. "No more seriously, I use descending slash on the droid." She tossed her dice. "Booyahh 19!"

Steph nodded. "The blade slices the droid arm and part of his body, sending sparks around. The droid starts to turn."

Max pondered and asked. "Am I conscious?" Steph nodded, and Max smirked. "I cast Force Lightning on the droid." She tossed her dice as Mickey frowned. "Dude! That's a Sith power!"

Max smiled. "It’s a Force Power, nothing says it's only for the Sith! And I got 17."

Steph nodded. "The droids convulses as lightnings cracks from the Miralukan's fingers turning his circuits into scrap."

Mickey pondered a moment. "I look at the torture rack to see how the Miralukan is attached."

Steph reached for a paper in behind her screen and nodded. "You see that forcefield shackles are holding her wrists and ankles tightly to the rack, making it impossible for her to move."

Max felt her heart starting to pound madly, her breath shortening as if something started to crush her chest, her head starting to hurt. She started to reach with a hand rubbing her wrist as her head insisted to tell her there was duct tape around them again.

God no! Not this! Not this!

Chapter Text

The girl's voice had started fading as she described the predicament of the role-playing game character. Soon another voice started to resonate in Max' head. A creepy, demented voice Max would give almost everything to forget.

"Maaaax! Look at you the porcelain skin, the soft curves as shy as their owners, like an innocent flower awaiting to be plucked!"

No, I gotta stay in the present! It's just a memory! Just a fucking memory brought out by a fucking game!

She closed her eyes muttering and muttering that truth in her head again and again.

"Aww Max... Please do show me your pretty eyes... I need to see them if I want to catch the moment they will express your troubling heart, the fear, despair!"

This is not real! This is not real! that jackass is dead! David killed him!

She heard the clicking of the camera, saw the lightnings of flashes through her eyelids. She tried to fight her fears, tried to fight the panic. She tried to move to prove herself it was just a dream. But all she could do is feel the restraints on her wrists, the plastic of the duct tape holding her arms together the cold of the floor she was laying on, on her skin.

The sensations grew stronger and stronger, more and more real in her mind. She slowly opened her eyes looking around. The tattoo and gaming store had been replaced by the cold concrete walls of a bunker dimly lit by sort red spots. She was laying on a white drape, covering the cold floor. She looked at her body, seeing her pale naked skin, only covered by her plain white cotton panties. She curled trying to cover her chest with her arms while she twisted her arms trying to claw the tape off.

"Yeah like this! the buildup of the panic, the embarrassment, the flush in the delicate skin! Oh, I can't wait for the moment the panic turns to despair!"

She saw the flashes lighting up the room, drawing shades on her skin as the camera clicked again and again in rapid salvo as she felt the presence of Jefferson moving around her.

I got to go away from here! I gotta run!

She frantically twisted her wrists working her nails at the grey band holding her, sobbing and whimpering.

"Oh Max, look at you! So shy, so fragile! You and your quietness, just like a doll!"

She felt something brushing her shoulder and she squeaked trying to move away as she kept fighting her restraints.

"Max? ... what are you doing?" The voice was soft but still filled with drooling sleezy depravation in it. The touch she felt along her arm was sickening and she tried to move away.

"Max... Stop!" She started to claw at the duct tape like a demented wolverine in vain.

"MAX! You got to stop!" She was shaken softly. She whimpered and shook her head concentrating, trying to ignore the mad man.

I can't stop I got to escape quick! I got to go back to Chloe!

"Stop it Max!" She felt a stronger shudder as the hands gripped her arms with more strength, her vision blurring as the voice started sounding slightly different.

"MAX!"

She closed her eyes shaking her eyes as she whimpered and sobbed.

"MAX! Your hurting yourself!"

What?

"Max! Stop it!" She opened her eyes and blinked a few times as she saw a blue blurriness slowly turning clearer.

The blurriness shook her more and more making her head wiggle around. "MAX! Listen to me!"

Her vision started to clear, the voice calling her turning more feminine, more worried.

"Max! For fuck sake! stop!"

She felt something pulling trying to pry her arms apart. She blinked again and again.

"Chloe?" she whimpered.

Steph reached for a paper in behind her screen and nodded. "You see that forcefield shackles are holding her wrists and ankles tightly to the rack, making it impossible for her to move."

God! If she had freckles it would be so hawt!

Chloe felt her lips curling slightly at the picture drawn by Steph. She saw Mickey looking around. "What should we do? I mean we don't know her so freeing her might be dangerous."

Chloe frowned. "Dude! if we don't free her she won't be able to play!"

Warren nodded. "Yeah man! Let Max play!"

Steph smiled "Yeah it's the goal of today after all!"

Chloe nodded enthusiastically turning to look at her friend with a smile. What she saw froze her blood.

The girl was pale, her eyes wide open starring at nothing, absent. Slowly she realized the girl's breathing was short and quick.

"Max?" She asked softly reaching to pat the brunette's shoulder.

Max didn't react, she just panted nervously and kept scratching her wrist with her fingers, nails drawing lines on her skin.

"Max you okay?"

The worry in her voice attracted everyone's attention. The bickering between the boys stopped, every eye turned toward Max as Chloe started to shake the brunette's shoulder softly.

"What's wrong?" Warren asked with a worried frown.

Drew reached hesitantly waving a hand in front of the inanimate blue eyes. "She looks... like she is having a stroke."

Max' breathing turned louder and more panicked, filled with strain and urgency. Her small hands frantically clawing at her wrist as if trying to get rid of something.

"Max? What are you doing?" Chloe's felt her hear sink as she noticed the small scraps appearing on the girl's wrists.

Brooke frowned and stood up walking around the table. "She's having a panic attack." The girl went to crouch by Max reaching a hand on Max' forehead.

Chloe reached with her hands, taking Max' shoulders softly as she started to shake her. "MAX! You got to stop!"

But the girl stayed unresponsive, just twisting her arms close to her as she frantically claws her skin.

"Max!" Chloe felt dread starting to fill her veins as she saw her friend's face, pale, lost somewhere far away from her.

"Shit! She's bleeding!" Drew reached quickly for Max' arms but couldn't slip his hands to catch them as the girl's twisting and clawing increased.

Steph jumped to her feet and ran toward the back of her store while Chloe felt tears in her eyes at the sight of the few scarlet pearls appearing on her friend's wrist.

"MAX! Your hurting yourself!" She almost shrieked as she shook her friend more vigorously hoping to make snap out of her nightmare. "Max! Stop it!"

The brunette's eyes blinked, her face twitching as Chloe kept shaking her. "MAX! Listen to me!"

Steph came back to the table placing gauzes and a disinfectant spray from the tattooing and piercing stations, on the wooden surface. "Thank god I'm fully stocked on those!" she softly said her eyes watching the girl. "Drew try to grab her arms, just be careful not to break anything."

The dark-skinned boy nodded as he did his best to duck under the punk who kept calling her friend.

"Max! For fuck sake! stop!"

"Gotcha!" he breathed as he finally caught the girl's wrist and started to pry them apart.

Chloe stared at her friend's face feeling the girl's body shivering in her hands. The brunette’s eyes blinked more and more, her breathing getting steadier, more regular.

"Chloe?"

The whimper in Max' voice was heart breaking. Chloe reached to hug her friend, pressing the brunettes head to her chest as she slowly started to caress her mousy hair.

"God Max! It's okay Max, you're safe with me okay!" She started to say.

Chloe felt a hand on her shoulder and looked to her side seeing Steph giving her a faint smile. "Chloe, we need to treat her wrists and with you holding her it's a bit weird."

The bluenette looked down and noticed Drew had turned red, his face turned away as one of his arms was trapped between Chloe's belly and the wheelchair's armrest.

"Oh..." Chloe blushed a bit and moved aside still holding Max, feeling the brunette shuddering with soft sobs. She felt her tank top growing damp on her skin and she leaned to whisper in Max' hair. "It's okay Max... please don't cry... It's all okay."

She watched as Steph and Drew started to tend to the girl's self-inflicted wounds, her eyes lingering at the raw cuts on the fragile looking arms. It didn't look that deep but the way it had happened made Chloe wince.

"I'm so sorry Chloe..." The brunette cried in her chest as she kept soothing her.

"It's okay Max... Just a little scare... I'd rather you cooled down on those but it's okay."

She tried to keep her voice soft and soothing, to be strong for her friend, but she knew some of her fear and worries were transmitted with her words.

Shit Max! What the hell is going on with you! What is happening in that hella cute head of yours to make you lose it like that!

Chloe leaned kissing her friend's head softly as she kept caressing her hair comfortingly.

The first real sensation confirming she was back, was the sting of the antibacterial spray on her wrists. She winced softly, burying her face in Chloe's breast as she tried to gather the broken parts of her psyche.

Dog! I'm such a mess! I can't be like that! I can't stay like that! I'm so broken...

For a moment she just stayed there crying her pain, her worries, her dark thoughts away while she felt the warm embrace of the one person she really cared about. Minutes passed slowly and after the agitation that had buzzed around her uncomfortable silence filled the store again.

Fuck! I'll have to explain why I broke down like that... I just don't want to...

She took more time, composing herself now that tears had stopped. She dreaded facing the small group, having to face their questions. Hell, she was scared of Chloe's reaction too. She couldn't explain what had happened, explain that in a parallel universe or timeline or whatever, she had experienced the tortures and degradations suffered by several others at the hands of psychopath Jefferson.

Even if I don't talk about the Time travel component, it would fucking bring out too many interrogations and problems!

She took a deep breath, inhaling the comforting scent of her best friend.

Well! Here goes nothing!

She slowly pulled away from Chloe, reaching to push a hand on the punk's belly. The girl hesitantly let go of her, loosening her hug and looking down at her.

"You okay, Max?"

Max nodded, her heart fluttering slightly at the concern in her friend's voice. "Yeah... Sorry."

She took a quick glance at the blue-haired girl's face, seeing the crease forming as her brows deepened down.

"You scared the hell out of us Max! What the hell happened? Where did that come from?"

Max looked around, seeing that Chloe's words were showing on everyone's face.

Warren nodded softly, his brown eyes scanning her as if trying to gauge her sanity. "Yeah, Max... It's... scary, dude! I mean ..."

Max looked down biting her lip. She looked at the Band-aids on her arms and quickly pulled her hoodie's sleeves down as she stuttered. "It's... nothing."

To her surprise, it was Brooke's voice that called her lie. "A panic attack isn't nothing, Max!"

Max winced, closing her eyes.

Shit! I wish they'd just let it go!

"Something must have triggered it, please tell us Max... We want to help!"

Max shook her head, her voice weaker. "I... I don't know..."

Chloe's voice barked. "Don't fucking bullshit us Max!"

The brunette recoiled at the tone. "You know what happened Max! You do know you just don't wanna talk! It's the same with everything since you been back Max!"

Max sighed. "Chloe I really..."

Chloe groaned with frustration. "Stop! Don't try to avoid the question for fuck sake!" Max saw the bluenette's hand reaching for her arm. "You fucking hurt yourself Max! It can't be nothing!"

Max felt panic settling in her head.

Dog! I gotta find a way out!

She looked at each of the person around the table searching someone who would support her, let her keep her secrets despite Chloe's insistence. But all she found was either worry or interrogations.

They all think I'm a freak! God I gotta do something!

In the back of her head, she heard a soft tantalizing voice slowly raising.

You can erase all of this, make it like it had not happened you know? It would be so easy!

Max shook her head softly trying to ignore the voice, trying the ignore the lure of a siren's song.

Come on, Maxine, it's not a big deal! Just a few minutes, it won't be the end of the world!

Max closed her eyes, struggling internally as she started to debate with herself.

I can't! I can't take that risk!

What risk Maxine? It's not like you would change history! It's just a few words without consequences!

No... No, you can't know! You can't control the consequences!

Max, at the moment you do not even control your life! Your fears control you! You got to regain that control! Show that you are not scared! Go on! just a few minutes! Show them you are controlling your life again!

Max groaned internally, feeling like some Sith was trying to lure her to the dark side, like a demon was trying to get her sell her soul. She wanted to resist it, resist the easy way out. She wanted to be strong, to stop being a coward.

"So! Tell us Max! What is it!"

Chloe's voice gave her no real choice though. The mixture of anger, exhaustion and fear in the punk's voice weakening her resolve.

Max shook her head softly, tears at the corner of her eyes. "I am so sorry!" she whimpered as she rose a hand.

"What are you so-"

She bit her lip and concentrated searching for her mental grip on Time itself, and she pulled.

As she reopened her eyes, she saw Chloe, Warren, Brooke, Steph, Mickey and Drew starting to move in silence as they slowly replayed the events backward. The further she got the faster the rewind went, and the stronger the pain that had started as a soft poke at the back of her brain turned.

She still couldn't let go yet. She had only backed up to when the group was around she kept going, feeling like a red-hot needle was pushing through her skull, she now witnessed what happened in the room during her black-out. How Brooke had moved to check on her, how Chloe had started to shake her, how Drew had tried to catch her arms to pry them apart.

She witnessed the bickering between Warren and Mickey before even Chloe had realized what was happening to the brunette, the sneer on Brooke's lips as her boyfriend argued, the rolling eyes of the Football player as his little brother tried to make his point.

She slowed her rewind down, trying to catch the good moment to let it go, just before the triggering description that had taken her by surprise and brought back the nightmare.

Dog! I hope I won’t relapse!

She reached the moment when she last threw her dice. She quickly stopped rewinding letting the dice roll.

"Dude! That's a Sith power!"

Max forced herself to smile like she had done before. "It's a Force Power, nothing says it's only for the Sith! And I got 17."

Steph nodded. "The droids convulses as lightnings cracks from the Miralukan's fingers turning his circuits into scrap."

Mickey pondered a moment. "I look at the torture rack to see how the Miralukan is attached."

Steph reached for a paper in behind her screen and nodded. "You see that forcefield shackles are holding her wrists and ankles tightly to the rack, making it impossible for her to move."

Max bit her lip concentrating on the other players. She felt the darkness in her starting to creep up and she pushed her mental hands down on it hard to bury it.

She heard Mickey asking "What should we do? I mean we don't know her so freeing her might be dangerous."

Chloe frowned. "Dude! if we don't free her she won't be able to play!"

Warren nodded. "Yeah man! Let Max play!"

Steph smiled "Yeah it's the goal of today after all!"

Max took the opportunity to latch on the conversation so as to push the bad thoughts away. She rose a hand carefully swiping it between her and Mickey as she said in a dark voice. "You want to free me!"

Everyone around the table chuckled softly only to laugh loudly as Mickey feigned a dreamy face, eyes looking at the wall behind Max, half closed, as he slowly says in a half sleepy voice. "I want to free you..."

Chapter Text

Saturday, October 12^th, 2013

I did it! I changed fate! I saved Chloe! Oh, Dog I can't believe it! Chloe alive, no storm, Jeffershit dead! Wowser! What more could I ask for!

Yes, it wasn't free... I got hurt pretty bad I guess... And I'm sure the wheelchair is going to be pretty frustrating even if the doc says it'll be only temporary. But shit! If it means Chloe fucking Price is alive, it's a very cheap price! In a way the Price is right!

Now, it seems I been dead quite a few times this week. At least by judging how my parents hover around me. I been at least once, and it probably wasn't pretty because Chloe seemed pretty messed up about it.

Dog Chloe! The first thing I heard waking up... Her voice calling me! Saying she needed me! I know I had planned on dying in that bathroom. I wanted to take her place. I mean, I couldn't live without her anyway, so I might as well die and let her live. But hearing her voice calling... I just couldn't do it! I had to go back to her! You're a fucking siren Chloe Price!

We also had our first talk in five fucking years! Wowser! I have to admit I was a bit scared. I mean, chances were that Chloe would not remember our week together... And be fucking angry at me for my five years incommunicado... If only... I could tell her why I been silent... Maybe she'd understand... Or maybe not... Chloe always been headstrong and stubborn! Like when she blew up those dolls in her bedroom, or when she went all cold killer like to hunt Nathan. But also, fragile, like she did her best to avoid the discussion about me leaving, or when she collapsed when we found Rachel.

I think she got more upset about my injuries than I am... But then I guess she is as upset about them than I was about her death.

Shit I should probably hide this diary... Maybe get a strong lock on it...

Anyway, she was scared I would leave again... I can understand that. I mean, I'm scared mom will push it so far as to have me transferred in my sleep! I wish she'd understand though. I mean, true it's not the real reason why I want to stay in Aracadia Bay. But the shit about needing to face the difficulties, to fight my way and net let the bastard grind me down is also true.

I only told Chloe why I refused to leave. That I was staying for someone. I didn't want to tell her who... Because well, what about the memories we don't share and all... But Chloe being Chloe, she had to tease the information out of me. That punk wringed out a coming out confession, although I'm not really sure I’d define myself as being Gay... I mean, it's not like I been secretly looking every girl up and down in the dorm's showers. And I'm sure I'd have enjoyed a hell of a show, between Dana, Juliet, Kate, Victoria, Taylor, Courtney, hell even Brooke... It would have been like real gay porn fest! They are all stunning! Okay maybe I'm gay! Or at least Bi!

Anyway, I had hoped Chloe would just give it up at that... But, the jerk kept asking which girl! So... I confessed... Yeah Chloe Price! If you ever read this I did say it! I FUCKING LOVE YOU, you jerk!

Not that it makes my life better... She fucking ran on me... Blurted words and ran... I'm sure she even smoked the roadrunner with the speed she had.

Dog Chloe I wish you had said something! Why you left me hanging like that! I fucking hope I didn't mess that part of you up... that you do love me like you did. Because I'm not sure I could live without you doing so...

Dana: OMG OMG OMG! MAAXX
Max: What?
Dana: Don't fucking do that ever again!
Max: do what?
Dana: Jump in front of a bullet!
Max: Shit! And me who wanted to become a bodyguard like Kevin Costner!
Dana: MAX!
Max: And IIIIII Will always...
Dana: you suck Max!
Max: Actually, no I don't. I just found out I'm more the eating kind.
Dana: 0.o

Warren: Hey Max... I'm ... so sorry about inviting you to a dance.
Warren: I didn't realize you, couldn't walk anymore.
Max: don't worry. I didn't tell and it's not like I had a billboard to advertise it either.
Warren: Well Brooke found out.
Max: Brooke is secretly a cybernetic android with scanners and freaking quantum computers in her brain!
Warren: Hey don't diss my girlfriend!
Warren: Although...
Max: yeah right.
Max: Anyway now, she fucking killed my surprise...
Warren: How so?
Max: well I wanted everyone to see how far I was ready to go to be like your favorite scientist!
Warren: huh?
Max: Yeah like Stephen Hawking!
Warren: ewh.. sorry but your far more pretty!
Max: Well sorry but I draw the line at taking the bullet in the face!

Mom: Maxine, you okay?
Max: Mom you been gone for like 5 minutes!
Mom: Well I worry! You're my daughter!
Max: Yes, yes. But I'm not going to die just because you left the room for 10 minutes!
Mom: With how erratic you did last week I never know!
Mom: I love you so much Maxine.
Max: I know mom, I love you too!
Mom: I loved you from the moment I gave you birth.
Max: Err can we talk about baby delivery when you're not on the toilet please? X(

Kristen: Hey Max! I heard on the news you got shot in your school!
Kristen: OMG! I hope you are okay!
Max: Hey Kristen. Yeah, I'm okay! I'm rolling great!
Kristen: God I'm glad to hear it.
Max: Thanks! And don't worry everything is just rolling here.
Kristen: Ok, please give us news!
Max: Sure, I'll keep them rolling!
Kristen: what's with all the rolling?
Max: Well hard to do anything else in a wheelchair:/
Kristen: Fuck!

Dear Diary,

Things been so strange lately. I can't believe everything happened. I feel like the world is just ... Collapsing around me. Nathan shot Maxine last Monday! Fuck I know I hated the girl and her hipstery no care for people's thought, her blindness at how much Mark dotted on her and all. God, I might even have hoped she had an accident or something... But not like this... Fuck, I can't believe Nathan snapped like that and shot someone. I feel so bad about it! Caulfield probably think I asked Nathan to do it too... She knows I don't like her... Or didn't like her... Shit...

Truth is, I'm so jealous of her! She got everything! She's so talented, so courageous! Oh she act shy but the girl just don't care if people don't like her! I wish I was like that! And Mark just kept talking about her! Well, I'm not really jealous about that part anymore...

I still can't believe it... How sick that piece of shit really was! Who fucking drug and kidnap girls just to take fucking pervy pictures... Although not sure pervy is the word... The guy never made a move to undress me... No... Pervy definitively the word! Sick and Crazy are others! God I'm so glad cops found me in time!

Still I feel something is broken in me. I get so many nightmares! I keep hearing his voice, seeing the flashes, everything... It's like some ... slide show presentation in my head all the time... I can't even take pictures anymore... In fact, if it weren't for Kate... I'd probably be unable to sleep at all! I'd be a wreck... might even have killed myself already!

Shit! Another great Chase's fuck up! Katherine Marsh... I can't say how sorry I am! I can't even believe I did that to you, and you, you just came and forgave me like it was nothing! I wouldn't fucking forgive myself in your place! Hell! I'm the one who did it and I can't forgive myself! But you? You, just smile at me, hold me, help me as if we always been friends! Are you really human?! It's not fucking possible! You can't be! You got to be an Angel! Or even God herself!

And what am I going to do about her? I keep watching her, trying to make sure she is safe, and well. I can't help it! I haven't been fucking able to sleep when she's not in the room! Worst, I ended up sleeping in arms a few times already! I felt so safe there! So loved! WTF?! The girl is a fucking Christian! And I'm starting to have feelings for her! I'm a fucking girl and I'm starting to have feelings for another girl! A fucking religious one from a religious family!
I fucking hope it's just some Stockholm syndrome!

Didn't help she was in the room next door though... I hope the fact she has moved to another wing helps... Who am I kidding... I'm just a fucking insecure mess!

Okay I got to hide this before Tay and Courtney find it!

Bye!

Kate: Hey Victoria!
Victoria: Hi Kate! Sorry I left the room before you woke up again!
Kate: No, it's okay! Really
Victoria: And thanks for understanding.
Kate: It's normal.
Kate: Did you have a good night?
Victoria: Yes... Just...
Kate: what? did you get nightmare?
Victoria: oh! No! no! no!
Victoria: Just I didn't want to get up.
Victoria: I mean, the alarm interrupted a nice dream!
Kate: Oh... That's bad! we need good dreams to forget the bad ones!
Victoria: Yeah...
Victoria: Anyway, thanks again for letting me spend the night.
Kate: it's really no problem
Kate: let me know if you ever need to sleep with me again :)

Kate: Victoria are you okay? I heard you fall and scream through the wall!
Victoria: yeah, I'm ok!
Victoria: just tripped on my coffee table

Taylor: Hey Tori!
Taylor: Where were you last night!
Victoria: Hi Tay. When?
Taylor: dunno around 1 am.
Taylor: I came to see you, but you were not in your room.
Victoria: Oh yeah! I needed a breather and I snuck out for a smoke.
Taylor: In the rain and storm?
Victoria: Yeah I got stuck under cover for a while
Taylor: cover?
Victoria: yeah the roof over the bicycles park.
Victoria: What did you want?
Taylor: uh?
Victoria: last night, when you came to my room.
Taylor: Oh I wanted to know if you could take me to visit my mom today.
Victoria: sure no problem.

Steph: Hey Chloe! Hope you enjoyed the game!
Chloe: Yeah It was fun!
Chloe: I just can't even get over that Mickey got Drew to be a Wookie!
Steph: Yeah well, he tried to get everyone to play a Wookie!
Chloe: Fuck! Brooke as a Wookie would be hella weird!
Steph: Oh god yes!
Chloe: And Warren? A Wookie? He's way too soft! The guy more like an Ewok maybe!
Steph: Say the girl who kept daydreaming about her old recently returned friend kissing her in the school bathroom.
Chloe: Shut up!
Steph: Did you go see her yet?
Chloe: ... Nope...
Steph: Chloe...
Chloe: Steph...
Steph: Fine!
Steph: But don't cry if I get to her first!
Chloe: KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY GIRL!

Friday November 1^st, 2013

out of the Hospital at last! And ... Back to Blackwell... Or Blackhell like Chloe used and probably still call it. Oh yeah, after nearly a month of silence and ignoring me while living barely 10 or 20 minutes away, Chloe Price finally showed up at the hospital... To take me back to school.

Awkward moment alert... Really... I felt pissed... I felt like she came only because she felt guilty. Told her if it was the case I didn't want her help. I still don't... I want her to be with me because she wants to... Okay I want her to love me okay!

Anyway, we talked... Or tried to... She wants to be just friends for now... And all the king’s men and horses couldn't put Max' heart together again. Well it's not that bad but still, to be there beside her without being able to kiss her. So frustrating!

Another surprise: she took me to the Halloween party! So, there we were wearing pirate’s hats, riding my wheelchair through the gym while Chloe kept proclaiming that we were back and all to rob them all! ARRRGGG
I missed that. To be foolish with her again as when we were kid!

It was nice to see everyone too! Okay it was embarrassing that Dana had organized stuff, so no one could miss my entrance. Really girl chill down! I'm not a star I'm just a photographer... A poor one at that!

It was fun though, well if one doesn't mind the "how does it feel to get shot?" questions... No, seriously what's up with that? You see a girl who lost the use of her legs to a gunshot and you hope she says it feels great?

Oh, and Chloe been my knight in shining armor when that jerk kept insisting and I rolled on his foot! Just wish I could have kissed her like in the movies!

Anyway, here we are in my new room! So much space! I hope they let me keep it when I'm done with the wheelchair. And the guys helped move my stuff and set it as it was in my old room too! Maybe I'd want to return to the old room just to be with them again! Luckily Kate moved too so I'm not lonely... And last night I had Chloe with me so ... It was like old times... If we don't acount for the nightmare. Geeze it was a scary one... To be back in the dark room, tied up, forced to watch pictures of Chloe dying again and again...

Okay let’s stay cheerful and concentrate on the good points... like... I did end up sleeping in her perfect arms! Wish I had a Chloe-bear to cuddle with every night though...

Max: Bored!
Chloe: You are in class! Learn!
Max: Boring!
Chloe: Max I'll call David!
Max: errr... sorry I'm in class!

Steph: Chloe!
Steph: Gaming afternoon, Saturday, You, me the gang
Steph: We continue the Star Wars game
Chloe: I'm... Spending the week end with Max...
Chloe: She'll be staying with me
Steph: YOOOHOOOO! Finally!
Chloe: not like that!
Chloe: just a friendly sleep over!
Steph: *facepalm*
Steph: Anyway, bring her with you! I'm sure everyone will want her to join!
Chloe: I'll ask her.
Steph: Wow not back a week and she's already controlling your life.
Chloe: SHUT UP!

Taylor: Hey Courtney, do you know what's up with Tori and Kate?
Courtney: not really.
Courtney: is there really something there?
Taylor: Tori left us to go talk with her at the party.
Taylor: to talk with KATE FUCKING MARSH!
Courtney: Probably was just mocking her as usual no?
Taylor: She would have taken us with her for that no?
Courtney: Oh well I don't know... Maybe she's just lost it and is trying to become a nun.
Courtney: since Nathan is in jail.

Max: Hey Steph!
Steph: Oh! Hey Max! enjoyed the gaming?
Max: Yes, thanks for the afternoon.
Steph: Good. How you doing?
Max: Okay I think.
Max: say can I ask you how much would piercing costs?
Steph: Why, you planning on getting some?
Max: No, No! Just curious
Steph: I see.
Steph: Well it would depend where you want the piercing.
Steph: ear is 35
Steph: Eyebrow, nose, navel, or tit is 50
Steph: Other parts would be 80.
Steph: And that's only with the basic stud, ring or barbell depending on the position.
Steph: What were you thinking about?
Max: Nothing

Franck: Where is my Money Chloe!
Chloe: Dude chill out please! I swear I'll pay you back!
Franck: It's been months! I want my cash!
Chloe: I got a job now I swear! I'll give you whatever I can this weekend as a deposit and keep paying you back.
Franck: I want my 3gs this weekend! Don't make me come after you!

Chapter Text

The rest of the afternoon had been nice. The game had been cheerful, and most had been impressed by her choices for her character.

Max had smiled as she had started to describe the Miralukan's outfit and weapon, telling how she wore a simple black and red dress with a black with red embroideries head set and veil. She had surprised everyone with the weapon too. Having elected to use a long handle lightsaber that she described as the lightsaber equivalent of the naginata when many had looked at her confused. Not that it had helped so she had resorted to roll to one of the figuring display and had picked up one of a knight or samurai to show the weapon.

They hadn't finished the quest though. As everyone could have expected, Max had called a break after a couple hours. She had trouble since her use of her power, her head throbbing painfully, but she had endured, not wanting to alarm anyone and drag more attention to herself. At some point though she had to relent, and she had just pointed she was exhausted.

"Okay Maxi-pad! Just give me a few for quick smoke and then, we drive back home. That's ok?" Chloe looked at her friend as everyone around the table slowly gathered their belongings. Max nodded as she reached for her pink dices and carefully set them in her bag.

Max had settled back in her chair massaging her temples softly while Chloe had walked out of the store quickly lighting up a cigarette.

"Everything okay between you two?" The soft voice startled the brunette and she quickly looked up to see Steph standing beside her.

"Sure! Chloe's my best friend ever!" Max responded cheerfully with a smile.

Steph shook her head and walked behind the chair starting to push her toward the back of the store. Max was about to argue but Steph simply said. "Max, she told me about your reason to stay in the Bay."

Max closed her mouth with a click as she clenched her jaw. Her hands started to grip the armrest of her chair, knuckle turning white.

Really Chloe?! You can't give me a fucking answer but you gotta out me to everyone around?

She growled as anger and frustration started to rise in her. "Can't she keep her mouth shut instead of outing me to everyone?"

Steph reached and put a hand on Max' shoulder. "Easy tiger. As far as I know, I'm the only one she told."

Max looked at the girl and frowned. "Why?"

Steph giggled softly and walked around the chair to crouch in front of Maxine, reaching to take the brunette's hands in hers. "Well I would suppose she needed a gay opinion."

Max' lips drew a 'o' as the girl in front of her just openly announced her homosexuality. "You are?" she asked rather surprised.

Steph laughed at the surprise. "Why you think she told me to keep my hands away! Although yeah I admit it's been an ongoing joke between us too!"

Max' brain started to shift in to gear, turning and working as it processed the information.

I didn't know Chloe had some gay friends? Wait! She went to talk to her gay friend about me? Does it mean... Wowser!

Max blushed slightly as her brain started to imagine what could have been said between Steph and Chloe. She hesitantly looked at the girl trying to find her words before she softly asked.

"Does... Does she lo..." Max averted her eyes feeling embarrassed.

"That's not for me to say, Max. Just as I won't tell Warren, or Drew or anyone about your feelings. It's something Chloe or you have to announce by yourself." She smiled softly. "What I can do though, is offer to you the same thing than I did to Chloe. Someone you can talk about gay stuff with."

Max looked down frowning a bit. "I... Okay thanks... Although, I'm not sure where I stand on the... gay thing."

Steph nodded. "Well if you want to talk, let me know." She reached in her pocket pulling a small card. "There you go, it's the one for my business of course but the phone listed is my cell phone so, it works."

Max hesitantly took the card and put it in her messenger bag. "Thanks." She looked at the floor a moment, thinking.

I could ask her ... about Chloe... But Dog what if the answer is not what I want?

Max started to fiddle with her fingers nervously and Steph smiled as she walked back behind the chair.

"Is Chloe g..." The brunette started to ask as Steph began to push the chair around, only to choke on her words as she faced the store window. She saw Chloe arguing with a man. He was wearing a black or dark blue beanie, a red shirt and black jacket. His neck showed several tattoos. His hair was somewhere between blond and brown, and he adorned a short unkempt beard. Frank Bowers.

Shit! I forgot about him! Chloe didn't pay him in this time line! Oh god!

Max held her breath a moment as she tried to read the man. His face, hair and clothes showed sign of serious neglect. He obviously hadn't been taking a good care of himself and his erratic moves seemed to indicate the man was either drunk or stoned. Max understood the reasons for the changes in the man's appearance. She probably was the only one that knew the extent of his feelings for Rachel Amber.

I'd be a wreck too if Chloe had died in that bathroom! Dog I wonder if he knows how Rachel died...

She watched as the man pointed a threatening finger at Chloe, feeling anger starting to fill her veins. She did not realize that Steph had stopped pushing her toward the door as they witnessed the scene.

As Frank moved away, Chloe turned and walked through the door, flustered by the encounter. She took a few steps raising her eyes and pausing as she obviously noticed the discomfort on Steph and Max' face. Max saw the punk's lips twitch nervously before she started to walk toward them with a more decided pace.

"Steph! I told you to keep your hands away!" The tone was playful and the chuckle that followed showed she tried to play along the private joke between her and the store owner. But Max was certain she could detect the slight fear in her friend's voice. A slight fear and also a hint of jealousy maybe.

They had parted with the small group without much to say. Using the fact Max had expressed her exhaustion and need for rest, Chloe had quickly departed so as to cut short any attempt to question her about the encounter with Frank.

She was now driving in silence, feeling the eyes of the brunette staring at her. The atmosphere was rather heavy with the smaller girl's unvoiced interrogations and Chloe dreaded the moment her friend would break the silence.

They entered the suburbs, closing in on Chloe's street, when Max finally rose her voice. "Chloe? Who was that guy? What was that discussion about?"

Fuck!

Chloe closed her eyes a moment wincing internally at the question. She had hoped the brunette would not ask, would not get involved in this.

"It's nothing Max... Just an old friend."

She heard the brunette grunt softly before calling her lie with a harder tone. "Don't lie to me Chloe! It was not nothing! I know dispute when I see one Chloe! Why was he threatening you?"

Shit Max! please don't push it! I don't want you to be involved in this!

Chloe sighed as she thought about what to say, trying to find an excuse. She didn't want to lie to Max, but at the same time explaining the situation would be just as bad.

"It's complicated Max... I needed help to pay for a few reparation on my truck, and he was the friend who helped me."

Max frowned at her and Chloe felt her heart sinking at what she imagined was disappointment.

"So, that's it? He just asked for his money?"

Chloe nodded softly biting her lip. "Yeah... To be honest, I thought I'd have found Rachel and that we would have bailed out of here by now so ... I didn't plan on paying him back... I think... that's why he was a bit pissed."

Max turned toward the side window, nodding as if she understood. Chloe started to feel relieved, thinking she had dropped the matter, until she heard the brunette's voice again.

"How much?"

Chloe shook her head, feeling her stomach tightening in her belly.

Fuck, Max! I don't want you to get involved!

"It doesn't matter Max. I'll deal with it don't worry."

The brunette looked at her annoyance on her face. "I said how much, Chloe!"

Chloe growled. "Please Max, I don't want you to get involved with this."

"You don't want me to get involved? The guy threatened my friend! How much do you owe Chloe! Maybe I can help!"

Chloe shook her head her hands clenching on the steering wheel, knuckles turning white. "Max... please... I can't let you-"

"Tell me how much Chloe!"

Chloe shuddered as she felt the determination and fire in her friend snapping response.

"No Max... I won't! I don't want you to get involved in this! It's my problem and I'll deal with it!" She panted a bit as she tried to persuade her friend not to stick her nose too far in this. "The... The guy's not stable... He's drunk most of the time these days and... He can be dangerous even in a good day!"

"Chloe! What..."

"No Max!" Chloe interrupted almost screaming in the car. "I swear to god Max! I don't want you to get hurt again because of my problems! If you value our friendship even a little! You promise me right now that you won't get involved!"

She quickly glanced at Max, noting the shock on her friend's face, the moistness building in her eyes. "Promise me, Max!" She insisted, feeling her own heart being crushed in her chest by her decision and her own words.

"I..." The brunette started hesitantly. Max then turned her head facing away before she said with an empty voice. "I promise."

Chloe hated that voice, the distance, the coldness it expressed. She preferred her friend to be warm and cheerful.

But I have no choice! I don't want her to get hurt again! I have to protect her!

She had been waiting by the entrance for nearly half an hour already, chatting with Courtney and Taylor as she would usually do, although this time it hadn't been usual. She had coerced them into chatting outside instead of just hanging in her room. She had to, because she wanted to talk to someone, to catch the person as she returned from her weekend.

She half listened to Courtney's ranting about the closure of the Vortex Club and the loss of her hobby - organizing parties. Of course, Victoria had told her to join the student council if she still wanted to organize events, but Courtney had whined about sharing the organizations with Dana Ward.

"... It's not that she doesn't have style! She does have! But it's just not the same! Beside all her Parties are freaking alcohol free! It sucks!"

Victoria sighed. "Courtney, it's school organized parties! Of course, you can't have alcohol in a school organized party! None of the students are 21!"

"So, what! Can't we have fun because we are just 18 or so?" Courtney grunted, and Victoria sighed in frustration.

"Not what I said! Just... The school can't admit it in a party they sponsor. It's a legal shit."

Courtney sighed. "I know! It just sucks! And their budget sucks!"

Taylor stayed there, quiet, as she listened to Courtney's ranting. She was just fiddling with her phone. In a way Victoria envied her and her ability to avoid the discussion entirely. Being the center of the group, she couldn't do it totally. Not and avoid attracting attention on the recent changes in her psyche.

It was hard though. She wanted to slap Courtney and tell her to shut her trap. She was actually just seconds from doing so when she finally spotted the person she was waiting for. She stood up waving her hand at her friends. "Stay here." She hurried to the girl slowly rolling her chair on the concrete path.

"Hey! Caulfield! We got to talk!"

The girl stopped pushing on the wheels and looked up at her. Her face was hard, unmoving.

"What do you want?" Her voice was cold, stiff, seething with anger. Victoria almost took a step back, realizing the girl was already pretty upset.

"I want to know what is happening in the new dorm. Why is it you and Kate look like zombies?"

The rest of her stay at the Price-Madsen house had not been good. After the shock of her friend's ultimatum, Max had kept her distance. Chloe had said she didn't want to hurt her, but just that ultimatum had felt like she had ripped her heart out of her chest.

They got home without words, even Mr. Madsen's surprise - a wheelchair borrowed from the VA he apparently visited frequently, to 'facilitate her stay in their house by avoiding the need to move her own chair between floors' - had warmed Max's heart a bit, but she had quickly started to close up again.

She had just made small talk with everyone, emotionless acting. She noticed the worried look on Joyce's face, the twitching cheek of David as he seemed to carefully study her reactions. She did not care. After dinner, Chloe had carried her upstairs, and they had spent the evening, barely chatting as they watched a movie.

Max had no nightmare that night. She had no dream at all. She had spent the night staring at the window, dreading, expecting snow or a storm. The use of her power earlier that day had kept her awake. That and the discussion she and Chloe had in the car.

In the end after another morning of empty small talk, chilling while reading or watching tv, Chloe had driven her back to Blackwell. The drive had been quiet, heavy with lingering tension from the previous day and Max had started to think of her problems, her fears. She remembered the episode she had during the game, how she had been unable to fight off her demons and she had been forced to rewind again.

I can't let that happen again. I got to be stronger! I got to be stronger than all this shit all these pretentious jerks!

She got brought back from her thought when Chloe parked her truck on the school parking.

Parked across the handicapped space again! Dog Chloe!

As Chloe shut down the engine, Max reached to open the doors.

"Max... I... I am sorry about yesterday."

Maxine paused and sighed. "Chloe... You are the most important person to me, I can't... I can't believe you would threaten me or just dumping our friendship!"

The punk girl looked down. "I know... I... I just don't want you to get hurt again Max..."

Max nodded. "I don't want to either of us to get hurt Chloe... But we can't prevent it to happen either... not all the time."

Chloe sighed leaning her head on the steering Wheel. "I know..."

Max bit her lip a moment and then sighed before she reached to punch Chloe's shoulder. "Now, enough with the mushy! It's not like you, Price! Now get out and get my chair out of the truck so I can go get rest for school."

Chloe smirked. "I'll make you pay for that Caulfield!"

"Ouuuhh I'm scared!"

Both girl laughed, although the laughs were slightly forced, then the bluenette stepped out of the truck getting the wheelchair ready as Max slid out of her seat.

As Max got in her chair Chloe reached and hugged her. "Take care of you Maxaroni. I'll call you, so we do something together this week okay?"

Max nodded. "Sure! Anytime Chloala!"

Chloe smiled and ruffled her hair. "Yep, not really there yet Maximus! Now shoo! Go to your books and homework!"

As Max wheeled herself toward the dorm, the punk had got back into her truck and started to drive away. Max paused a moment as she crossed the campus, her mind returning to darker thoughts.

I got to change... To be stronger... for both of us, Chloe...

Max kept moving to the dorm entrance, mulling about her haunting memories, about Frank and the troubles he gave Chloe. She had already decided she would break that promise, that she would do everything to prevent Chloe from getting hurt by him.

As she entered the small park in front of the dormitories, she was seething with anger at the man who had dared threatened her friend. She didn't see the blond girl approaching until her shadow was cast over her.

"Hey! Caulfield! We got to talk!"

Chapter Text

"Hey! Caulfield! We got to talk!"

Max stopped pushing on the wheels and stared up at the blonde standing in front of her.

I don't wanna deal with that bitch right now!

"What do you want?" She snapped back her fingers clenching hard on the rings of her wheelchair's wheel.

Victoria took a step back at her comment, making Max' lips twitch in a slight curve.

The blonde seems to regain her composure quickly and looked down at her, crossing her arms. "I want to know what is happening in the new dorm. Why is it you and Kate look like zombies?"

Max growled. "Why do you care? It's not your business!"

Victoria shook her head and snapped back. "Get of your pedestal, hipster! I don't fucking care about you and your overinflated ego! I'm worried about Kate!"

Max felt the anger rising in her as she remembered the broken expression of her friend standing on the dormitory roof as she prepared to jump, driven into desperation by the same girl now claiming to be worried about her. Max probably could have dealt with it any other day, but the frustration of feeling weak, the pain of Chloe's threat, the lack of sleep just made her snap.

"YOU? Worried about KATE?" She started to scream. "Were YOU worried about HER when you posted that fucking video of HER, being roofied on the net? Were you fucking worried about her when YOU and YOUR Sycophants bullied KATE again and again? Were you fucking worried about her when she didn't want to leave her bedroom in the morning? Or when she fucking started to think about killing herself because of YOU!"

With each accusation Victoria took a step back, and each time Max spinned her chair's wheels to close on her again, pressuring the girl toward one of the benches.

"Were you fucking worried when your boyfriend and your teacher crush drugged her and raped her? Were you fucking worried when your fucking boyfriend showed up at school with a fucking gun and shot at my best friend! Were you fucking worried when your boy toy put me in this wheelchair! You never worried about no one Victoria! You always just worried about YOUR FUCKING EGOTISTICAL SELF!"

The blonde looked in shock at the small brunette shouting. She recoiled again and again until her legs hit the wooden seat of the bench and she collapsed on it her face crumbling, tears starting to fill her eyes.

"I'M SORRY OKAY!" The blonde let go as she started to cry. "I didn't know! I didn't know what had happened to her! I didn't know I was hurting her so much!"

Max felt an animalistic rush seeing the girl collapsing on the bench as she finally found the courage to put her down a peg or two.

"Oh what! You thought a girl like Kate would simply get wasted and be a slut around like that? You think bullying someone doesn't hurt them? In what fucking world do you live Victoria!" She scoffed. "Oh, I know, in your own little shitty world where everything is about you, you and YOU! Well guess what Bitchtoria? I don't live into your shitty world! I don't care about you and you goddamn..."

"Leave her alone!" Max growled and looked at the origin of the voice, expecting to see Taylor or Courtney. They did get closer to try and help their friend, but it was not the one who had spoken up. The sight of the petite blonde girl panting like she had rushed to them, her face flushed, and her small fist clenched stunned the brunette. "Max! What are you doing to her?"

What the hell? Did I jump to another timeline?

Max didn't know what to say as the blonde started to scold her and hurried to wrap her arms around the crying girl. She started to feel like the whole world was against her now for doing the right thing. She cried out in frustration and just started to roll her chair away passing by the two other girls staring at her with both scared and questioning eyes. She went back to her room slamming the door and screamed out. "FUUUCK!"

Kate had been taking a stroll, enjoying the simple fact of walking to change her mind from homework. She was walking back to the dorms when she heard the screaming. As she recognized the voice, she started to run worried something had happened to Max. She was surprised when she realized that Max was in fact coming down on Victoria. As she got closer, she felt her heart sink at the sight of Victoria collapsed and crying on the bed.

Oh Lord, No!

She started to run seeing the sitting brunette leaning forward as she kept pouring hatred at the crying girl. She rushed to put herself between both her classmate and cried. "Leave her alone!"

The brunette's eyes suddenly moved to her, burning with so much anger that Kate couldn't even recognize her friend. "Max! What are you doing to her?" She asked reaching to hug the crying blonde looking at the stunned brunette her own voice raw as she started to argue. "Don't you see what you doing Max? You're doing what you accuse her of-"

Before she even finished, Max had started to move toward the dorm, pushing angrily on the wheels of her chair, seething as she passed Courtney and Taylor who stood there, mouth gapping with shock.

Victoria kept crying and sobbing pressing her head in the smaller blonde embrace. "I'm so sorry Kate! I'm so sorry... She is right... I don't deserve your kindness... I'm so sorry..."

Kate rubbed the taller girl's back, shushing soothingly. "It's okay Victoria. I know you are sorry, I know you didn't mean for it to be so bad... It's okay..."

Taylor and Courtney walked closer frowning at her. "What's all this about?" The brunette asked shocked by Max' behavior.

"Yeah, what is the matter with that girl?" Taylor asked waving a girl at the dorm's door Max had just passed.

Kate looked up and hesitated. "I dunno. Max been having a rough time since she came back." She said frowning as she started to wonder what had been going in her friend's mind.

Courtney scoffed. "Yeah sure, that girl is just a drama queen!"

Kate was about to take Max' defense but Victoria interrupted. "Stop it!" Her broken voice raw and pained. "It's our fault! It's all our fault!" She raised her head looking at her friends. "Don't you understand? We are the bad here! We're the one who bullied Kate instead of asking ourselves if something was wrong! We're the one who ... No... I'm the one who kept supporting Nathan even if I saw he was losing his mind!" She shook her head crying. "I even defended that scum of Jefferson all the time!"

Taylor and Courtney stood there looking at her half stunned by their friend's sudden change and half guilty as they were reminded of their faults.

"Victoria, it's..." Taylor started but the blonde stopped her.

"No! You don't understand! Had we stopped and thought about it we should have known something had happened to Kate! Had we paid attention to him, we could have stopped Nathan from shooting Max! Had we actually acted differently than heartless bitches... We could have done something and ... And I wouldn't have ended a victim of that nightmare too!"

Both the other girls looked confused a moment. "Victoria, what are you..." Taylor started then stopped putting a hand on her mouth as realization struck her. "Oh my God! Please Tori, tell me it's not what I think it is!"

Victoria broke into tears again pressing her face to Kate's small body as she cried again, all the tension of hiding her shame breaking lose.

Courtney looked at Taylor a moment. "What do you mean? What's happening there?"

Kate bit her lip, she could explain it, but she wasn't sure Victoria wanted the secret to be out.

Taylor looked down. "Courtney, you remember the papers never told who the victims of Jefferson’s and Nathan’s… bullshit were?"

The black-haired girl nodded then frowned. "No! You mean... Kate! Oh, my fucking God!"

Taylor nodded softly feeling ashamed. "Yes... and Tori too..."

Courtney shook her head in denial. "No! Oh god shit I can't believe it!" She started to pace around and then stopped looking at the sitting blondes. "Oh, shit Kate! I'm so sorry! I... I can't believe we did this!"

Kate shook her head. "It doesn't matter anymore. I ... I'm over it now..." She pondered a moment and started to raise to her feet, reaching to coerce Victoria to stand. "Come on, let's take her to her room... No need for others to see her like this." She said as both other girls nodded somberly.

It had taken a while to calm the tall blonde. Kate had felt embarrassed as Victoria had clung to her, not wanting to let her go even after she had been brought back to her room. The small girl had felt the questioning eyes of Victoria's friends on her and she had to fight off the questions about how she felt, and what was going on about Max. She did answer part of those. Well she answered those about herself, but she had deflected the those about Max. It was not her call to make and she just said that she would not talk about it just like she had not talked about Victoria's issues when the blonde didn't want it to be public.

In the end Victoria had drifted into sleep and Kate had softly tucked her in bed before excusing herself. Courtney and Taylor had asked to go see Max with her, but Kate had refused. Before they could argue she had asked them to watch over Victoria and both girls couldn't refuse.

After leaving the girl's floor of the dorms, she slowly headed to the new wing thinking about the events. More than all, she kept thinking about how Victoria kept apologizing for making her want to kill herself. Kate had been surprised and she had asked how the taller girl had learned about that. In the end the girls had recounted the conversation and Kate had felt even more confused.

How did she know? I never told anyone! I never...

Still wondering how Max could have known about the darkest moment of her life, she reached the brunette's room and knocked on the door.

"Max? It's Kate." she called softly.

The voice responding was alien to her, raw with pain and anger it seemed. "Leave me alone!"

Kate frowned feeling confused. She reached to the door knob. "Max, I need to talk with you please."

"I don't want to please!" the girl responded through the door and Kate could hear the sobs in the girl's voice.

Kate took a deep breath before she slowly pushed the door open. "Max please, I'm worried."

The girl inside didn't return any words, she just screamed in a frustrated way that scared Kate.

"Max! please!" She said pushing the door further only to stop at the sight of the room.

The place had been tossed. Clothes were strewn around, some of them ripped apart. Books, pictures and drawers and their content had been thrown down. In the corner of the room, Max sat on her chair holding her head with her hands, pulling on her hair. Kate hurried to her reaching carefully to her friend.

"Max? Are you okay?"

"FUCK!"

Max screamed her lungs out as soon as she slammed her room's door. She turned and looked around her eyes full of tears and frustration screaming again and again, letting rage and hatred pour out. Hatred for Nathan and Jefferson and the memories that kept haunting her. Hatred for Victoria who, in another timeline, had destroyed the soul of the sweetest person she ever knew. Frustration from Chloe who kept her distance with her. Rage against her own brain which kept insisting that she and Chloe were meant to be together, that the last kiss she exchanged with the punk, and which kept replaying again and again in her mind, was proof that they were more than friends. Hatred for herself for being so weak, unable to control her own mind and nightmares to the point she had to use her power again. Hatred for her shyness that prevents her from explaining the depth of her feeling for the blue-haired girl.

Her eyes crossed her reflection in the mirror on the wall and she felt her angers bubbling in her, hear head burning as she saw the shy face, the delicate freckles framed by the shoulder long brown hair.

You are too fragile! Even in the way you look! No style, no personality!

Without thinking she wheeled her chair around the room frantically searching for scissors, opening every drawer and overturning them on the floor, tossing books, pictures, everything from her shelves and cupboard ended up on the floor. She finally realized the scissors were on her desk, sitting beside her computer and pens. She quickly grabbed them and rushed back to the mirror, grabbing hair from the side of her head and starting to cut them, letting the lose strands fall to the floor as she maniacally sliced them again and again. She was halfway through her mane when she suddenly stopped, looking at her reflection before dropping the blades down. She slowly retreated a corner of the room holding her head and crying.

I'm so losing it!

She didn't know how long she had been there when she heard the knock on the door and the soft voice calling through the door. "Max? It's Kate."

Kate? Shit no... please I can't...

"Leave me alone!" she called back leaning forward, her face in her hands.

"Max, I need to talk with you please."

I know what you want Kate... But I can't... I can't take it... I can't see you telling me I messed up please.

She couldn't hold her tears, her sobs as she responded, "I don't want to, please!" hoping her friend would let it go for now.

She heard the door clicking open and the clearer voice of her friend. "Max please, I'm worried."

She kept her head down, gripping her head with her hands as she cried, trying to hide her face, her embarrassment at being seen so weak. She felt the girl getting closer, her arms reaching around her as the soft voice asked.

"Max? Are you okay?"

No Kate I'm not okay, not okay at all!

Max tried to shrink to retreat further and avoid the embrace. "Yeah... I'm ...fine..."

Kate pulled back a little and reached to pull Max's face up. "Max! I know you aren't fine!"

Max tried to resist, moving her hands to try and pry Kate's hands away only to stop when she saw the horrified look on her friend's face.

"Max! What have you done to your hair?"

Max shook her head trying to move away. "I dunno! I... I just couldn't bear to see ... I just... needed to change."

Kate reached to brush Max' hair. "It's okay Max... You are already great! You don't need to..."

Max shook her head sobbing. "I keep messing things up..."

Kate smiled softly. "You are human, Max! It's normal to have issues and to make mistakes..."

Max remained silent, looking down while Kate brushed the messily cut hair examining them. It took her a while to finally be able to wipe her eyes and look up.

Kate smiled. "You will need some help with that." The girl said pointing at Max' hair.

Max winced. "Yeah... I ... dunno what I'll do..."

Kate pondered a moment. "I may have an idea." She said clapping her hands. She stood up and walked toward the door. "I'll be right back."

Max remained there, eyes turning to the window, trying to avoid the mess she made in her room as the girl bounced out of her room.

Chapter Text

Kate's idea turned out to be a person Max didn't expect to see. Courtney followed Kate in the room about half an hour after Kate had left. Her face showed it had taken some convincing and she nearly had to be dragged through the door. Max still sat in her corner, her head a mess with randomly cut hair, her eyes red from exhaustion and tears, her face tensed as she clenched her jaw.

"What the hell happened here?" the black-haired girl froze as she saw the mess in the room her eyes.

Max growled. "None of your business..."

Kate sighed. "Let's all be kind please." She looked at Courtney. "Max needed to vent, it's all. She also would like to change her style so I thought you would be the best to help." She waved a hand to Max. "She tried on her own but..."

Courtney frowned and walked toward Max taking a closer look. "OH MY GOD! We need to fix that!"

Max looked up stunned in the change of behavior in the girl. "What the..."

Kate chuckled at Courtney's antic. She had noticed the girl tended to take styling very seriously and she was certain showing the mess Max had made of her hair would make her want to fix it. The girl reached and started to check on Max' head pursing her lips frowning. "Damned that's a shame Max. You had very nice hair..."

Max frowned turning. "So what?"

Kate sighed. "Max please... let her help, okay?"

Max took a deep breath and nodded. "Fine..."

Courtney clapped her hands apparently excited to be offered a chance to do what she like. "Cool! Let's move to the bathroom! No need to add to the mess here." She moved behind Max and started pushing her. "So, any particular style you were wanting Max?"

Max gave a soft yelp as the girl pushed her toward the corridor. She looked at Kate almost begging for help with her eyes. She tried to think of a style, of a cut she had been interested in. She remembered a few from the pictures in Steph's books. The one she had particularly liked needed her to have longer hair than she originaly had, now with her mess up it would be impossible though. She thought of the shorter cuts she had perused and remembered one.

"I... was thinking of something about very short in the back and sides and keep the bangs?" she says waving her hand around her head hesitantly.

Courtney pondered a moment and nodded. "Oh, I see!" She put Max in front of the mirror in the Bathroom and started fiddling with the brown hair. "Yeah might suits... Or I could do something close." She tilted her head. "Would you mind some coloring too? I think it would better."

Max pondered a moment. "Maybe... would depends."

Courtney smiled. "Okay! Well I'll go get my tools. If you want, you can go wash your hair while I'm gone."

Is she for real?

Fifteen minutes later, Max was sitting on her chair facing the bathroom sink with a towel on her shoulder and a girl she was far from considering a friend holding an electric clipper in her hand. The brunette bit her lip as she saw the girl slowly approaching the tool from her hair. She started to fear she had maybe had a bad idea and she closed her eyes as she felt the clipper starting to run along her skull, buzzing as it slowly cut her brown strands, leaving just half-inch long hair in its wake.

She heard a soft chuckle and opened her eyes looking at the mirror to see Kate her hands in front of her lips.

"What's so funny?" she asked a bit harder than she meant to.

"Well you looked so scared of just having your hair cut." the blond responded. "It's rather cute."

Courtney snorted a bit as she kept cutting her hair in a uniform fuzz. "It is!"

Max rolled her eyes and pouted crossing her arms as she let Courtney work. "I'm not cute."

Courtney frowned. "Yes, you are! Now stop pouting while I trim your bangs." She said setting the clipper down and picking up a pair or scissors and a comb.

She started to hover in front of Max snapping blades here and there trimming spikes and tips. Max just remained there quietly, her hands twitching on the armrest as each of the snaps started to sound like so many blasts from guns.

I can't let it get over me! I can't freak out! Not right now!

She bit her lip closing her eyes as she kept repeating this mantra to herself, pushing the fear in her fighting the panic she felt rising in her throat. She struggled internally, fighting to repress the nightmare that started to play in her mind. She was about to fail when the sound stopped, and she heard a voice calling to her. "Max? Max?"

She opened her eyes panting, sweat on her face, hands hurting as her nails dug in her palms. "Max? You okay?"

Max looked around confused. She noticed the worried face of Courtney and Kate staring at her. She tried to control her breathing and nodded weakly as she responded. "Sorry... yeah ... just..."

Kate reached and patted her back softly. "It's all right max. Everyone's safe, you're safe."

Max closed her eyes a moment and nodded as she slowly calmed herself. She looked at Courtney and winced. "Sorry, I ... I... Just bad memories..."

Courtney shrugged. "It's okay Max. I'm done anyway. Just look at you and let me know if you want to try a color."

Max took a moment to look at the mirror turning her head. It felt weird to her, the back and side of her head so light and cooler than before. She pondered a moment and looked at Kate. "How is it?" She asked shyly.

Kate pursed her lips. "It's strange, but nice."

Courtney nodded. "Yeah just strange to see this without a color. I mean it's a pretty wild, so you should at least get highlights or ..."

Max pondered a moment. "I suppose... What do you recommend?"

Courtney smiled as if someone had suddenly given her free reign on a party organization. "Full color! I got Blue like that girl I saw with you. Would go with your eyes nicely."

Max shook her head her voice bitter as she remembered the fight they had during the weekend. "Not blue... that's Chloe..."

Courtney pondered a moment. "Well Green won't suit you..." She frowned. "Neither is red... I'd go with fuchsia, light pink, or white I think."

Max thought a moment. "Which would be best for me?"

Courtney looked at Max' face and smiled. "Fuchsia... would marry best with your freckles I think."

Max looked at Kate, searching for support as she tried to decide, and the girl smiled warmly. "Okay fuchsia then."

Courtney nodded and reached for her coloring kit putting towels around Max' shoulder before she took a white bottle. "I gotta bleach your hair first... sorry will be uncomfortable for a bit but with your brown color I can't do anything. So..." Max nodded as the girl started to work carefully on Max' head.

It took more time, much more time, and Max was starting to feel the exhaustion catching up with her. She didn't know exactly at what point, nor if the vapors of the products may have caused it, but she ended up drifting into sleep. She was woken up when Courtney shook her shoulder. "Hey, wake up sleepy head. We are done!"

Max blinked taking time to get situated again. She didn't remember if she dreamed, didn't know if she really slept or just dozed off. "Are we?" she asked looking up at the girls standing. "How is it?"

Kate looked at her eyes wide. "It's ... Pink..." She said beaming as Courtney smiled happily at her work.

"Look for yourself." The girl said pointing at the mirror.

Max turned her chair to face the mirror and her jaw dropped. "Wowser..."

Steph was enjoying a coffee she had picked up from the Two Whales as she reached her own store, fiddling with her keys to unlock the door. It wasn't very early, she usually opened around 10 seeing that the majority of her customers usually came in the late afternoon or early evening. She also had to keep the store open late so as not to lose the odd drunk coming to get a tattoo.

Her weekend had been slow. After the afternoon of gaming she had spent the rest of the day cleaning, selling the odd game, and starting on a tattoo for one of the few fishermen still in town. It hadn't been a great order, the usual anchor with an albacore over it, not really the chef-d'oeuvre she would expect. The Sunday had been nice though, chatting with friends online, watching movies while lazing on the sofa. She had been surprised to be contacted by Max in the evening.

The most surprising had been the reason the small brunette contacted her. She had expected the girl to maybe ask question about sexuality, maybe the odd personality defining support like she had she did with Chloe when the girl had fallen for Rachel. What she had were questions about piercings, prices, forms. Steph had a tough time figuring the shy looking brunette with piercings, but she recognized she also had a challenging time to figure the girl during the few hours they spent together on Saturday. The girl had arrived cheerful, become snappy, retired into quietness, turned into a slightly shy person and left a bit distant. Steph had rarely seen someone go through so many changes of behaviors in so little time, but then she had rarely dealt with someone who has been through as much or suffering from PTSD.

The only thing she felt she could tell about the brunette is that she did have feelings for Chloe. It wasn't really obvious at the first glance, and if Chloe hadn't told her, she might not have looked for the signs, but the way she had cherished the dices offered by the girl, the way she kept glancing at her, the way her face lit up every time the taller girl touched her or just talked and the concern on her face when she witnessed Chloe and Frank arguing. In Steph's opinion, the brunette was smitten, and she had much less difficulties understanding why she had jumped and taken a bullet for the punk girl.

She turned the key in her store lock and was about to open the door when she heard the voice. "Hey Steph."

She turned her head and shock made her drop her coffee cup. "Shit!" She looked at the girl seated in a wheelchair beside her.

Holy shit! What did Chloe do to that girl's hair?

"Oh my God! Max? What happened to your hair?"

Max blushed a bit and looked down, revealing her shy nature. "I needed a change." she simply responded.

"Okay! I can get with that. What brings you to my domain?" She asked as she opened the door and helped Max to get in.

Max slowly stood with her crutches and entered the store as she responded with a strained voice. "I... wanted to see about getting piercings... And to talk I guess..."

Steph followed the girl carrying the chair inside and helping the now pinkette into it. "Well if you want. But... Don't you have class?"

The girl winced and bit her lip. "I'm..."

Steph chuckled. "I understand... I understand... Just be careful not to get in too much trouble... You don't want to get expelled like Chloe, right?"

Max nodded. "I'll try... I just couldn't go today..."

Steph smirked. "Okay. Well please make yourself home while I get the shop started for the day." She walked toward the register and moved to turn the computer on before she went toward the backroom. "Do you want some coffee?"

"Yes, please."

Steph put a pot to brew and then walked to switch the store lights and the tattoo station power on. She returned to the store area and smiled at the girl who had wheeled herself to the counter and was looking at the piercing book.

"See anything you want?" She asked with a smile.

"I was thinking a look here," she pointed her nostril, "and maybe a few on my left ear..." She moved a hand to a picture. "Something like that."

Steph moved and got a look at the picture of a girl with three small loops spaced on the bottom of her ear and two on the top back of the same ear. "I see... Gonna pinch a little and will need you to take good care, but I think it would go not too bad with your new cut." She smiled softly at Max.

Max smiled looking up. "How much would it be?"

Steph pondered a moment counting in her head. "Would be close to 225, but I could make it only 160 for you. Is that ok?"

Max nodded. "Sure. Also, thanks for the discount."

Steph smiled. "You're a friend and you saved Chloe." She chuckled softly. "Besides, maybe I'm doing it as a way to hit on you."

Max blushed lightly at the words and shook her head. "Sorry... Not interested."

Steph laughed. "I know! I know! Anyway, what do you want to begin with? We can do the piercing now and then chill and talk, or we can talk around a coffee and then do the work."

Max pondered a moment, apparently unsure about either of the planned activities. She then started to roll the chair toward the stations. "Let's start with the hard part... Before I run away." She said with a slight hissing tone showing nervousness.

Steph nodded and went to prepare the necessary tools on a tray. "Okay, you can hop on one of the station seats or just stay in your chair as you want. Just make sure to lock the wheels though wouldn't want the chair to suddenly roll away while I'm poking my needles." She said with a smile.

As she counted the small loops and prepared half a dozen needles still in their sterilized wrappings, the pinkette had decided to stand on her crutches and move careful to one of the leathered seats. She slowly sat in it and reclined against the back closing her eyes.

"Will it... hurt?"

Steph smirked softly half planning on mounting a story about burning poker and ripping of skin, but in the end decided not to scare easily upset girl. "Nah just some pinching." She slowly slid a plastic glove over her right hand and then over her left before adding. "Of course, Chloe spent her time crying and sobbing all the way... But then, she was the worst I had so far."

Max chuckled the tension in her body easing slightly. "Chloe always hated needles." She said.

Steph nodded cheerfully as she started to swab Max' ear with the iodine solution. She then placed a clamp on the ear lobe and asked. "How was Chloe as a kid? I'm sure she was very different."

The pinkette seemed to think started. "Not very different but... yes... Chloe always was the energic one... Although she was much more introvert in public."

As the girl spoke, Steph took advantage of the distraction to push the hollowed needle through Max' ear and replace it with the first ring. She kept repeating the operation on the ear while keeping the conversation alive.

"Chloe? An introvert? WOW I can't believe it! I mean the girl always been on her own and avoiding people but god she could shit-talk people like now one!"

Max chuckled softly. "She used to avoid people before too, she always felt odd. I kinda liked it though... I mean the way she came alive just for me..." Max blushed softly. "I felt special."

Steph nodded as she worked. "I can see that."

Max smiled warmly as she remembered. "She would always push me into doing things I was too shy to do... Sometimes putting me in troubles too... But Chloe was always there to protect me though..." She looked up, daydreaming. "She was so strong... I ... It hurt a lot to see her so broken at her Dad's funeral."

Steph paused reaching for a cotton swab to clean the few blood drops from the five little holes she had just pierced in the girl's ear. "I can imagine... " She moved a small mirror to the girl's hand "By the way how's the ear?" She asked with a smile.

Max frowned a moment peering at her reflection. "Wowser..."

Steph smirked softly. "That good?"

Max nodded, and she moved to put a clamp on the nostril Max had indicated. "Okay now is the last one. No need to panic, it will go like for the ear." She said with a smile. "So, Chloe said you left right after the funeral?"

Max pursed her lips. "Yes... Not that I wanted to... I mean I didn't want to leave at all but ... I knew she was having the worst of time and I wanted to be there for her..."

Steph nodded as she prepared her move. "May I ask why you didn't stay in touch by phone mail?"

Max closed her eyes and Steph took that opportunity to slip the needle through her nostril.

"We... I tried... I just... It hurt so fucking much!" As Steph moved to put the last ring in place she noticed the tears in the girl's eyes.

"Why? I mean What made it hurt so much? You were still friends, right?"

"I... wanted to be with her... to hold her hands, to hug her... Every time I started to write or enter her number on my phone... I froze, crying. After a time, I just ... stopped trying, because I felt so bad..." She reached up rubbing the back of her hand on her eyes. "When I came back to Arcadia Bay... I wanted to call her, to tell her... Hell I was even picturing this scene where I would just jump into her arms you know... But ... I was so afraid... So afraid she had moved on... That she had forgotten me... That she hated me..."

Max sniffed a bit before she spat the next words with venom in her voice. "I'm such a coward!"

Steph finished cleaning the girl's skin from the small drops of blood her piercings had caused, then removed her gloves before patting her shoulder. "You are not a coward Max... You took a bullet for her!"

Max shook her head. "Even that was just me being a coward... I didn't do it to protect her... I did it because I ... couldn't face living without her..."

Steph froze a moment as she analyzed the girl's words, the tearful admission. "Isn't it the same? I mean you protected her in the end."

Max looked back at her, her blue eyes looking at hers directly. "No... It's not the same... I didn't plan on protecting her... Not really... I planned on dying instead or at least with her."

The voice was so cold, so flat, so emotionless that Steph recoiled a bit. "Max you can't..."

Max frowned. "Can't what? Say that I'd rather die than not be with her?"

Steph remained there stunned at the girl's frankness.

Oh god! She really means it! Chloe you better be careful with this one!

Chapter Text

Kate felt strange as she held the taller pixie blonde in her arms. The girl had come to her room earlier, when the thunderstorm had started. It had been a while since Victoria had showed up at her door, her face pale and her body shivering. Kate had expected it though. After the events of Sunday evening, she almost had expected the girl to show up the previous night. She hadn't but the dark areas under her eyes on the Monday morning had showed that she had a bad night.

Kate had understood that Victoria had kept trying to hide that she needed her help to sleep at night. She had figured that it had been the reason she had stayed away since she had moved to the new wing. It had kinda made her feel lonelier, like she was missing something. She had shrugged it off though, after all, all that she could possibly have felt was just a friend missing.

Or maybe I just miss helping her and that gives me more time to think about my own problems.

A lot had changed in her mind since she had started to see the psychiatrist, following the revelation of Mark Jefferson's crime. She had started to question her mother's teaching, maybe even losing her faith for a bit. After all her mother had always taught her of Jesus love and forgiveness, provided you followed some rules and helped others. And yet when she had encountered troubles, when rumors had come that she had supposedly acted like a sinner, her mom and her church had simply casted her away like one more tainted soul.

It had been crushing to her. She had wished so much for her mother, her friends to support her and help her. Even after it had been proven that she had been drugged and abused, the coldness and contempt had not diminished. Her mom still kept her at a distance, as if touching her would risk spreading some disease. She was glad her sisters and her father had remained strong supports. Seeing her sister's smiles had helped warm her heart.

One thing that hadn't really changed was her views of sexuality. She didn't feel as bad as her mom did, calling all but those who lived in holy matrimony deviants and abomination, but she was still believing every woman had a man waiting for her. So, the feeling of peace she had while holding Victoria tight, the taller girl's head pressed at her chest, troubled her.

It is strange that I feel more at peace while holding another girl.

The loud panicked wail coming from the neighboring room startled her and woke Victoria. Both girls looked at each other before Kate scrambled to her feet as she heard a loud thump. "Max!"

Kate ran opening her room's door and rushing to enter Max', not even noticing Victoria had followed. She opened the door and switched the light on afraid her friend had hurt herself by falling from her bed. She was confused as she couldn't find the girl that had screamed close to the bed.

"Max? Max?"

She took a few steps hearing the sobbing voice responding. "It's there! It's coming! It's my fault!"

Kate looked around and spotted Max curled in the corner of her bedroom, between the sofa and the closet. She reached down softly. "Max... it's okay! It's just a nightmare! Everything's okay Max."

She kept talking with a soothing voice while Max kept rocking sobbing and repeating the same words over and over. Kate heard some soft noise, a soft whimper, as a strobe of light flashed with the lightning of the thunderstorm outside. She rose her head and saw Victoria, standing by the door her eyes looking at Max.

"She's ... really ..." The blonde started. "Is it like that all every night?"

Kate winced and nodded softly, seeing the harsh face of the taller blonde softening before she reached to join them into a soft group hug.

Max was sitting in her dorm room, leaning on the sill as the window was opened. She kept thinking about her previous day, and her outburst in front of Steph. The older girl having been clearly disturbed by Max outspoken admission. Even Max had been surprised by it, because she always had kept this part of the events to herself. In fact, she hadn't never even seen the events like that before. But it made sense somehow to her. She hadn't moved to save Chloe. Not that she didn't want to save her, but she knew she couldn't. She had to let Chloe die in that bathroom. At the same time, she just couldn't accept a life where Chloe wasn't beside her, not after that fateful week, not after having all the feelings she had buried as a 13-year-old, brought back on the surface and burning like bonfires. So, she had done resorted to the only solution she could think of - to die with Chloe.

She had never admitted it not even to herself, always seeking confirmation that Chloe was alive, but when the words escaped her lips, pulled by a desire to prove her cowardice, she realized that they were true. She had wanted to die in that bathroom.

Or did I? I don't really know anymore... I just know I didn't want to live without Chloe...

Max looked down at the cigarette in her hand. She frowned a moment cringed at the smoke, before pulling a short drag from it. She coughed again at the burning sensation in her throat, but somehow, she felt like just the act of smoking, like Chloe, soothed her. Or maybe it was the smell that she associated with her friend.

Max had never smoked before the previous day. That previous morning, after another hard night full of nightmares, she had told Kate she wasn't feeling well. The small blonde had asked if she needed help and Max had just said she needed to rest and that she'd try to join later in the day. It had been a lie, Max just didn't want to be around people. She had just wanted to continue on changing the weak and shy image of her reflected in the mirror and prepare a plan she had in her mind to protect Chloe despite her promise.

After class had started, Max had left the dormitory and rolled her chair to the bus stop. It had been a pain but with the help of the driver she had been able to get onboard after telling the man at which stop she was planning to get off, so he could plan to help her out. Max had slid her earphones on and started to scroll through her music on her phone. She had ridden the bus listening to the sound of Youth from Daughters the lyrics making her question her feelings, her love for her friend, her pain and frustration.

She had gotten off on the street by Steph's store and stopped at the nearest ATM. She had thought a while and finally she had withdrawn 200 dollars. She had placed the bills in her pocket and after some hesitations and internal struggles she had rewound. She consulted her account's balance and confirming the amount had returned to its original state had withdrawn another 500. She had repeated the process, each time finding easier and easier to just rewind and start again as the remorse died out.

She had rewound a last time, her head starting to throb painfully, rolled her chair to a small drugstore, three or four doors up street from Steph's store and bought a pack of cigarettes, the same as Chloe's brand, and a zippo lighter with a Jolly Roger engraving. Getting out she had tried her first ever cigarette while she had rested waiting for Steph to open, letting the pain slowly fade away. She had coughed and cried when the acrid smoke had filled her throat for the first time. Even now she wasn't really enjoying the smoke in itself. She simply found the smell of the burning cigarette soothing. And she had needed the familiar scent after the rough stormy night.

I wonder if I look as badass as Chloe? All I know is, I feel like she is around me...

She kept thinking her eyes lost in the sky when her phone signaled her the arrival of a new message. She looked at the device in her hand, unlocking the screen and searching for the new message.

Chloe: want me to pick you up?
Chloe: Two Whales?
Chloe: Breakfast?
Max: I'd luv that.
Chloe: OMW. Be there in 2!
Max: :D
Chloe: NO EMOJI!
Max: :(
Chloe: I'm so gonna Two Whales bacon on my own, Max!
Max: NOOOO please Chloe!
Chloe: Ok I'll let it go for this time.
Chloe: Get to the parking lot hippy!

Max smiled and tossed the cigarette butt through the window. She moved to look at herself in the mirror checking her reflection for a moment.

Dog! I look so different, and yet the same... I wonder how Chloe will react.

Chloe parked her truck and looked around searching of Max, letting a soft grunt escape as she noticed the girl wasn't yet present.

And she used to tell me I was always late too! No way I'm gonna let you live it up Caulfield!

She smirked thinking about the fun she will have teasing her friend about it. She stepped out of her truck and moved to hide as a mischievous plan formed in her head. She didn't have to wait long in order to hear the familiar sound of Maxine's wheelchair approaching.

A little bit more... Just a little bit and ...

"BOU-YHAAAAAOOOOh MY GOD!" She jumped in front of her friend hoping to startle her only to jump back surprised by the changes in her friend's appearance.

The girl seated in the chair still had her nice blue eyes, her cute freckles, but instead of lose brown strands she had now fuchsia bangs followed by short cropped fuchsia hair that made Chloe think of a pink tennis ball. A small silvery ring hung from her left nostril, and five similar silvery rings hung from her left ear. Even her clothes had changed. Instead of her usual boringly plain blue jeans, hipster grey hoodie and shirt, the girl wore black torn jeans, a nerdy black N7 hoodie and a white Jane doe shirt that had been subjected to several modifications as it now looked more like Chloe's tank top than the cute T-shirt had had once been.

Chloe stared at Max, her hands reaching to her head gripping her blue hair as she tried to process the new sight.

Fuck! Is that Max! What the hell happened!

"Holy shit Max! What did you do? Oh my God! Oh my god!" She started to prance around the wheelchair looking at her friend not believing what her eyes told her.

"I thought it was time for a new style." the pinkette said with a huffing tone. "Why is it not good?"

Chloe beamed and almost danced around Max. "Hella no! It's hella rad! God Max you look hella badass!" She cheered happily.

Max smirked softly remembered something from the alternative timeline. "So, I'm ready for the mosh pit, Shaka Brah."

Chloe paused and looked at Max. "Yeah, maybe not yet Maxi-mil." She smiled and hurried behind the chair to push it toward the truck. "Still I'm hella starving so here we go!"

Chloe was nearly bouncing around while Max got herself set up in the old pick-up truck. She couldn't stop cheering, enjoying how her shy friend had evolved.

So crazy!

As she got up in the driver's seat, she noticed her Max smiling at her antics and she blushed a bit as she closed the door and switched on the ignition.

"God Max! I can't believe you did all that! You should have told me! I'd have help, you know!" she started as she backed up carefully and shifted into drive.

She heard the voice of her friend responding with a bit of snark. "Nah! Didn't want your shitty advices!"

"Shut up Caulfield! I been a punk way longer than you, hipster!"

Max snorted. "Can't call me hipster anymore, dork!"

Chloe reached and ruffled a hand in Max' fuzzy hair. "You'll always be my little hipster, little nerd!"

Max swatted her hand. "Stop it!" She then punched Chloe's shoulder playfully.

Chloe smiled. "Can't deny it Caulfield! I'm a hella good influence on you, Maximus!"

Max chuckled and raised a hand palm up. "Think your mom will see it that way?"

Chloe's smile disappeared, and she winced. "Shit! That's bad! Mom will fucking kill me!"

Max laughed lightly. "Well at least you can honestly say you had no idea what I was doing!"

Chloe glanced sideway at Max. "Yeah, like mom will really believe it!"

Yeah, I bet my mom will be horrified... as for Max' folks... I can already see them charging with pitchforks!

Chloe reached for the radio and turned up the volume, the Firewalk rendition of Are You Ready for Me booming from the car's speakers making her bang her head with the drums. A quick look beside her showed her Max was trying to move on the music, although it looked halfway between a stroke and flails.

Fuck! She's still hella bad at this!

The truck entered the diner's parking while both girls were screaming with the song. Chloe shook her head as she shifted into park and shut the engine down. She pondered a moment and looked at Max. "Need the chair? I mean might be a pain in the diner, you know."

Max thought a moment, gauging the distance between the truck and the diner's door, and shook her head. "I may be able to do it with the crutches... Might need your help with the stairs though."

Chloe nodded. "You got it Max!"

Chloe watched over Max as the girl slowly moved on her crutches, her feet making weird forced moves as they took steps after steps, legs trembling as she shifted her weight. The few steps before the door were hard and Chloe had to put an arm under Max' shoulder to help her climb safely.

She really made progress, there but she still barely can lift her feet high enough not to trip... It's way too close.

As they moved through the diner to Chloe's usual spot, she noticed a few patrons staring at Max and she couldn't help but growling at them as she hovered protectively. Chloe helped Max to sit and then went to sit on the opposite couch as she called. "Mom! We need bacon here!"

She smirked as Max chuckled and they both heard Joyce's exasperated voice. "My god Chloe! Can't you just wait like everyone."

The blonde woman turned around her counter and walked toward them. Chloe smiled as Max faced the window not letting Joyce see her face.

"Sorry mom but we are hella hungry!" She smiled making Joyce roll her eyes.

She saw her mom frown a moment. "I thought you were going to pick up Max, Chloe! I hope you didn't leave the poor girl... OH MY GOD! MAX!" Her voice almost screamed as the pinkette turned her head with a huge smile.

"Hi Joyce!"

Cue motherly scolding in three... two... one...

"My God Chloe! What did you do to Max! You can't just drag your friends into that you know!"

Chloe sighed and rolled her eyes before looking at Max. "See told you she'd blame me." She then looked at her mom. "mom, I swear I had nothing to do with that! I just found her like this this morning!"

Max laughed as Joyce put her hands on her hips getting ready for another round.

"It's true Joyce, I did that all by myself."

The waitress frowned at the girls, almost expecting one of them to call it a prank too. Chloe bit her lip hoping for things not to turn too bad. "Okay, fine but don't think this is over. God Max what will I tell your parents!"

Chloe was baffled when Max simply responded without even hesitating or shyness. "That I am an adult and can fucking choose to look how the fuck I want."

Even Joyce took a step back at the bite in Max' voice. "Easy tiger..." Chloe said reaching to pat Maxine's hand.

Joyce quickly overcame her shock although her disapproving frown showed she was concerned. She was on the verge of saying something when Chloe interrupted. "Sorry mom, she's just a bit... edgy when she's hungry... Can we get your famous eggs and bacon please?"

Joyce frowned at her daughter. "Fine since it's been so long since you last said please. But Max only get 2 slices of bacon as punishment for her foul mouth." She looked at the girl sternly before she moved back toward the kitchen.

Both girls chuckled softly and kept chatting as they waited for their breakfast. Once Joyce came and place the plate on the table with an affectionate smile as she saw her daughter's happiness, they both ate as they discussed music and movies. Although during all the conversation, Chloe felt like Max still kept her distance.

The girl would often redirect the conversation when it moved too close to topics like her nightmares or Seattle. She would also be more snappish, almost barking whenever Chloe mentioned Rachel, even if to say that Max and Rachel would have liked each other. It was rather uncomfortable for Chloe, she didn't understand why Maxine seemed so upset at the mention of Rachel. It only popped into her mind after a moment.

Shit! I forgot! What an ass! I been talking nonstop about how great I was with Rachel to a girl who told me she loves me! Yeah, just poke the jealous beast Chloe! Real nice! Fuck!

And Chloe slowly tried to change the conversation toward table top games and the gang.

After filling their tummy with Joyce's delicious eggs and bacon, it was time for Chloe to bring Max back to school for her classes. She once again hovered around the girl as she shuffled to the door. Although when they reached the door, Chloe went and scooped Maxine up in her arms making the pinkette squeal as she had not expected the move. She walked her down the stairs and carefully settled her back to her feet and crutches. They went to the truck and Chloe helped Max in her seat before she rushed around and hopped in the driver's seat.

Mechanically, Chloe pulled a cigarette from her pocket as she started to drive. She placed the cigarette between her lips and was digging through her pocket for her lighter when Max' hand snatched the cigarette from her lips.

"WUt the fuck max!" She started turning her head only to look at the girl with wide eyes as she saw her flick her lighter and take a drag, puffing a small cloud of smoke.

Max reached and put the cigarette by her lips offering it back to her, and Chloe frowned taking it. She took a breath from the nicotine source before looking at Max. "Who are you and what did you do to my Maxine fucking Caulfield!"

Chloe was sitting at the table at Fantas'ynk. Or actually, she was slouched over it sighing while Steph was working on the tattoo of a biker.

"You could have told me about Max, you know!" She complained again, and she heard Steph chuckling over the buzzing of the tattooing machine. "Seriously I nearly had an attack!"

"Chloe, I told you already, I'm not gonna play spy for you or Max... And what would you have done had you been there when she showed up?"

Chloe pursed her lips a moment. "I dunno... first reaction would have been to jump through the roof cheerfully I guess..." She dragged a finger on the wooden surface. "Although I dunno if it was right for her to do it now... With her ... issues and all."

Chloe felt bad talking about Max while an old dude with beer belly and a ZZ-Top beard could hear. The tattoo girl kept working for a moment concentrating on some details. She pulled back to switch the needle in her pen. "Chill out Chloe... It's only piercings... If she regrets it, she just has to remove them..." She turned and slowly resumed her work. "Not like a tattoo."

Chloe sighed softly closing her eyes. "Yeah I guess... Still..."

The working girl shook her head rolling her eyes for the biker to see. "Enough about the worries... Tell me what you thought of her new look?"

Chloe beamed as she responded with a dreamy voice. "She was fuckin gorgeous!"

Steph laughed accompanied by a chuckle from the biker. "Hot enough for you then?"

Chloe nodded. "Hella hawt! Seriously, she was hella cute before but ..."

Steph giggled. "Careful there Chloe! You sound like you're falling for the gal."

Chloe pursed her lips. "I... dunno Steph... She's... different... I don't mean from what I remember of her while a kid... But ... like she's turning weird..." She rose her head. "Fuck she even started smoking, Steph! The girl who always refused to even try, who argued with me for over an hour before even trying a sip of wine! Something's off... and I worry."

Steph nodded softly. "Yeah well, guess it's your time to be the mature one then."

Chloe remained silent for a moment, thinking.

"Seriously, Chloe... You're over 19 already. You can't just keep coasting like you did." The insisting tone annoyed Chloe, mainly because the punk knew her friend was right.

I know I can't keep like that forever... But I just... don't know... Arg... And I have to deal with Frank too... He won't wait forever for his cash... And if I keep with my shits, I'm bound to get Max hurt again...

Chloe remained there her head resting on her arm, lulled by the sound of her friend working. The silence lasted several minutes before Chloe said something that surprised even herself.

"I need to get a job..." Her voice had been soft, almost lost in thought.

Wait! What? Did I really say that?

Steph cursed pulling away quickly. "Shit! That was close!"

Chloe looked up surprised by her friend's words. "What?"

Steph took a deep breath before she resumed her working. "You surprised me and I nearly messed up!" She waved her free hand. "Can you sit there quietly another ten to fifteen? Then we can talk if you want. Let me finish first though."

Chloe said nothing and rested on the table thinking, trying to figure what kind of job she could do.

As promised, Steph had needed only ten more minutes to finish the work on the Biker's shoulder. "Okay Bill. It looks like we are done for today. We finish the coloring next week as planned?" The biker nodded as he slowly raised while Steph wrapped the tattoo. "As usual, careful care, use the balm regularly and keep it protected." Steph said as she released the man.

As the loud sound of the Harley filled the air, Steph joined Chloe and sat at the table.

"So, you're thinking about a job... What kind of job?"

Chloe tapped her fingers on the table. "I dunno... Not like I got lots of diplomas or experiences..."

Steph smiled. "Yeah well true having your GED would have helped, but you can still do some stuff." She thought a moment. "I mean you know your way around an engine for example."

Chloe nodded. "Yeah... Not sure I wanna be a mechanic though..."

Steph sighed. "Beggars can't be choosers you know..." She scratched her neck softly. "What else can you do?"

Chloe seemed to think for a while. "Beside smoking weed and drinking... I dunno... I used to be good at science... Oh and I can draw... Well I could at least."

Steph frowned. "Forget science, you need a lot of degrees to find a job with those." She pondered a moment. "Coffee?" She asked and when Chloe nodded she moved to the back room.

Really depressing to see how little I can fucking do...

Chloe started to regret having ditched school so much. She had been a good student, until her dad died, and Max left her. She had been in a bad place and she couldn't help it back then. She didn't regret taking the time to find herself, just the fact she had maybe killed her future. She rose her head as Steph put a mug in front of her asking. "You say you can draw... Any example?"

Chloe tried to think a moment. "Well I probably got some hold stuff at home... but they date from before Max left so..." She took a sip of her coffee.

"Yeah... not really good..." Steph agreed sipping her own mug.

Chloe tried to think of something and then placed the mug on the table pulling her jacket off revealing her sleeve tattoo. "I designed this though, drew it and had a guy in Portland do it on me."

Steph blinked a moment. "Well that's good. Maybe you could try tattooing..."

Chloe chuckled. "Yeah right and be in concurrence with you... Would be rough, dude!"

Steph scoffed. "I'm the only parlor within a 3 hours' drive Chloe! Beside I got two stations and I can't use them together." She shrugged. "Well you don't have to, but you could join as a free-lance if you want anyway."

Chloe thought a moment. "How would that work?"

Steph scratched her head. "Well, you'd have to buy your kit... I'd sell you one if you want... You would buy the consumables from me... And you give me 25% of your earnings?" She proposed for a moment added. "If you help with running the store, like the cleaning and prepping of the stations, the register and so on... I could also guarantee you 500 per week if you had no customers..."

Chloe pondered a moment. "How much is a kit?"

Steph shrugged. "five or six hundred..."

Chloe winced. "Steph, I already owe three grands to Frank, I don't have six hundred!"

Steph smiled. "Then I could take 60% of your earnings until you paid for it? Would not take long, I take some 150 per hour of work."

Chloe sipped her coffee, thinking. "I guess, it could work... Just hope you don't treat me like you do in games... I can't die every day you know."

Steph laughed. "Yeah well, try not to throw yourself between the needle and the customer! Oh, and you better make sure to respect the sanitarian rules... I don't mess with that, people don't come here to get an infection, they want body art."

Chloe groaned and rolled her eyes. But she nodded. "Yeah, sure..." She scratched her head. "Well I guess I could try... And I'm hella strapped for cash so ... When do I start?"

Chapter Text

The week had good rather fast and uneventful after the surprises of Tuesday. Chloe had started to work with Steph. Or was it for Steph? she didn't really know but at least it had been a way to busy herself and avoid worrying about things all day long. Tuesday afternoon had mainly been used as a way to explain how the different aspects of the store worked. How the register operated, how the booking was made, how to refill and sterilize the tattooing equipment, the piercing equipment.

Chloe had her first customer only on the Thursday, a bone thrown by Steph after she had made Chloe watch her work for hours on the Wednesday, explaining the role of each tattooing needle, the different techniques. It didn't mean Chloe had been operating solo on that first customer, just that she had indeed held the pen.

It had been a rather simple tattoo, some teenager wanting to put the name of his girlfriend into his skin.

Yeah, how much we bet the guy will regret it in a few month when she dumps his ass!

For this part, Steph had supervised everything from the design, a simple bleeding heart pierced with an arrow and crossed by a scroll with the girlfriend's name in gothic letters, the stencil making and application and the actual work. Chloe had enjoyed it. Even with such a simple job, she had left her own imagination to work on the drawing, proposing a few versions to the guy. To her dismay he hadn't accepted the real human heart held by barbwire. Whelp! But he had actually settled for one of her own idea of having the heart surrounded by a couple of thorny wines and have the Arrow made to look like a rose, with thorns on the shaft and petal like feathers.

The actual work had taken some time though, being her first time, she was often directed by Steph on the settings, the way to apply the needle and so on. The black outlines had taken over half an hour, the letters another half. She had apologized to the guy, although he seemed to have been excited at the idea of popping her tattoo artist cherry.

Really? Every guys are jerks! Why couldn't my first one be Max?

The coloring had taken another hour mainly because Chloe had been intent on giving it some shading. In the end the tattoo had been great. Not great, great, and Steph had pointed a few mistakes on the pictures they had taken for Chloe's book, after the client's departure. But the guy had been pleased, the work was artful, and the guy had even added a nice 50 buck tip to the 250 he had paid for it.

She had worked on a few more tats, all of them small simple designs. She had whined a bit after the third, but Steph had only smiled and said, "Baby steps young Padawan!"

All in all, Chloe was pleased, she made about twelve hundred bucks in the week, after she paid Steph her share. Although she had to give the girl half of it to pay her back for the kit she could now call her own. But Chloe was just happy, at 125 an hour, she was clearly under the rate Steph would ask, but at the same time it was more than she had expected. And as Steph had promised, there were enough truckers, bikers, students, and overall drunks for both of them to share. Although Steph had warned her that they were going into a good period, what with Christmas, Valentine's day and the usual Super bowl fans. Chloe should be prepared to have days if not weeks without any booking.

She was a bit worried though as she only had 600 to give Frank. The guy had been blowing up her phone all week and she really hoped he would at least consider regular payment as an option. After all, there was no way she could pay him three grands right away, so a down payment should be a good start and may sooth his mood.

The real down side of the job had been that she couldn't spend as much time as she might have wanted with Max. It had allowed her to take a bit of distance, put her thought into perspective too. But Chloe still felt the need to be with her finally returned best friend. Steph had been teasing her with that too. Every time she had been looking at her phone waiting for a text or reading a text or just typing one, the store owner had been there to tell her to 'kiss her girlfriend' or 'stop sexting with your girl during work' and other jokes. Chloe had just reacted as she usually did, by high-fiving, cussing, backtalking and the occasional bird. What she had not done was to let show how confusing it was for her.

Max was still just her best friend. And Chloe wasn't ready to move forward on that. She was scared. Scared that Max may be disappointed in the relationship, that it would just kill their friendship, that she would be left alone, hurt. She was also scared that her past would catch up with her before she had a chance to sort it out, and that Max would be involved and hurt because of her. She was also scared of the changes she noticed in her friend, the sudden bursts, the distance she seemed to put between her and others. Those changes scared Chloe, because while she had no worry that her shy tween friend would have stayed away from danger naturally, the new brash girl might just jump into it. And the one thing Chloe feared above all was that Max would end up paying a deadly price, like Rachel.

That was why she had just sent the last text.

Chloe: hey Maximo!
Chloe: got a last-minute errand to run before the game!
Chloe: can you get Warren to taxi you?
Max: :(
Max: Okay, but you owe me!
Chloe: yes, I do!
Chloe: AND NO EMOJI!

She sat in her truck, parked by the beach, close to Frank's RV. She dreaded the discussion, afraid the man would be too boozed up to even welcome a discussion. She had to admit the last encounter had scared her pretty much. Frank had never really been one to mess around when someone owed him cash, but the way he seemed to have been spending his whole time at the bottom of a bottle lately had made him even meaner and aggressive. Between his habits of always carrying a knife and his mutt, Chloe wasn't really feeling safe meeting him alone. She bit her lip and reached in the glove compartment. She slowly pulled a revolver, checking the load. The gun was heavy in her hand and she had to admit that after seeing Max being shot, it scared her a little. Still, she felt she needed the back-up on this one. She just hoped her prick of step-father will not notice the missing gun in his rack before she had a chance to put it back.

She slid the gun in her pants in the small of her back, making sure her jacket covered it, and stepped out of the truck, heading toward the RV, feeling like she was heading to the gallows.

Please be sober... please be sober!

The sound of a bottle breaking as it hit a rock was like a bucket of cold water on her hopes.

So much for hoping to catch him in a good mood. Fuck!

She walked around the RV, slowly approaching so as not to startle the dog and Frank. The dog barked but didn't jump at her.

Yeah one point for Chloe!

"Hey Frank! Got your down payment as promised!" she said waving a bundle of notes.

The drunk man rose her head cursing. "Down Payment?! I fucking said I wanted all my fucking money today!" He started to stand on wobbly legs, the dog growling and moving, pulling on a chain that tied him to the vehicle as it sensed its master's anger.

Chloe swallowed and waved her empty hand. "Look Frank, I can't make three grands like that! I got you six hundred already. That's all I got this week. But as I told you I got a job and I'll pay you every week with all the cash I get until you get your money!"

Frank shook his head. "Yeah! You always say that! Everyone always says that! Don't fuck with me Price! You can't fucking keep a job if your life depended on it!"

Chloe tensed as the man took a step forward, her left hand slowly moving toward her back as her right one offered the cash. "Chill down dude! I work with Steph now! I get a 500 buck per week guaranteed! And that is if I don't get more by doing tats!" She took a step back seeing the man face harsh and foaming. "I swear! I'm not messing with you! I... I'm turning my life dude! I got a job, I'm sorting my shit! I'll give you at least 500 per week until our debt is settled! More if I get it!"

Frank growled angrily and snatched the cash from her hand counting the bills. He paced left and right as if pondering the question before pulling his sleeves up. "Fine! It's your last chance Price! If you fucking miss just a single payment," he reached with his right hand grabbing her jacket's collar. "I'll fucking beat the shit out of you and let Pompidou have a steak from your ass!"

Chloe's hand closed on the grip of the pistol in her back as she felt half lifted by the man. She nodded apprehensively until she spotted it. A band of blue, white and black on Frank's wrist. A familiar item, she had always seen on another slenderer arm. Rachel's bracelet.

Chloe felt her blood boil and she pushed Frank hard with her right arm. "What the FUCK!" As the tall man staggered, alcohol slowing his reflexes she reached at his arm and ripped the bracelet away from him raising it between them. "That's Rachel's fucking bracelet! Why do you have this?" Her voice was filled with fury and anger her body trembling as her eyes filled with tears.

Frank stood up angrily reaching for her hand frantically. "GIVE THAT BACK TO ME!"

The punk girl moved her hand away taking a step back. "IT'S RACHEL'S! WHERE YOU GOT IT?"

Frank shook his head trying to clear the liquor away. "It was a gift! Now give back you bitch!"

"LIAR!" Chloe screamed. "Rachel got it from her real mother! She would never had parted from it!" She shook her head her left hand pulling on the gun hesitantly as she looked at the bracelet. "You... YOU FUCKING TOOK IT FROM HER CORPSE YOU ASSHOLE!"

Frank had tears in his eyes and her roared pulling his switchblade and flicking it open. "GIVE IT BACK!" He bellowed as he charged, and Chloe pointed her gun at him.

They were separated by a few meters, and the man's charge started to close them fast. Chloe's trembling hand held the gun, her finger starting to press the trigger.

Suddenly she saw a pink-haired face appearing out of nowhere in front of her, a hand gripping her wrist and pushing it away as the shot went off, sending the bullet flying harmlessly in the sand. She recognized the face and as she saw the man charging with his blade pushed toward the girl's back she screamed.

"MAX NO!"

A soft thud sound could be heard but Max didn't wince. She just grunted as Frank collided with her chair, sending both of them to the ground. The small girl pushed on her arms beside the man who was trying to get up.

"BOTH OF YOU! STOP THIS FUCKING BULLSHIT!" The voice of Maxine Caulfield rang in her ears.

Max had been about to text Chloe when she received the message informing her that Chloe would not be able to come pick her up. Part of her had been saddened by the news, but at the same time it was a relief. Max hadn't been in her room. She already was in the bus heading for the beach. She could not tell Chloe of course; the punk girl would not have accepted what Max was about to do. She rode the bus listening to No Below by Speedy Ortiz, thinking about how she was going to approach the drug dealer.

She had stepped off the bus close to the parking where she knew Frank would be stationed. It was one of the major touristic point of the town where the trail up to the lighthouse began, so of course it had its own bus stop. Getting from the bus stop to the parking though was not as easy as one would have thought. The original tarmac was worn out and sand had been brought by the wind making it hard for Max' chair to navigate. The descent was tricky, Max had to do her best to slow the chair and negotiate the slight curve while the wheels threatened the slip or bounced on a lose concrete block.

She was half way down the slope when she noticed Chloe's truck parked by the RV. She silently cursed and started to think about turning back when she heard the first scream.

Chloe! God no!

Forgetting all about the promise she had made, she sped her chair hurrying toward the voices. She was coming around the RV finally seeing Chloe, when the gunshot rang in the air, followed by the loud noise of a body collapsing. She saw her friend standing stunned for a brief moment before she simply sunk to her knees talking to herself over the loud barking of a dog. "I ... killed him... I killed Frank... " Chloe's voice was broken, sad, and Max could feel the distress pouring.

I'm too late! Oh god Chloe I'm so sorry! But I'll make it right! Please forgive me!

Max raised her hand seeking to get a hold of time again and she rewound. She saw the scene in reverse, Chloe aiming her gun, Chloe returning the gun to her belt, advancing while holding something in her hand.

Shit! I forgot about Rachel's bracelet!

Chloe's hand touched Frank's wrist and the bracelet was once again on his arm. Max resumed the normal flow of time and saw Chloe rip the bracelet away from Frank.

"That's Rachel's fucking bracelet! Why do you have this?" For a moment Max felt like she was back in the Junkyard, the discharged gun in her hand. She hesitated.

"GIVE THAT BACK TO ME!" The roar startled her. She could actually feel pain in Frank's voice and she knew the man was still hurt from the recent death of his girlfriend.

The punk girl moved her hand away taking a step back. "IT's RACHEL'S! WHERE YOU GOT IT?"

"It was a gift! Now give back you bitch!"

"LIAR!" Chloe started pulling the gun from her belt and Max pushed her chair forward calling. "CHLOE NO!"

The punk turned her head quickly facing Max, surprised and confusion on her face as she realized the pinkette was present.

"Max?" the girl started but her voice was covered by the enraged scream as Frank charged with is knife. "GIVE IT BACK!"

Before either girl could even react, Max saw the knife disappear in her friend's body, the blade piercing just below Chloe's rib cage. Surprise and pain appeared on the blue-haired girl face as her body slowly lost its strength.

"CHLOOOOOEEEE!" Max' eyes filled with tears and her voice rang, raw with horror. Max reached out again and started to rewind.

Shit! No! No! No! I got to find a solution!

She felt her head starting to pound as she turned back time again, resetting the event at the point Chloe ripped the bracelet from Frank's wrist again.

"That's Rachel's fucking bracelet! Why do you have this?"

"GIVE THAT BACK TO ME!"

"IT's RACHEL'S! WHERE YOU GOT IT?"

"It was a gift! Now give back you bitch!"

"LIAR!" Max fought herself as she saw Chloe pulling her gun out.

I can't call her, or I'll distract her again!

"You... YOU FUCKING TOOK IT FROM HER CORPSE YOU ASSHOLE!" Max saw Chloe raise the revolver, pointing the barrel at Frank

"GIVE IT BACK!" The loud scream was the starting point for her. Max concentrated and focused on stopping time like she did in the bathroom.

I got to protect Chloe and stop her!

A painful pulse beat in her head as she pushed her chair trying to move between both. She struggled trying to hurry her moves without letting go of the clock. Max paused as she found herself between Chloe and Frank.

I can move Chloe's hand away! Prevent her from shooting! But what about the knife! I got to stop it!

Max looked around her, trying to find solutions. She considered using her own body but shook her head.

No! Can't take every bullet like that! Think Max! You got to find another way!

As she twisted to look behind her, she saw her messenger bag hanging behind her chair, heavy with her photo album and books.

YES! I can use that!

Max moved her chair, rotating it so as to put her back to Frank. She twisted a few times making sure to match the alignment between the blade and her bag now turned shield. She groaned, the pain starting to be even worse in her head. She reached up with her right hand gripping Chloe's wrist and at the same time she released her grip on time, she yanked the punk's arm down and aside.

The report of the gun startled her, and she felt the shock of the recoil through her hand. She noticed the surprise on Chloe's face and the horror as the punk's brain realized Max was between her and Frank.

"MAX NO!"

Max barely had time to brace for the impact as Frank suddenly collided with her. She was sent forward sliding on the sand a yard or two, scrapping her hands, as the chair was suddenly knocked over and the heavy frame of Frank Bowers tripped and rolled over it.

Max shook her head and pushed on her arms to raise her body screaming as both Chloe and Frank started to move again.

"BOTH OF YOU! STOP THIS FUCKING BULLSHIT!"

She had put as much command as she could in her voice, pouring her fear for Chloe, her anger at Chloe for bringing a gun, her anger at Frank for threatening Chloe, the throbbing pain in her head, and both Frank and Chloe froze, head snapping to her.

Max quickly tried to find something to say, not wanting this very short reprieve to end. "Are you both that fucking stupid!" She started. "Fighting to the death over something like that! Over Rachel!" She panted tasting the copper of the blood dripping from her nose as she talked.

"Rachel wouldn't want you to fight! She loved you both! And here you are dishonoring her! I thought you loved her!"

Max saw Chloe's face fill with pain at her words and Frank looking down with shame.

Chloe was the first to talk. "What the fuck are you talking about, Max!"

Max moved herself to a sitting position as she responded. "I'm telling you that Rachel loved Frank and did offer him the bracelet! If you don't believe me ask him to show you the letters instead of fucking point a gun at him!" she pointed at the weapon accusingly. "And don't act so surprised either Chloe! You fucking well knew Rachel was seeing other people than you! Everyone knew for Christ sake!"

Chloe shook her head in denial. "NO! RACHEL LOVED ME! NOT ANYONE ELSE! ME!"

Max screamed louder. "OPEN YOUR FUCKING EYES FOR ONCE! Yes, Rachel loved you! She also loved Frank! She saw in both of you, qualities no one saw! And she loved you both with all her heart! It doesn't mean she was loving one of you less than the other!"

Chloe fell on her knees sobbing as she slowly started to accept reality.

"For fuck sake! You were jealous of everyone you saw around Rachel because you fucking knew she was loving someone beside you! But why do you think Frank been such a pain in your ass lately? The guy was jealous of you too! You both were jealous of each other and you fucking didn't realize it!"

Max was sobbing now, talking about Rachel and her relationship with Chloe was hard. "You both been blessed with her love! You both keep saying how great a girl she was! You should be there, supporting each other after losing her! That's what she would have wanted! For you to keep on living! For you to be friends!"

Max pointed at Frank. "Instead you are there being drunk from dawn to dusk, threatening Chloe and fucking drawing a knife at her!"

Max pointed at Chloe "AND YOU! You know how painful it is to lose someone you love, you fucking know how dangerous guns are, and what do you do? You accuse him of killing Rachel and you fucking bring a fucking gun and point it at someone! Has the sight of me bleeding in your arms not taught you fucking anything!"

Max was crying softly, nerves wrecking. "I can't believe this! Rachel would be so fucking proud!"

The bitterness in her voice seemed to strike both person hard. Max stopped screaming and started dragging herself to her wheelchair. She reached for it and noticed the knife stuck in her bag. She grunted as she pulled it out and threw it toward the ocean, before righting her chair up and struggling to regain her seat.

Max reached in her bag and pulled an envelope she just tossed in front of Frank. "There's your fucking money!" she hissed before she slowly started to push her chair toward Chloe. She reached down ripping the gun away from Chloe. She opened the cylinder and let all six cartridges fall on in the sand before throwing the gun with all her might toward the water.

She looked at Chloe's face still full of shock, shook her head and started wheeling herself aside, leaving Frank and the punk to deal with their issues and hiding her own tears at the same time.

Chloe was the first to move. The lashing, Max had subjected her coupled with the intense scare of seeing her best friend rammed by a full-grown man with a knife had just overloaded her brain. But in the end, she had been the first to move. She looked at the bracelet in her hand, remembering the girl who had worn it, her smile, her empathy with everyone around.

Max is right... Rachel... Rachel would not want this.

She looked at Frank, the Man on his knees hands in clawed in the sand as he cried. In all the years she had known him, she had never seen him like this, so destroyed. She closed her eyes on her own tears and stood slowly, clenching the bracelet. She took a few steps and went to place the bracelet in front of the crying man.

"I... I'm sorry Frank..." she whispered.

The man slowly reached for the bracelet, cradling it in his hands and pressing it to his chest as he cried. "I fucking miss her!" She heard his broken voice whisper.

Chloe nodded softly. "I... I miss her too..." She sighed reaching with her hand to pull at her hair softly. "Max is fucking right! Rachel would not want us to fight like that!" She sobbed softly. "She was so happy when we hung together!"

Frank's lips curled slightly. "Yeah... She... was..." He slowly stood to his feet looking at the envelope. He shook his head and jerked his head toward the pink haired girl sitting in the wheelchair further by the beach. "Give it back to her... I don't want your money... Rachel would not want me to take it." He started to walk toward his home, shoulder slumped. "I... need some time... to deal with this..." he said as he reached the door and disappeared.

Chloe stood there reaching for the envelope. She opened it, checking its content and frowned as she saw the thick bundle of ten and twenty-dollar notes.

Fuck Max! How did you get so much cash!

She turned her head looking at the girl that was sitting facing the ocean, her shoulder shaking slightly as she held her head with her hands. She started to walk toward her, her steps slow, hesitant. As the anger at Frank disappeared, the depth of her fear for Max had increased.

I can't believe it Max! I nearly lost you again!

Chloe's hand shook as she got closer, slowly circling the chair so as to stand in front of her friend. She paused, looking at the girl. Her face was pale, her skin almost translucid, looking sick. Blood was slowly dripping from the girl's nose, but Max didn't seem to care. She just held her head and cried.

Chloe felt her heart sinking at the sight, the blood on her friend's skin worrying her. Had the girl been hurt, had she just hit her nose when she fell? Chloe didn't know, and she was afraid. She remained there looking at Max, not knowing what to do or say. Her heart was still beating faster than usual, her mind racing as it tried to catch up with what could have happened to the girl. Finally, she just dropped the envelope on Max' laps.

"Why?"

The pinkette looked up at the question. "Why did I come? Why did I get the money? Why am I angry or upset?" She asked back sobbing.

Chloe shook her head feeling a slight anger in her. "Why did you get yourself involved in my problems again, Max? Why risk your life again like that?" Her voice was cold, flatter than she wanted but feelings were whirling in her, mixing her fear and anger.

Max frowned. "Because I was scared you would get hurt! Because I care about you! Because I'd do anything to protect you!" She responded.

"Why, Max! You made a promise with me Max! You promised me you would not get involved!" Chloe started to wave her hands angrily, her voice raising as the fear in her fueled her anger. "WHY?"

Max screamed. "BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!" She sobbed sadly. "Don't you fucking understand yet! I love you Chloe! I fucking love you so much I'd rather be hurt if it means protecting you!"

Chloe screamed back. "I don't want that Max! I don't want anyone getting hurt for me or because of my mistakes!" She started to pace angrily in front of the sitting girl. "And don't your promises mean anything to you?"

Max shook her head crying. "You know it's not true!"

Chloe screamed again. "DO I? The last two promises you made to me, you broke them Max! You promised me you would keep writing, calling, visiting me and you haven't sent or said a single word in five fucking years! You promised me you would not get involved in my problems with Frank, and what did you do? You fucking came here and jumped between a gun and knife, MAX!"

Max gripped her head crying. "It's not like that Chloe! It was not like that!"

Chloe bellowed her hands gripping her head as she tried to wrap her head around the swirl of feelings rushing through her. "Then WHAT IS IT?"

Max wailed as her mind crumbled. "I loved you Max! I loved you and being so far away hurt so much! You don't know how many times I tried to call, to write to text! You don't know how many times I just ended up crying! I needed you to hold me and you were a whole state away!"

Chloe shook her head. "Don't fucking lie to me Max! You been back in Arcadia Bay for over a month before we saw each other again!"

The wind slowly picked up, dark clouds filling the sky, thunder slowly rumbling.

"I didn't know how to call you! I didn't know how to face you! I screwed up and I fucking didn't know what to do! I always loved you Chloe! I needed time! And the day I finally saw you, I SAW YOU DIE!"

Max' voice sounded broken, distressed, as she held her head digging her nails in her scalp. Chloe felt her heart sink as she saw her friend sitting there crying and sobbing, her spirit broken.

"I didn't die Max! I'm right there! Right in front of you where I been when you promised on our friendship you would never do what you did today!" Chloe closed her eyes not wanting to see Max as she voiced the next words. "How can I trust you again? You... Sacrificed our friendship Max!"

The smaller girl looked up her eyes wide, as if the words had been a slap. "What... What do you mean by that?"

I'm so sorry Max... I... hate doing that... but you leave me no choice... I can't risk you getting hurt trying to protect me again!

"I... can't keep going like this, Max... " She forced herself to talk with a calm posed voice. Rain started to drop, as if the sky had started to cry over their broken friendship as Chloe spoke her last words to Max. "We're done, Max... I don't want to see you again."

Chapter Text

"We're done, Max... I don't want to see you again..."

The words rang in Max' head again and again. She was so stunned so shocked that Chloe would even think them that she just sat there unable to utter a word or move. It was as if the punk had ripped all life out of her, coldly crushing her heart with the calm and posed announcement.

Everything had frozen in her mind. She hadn't even think of rewinding and trying to sort the discussion again. There was no use. She had tried to make things better and had once again messed up and made it worse.

She remained there, unmoving under the rain, tears running along her cheeks as she cried silently. She was numb, not even noticing when Chloe had walked away, or when she had driven off without another word.

She didn't know for how long she had simply stopped functioning. She wasn't even sure she was functioning again. It was more like an autopilot. She had started moving, slowly, silently. She had moved her chair further down the beach, in the sand. Moving to a small shiny item that revealed to be the Frank's switchblade knife. Had her mind been working she would probably have chuckled at the version of herself who had tossed it earlier, thinking she could even have the strength to send it in the Pacific Ocean. As she was now, she didn't even think about it. She reached down and picked it up, folding the blade before she slipped it in her black hoodie. She reached and pulled up the hood, hiding her pink hair and her face under the black fabric, and started to wheel herself away again.

She didn't know, didn't even think of, where she was heading. She just pushed on the wheels again and again and again, her body wandering aimlessly as her mind kept playing Chloe's last words to her over and over again. She followed the beach, reaching the boardwalk in front of the Two Whales, moved up the ramp and kept moving along the streets; not realizing it she had started the long path toward Blackwell or noticing the blonde waitress looking at her from the Two Whales' window.

She crossed several people, hugging their parka or hiding under their umbrellas. Few of them even glanced at the girl in a wheelchair whose face was hidden in the shadow of her black N7 hoodie as she slowly carted herself along the sidewalk. No one paid attention to her blank face, her empty stare, her soulless eyes from which tears kept running down, mixing with the rain as she moved like just an empty shell of herself. A Ghost wandering the streets of Arcadia Bay.

Chloe parked her truck in front of Fantas'ynk and remained there, hands clenched on the wheel, tears escaping her sapphire blue eyes to run along her cheeks. She wasn't sure how she had made it there. She had left Max on the beach, moved to pick up the gun that had landed not even half way between the parking and the water - Max always had a weak arm - and then climbed in her truck and drove off.

She had not even glanced the girl sitting on her wheelchair. She couldn't. She knew that even a glimpse of the pain that probably showed on Max' face would have melted her resolve. So, she had driven away before she even had a chance.

She remained there in her truck, not moving, not making a sound, until the flood gate opened. She folded over, pressing her head to the driving wheel as she started to wail and cry, cursing Max for having pushed her to this, feeling like she had been forced to rip an important part of herself away so as to protect it. She had not felt this pain since the day they had buried her father, since the moment she had listened to Max heartbreaking farewell tape message. Like then she just cried, pouring all her pain and sadness through her tears, in the privacy of her car, where no one should see her.

When she finally left her truck, she didn't know how long she had spent there crying or just staring as tears ran down her cheeks. The energy she had to pour in her distress had just ran out. She slowly stepped out, moving more by automatism than real will. She plucked a cigarette from her pocket and lit it up as she moved to the store. Through the window, she could see the rest of the gang waiting for her and Max. She stopped by the door, leaning on the wall as she smoked, dreading the discussion that was bound to happen. She procrastinated, used as much time as she could on that cigarette, but in the end, she had burned through all of it and had no more excuse.

She pushed the door, eyes down, puffy from crying. She waved at the gang not trusting her voice yet as she walked across the store.

Steph looked up as Chloe moved to the backroom pulling her jacket away. "How was your errand? sorted it out?"

Chloe nodded. "Yeah..." her voice gloom.

Warren raised his head from whatever he was reading and looked at her. "Hey Chloe!" He frowned a moment. "Max's not with you?"

Chloe froze a few inches from the coat hanger. She hoped no one saw her hesitation as she simply responded. "Max's not coming."

She felt the eyes of every other gamer looking at her expecting more information from her, but she left it at that. She saw a slight concern in Steph eyes but decided to say nothing more.

Mickey North pursed his lips. "What do we do then? We can't really continue the quest without her." the boy complained.

Drew and Warren nodded somberly. "Yeah would not be fair."

Chloe bit her lip moving to the small counter. "I dunno... Do what you want... Although I'm not really in the mood to game today so if you do something else, count me out too." Joining action to the word, she sat on the stool, grabbing the sketch book she used when she had been using to design the few tattoos she'd made during the week. "I'll tend to the store if you want, Steph. You can concentrate on the game."

The girl frowned a bit and nodded not willing to push the matter in front of everyone. "Sure, thanks... Let me know if you need help though."

Chloe waved quietly trying to ignore the look everyone gave her as she started to just idly draw lines on the pad.

Victoria squealed as she suddenly felt the rain pouring. Kate, Courtney, Taylor and she had been enjoying some mid-november sun at the picnic tables on the campus, chilling as they shared some homemade sandwiches. The idea had been Kate, which had surprised the three other girls, but while they would have scoffed at the idea just a week before, they had embraced the chance to just get to know each other better and chat.

The food had been delicious in Victoria's opinion, although even Kate had admitted it was just average. Victoria didn't know whether she was biased, or Kate was just being modest about the food she had cooked. Probably a bit of both.

The discussion had mainly revolved around art, and more specifically drawing and design. Victoria was the only one big on photography in the small group and even her had her troubles with it lately. But drawing and designing was something all of them could share, either through the children's book illustrations Kate was making, the simple artistic sketch they all practiced, or the stylist designs Courtney and Taylor enjoyed devising.

They had exchanged a lot about paper quality, their favorite brands of pencils and charcoal, the technics they used, even the aquarelle brushes. Although Victoria was more a photographer than a painter or sketch artist, she had been able to give her view on a few items. But even then, she had not really cared about it. Just listening to Kate as she talked about her drawings, radiating with warmth and happiness, had been enough to make Victoria's day.

Until the sudden downpour, that is. The girls hurried to pick up the lunch basket and their sketch books and other belongings and rushed toward the dorms. They arrived at the door, entering the building running and stopped, their hair and clothed drenched.

"What the hell is that!" Courtney complained. "One moment we got sun, and the next it's like the Niagara Falls are falling on us!"

Kate chuckled. "It's just some thunderstorm, can't really know when and where they will suddenly pour, that's all!"

Victoria shook her head softly. "Are your aquarelles okay Kate? I mean with the rain..."

Kate nodded softly with a warm smile. "I think so, I'll go put them to dry in my room though to be sure."

Courtney rolled her eyes. "My sketches are fine too by the way, thanks!"

Victoria bit her lip before looking at the girl. "I was coming to that... And you Tay? All good?"

The blonde nodded. "Yes, thanks. I didn't take out the important ones anyway."

Courtney looked through the window at the sky and the rain. "So... What do we do now?"

Victoria shrugged. "Well we can always hang out in one of our room and keep talking, I guess."

The dark-haired girl pouted softly. "It sucks, but yeah we don't have much choice."

Kate looked down shyly. "I'm sorry... My idea didn't turn out so well after all."

Victoria felt bad for the smaller blonde. "It's okay Kate! It was a nice idea! We just didn't have luck on the weather."

At her words, Kate looked up shyly and smiled, which made Victoria's heart flutter.

"Okay, well let's go to my room then." Victoria announced. "Can always watch TV if we get bored."

"Funny weather we go today..." Warren mentioned as the group had started to play. "Forecast said sun with light clouds... And look at this... Thunderstorm..."

Chloe raised her eyes from the sketch she had been working on and looked out the window. She shrugged and looked at the group. She didn't know what they had elected to play, just that they had decided to keep the Star Wars quest on hold until everyone was present.

Might take a while... I can't really be in the same places as Max...

"Yeah, but at the same time Thunderstorm are hard to foresee." The analytical voice of Brooke responded.

Chloe looked back at her drawing. She didn't really make plan with it. She just had thrown whatever came to her mind. But in the end, she was putting the finishing touches to a freckled face angel, her lower body, her arms and her wings entangled into wines with thorns piercing through the frail limbs. She paused a moment studying her sketch, wondering what it could mean. She stood up and went to pick up her jacket. "Out for a smoke." she just announced before she went through the door taking a cigarette from her pocket.

She leaned back against the wall, looking at the sky as she slowly smoke, lulled by the sound of pouring rain.

"Did something happen with Max?" Steph had joined her, taking a break from gaming.

I should have figured...

Chloe closed her eyes with a sigh. She had hoped to avoid this kind of discussion, but knowing Steph, it had been a lost cause anyway. Unless she'd wanted to quit her new-found job.

"What makes you say that?" She asked hoping to deflect the discussion.

"Well, for starters, you spent at least half an hour crying in your truck before you came inside." Steph said matter-of-factly. "Not because we haven't said anything that we didn't notice." She added. "Then, there's the fact Max isn't here, when we had planned for this afternoon quite early." Her tone was light, as if she wasn't pressuring for more information.

"And there's your drawing." She added as a final clue.

Chloe blew some small rings of smoke. "What about it?"

Steph smirked. "You think I wouldn't notice how your angel is very similar to Max?"

Chloe felt her face flush slightly and she swallowed loudly, not responding.

"And you draw her being dragged down by quite painful thorny wines..." Chloe could feel the eyes scanning her face, her reactions as the girl paused. "So, tell me... What's up? Did you two fight?"

Chloe sighed and nodded slightly, her eyes staring in the void.

"How bad?"

Chloe took a drag of her cigarette. "Bad... Very bad..." She said softly.

Steph pursed her lips. "Want to talk about it?"

Chloe shook her head. "Not at the moment no... Maybe later..."

Steph nodded and turned toward the door. She paused reaching to put a hand on Chloe's shoulder. "You guys will make it up in no time, you'll see." Then she returned inside joining with the other gamers.

Chloe heard the door closing and said to no one as she felt tears building in her eyes. "Not this time, Steph... Not this time."

Kate had enjoyed her afternoon with Victoria, Courtney and Taylor. She had even been genuinely surprised when she found out the two girls loved drawing too. In the end, they had far more in common than she could have thought earlier in the semester, and Kate wasn't sure why they hadn't been able to click together before.

Had it been because of my Religious belief, my support for abstinence? Or was it Victoria's insecurities and pettiness?

Kate was confused about the changes sometimes. She had spent more and more time with Victoria's group, and Max had been less and less opened to chatting with her. The girl who had been her best friend was changing tremendously, getting more easily upset, always on the edge, barking sometimes and taking up smoking. The new look was nice, but Kate worried the girl's mind was getting lost and that scared her.

On the opposite hand, the once queen of bully Victoria had been more and more gentle and kind, spending more and more time with her, showing interests in what she was doing and how she was feeling. The changes had begun way earlier, but since that evening when all the events haunting her had been outed to her friends, Victoria had been more opened. Just as she had finally begun to spend the night in Kate's room again.

And with these changes, Kate had also to cope with a crisis of faith, not being sure what part of her beliefs, she could still rely on. She had never really been as fundamentalist and narrow minded as her mother or aunt, but the same beliefs had still been part of her upbringing and she had never questioned them. Until, she had unfairly fallen prey to the same condemnation, sneer and judgement coming from the person who should have supported her when she needed it. In the end, it wasn't only her friends that were changing, she was too. Her beliefs and herself evolving to fit her experiences.

It was getting late, night had fallen a few hours ago and with the stormy clouds and the rain, natural light was inexistent. Kate was slowly walking down the stairs from the usual girl's 2nd Floor toward the new wing. Victoria was walking beside her after offering to accompany her to her room. Kate chuckled softly as she remembered Courtney fanning herself with a hand and exclaiming mockingly. 'OH CHIVALRESQUE!' Taylor and Kate had giggled, Victoria had bit her lip and frowned.

They reached the bottom of the stairs and passed in front of the main door when a flash of lightning lit up the window, drawing a sinister silhouette of a person, sitting in front of the door under the rain, with a heavy hood over the head. Both girl let out a small scream of surprise, pressing a hand on their chest as they looked at each other. Kate moved to the door, peering through the window to see if the vision was true and who that person might be. She felt her heart sink as she finally recognized the person in front of the door, sitting in a wheelchair, her body soaked with rain water.

"OH MY GOD!" she interjected as she ran and opened the door. "Max! What are you doing out there?!"

The girl barely moved, she remained there, just moving her eyes to look at the origin of the voice. Kate felt like her chest was becoming tighter as she could read the pain, the despair and grief on her friend's face. She ran to get behind the chair and slowly pushed it inside, out of the rain and into the light.

Chapter Text

Victoria jumped, startled by the sudden appearance of the silhouette through the window. It had looked like one of those cheap horror movies, a hooded person immobile in the rain outside the window and suddenly revealed by the flash of lightning.

Fucking Ominous!

She was struggling to keep her heart from just bouncing out of her chest when Kate started to walk closer to the door, peering outside. Victoria was not really worried though, if the person outside was a student, surely, he would have come in. The shape was probably that of that weirdo groundkeeper Samuel. He probably would be the only one outside by such weather.

"OH MY GOD!". She jerked her head up at the burst from Kate's gentle voice. She saw the girl opening the door revealing the frame of a person sitting on a wheelchair. "Max! What are you doing out there?!"

The kind blonde quickly hurried to push the chair inside as it's occupant barely reacted, and Victoria let a gasp of mixed horror and surprise at the sight.

Max was just sitting there shivering, almost shaking, arms hanging beside the wheels, her whole body and the chair dripping profusely on the carpet of the hall. Victoria could see the girl's clothes were soaked wet, clinging heavily to her small body. Under the heavy cotton hood of her black N7 hoodie, she could only see a few pink strands of dripping hair around a face void of any expression. Her skin was pale as that of a ghost, her eyes, puffy and red, glassy with tears, screaming with a pain and distress Victoria couldn't understand, and a line dark red flaked blood could be seen from her nose to her chin, where it had obviously dripped, unattended.

Jesus! She's looking like a crossing of a Sith and one of those creepy witchy girls in horror flix!

Somehow, Victoria felt bad for the girl she barely recognized. She remained there in shock until Kate's voice attracted her attention.

"She's so drenched!" Victoria looked at the smaller girl as she started to talk to Max. "Max? What happened to you?"

Seeing the pinkette shaking softly, probably feeling cold Victoria hesitated before she spoke. "We need to warm her up and dry her up, Kate." She pointed toward the new wing. "Can you take her to the showers? I'll get some towels."

Victoria had run back to her room to retrieve a few towels and then rushed back downstairs heading toward the new wing's bathroom.

"Victoria? What's the hurry?" The voice of Dana Ward surprised her into stopping. She looked over her shoulder, seeing the girl erupting from the staircase, apparently the girl had been curious seeing Victoria running through the corridor.

"Nothing, Max just came back from outside." She winced as soon as the words left her lips and she saw the girl looking at the window.

"In this weather? God! Is she okay?"

Victoria started hurrying toward the bathroom again carrying the towels. "I don't know yet. She's soaked wet. Kate's with her." She simply said with an annoyed tone as she pushed the bathroom's door opened.

Dana had followed Victoria, and when they entered the room they saw the wheelchair in the middle, Max still seated in it, unresponsive. Kate was struggling with the zipper of the black hoodie, the fabric swollen with water interfering with it. Victoria placed the towels on the nearby sink and went to help undress the poor girl. "Kate, I'll do it, take care of her shoes." She reached for the bottom of the hoodie and started to pull it up like a sweater, the zipper low enough to let the small girl's head pass. She tossed the soaked hoodie to the sinks and looked at Max' face, her hair was drenched, her bangs sticking to her cheeks. Tears kept running along her cheeks and dried blood painted a line from her nose to her chin.

"Come on, Max... A little help?" she asked softly as she reached for the t-shirt made tank top and started to pull it up. She slowly freed the shivering girl from the dripping cloth as Dana approached them and started to dab a wet tissue to the girl's face, cleaning the blood from her skin. Victoria went to place the top with the hoodie and turned, watching as Kate was pulling the girl's socks off her small feet. Her eyes got drawn at the white flesh of the scar on Max's body, now unhidden. "Fuck..." she muttered as she saw the mark of the exit wound for the first time.

Dana and Kate looked at her with a frown and she blushed. "Sorry, I just got... surprised." she said pointing at Max' scar. Both girls looked at it a moment and bit their lips with embarrassment. Victoria walked around the chair and looked at the cheerleader. "Can you help me lift her up, so Kate can remove her jeans?" she asked as she reached to slowly raise Max from the chair while the smaller blonde started tugging the tight soaked pants. The denim resisted as Kate slowly pulled at it, lowering it to Max' knees before she suddenly yelped. "Oh Lord! Her hands!"

Dana and Victoria slowly sat Max back down and hurried to look at what had troubled Kate so much. Victoria reached for the girl's hand and hissed as she saw her palm cracked and covered with blisters, oozing and bleeding. Dana looked up and asked, "Did she do that by ... wheeling herself? How far did she go?"

Victoria pulled back gazing at the sitting catatonic girl and shook her head. "I dunno... Let's get her cleaned, warmed and dried before she gets sick."

The sun was bright, and one could have thought summer was back, had it not been for the cool temperature and the soft chilling breeze of this mid-autumn. Dana was sitting on one of the picnic table in front of the school building, watching as Trevor, Justin and a couple others were playing daredevils on their skates. Now and then Dana would cheer as the boys managed to complete this or that difficult figure, clapping her hands and bouncing on the table, the cheerleader in her never too far after all, but mainly her mind was still occupied by the events of the previous evening.

She had never seen anyone in a state such as Max, and it had worried her greatly. The girl had never been a bursting with energy as she was, but she had been there, moving, smiling, chatting with Kate or her even if always shyly and slightly withdrawn. But the previous night, Max has simply been an empty shell. She had sat there unmoving, just shivering and crying as Dana, Victoria and Kate had undressed her, carried her into a warm shower and then dried and tended to her hands. Those too had been a rough sight for Dana, Max had literally ripped her palms on her wheelchair making the three girls ponder how far she had gone.

It looked like she has crossed the whole town!

But, while those injuries - torn blisters and abraded skin - were not very pretty, it was the lack of spirit in the girl that had crushed Dana's heart. Max had never moved, never talked, all she had done was stare at nothing while tears kept pouring from her eyes. Dana and Kate had tried to talk with her, to drag her out of her shell. Even Victoria had surprisingly hugged the girl once they had brought her back to her room. But Max had not reacted.

Even now, the girl barely looked alive. She was sitting in her wheelchair as Kate was pushing her, not moving as if not even conscious of her surroundings. The idea had been Victoria's. When they all gathered in the morning to see if Max was feeling better, they had just found her sitting on her chair in a corner of her room, staring at the sky. She had not responded to their greetings, just turned her head looking at them as if to see where the sound came from, and then had resumed her staring. The taller blonde had just growled and said they should take the girl out a bit, give her some fresh air.

The tone had made Dana frown. It seemed like something was bothering the blonde, as if she was struggling internally, as if she was trying to not to show she cared. Dana looked at Victoria as she followed Kate and Max, and she pondered as she noticed the slight tension on the girl's eyebrows, the pinched lips.

Has she got a problem with Kate or Max?

The trio was getting closer and Kate gave her a wave as she directed the chair to join her. "Hey Dana! Hey guys!"

Victoria just waved and went to sit at the far side of the table, making Dana frown a little. If you didn't want to be with us, you could have stayed in your room!

"Hi Kate! Hi Max and of hi Vicky!" She cheerfully responded. She looked at the girl with her pink hair and piercings. "How are things doing?" she asked not really expecting an answer from Max.

Kate sighed. "No real changes... she didn't even eat..."

Dana winced a bit. "Not good... Any idea what happened to her?"

Kate looked down. "I ... I think I know... just it's..."

Victoria just sighed and interrupted the smaller blonde. "She had a fight with that Price bitch."

Dana thought a moment. "Price? You mean Rachel's friend, the one who took over for Juliet in the Tempest?"

Victoria nodded. "Yeah, seems her and Max are friends, or were friends at least..."

Kate looked at the taller blonde sternly. "It's not for us to discuss Max' private matters!" She interrupted her voice rather stern and Dana saw Victoria's face crumble a little as the small girl's scolding tone, before she turned her head away with a humph.

Dana pondered a moment and added. "Not sure that would make her turn into a zombie though. I mean people loose friends everyday... yet the world's not half catatonic."

Victoria shrugged, and Kate sighed. "She will be fine in time, maybe it's something else."

Dana nodded. "Maybe we should get her see a doc... I mean maybe it's her injuries you know..." Both blondes winced at the reminder of the two nasty scars they witnessed on Max body.

Kate pondered a moment. "I suppose if things don’t get better soon we will have to yes..." she said as she locked the chair's wheel and moved to sit halfway between Max and Victoria.

Dana looked at the pink-haired girl and smiled softly. "Hey Max! Wanna see Trev do a treflip?"

Max lips seemed to twitch a moment, her eyes slowly scanning around. Seeing the Reaction Dana felt some hope and she waved a hand. "Hey Trev! Do a treflip for your baby!" She called drawing some whistle from the other skater boys. Trevor saluted goofingly and started to take some momentum. With an impulsion he started his figure only to fail as the board landed awkwardly his foot pressing the back out of balance sending the front of the skateboard suddenly up and into his groin.

"Oh God Trevor are you ok?" Dana yelped panicked as she stood and went to look at the boy. Trevor just grunted and nodded as she moved holding his crotch and went to sit down for a moment.

As Dana looked back at Max, she noticed the girl's lips were moving slightly.

Well at least it brought a reaction!

A few minutes later she returned to sit beside Max. The girl was moving a bit more, although she still didn't seem to be with them. Kate had moved toward the skaters asking questions about the figures and all. It was nice to see the girl open up a bit and Dana was glad. She was a bit more concerned when she noticed Victoria was standing not too far from the small blonde, like a creepy bodyguard.

What's up with this girl!

A soft metallic clang startled her, and she turned her head only to find Max, a cigarette between her lips and holding a zippo lighter in her hand. "Holy shit Max! What are you doing?"

The surprise was big in her voice as she saw her friend with a cigarette for the first time. She reached with her hand and ripped the offensive item from the girl's lips. "When did you even start to smoke?" she asked the girl.

She looked up at Kate and Victoria showing the cigarette her eyebrow raised questioningly, but both girl looked back at her just as surprised as she was.

She heard a soft moan beside her and turned her head to see the pinkette reaching with her hand trying to catch the cigarette again, a frown on her face. For a moment, Dana had a vision of a young child trying to reach for a toy. She was tempted to just crush the cigarette, but she got stopped by the girl's blue eyes. Dana just couldn't resist as she saw the pain in them, as if she had ripped the world away from the girl. She sighed and just placed the cigarette in the girl's hand.

"What the hell is wrong with you Max?" she asked softly as she watched the girl quickly lighting up the tobacco stick. Strangely the girl didn't take that much puffs from the cigarette, she mainly held it in front of her looking at it, sniffing at the scent.

So weird!

Dana sighed and turned away, preferring to look at the boys, but her attention got attracted again by a soft voice, like a whisper.

"... Boo-yah... get it... like a scary punk ghost..."

Max' voice was soft, weak and a bit sad. It didn't sound like she was talking to anyone in particular. She was just whispering to herself, tears in her eyes, watching the cigarette.

Hearing the weak voice had been heartbreaking. Victoria didn't know why she felt like this, but seeing the girl just whisper to herself, a sad smile on her face as she cried had felt depressing. She pursed her lips fiddling with her fingers too. Seeing the burning cigarette making her want to get a smoke too. She sighed looking at the smaller blonde that had moved to talk to Max. The sitting girl had not responded though, she seemed really lost in her own thoughts, maybe even her own world, talking to herself.

"Maybe we should keep walking?" Victoria proposed, looking at Kate. "Maybe she saw something, and she needs to see another to get back to us?"

The smaller blonde looked at her inquisitively, then shrugged. "Why not." She moved behind Max' chair and after unlocking the wheels started to push the girl across the campus.

Victoria followed from further afar, reaching in her purse for a cigarette of her own, hoping Kate would not see. They were heading toward the gym, Kate following the path that went around the park in front of the main school building. Just as they passed by the swimming pool's door, Max suddenly turned her head looking at the building as she said with a sinking voice. "Splish-splash... Hella Splish-Splash".

Kate stopped and moved to face Max. "What is it Max? You want to go to the swimming pool?"

Max didn't even look at Kate. She just looked at the building mumbling to herself. "... look... an otter in my water..."

Victoria sighed, feeling all this was useless. She started to think the girl had completely lost her mind, although the tone in Max' voice sounded more like melancholy than pure dementia, as if the girl was just playing through some memories.

They appeared out of nowhere, or at least it seemed so. A group of men and women, holding mikes and cameras. They suddenly surrounded them, shouting questions, taking pictures and filming. Victoria cringed as the flashes blinked around her reminding her of the dark room. Her breathing got heavier, her heart pounding in her throat, it took a moment to regain control of her emotions. As she did she heard the panicked voice of Kate trying to fend off the aggressors.

"Leave us alone! You have no right to be here!"

A particularly pushing man took a step forward sticking his microphone over the small blonde's head aiming at the handicapped girl in her chair. "Ms. Caulfield! Is it true that you and your friend were harassing and bullying Mr. Prescott when he shot you?"

A woman came pushing beside him as if not wanting to lose a scoop at him. "Ms. Caulfield! Please, what do you have to say to the claims of Mr. Sean Prescott that the gun was in fact yours?"

More and more reporters kept asking questions, Kate trying politely to push them off and protect the girl. Victoria didn't know what to do. She hesitantly took a step forward but was pushed aside by a man holding his TV camera on his shoulder and trying to get a better angle at the pink haired girl.

A voice suddenly screamed loudly. "Are you fucking kidding me!" As Victoria raised her eyes, she saw Dana and the skaters rushing toward them. Dana looked pissed, her hands on her hips as she screamed.

"You are all bullying a girl in a wheelchair because the one who put her in it is giving you bullshit?"

One of the reporter growled. "We have nothing to ask you so let us do our job!"

Victoria reached for her phone dialing 911.

"911 what's your emergency?" the operator responded after only half a tone.

"My name is Victoria Chase, I am at Blackwell Academy, there is a group of reporters harassing me and a group of students!" she started as she ran toward her friends.

The feral crowd of reporter started pushing trying to force their way toward Max as Trevor and Dana tried to interfere.

"I can't believe this! You are believing the words of a fucking bully and a rapist who shot two people over that of his victims?" Trevor screamed as he tried to push two reporters away from the wheelchair.

One of the women scoffed. "Why wouldn't the words of a respected business man and his son be more legitimate than that of two punk girls with problems?"

Kate was the one responding harshly. "Oh, because I'm a punk girl with problem? You are just like them! Bullies who will turn things as you want to please you! I never had any problem in my life before Nathan Prescott drugged and raped me!"

One reporter pushed a microphone in her face. "Yeah well tell us what you know then! And let Ms. Caulfield defend herself since you think she's got nothing to be ashamed of!" Trevor started to push his way closer reaching for the man's wrist.

"Who the hell do you think you are, harassing people like that!"

The reporter shook his arm free. "Don't you touch me again or I'll sue you for assault you piece of shit!"

Things escalated badly. The reporters started to push even against their colleagues trying to get closer from Maxine as students tried to use their own bodies as a barrier. Victoria was barely able to talk with the operator now as the shouting and screaming of questions and insults covered her voice and that of the officer on the phone. Suddenly the painful yelp made her turn her head.

Kate had been thrown away by a reporter, her small body falling back, toppling the wheelchair as the man just bulled his way through. Victoria felt something snap in her as she saw the girl on the ground surrounded by men with cameras who only thought about snapping pictures and filming the scene. She dropped her phone and pounced at the man screaming. "HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU!" With every scream her small fist came crashing down on the man's face as she straddled him, sickening cracking sounds resounding now and then.

Like sharks smelling blood in the water, reporters started to redirect their attention toward her while Dana's hands tried to pull her off the man.

The wails of approaching sirens could be heard, and a female reporter scoffed proudly. "At least! You will see you brats! You will all end in jail!"

Officer Cole was bored. He was sitting in his car with his partner, sipping coffee as they waited by the road, controlling the speed of the few vehicles passing in front of them. A heavy truck passed in front of them and he looked at his partner. "Tell me he is speeding."

His partner looked at him. "You kidding right? He's barely making 20!"

Cole sighed. "Waste of time..."

"Better than some shooting or rapist if you want my opinion."

Cole pinched the bridge of his nose. "Don't remind me please."

The car's radio beeped once, and the dispatcher's voice rang. "All Available unit, we have reports of disturbance in progress at Blackwell Academy. Available Units identify code 3"

Cole jumped to his mike not wanting to lose this opportunity to escape traffic duty.

"55 David, responding!" He reached for the panel flipping the switches for the siren and flashlights as his partner started the engine with a roll of his eyes.

"What's your bet? Skaters? Stone heads?" the driver asked as he navigated through the streets.

Cole shrugged. "Beats me, but still fucking better than traffic duty!" he growled.

The ride wasn't long, they had been just outside the city in the same area as the school. They parked the car in front and stepped out. As they climbed the stairs to the park, they noticed that two security guards were already trying to part a group of students from a group of adults. The dark-skinned officer noticed the camera and groaned. "Oh shit! Press..."

His partner nodded as they both walked up. Cole reached his radio and called out.

"Dispatch, 55 David, we'll need some back-up here. We have at least a dozen people to bring in."

"55 David, can you confirm?"

Cole sighed. "Dispatch, we need enough vehicles for at least a dozen."

"10-4, 55 David, back-up is en route."

The policeman shook his head before he approached the crowd. "Okay everyone! Calm down already! Can someone tell us what happened here?"

One of the reporter holding his bleeding nose pointed at a tall blonde girl with a pixie cut. "We were trying to do our job when she fucking assaulted me!"

A girl with brown hair in a pony tail suddenly burst pointing accusingly. "Because your fucking job is to harass handicapped girls and throw them out of their wheelchair?"

Things got heated up again, both groups starting to scream at one another.

"ENOUGH!" Cole bellowed. He looked around and pointed at the three men holding cameras. "You, you and you, I'm requisitioning the videos! We'll see what really happen!" he said looking at the reporters who suddenly got quiet and found something more interesting to look at.

"In addition, I'm placing all of you under arrest." he announced to the reporters who suddenly looked even more rebellious.

A woman started to scream at him. "You can't be serious! We are protected by the constitution! We still have a free press here! They are the one who attacked us! Why would we be the one to be arrested!"

Cole frowned, his hand reaching for his nightstick. "We will start with trespassing, as the school is private propriety. Then we will add violation of a court order that forbids any member of the press from getting within 500 yards from the school ground!" he smirked softly. "And I'm sure with the help of your videos we will find some other charges. We may have a free press, but that doesn't mean you can break the law." He looked at the students who were protectively forming a wall around three girls, a small blonde holding her arm, a taller blonde holding her hand with a wince and a pink-haired girl sitting on a wheelchair. He turned to his partner. "John, get them to send a bus. I want the students checked up for injuries."

The man with the bleeding nose took a step forward. "What about me? That bitch broke my nose!"

Cole tapped his stick on his free hand. "You will be taken to the hospital by a patrol unit on your way to the detention center." He pointed with his free hand in front of him the nightstick at the wall of the swimming pool. "Okay ladies and gentlemen, I won't say it twice! I want all the cameras, microphones and recording equipment in front of me and all of you facing the wall! Whoever hasn't complied within two minutes will get a free cavity search as a bonus!"

Chapter Text

Morning went slowly, Max just kept looking at the sky, at the birds flying. Now and then she looked at her mobile phone, checking for messages, hoping Chloe would tell her she had changed her mind. But nothing came. Max had even launched the messaging app, beginning to write messages, apologizing, even begging Chloe to take her back. But in the end, she had not been able to send them, the final words Chloe had given her still ringing in her head.

She didn't really remember much from her weekend. She knew Kate and Victoria and Dana, and many others had tried to cheer her up to talk to her. But she just had no care. She had taken refuge into her own mind, her memories, focusing on the good moments she had with Chloe. The moment's she had spent with her Chloe, the Chloe who had loved her, the Chloe she had sacrificed. In an attempt to drown the haunting final words, she had tried to focus on different discussions, the words the blue-haired girl had said, the sound of her voice during that fateful week. She even had tried to bury herself in the memories of those magical kisses, the taste, the texture of Chloe's lips, the scent of her body. Now and then she would light up a cigarette, just for a reminder of the taste and smell.

She had heard the steps as Kate passed in front of her opened door earlier this morning, checking on her before she headed to the bathroom. She knew the girl was worried, but Max just couldn't respond. She felt empty, like a part of herself had been ripped away, and without that part, she just couldn't find the strength to move.

So, she stayed in her room watching as the world kept turning without her.

"Told you it would happen!"

The voice and its mocking tone was familiar, but Max didn't react. She didn't want to even look who had talked to her.

"Are you Cereal? You really going to ignore me? Dog I been trying to help you since the beginning and all too!"

Max turned her head wanting to tell the voice to shut up, but no one was there. She was alone in her room. Frowning she slowly started to move her chair looking at door to see if someone was hiding.

"Over there! To the left you idiot!"

Max jerked and looked left, her eyes moving over the mirror toward the wall. She stopped suddenly, and her eyes moved back to the mirror. Her eyes widened as she saw her reflection. She reached up her hand probing her face, seeking her piercing. In the mirror her reflection just shook her head.

"Oh, come on! You can't be that slow!" The Max in the mirror started rolling her eyes.

Max looked at the image. The girl looked like her, same clothes, same freckles, same eyes. But her hair was still the jaw long brown hair Max still had only a week before, and her nose and ear were devoid of the silvery loops.

What the...

"Really? You still don't understand? Come on Maxine! It's not the first time we had a talk!" Mirror Max shook her head.

"You're not real... You're just a dream." Max retorted.

"And there we go... But I am real Max! I am in you! I am you!" the reflection responded rolling her eyes. "I'm the part of you that warned you, many times too, that your little bitch didn't love you."

"Don't call her that!" Max yelled at the glass.

"Seriously? The girl just dumped you, if we even can call it that since she wasn't with you to begin with, after you messed up time for her! And you still want to defend her?"

Max raised her hand to her ear. "Shut up! I don't want to hear this!"

"Don't want to hear what? That your so-called friend used you and that now she doesn't need you she dumped you?"

"You are wrong!"

"Am I? What happened since you saw her eh? You saved her, several times, nearly killed a man, messed up a railroad track, got suspended from school, broke into several buildings, helped her find her precious Rachel, got raped by a psycho and so on..." The reflection just rolled a hand. "Did she even thank you?"

Max clawed her fingers in her short pink hair. "Yes, she did! She loves me! She'll always love me!"

"Oh yeah, she guilts trip you about those five years, although she did stop trying to call as soon as she found her little Rachel, hasn't she? She pushed you back when you kissed her, pushed you back as soon as something was wrong too! God she even asked you to kill her. Proof she preferred death to spending her life with you!"

Max shook her head. "No! No! It's not true!"

"Oh, come on, the girl not even in love with you after you took a fucking bullet for her! It's all as I told you! She never cared about you!"

Max sobbed her nails digging in her scalp. "Shut up... You're wrong, she cares! She... cares."

"Why don't we ask her then?"

"Ask me what? If I care about poor little Maxine?"

Max looked up at the mirror, horrified as she recognized the voice. In the glass on the wall, Mirror Max had disappeared, giving place to Chloe.

"No really! That kid is a pain! Always putting her nose into my bidness!"

Max felt like a vice was slowly pressing on her heart.

"And look at her telling me she loooves me... As if a little virgin girl like her knew what love is!"

Shut up!

"And she is soooo clingy! Can't spend a night without holding onto me!"

You're not real!

"And what name is that too! MAXIIINE... God I'm so glad I finally got rid of her! A shame she didn't die from that bullet would have saved me the pain."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Max screamed throwing her phone at the mirror. The device bounced, cracking the mirror as it broke apart it's component flying across the room. Max started to reach at everything in her room throwing it at the mirror.

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" She screamed sending her camera at the wall, the mirror already damaged by the phone shattered and fell in pieces to the ground as the camera broke open and landed on the bed.

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! YOUR FAULT!" Max cried out trashing her room sending her computer against the wall, breaking her guitar, tossing the books and DVDs from her shelves. She pushed on her legs reaching for the small stereo on the top shelf and lost her balance, the wheelchair suddenly recoiling as Max fell down. She cried as she punched the floor in frustration.

Victoria and Kate were walking quietly toward Max' room, the smaller girl carrying a tray from the cafeteria. It was lunch break and Kate had decided to check on Max, taking an additional tray as she got her lunch for the pink haired girl to eat. She had struggled as she navigated the corridors carrying the lunch tray while students ran around her, having to deal with the doors without letting the food drop. Victoria had been about to leave the dorm, having made a quick visit to her room in order to gobble some pills so that the pain in her broken hand stopped killing her, when Kate had reached the door.

Using her back the small girl was about to push the door open when Victoria was about to pull it. Kate had nearly toppled to the ground, colliding with Victoria as she lost the support of the door. With a hiss the taller girl had quickly grabbed the small blonde, preventing her fall.

"Oh! Sorry Victoria! I hope I didn't hurt your hand!" the small girl started with a worried voice.

Victoria smiled softly. "Nah, it's okay! Besides, you're the one who nearly fell." She looked at the tray and raised an eyebrow. "For Max?" She asked softly.

The smaller girl nodded. "Yeah, she hasn't moved all morning as far as I know... She seems really depressed."

Victoria nodded. "I'll come with you." she rose her right hand trapped in the cast. "I can't do much but if I can help you a bit."

Kate winced as she saw the injured hand. "You already did too much Victoria! I mean you got hurt defending us!"

The tall blonde looked away as she felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. The duet walked through the corridor toward the new wing and went for Max's door. The construction had been completed the previous week and there were no more signs of the on-going work, so, both girls were surprised to see what looked like debris on the corridor's carpet in front of Max' door.

They hurried to the door, Kate's voice calling with worries. "Max?"

Both stopped suddenly as they saw the room. Books, DVD and pictures were strewn on the floor. The wheelchair lied on its side beside what looked like a broken stereo. By the door Victoria and Kate could see pieces of a smartphone, screen broken, battery and case lying among shards of a broken mirror. A bit further, Victoria recognized the shape of the camera she so often derailed, except its case seemed cracked in several place and the lenses and works were spread on the room's carpet. By the desk, notebooks, pencils and a computer had obviously been swept away from the table; and by the couch, pieces of woods held together by metallic strings revealed the sad fate its owner had visited on the guitar.

Max was sitting in the far corner of the room, curled up and sobbing as she looked at a picture.

"Max? Are you okay?" The small girl asked softly as she moved carefully in the room, trying to avoid the debris.

The girl's voice was raw, her throat obviously sore from having screamed too long. "Leave me alone..."

Kate moved further and sat the tray on the desk looking at the pink haired girl. "I brought you lunch..."

"I'm not hungry."

Kate sighed softly and crouched in front of Maxine. "You haven't eaten all weekend Max... You have to eat something, even a little. Please."

Maxine rose her head her eyes fierce. "I told you to fucking leave me ALONE!"

Kate backed away, startled by her friend's aggressivity and Victoria rushed to put herself between the girls. "What the hell is your problem, Caulfield! Kate's worried about you!"

Max looked back at her. "Why do you care! We were just targets for your fucking bully games until a month ago!" Max spat.

Victoria looked away ashamed. "Yeah well I am sorry about that! And I care because ... Because despite all I did to her, she still forgave me and became my friend! And she cares about you! And I can't fucking accept my rival to turn into a wreck like you are turning into! You got much more talents than we do! You shouldn't waste it!"

Max roared with frustration. "SHUT UP! You don't fucking know anything! You don't fucking know what I went through! You know fucking nothing about me! Now leave me fucking alone!"

Victoria felt her belly tighten as she examined the girl. She could see the raw pain in her teary eyes coupled with anger. Her eyes fell to the picture the girl was holding in her hand. It looked like an old picture showing a younger version of Maxine with another girl with long blond hair. Both girl seemed to wear pirates gear and were holding each other close, obviously being close friends.

Recognizing who the blonde might be Victoria grunted and turned away. "Fine! keep crying in your corner like a baby!" she scoffed as she left the room. She turned and leaned on the wall out of sight, arm crossed.

She heard the soft voice of Kate coming from the opened door. "I'll leave the food on your desk Max... Please eat something, okay?"

Max said nothing as soft steps got closer from Victoria. "Kate?" Max' voice rose softly.

"Yes?"

"Can you get me some moving boxes please?"

Victoria felt like her heart stopped at the words.

Damn you Caulfield! Are you fucking giving up? You have spent all your time here not caring what people said to you! Looking so strong! And now you are running away?

She felt tears gathering in her eyes as she heard Kate's voice responding hesitantly. "I... I'll go get them Max..."

As she saw the sadness on Kate's face while the smaller blonde finally walked through the door, Victoria clenched her fist and walked away with decided steps.

Chloe was sitting at the counter, sketching a few designs as she waited for customers. The end of her weekend had been bad. She had spent her Sunday, sobbing in her room reading and rereading the texts she had received from Kate about Max. She had not responded beside the initial 'we had a fight', she didn't want to show that she still cared about Max, but the news had still crushed her heart. She had hurt her friend, and she hated it.

Of course, she's hurt! I cut her from my life after she confessed being in love with me! But still! Better that than her ending up dead because of me!

She had convinced herself that it was the best solution.

Besides she's got friends to watch over her, so all is good!

The news from the incident with the press had made it home when David got called at the school. The former soldier had cursed profusely against the press, and even Chloe had blushed at the colorful language. She had almost automatically asked about Max, but she had bit her lip at the last-minute returning to her bedroom.

Her Monday had been quiet so far. Steph had made a few tries to engage the conversation and Chloe had been happy to until the girl mentioned Max. She just didn't want to talk about it.

The bell from the store's door rang and she looked up from her pad. Steph had retreated at the small desk in the back room, taking care of some accounting or other boring stuff as far as Chloe knew. Pondering what kind of customer, they might have she was surprised to see a man she had seen only a few days before. He looked exhausted, maybe even a bit sick.

"Hi Frank." she said with some hesitations.

"Hey Price..." He responded. "I... Wondered if we could talk."

Chloe looked at the store clock. "I suppose we could, I got an appointment booked in twenty minutes but else..."

The man nodded looking around taking in the store. Chloe moved from behind the counter as she asked. "Want some coffee?" She asked her empty mug in hand.

Frank nodded. "Yeah please..."

Chloe moved to the small room with the management desk and the coffee machine. Steph looked up from some bills. "Who's there? Customer?"

Chloe shook her head. "Just Frank... He wants to talk..." She said pouring coffee into mugs.

Her friend looked at her pursing her lips. "You tell me if you need help." she said before she started to work on the boring papers.

"Sure." She answered walking out. She reached the table in the middle of the store setting the mug on it. "Have a seat." She offered as the man was looking at the different drawings on the walls.

"Nice store." His voice was genuine, with a soft touch, yet loud enough for Steph to call her thanks from the office.

He took a deep breath and looked at the blue haired girl. "I... Wanted to apologize for what happened Saturday... I ... I was drunk and in pain..." he said fiddling with the bracelet on his wrist.

Chloe looked away and shook her head. "I'm the one who should apologize... I... I knew Rachel was seeing someone... I more or less knew it was you too... yet... I came at you like you were the one who killed her..." She sighed softly. "I'm sorry dude... It's just..."

Frank nodded. "Yeah I know... It's like your friend said... We both missed her so much we hadn't considered how she felt... or how she would feel seeing us..."

Chloe winced a bit at the mention of Max' outburst on the beach. She sipped her coffee saying nothing.

Frank looked at her. "Can you... tell your friend I'm sorry... And maybe thank her for me too?"

Chloe pursed her lips. "We're... not friends, not talking anymore..." she said, the words heavy and hard to say, as her heart rebelled at the idea.

"Oh... Sorry." The man looked down. "Shame... I mean, seeing she obviously cared about you, I thought maybe it was a good thing... I mean, with Rachel gone, I got no one anymore... but ... You still had someone to go to."

Chloe stood up and started to pace. "I don't want to talk about that." She responded flatly as she walked around the room.

"Sorry..." Frank added. He sipped at his coffee again, gathering his thoughts. "About the money..."

"I told you I'd pay you back Frank... And I will." Chloe sighed rolling her eyes.

"I was going to say, forget it... Rachel would not want me to take your money... So, I won't..."

Chloe paused and looked at him questioningly. "You sure? I mean ..."

Frank nodded. "Yes... I don't want anything to do with this shit of a life I had... I'll... turn a new page... Find another job..."

Chloe scratched her head and took her seat again. "Any ideas? I mean, it's great, but ... You don't have much more experiences than I do... And your drawing sucks."

Frank chuckled. "Yeah well true and I doubt people would want me to handle needles around them." He smiled softly and shook his head. "I dunno yet... I've been thinking about starting a legit business for a long time now... Maybe one of those online things... Just not good with the programming if you know what I mean..."

Chloe nodded. "Yeah... Well I suppose you can take your time for that..." The girl groaned a moment.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just realized it will be harder to party with you out of business!" Chloe responded slouching back in her chair. "No real bar, no real venue... And now... no more 420... This town gonna suck."

Frank looked at some drawing on the wall. "Yeah, although I'm sure someone will take over the business soon enough..."

Chloe nodded. "Yeah sure, just won't be as cool as you dude!" She stared at the ceiling a moment. "Dude! I got it!"

Frank looked at her frowning. "Got what?"

Chloe leaned on the table enthusiastically. "You should fucking reopen the Mill!"

The man frowned. "Why? I mean lumber business pretty dead here you know."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "No, you idiot! The Mill, the venue! You know! Host bands, music, dancing, bar!"

Frank pondered a moment. "Not sure I can afford it... it's not really cheap to open something like that."

Chloe pursed her lips. "Yeah I guess... Just this dive of a town's been lacking a good rock place you know... I'm sure you'd get plenty of people paying for one!"

Frank finished his coffee. "I'll think about it... Might not be much, but it's an idea at least." He sighed patting his pocket before he stood up. "I'll let you work for now... Thanks for talking and ... Sorry again for all the shit..."

Chloe nodded. "Is ok Frank... We used to be friends before all this, guess we could be again someday... Just... take care man..."

Frank nodded as he plucked a cigarette from his pocket. "You too Price. And... Don't toss all your friends away... If you got someone you can depend on... You should hold to them..." he said as he walked pass the door, his voice sad and lonely.

Chloe looked at the man as he started to walk up the street.

"He's right, you know? You should hold to those you care for."

Chloe turned her head finding Steph leaning against the back-room door. She shook her head. "It's better like this..."

For everyone.

A few hours had passed since Frank's visit and Steph was glad things had gone without incidents. She had also learnt more about what might have been going between Max and Chloe, and she started to feel like the punk girl had taken the hammer approach to a problem requiring precision tools. She couldn't do much about it though, the girl still refused to talk about it.

Although her taste in music sure shows she's not in a happy place!

On the store stereo, she could hear Johnny Cash starting to sing again, still the same song that Chloe had been playing over and over again. Steph had nothing against the artist, but hearing Hurt playing and replaying for nearly an hour was starting to get old.

I wonder if she realizes how much the song tells about how she feels!

She carefully moved as she worked on a guy's piercing, turning her head a moment at the curtain that was parting her station from the neighboring one where she could hear the buzz of the tattooing instrument.

At least it doesn't seem to affect her work that much.

She looked down at the preparation she was making. Not really the kind of piercing she liked to do. Not that she didn't like to pierce people in that area of the body. But she had no interest in handling that part of a man's body, however much the guy enjoyed it.

I always fear I'll have a fucking blood geyser in my hand when I'm about to push the needle in, fucking pervs!

She sighed was about to punch the needle through a definitively sensitive area of male anatomy when the store's door opened violently and a voice she hadn't heard in a year or two filled the room.

"KARI PRICE! Show yourself!"

From the curse she heard beside her, Chloe had been as surprised as she was, although the lack of scream from the customer meant the punk had at least avoided the mess she could have made. With a sigh she looked at the guy lying on the chair as she heard the tattoo station resume its buzz. "Just a moment. I'll be right back."

She moved around the curtain and looked at the blonde girl standing and taping her foot angrily at the floor, her arms crossed. Her right hand was in a white cast and Steph pondered how she hurt herself.

"God Victoria! Don't fucking shout like that! I was this close to fucking punch a hole in one of my customer's jewels!" She said holding her thumb and finger close.

"Oh... Sorry Steph, didn't know... Still I need to speak with that Price bitch. I heard she worked here now." The blonde said looking around.

The buzz of the tattooing machine was still going on, but Chloe's voice came out. "I'm busy here! Come back later Fucktoria!"

Steph palmed her face with a groan. Dang Chloe! Can't you at least not antagonize the girl?

Victoria took heavy steps toward the table and chairs. "I'll wait here then! I'm not letting you run away!"

"Yeah! Yeah! Whatever!" Chloe responded.

Steph sighed. "Okay fine wait if you want... Just no shouting please! I don't fucking need an accident in my store thank you!"

She returned to her customer rolling her eyes as she changed her gloves to be safe. "Sorry about that."

Fifteen embarrassing minutes later, and after having placed a ring on a place she hoped she would never see again, she was at the counter giving even more embarrassing instruction to a guy who kept winking at her lewdly every time she mentioned his dick. After receiving payment for the fee, which she still thought was way too cheap for her to feel so gross, she looked up as the curtain from the second station was drawn opened.

"Okay Brit, that should do it. Hope you will love your dolphin. Just keep it clean and so on... you know the drill by now." the punk smiled as she pointed at a girl who was pulling her low-cut jeans back up trying to keep it away from the bandaged tattoo on the front of her hip. "See the boss for the payment, I apparently got a guest to deal with." she said with a smile as she pulled the latex gloves of her hands and nodded at Steph. "Yoh Steph! Can you deal with Brittany's checkout while I deal with queen bitch?"

Steph rolled her eyes. "Yeah and please keep it civil... I own a tattoo parlor, not a pub or a fight club."

She started to prepare the note for the woman's brand-new dolphin jumping toward the crotch tattoo, keeping an eye on the blonde girl that was perusing the figurine display, while Chloe walked to her.

"What you want, Chase?" the punk asked arms crossed.

The blonde turned and frowned at Chloe. "I want you to fucking sort your drama with Max! It's already hard enough for us to try to help her deal with her injuries without having to pick up the pieces when you decide to be your usual uncaring bitch!"

Chloe curled her lips baring her teeth. "What the fuck you care! It's none of your fucking business!"

Victoria waved her right hand as if trying to point her index to Chloe. She paused and switched for her left hand. "I care because she's hurt! I care because Kate is struggling to help her! I care because I have to watch Kate's heart break again and again each time Max falls apart after you worked your magic on the girl! And I care because Kate's my friend and I don't want to see her cry over seeing her best friend leave!"

Chloe frowned a moment hesitating. "What you mean leave?"

Victoria shook her head. "Exactly what I said! Max's leaving! She's packing her stuff right as we speak!"

Steph joined the girls after cashing in the fee for the tattoo. She looked at Chloe her hands on her hips. "What is she talking about? Chloe, what the hell did you do?"

Chloe groaned and started to pace as she thought. "She's really packing? She's returning to Seattle?"

Victoria rolled her eyes. "Yes, she is packing! Not that there is much to pack anyway, she completely trashed her room this morning... And where would she go if not back to Seattle?"

Chloe pursed her lips looking away as she felt Steph eyes stabbing her. "Good... It's better this way then..."

Victoria frowned her mouth gapping in surprise. "Better? For who? For Max? The girl's just an empty shell now! Barely a shadow of herself! For her friends? Kate is struggling not to break into tears! And don't fucking tell me it's for you! Because I was there when Max almost died! And it was certainly not me who was crying my heart out and begging the girl not to leave me alone!"

Steph took a step toward Chloe. "What did you do Chloe?"

Chloe shook her head. "I did what I had to..." She said putting as much conviction as she could in her voice.

Victoria rolled her yes. "Oh, come on Price! We both know you don't want her to leave! Do you think I'm blind? It's obvious to anyone who fucking saw you cry that day that you love Max! Or is it that that scares you! You fucking scared of loving another girl! I thought you had accepted that with your Amber bitch already!"

Chloe reached to grab Victoria's collar. "Shut up bitch! never talk of Rachel like that! I'm not the one who tried to drug her because I was jealous of her success!" She released the girl's shirt with a jerk of her hand. "And you fucking don't know anything about me and Max!"

Steph came and put a hand on Chloe's shoulder. "Chloe! Is she right? Do you love Max?"

Chloe closed her eyes tight not wanting to respond, not wanting to admit it. "Yes! Yes, I love her! Okay! I been in love with her since before she moved out of the bay! Longer than I've even known either of you! You happy?"

Victoria shook her head her tone showing confusion. "Then WHY? Why are you so happy that she's leaving? Why don't you fucking try to hold her back?"

Chloe turned started to scream as she waved both hands. "Because I love her! Because if she stays, she'll end up getting hurt again because of me!" She cried turning away. "I don't want her to get hurt again! I want to be with her but... I did so much shit when she was gone, that she could get hurt again because of me... Like she was hurt by Nathan! Like she nearly got stabbed by Frank! You don't fucking understand! I keep pissing people off and one day she'll get killed because of me! Like my dad! Like Rachel!"

Steph looked horrified as the girl poured her feelings. "What did you do Chloe? What did you do?"

Chloe let her shoulders slump and her arms drop. "I told her we were done... That I didn't want to see her again..."

The afternoon was ending too. Max sat in her wheelchair, looking around her at her room. Shelves, drawers even the cabinet were empty. All her belongings had been stuffed without care in the boxes that were now stacked on the couch. After Kate had brought her the cardboard stack, she had sent the girl back to classes knowing the small blonde would at least want to talk about Max' feelings. Max didn't want to talk anymore.

She had simply said good bye to the girl and closed her door. She had waited a moment before turning the key and locking her room and then had gone to work on packing her belonging. It hadn't taken that long. Had she been careful and had she sorted the items, she probably would have taken hours, but as she just had dumped her stuff in the boxes, it had been quick. Now she sat by the opened window, flicking her lighter open and close as she looked at a picture. She never really knew how the picture had found its way to her after she had just dropped it on the floor of the bathroom. Yet, someone had picked it up and placed it with her camera. She looked again at the blue butterfly, part of her wanting to travel back, to try and relive that fateful week with her Chloe.

But it wouldn't be my Chloe... My Chloe’s dead... I killed her on that cliff when I decided to come back...

Max flicked the lighter on and placed the flame at the corner of the picture, setting it on fire before she dumped it in the trash can.

This way, Chloe stays alive.

Max looked at the flame for a moment, watching it dance in front of her. She reached for the tobacco box in front of her and pulled out a cigarette. She lit it up taking a few puffs before flicking the cover back on the lighter, snuffing the flame, and she started to slowly smoke her cigarette while looking at the blue sky. The color reminded her of Chloe's hair, of her eyes and Max just felt like getting lost in it. She heard the bell marking the end of the classes ring from the main building and she sighed. She tossed the butt of her cigarette through the window and reached into her hoodie's pocket, pulling out the item she had picked up on the beach without even thinking about it.

Her fingers lingered a moment on the plastic and metal grip. She sniffed a moment, feeling tears along her cheeks as she closed her eyes and pressed the switch on the knife's handle, letting the blade spring out. She looked at it for a moment, mesmerized by the silvery shine.

Sorry I abandoned you Chloe... I'll be with you soon!

Chapter Text

"I told her we were done... That I didn't want to see her again... It's... the only way I found to keep her away from my shit! I had no choice! She gave me no choice!"

Chloe shook her head trying to defend herself, her decision, trying to justify her decision to herself too as the discussion had started to weaken her resolve.

Steph shuddered at the words. "YOU TOLD HER WHAT?" Her voice and face confused, a slight touch of horror in her tone.

Chloe let herself fall on the floor sitting with her back against one of the display. "I had no choice, even if that hurt! Even if it broke my heart! Even if it means losing the most important person to me! At least she'll be alive!"

Admitting what she had tried to bury deep in herself, hurt. The loneliness, the pain of loss, the abandonment, everything came back crashing at her, erupting from the depth of her heart where she had tried to hide it.

Victoria shook her head. "Alive? You think she's been alive? The girl's been an empty shell all day yesterday, she didn't sleep or eat all weekend! She didn't even react when some fucking reporters toppled her out of her chair! First thing she does today, is trashing her room, her phone, even her CAMERA for god's sake! And now, after all the work she's done to come to this art school, to become a photographer, she's leaving! You call that being alive?"

Chloe shook her head sobbing. "Better that than seeing her dying like she almost did!" She looked up at Victoria. "You never loved anyone but yourself, Victoria! You don't understand how it is to lose someone you love! To see the one you love lying on a bed with every fucking machinery telling you she's dead!"

A flicker or anger went through the blonde's face although she didn't respond. She wanted to scream at the punk, to slap her, but the words had hit a nerve, because for a moment Victoria had pictured herself watching a dying Kate, and her heart had sunk painfully.

Steph was the one who screamed reaching down to slap Chloe. "WHY DID YOU HAVE TO TELL HER THAT! Don't you fucking understand how Max feels!"

Chloe pulled her legs against her pressing her face in her knees, her cheek stinging where the girl's hand had struck... "I know she loves me..."

Steph shook her head. "She doesn't just love you Chloe! You're the reason she has to keep living! Don't you fucking understand! She told me she didn't expect to survive in that bathroom! That she didn't care about her life! That she just couldn't live without you and preferred to die instead of you, or at least with you!"

"What?" Chloe looked up trying to wrap her mind around Steph's words.

The girl looked at her angrily. "You have to go see Max! Now!"

Chloe frowned looking down. "It's too late, she's moving..."

Steph reached down grabbing Chloe's arm and pulling her up. "I'd be happy if all she does is moving!" Chloe's confusion must have shown because Steph shook her. "Think Chloe! THINK! You told a girl who fucking told me she preferred to be dead rather than live without you, that you didn't want to see her ever again!"

Victoria gasped pressing her left hand to her lips. "You don't mean?"

Steph started to drag Chloe toward the door as she responded to the blonde. "What do you think? The girl's a mess, she's got PTSD up the wazoo and the only thing keeping her sane was our stupid friend here! What you think she will do now that she lost even that?"

Chloe tried to follow as she felt the strong grip on her arm. "Steph you can't be serious!" But the girl pushed her at the door.

"I never been so serious Chloe! You go see Max now! You sort this mess out! And you better do it before she makes the biggest mistake of her life or I don't even want to see you in my store again!" Steph's voice was harsh, and Chloe looked down a moment trying to find words, then she rushed out of the store chased by Victoria.

She jumped into her truck fumbling with her keys, hands trembling as the reality of Steph's words settled in her mind. She finally managed to start the engine when she heard the passenger door slam close. She raised her head, startled by the sound and looked at her right, seeing the blonde sitting beside her.

"What are you doing in my truck?" She asked her hand stopping inches from the shifter.

Victoria grunted as she buckled her belt up. "Do you really think we have time for this? Drive already!" She snapped back pointing at the road. "I can't drive with this!" she said waving her broken hand as Chloe shifted into drive and left the parking spot. "I had to take the bus to come heeeere!" Her voice turned into a wail as Chloe floored the gas pedal, the truck's wheel screeching as the rubber slipped on the pavement.

Kate had spent her afternoon lost in her thoughts and worries. Taylor and Courtney had even come to see her, concerned at her signs of depression. She had been glad the two girls had actually come to try and talk to her, distracting her a moment from the dark thoughts that kept turning in her mind.

The request for boxes from Max had been a shock to her. She had felt her heart sink as she realized the implication of what her best friend was asking. She had spent part of the afternoon trying to think of other reasons, but in the end all she could imagine was that her friend was thinking of leaving Blackwell, probably to return to Seattle. The idea of losing the girl that had been her only friend for the first month of school had broken her heart and she wished she could have found Victoria and talked with her about it during recess. But the blonde had simply disappeared.

Kate had been the last to see her, and the last time she had seen Victoria, the blonde had been storming out of the dorms after having heard Max request the boxes. Kate didn't know exactly why Victoria had reacted like that. A month before she would have thought the girl had left out of exasperation, if not happiness after her nefarious campaign success. But now that she knew Victoria better, she had realized the blonde was actually caring a lot about her classmates and that most of her attitude had been a plea to be recognized if not respected by all of them.

Sad thing that she chooses the way that actually antagonized her to everyone.

With this new vision and the new friendship, Kate had understood that Victoria had stormed off out of worry and maybe sadness. Although, Kate still couldn't figure if the worry and sadness were out of fear of losing a rival or a friend. The fact Victoria had not made it to class in the afternoon had added to Kate's worries and she hoped the blonde girl was doing okay.

The bell rang at last and Kate packed her notebooks quickly, wanting to return to the dorms and check on Max, maybe even talk to the girl and see if she could convince her friend to open up, maybe even change her mind about giving up school. She hurried out of the classroom and through the corridors, leaving the building without pause. Quickly turning left, she almost ran toward the dorms, holding her bag hugged in her arms.

When she reached Max' room, she was surprised to find the door closed. She looked at the door puzzled and knocked on it softly. "Max? It's Kate... Are you okay?"

There was no response and Kate bit her lip before she pressed her head to the door, trying to hear what might be going inside. It was really quiet, but she could hear some soft sobbing coming from behind the door.

She's not sleeping.

She knocked again a bit louder. "Max? Are you alright?" She reached for the door knob and turned it. The door didn't move. She frowned and tried a few more times. "Max? Please says something! Are you okay?"

All she could hear were the sobs and mumbling, the girl in the room not responding. Kate felt some fear starting to build in her and she started to knock her palm on the door with more insistence, her voice rising. "Max! Please! Are you okay?"

After a moment she heard just a soft voice responding, raw and broken. "Leave me alone Kate..."

The blonde felt distraught at the tone of Max' voice. She felt that something was wrong, and she wanted to help her friend. "Max, I'm your friend, please let me help you. I'll make tea and we can talk over it, like we did when I was the one not feeling well." She said trying to entice the girl.

"You can't help me Kate... No one can..." The last part had been barely spoken. It had been loud enough for Kate to hear but low enough that it was probably something Max had said to herself.

Kate started to panic. She remembered how she had herself sounded at the beginning of October, dark, depressed, and she also remembered the darkest thought she had had at the time.

Please Max, I hope you're not that far down!

She started to hit the door harder with her hand shouting louder. "Max please! Open the door Max! I just want to make sure you are fine!"

She heard some shuffle around her and turned her head. As she saw the other students that approached attracted by the noise, she felt embarrassed at the disturbance she was creating. She hesitated again and hit the door again. "Max! Please, just a minute okay? Just open the door a minute and then I'll leave in peace." She insisted.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" The scream startled all those that had started to gather in the corridor. Kate looked back and started to try the door knob again in vain hope that she could open the locked door.

She looked at the other student, her eyes wide with fear as they stared back at her. She could see Dana starting to forge herself a path through the growing crowd.

"Kate? What's going on?" the cheerleader asked with concerns as she saw the blonde struggling with the uncooperative door.

"Max locked herself! I dunno what's happening but I'm worried." she tried to explain as the cheerleader approached.

The brunette came and knocked on the door. "Max? It's Dana, please open the door!"

"Just leave me alone!" The voice that came from the room sounded hysteric, almost crying and begging and Dana looked at Kate shaking her head slightly.

"Max, honey? Tell us what's bothering you? Is it about your fight with Chloe?" Dana asked, trying to get the girl to talk, to open up.

The voice that responded chilled both her and Kate's blood. "Chloe's dead... She's dead!"

Dana looked at Kate as if trying to find an explanation. Kate pressed her head to the door. "Max? It was just another nightmare! Chloe is alright! Please, open the door okay?"

"You don't understand! She's dead!"

Kate shook her head not knowing what to do. Dana reached and shook her shoulder softly. "Can you call her? Chloe?"

The blonde nodded softly and reached for her mobile phone.

She had been staring at the blade, lost in the polished metal as she thought about all her choices during that week, all the rewinds, all the photo jumping. Had she just gone back in time, erasing all the other possibilities? Or had she just hopped from reality to reality, abandoning countless Maxes and Chloes as her doppelganger had claimed during her nightmare. She didn't know anymore. She had been certain that it was always the same world, with her just changing the facts, the history. But then, Chloe should have loved her here too, just as she had in every reality she had seen. Had it been just changing history, then their bond should have been the constant, the anchor, the one thing that could not be broken.

And yet it had. In this reality, Chloe had cut her off. She had left her alone, casted her away like a nuisance. And that shook Max perception of her power. Because if their bond, the one certainty she had, wasn't present in this timeline, then maybe the whole reality was different. And that meant she had indeed abandoned Chloe. She had left her behind on that cliff, to watch a tornado destroy her world. She had left her to die in that bathroom, on that railroad track, in the junkyard. She had killed another Chloe, leaving her Max to deal with the consequences. She had destroyed the lives of countless Maxes and Chloes, only because she hadn't been able to save her own Chloe.

When her brain had started to follow this chain of thoughts, her heart had started to crumble, her mind had slowly cracked, threatening to break altogether. She never had a chance to actually save her Chloe. She had wasted those precious years, and now she had lost the one person important to her.

She didn't know how long she had been staring at her reflection in the knife when an insistent knock brought her out of her reverie.

"Max! Please! Are you okay?" Kate's voice finally reached her, and she leaned forward pressing her face in the palms of her hands. "Leave me alone Kate..."

She didn't want to see anyone, to see the people of this reality. All she wanted was to be alone, with her grief, with her pain, her guilt.

"Max, I'm your friend, please let me help you. I'll make tea and we can talk over it, like we did when I was the one not feeling well."

"You can't help me Kate..." She responded adding to herself "No one can..." as she rose back, moving the blade to her wrist, sliding it softly on her skin, just feeling the cold metal.

Oh Max? Why are you hesitating? Are you scared again? Is the chickenshit girl afraid? After she killed so many people? After you destroyed so many lives? Are you so afraid of taking one more?

The voice in her head kept haunting her, the Other-Max taunting her.

"Max! Please, just a minute okay? Just open the door a minute and then I'll leave in peace." Kate's voice mixed with that of her nightmares, making her confused. She shook her head raising her hand to claw at her scalp.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" she screamed with despair, trying to make all the voices quiet.

Oh, but you don't want to be alone! I'm just a part of yourself you know. If you really wanted it, I would not be here. But you want it. You want someone to tell you the truth, to reminds you how you left your punk die while you hid in that corner. How you messed up with powers you don't understand and brought Armageddon to the Bay, over and over again. How you can't even stop yourself from using your power and that you screwed this reality too!

"Just leave me alone!" She felt desperate, the voice in her pressing her, again and again, each word like a burning needle pinched into her soul.

You condemned her again, you know... You killed her again, even in this reality.

A new voice joined the mix, adding to the ghosts haunting her. "Max, honey? Tell us what's bothering you? Is it about your fight with Chloe?"

The mention of the name brought back the memory of the blue haired girl, lying on the bathroom floor in a pool of blood.

She wailed rocking on her chair pressing the blade to her wrist again. "Chloe's dead... She's dead!"

Yes, she is. She's alone and abandoned.

"Max? It was just another nightmare! Chloe is alright! Please, open the door okay?"

"You don't understand! She's dead!" Max kept crying rocking as she added pressure to the knife. The first sharp pain making her hesitate. But at the same time with the pain, the voices in her head got quieter for a brief moment.

She closed her eyes, only hearing the beating of her heart, occulting the voices and the world as she prepared herself to continue on her cut. She slowly drags the blade further, feeling the bite of the sharp edge sinking deeper.

A loud bang echoes from the door startling her. She jerks her head up looking to see if the door had been forced, but the door is still there.

"MAX! PLEASE OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!" The voice is panicked, familiar. She had heard this same voice with the same fear in it before. The voice of Chloe backed up to a wall, with a gun pressed to her guts.

"Chloe?" she asked weakly, her lip trembling.

No, it can't be... Chloe's dead... My Chloe is dead...

"MAX! LET ME IN!" The sounds of fists pounding at the door as someone twisted the door knob trying to force his way in, made her shudder.

No! No! They won't let me! They'll prevent me from being with her!

Max bit her lip as she moved the blade back to the small cut on her wrist. Using more strength, she wailed at the pain as she sliced down at her flesh, the warmth of her blood already spilling on her skin. Panting softly, she drops the knife, leaning back in her wheelchair. She heard a voice close, not muffled by any wall or door. "Max!"

She blinked on her tears as she reached with her bleeding arm.

Chloe! I'm ... there! I'm coming!

Chloe cursed loudly pushing on the horn of her car as she sent the truck on the oncoming lane and overtook a family van. Beside her, the once queen of Blackwell was squealing and screaming each time Chloe made a sudden move, changing direction like a mad race pilot. The truck's engine roared, complaining at the ordeal it was subjected. The suspensions creaked with each turn as the frame pulled at them at the torque imposed by the laws of Newton. Tires bent, disformed, slid and screeched as they fought to keep traction on the pavement while pulled sideway by the heavy weight of the pick-up.

For the first time of her life, Chloe didn't care about traffic rules. She ran the reds, using her horn like a siren, crossed the yellow lines. Everything she could do to speed up her drive, she did, much to the despair and fright of her passenger. Victoria had her hands pressed on the board, arms stiff, her legs were pushed forward trying to press herself even more into the seat so as to steady herself.

"You're gonna kill us!" she had once complained at the reckless driving of the punk girl, only to receive a two worded response followed by another sudden turn.

She entered the school parking at near full speed and made a drifting stop, sending the truck into a quarter spin as it finally settled across the two handicapped spaces. She shut down the engine, the rumbling dying with a loud bang, and she plowed the door open before she ran across the campus, not even looking or waiting for the blonde that sat stiff frozen, eyes wide, mouth gapping and face pale, in the passenger seat.

She ran, juking around the students enjoying the late afternoon light in the park, jumping over the rope barriers, spinning to avoid a tree. When she finally arrived at the dorm's entrance, she had crossed the school ground so fast and avoiding obstacles in such a way that an NFL coach would have wanted to hire her. She plowed through the door, one hand grabbing the handle and twisting it as she sent her shoulder colliding into it, slamming it open. She ran the corridors and saw the gathering at Max' room. She felt her heart sink slightly as she sped up. "Get out of the way!" she called.

She skidded to a stop, panting loudly, cursing mentally all those cigarettes she had in her life as her lungs burnt. Kate and another girl that was familiar were knocking at the door, calling and trying the door knob without response. As they saw her, they moved away, and Chloe went to the door knocking a few loud times as she called.

"Max! I'm sorry! Please let me in!" her voice was raw, her throat dry as she still tried to catch her breath.

No response came. Steph words kept playing in her mind, and Chloe started to fear she was too late. She raised her fist and banged on the door louder.

"Max! Please! open the door! Please Max I'm sorry about what I said!"

She pressed her head to the door trying to hear hints, clues. But all she heard were soft sobbing. She tried again, and again. Each knock each call making fear build up in her core. She looked around her as she had no response. She saw Kate, her hands joined in front of her as she seemed to pray, Justin looking down with a long face, Trevor holding the girl she had seen at the door. She searched for some support, some help, but even the pale, trembling and stumbling Victoria had nothing more to offer.

She reached and slammed her fist, hammering the door as she cried. "MAX! PLEASE OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!"

"Chloe?"

The punk paused, looking around trying to get a confirmation she hadn't been the only one hearing the weak question.

Fuck! Max! What the hell are you doing? Please don't be hurting yourself!

Chloe begged as she pounded the door and twisted the handle trying to open it. "MAX! LET ME IN!"

But the door didn't budge. Chloe slammed her hands on the wood, frustrated by her proximity yet inability to reach her friend. She looked around as she tried to think of an alternative. She suddenly raised her head and started to run for the dorm's entrance, grabbing Justin's arm as she passed. "Come with me!" she simply said as the boy's legs tried to catch up with him.

She darted out the building and took a hard right, following the wall in search of the window that might match that of Max' room. She trotted, avoiding the bushes and trees, stomping the small flowers and the grass. It wasn't easy, the dormitory's first floor was three to four feet above the ground and with the angle she couldn't see much through the windows. She came to a stop, letting go of the skater's arm as she reached an opened window where she could swear she saw a pink head moving. She reached up for the windowsill, looking at the boy as she tried to climb. "Spot me!"

Justin hurried at her, finally understanding what the girl had wanted. He offered his crossed hands as a step for her to climb while pressing his back to the wall. Chloe grunted as she lifted herself toward the window. As her head and torso finally reached the sill, she called for the girl. But instead of turning her head, Max raised an arm as if trying to touch something. Chloe gasped as she saw the ruby liquid dripping from the raised wrist. She hurried herself to pass through the open window, her legs kicking, hitting the boy that had helped her. She collapsed beside Max rolling on the floor before she pushed herself up toward the girl.

"Max! Oh my god Max! What have you done!" She reached for the bleeding wrist pressing her hand firmly on the wound. Max finally reacted to her presence and looked at her, eyes full of tears.

"Chloe... please forgive me Chloe..." the girl started to beg as Chloe pulled Max and the chair by the door, reaching to turn the key in the lock. "I couldn't save you... I'm so sorry."

Chloe frowned at the girl, her heart breaking at the pain her Max' voice. She finished unlocking the door and dropped to her knees wrapping her free arm around the pink-haired girl, hugging her tightly. "You got nothing to be sorry about Max... I'm not dead... I'm here with you... You saved me, Max! You saved me!"

Max started to shudder in her arms pressing her face to her neck. Chloe felt her own eyes tearing up as she tried to sooth the broken girl.

"I'm so sorry Chloe... It's just too hard... I needed you Chloe... And you were dead... I love you so much..." The girl kept crying her voice weakening.

Chloe felt the girl's tears on her shirt. From the corner of her eyes she saw the room's door opening, revealing the gathering of student with Kate and Dana at the front. She leaned and kissed Max' head softly. "I'm sorry Max... so sorry... I should never have said what I did... Okay..." she started her voice trembling. "I was so scared... so scared you'd get hurt again because of me..." She whispered in her friend's ear. "I didn't see I was hurting you...I'm so sorry..."

Chloe turned and looked at the girl's in the doorway. "Can someone go get David?" She saw the confusion on the student's face and added, "David Madsen?"

Trevor nodded and pushed his way through the gawkers. Chloe made sure to keep her hand tight on the bleeding wound, pulling the arm up, hoping to limit the blood flow... She pressed her cheek at the pink hair. "I'm here Max... I'm here... I'm never leaving you again Max... I'm so sorry." she kept repeating her words to the girl sobbing in her arms.

The light of a flash made her turn her head again. She noticed that among the people watching had their phone out and were filming or taking pictures. She hissed moving to hide Max from their lenses.

"Are you fucking proud of yourself? Don't you have anything else to do? Like maybe helping?" she screamed at them. To her surprised, Victoria seeing what she was screaming about, turned and started to push the crowd away, tossing a few phones across the building. "Get lost you assholes!" the blonde screamed angrily.

Soon after, Trevor came back with David. The man looked at Chloe and Max and cursed softly before reaching for the blood covered arm and hand. "It's good you put pressure there, Chloe." he said softly. "I'll take care of it." He said turning and pointing at the bed "Can someone get the pillow case." He asked, and Dana reached to strip it. He reached for it and started ripping it. He took a square of fabric and pressed it on Max' wound. "Someone, hold it tight for a second." He said, and Trevor came forward putting his hand on the improvised gauze that was already starting to drink the blood coming out from the wound. David started ripping a long band from the rest of the pillow case then reached to wrap it around Max' wrist tightly. He grunted a little and tightened the bandage so as to put pressure on the bleeding cut.

Chloe had both her arms around the girl, when weak voice of Max rose softly in her ears. "Chloe?"

The punk tightened her hug. "I'm here Maxipad... I'm here... I'll always be here..."

She felt her friend's body relax in her arms and her head fall on her shoulder, limp. She shook her head with panic and moved, tightening her hold on the small frame of her friend. "Oh god Max? No Max?" she called, "Don't do that to me Max! Please! I know I messed up but please! I need you Max!"

Her voice broke as she felt despair starting to fill her throat. "Max please! Stay with me! Stay with me Max!" The small head slowly moved. "Chloe?"

Chloe let out a nervous chuckle. "Yes Max! Yes, it's me!" She kissed the girl's head again. "Stay with me Max! Okay! Stay with me please! I need you Max..."

She felt the girl shift, her arms moving to hug her back. "I love you Chloe..." The voice whispered in her ear Chloe felt the arm slowly slide down from her.

"Max! Max! please! Don't leave me! I love you too Max! Don't leave me!" Chloe started to panic, shaking Max, and pressing her lips to the girl's skin, until she felt a hand shaking her shoulder.

"Chloe! Chloe! She's not dead!" She looked up at her step-father, his voice deep and soft as he continued. "She's just asleep Chloe!"

Chloe looked at Max and saw her peaceful face as the girl rested in her arms. "Is... Is she alright?"

David nodded to her. "We got to take her to a doctor, but she will be. She hasn't had time to bleed that much."

Chloe sobbed with relief as she pressed her face in Max' shoulder. "I'm so sorry Max... I'm not leaving you again... Promise... I love you." She whispered softly.

Chapter Text

Chloe hated being there. No matter how much time passed since that day she had to bring Rachel, bleeding to death after the girl had been stabbed trying to protect her 'deer frozen in the headlights' self from that Merrick jackass, Chloe still hated to be in the hospital. Still she would not leave the place, not while the occupant of this room hadn't been discharged.

David had brought them here, driving the family hatch back, the car he used now and then when his muscle car had come with a glitch, while Chloe rode on the back seat holding the still unconscious Max. It had felt strange to hear the man trying to reassure her, but in the end, she had been grateful. The man's presence had kept her from breaking up as she saw how pale, how weak, how broken Max looked.

It really had been like Victoria had said. In just two days, Max had really become only a shadow of herself, a zombie. Of all the things she had imagined, she never had thought Max would simply decay so fast. Just as she hadn't thought her PTSD was so bad as to make the girl hallucinate. She wasn't sure of that last part, but she couldn't find any other explanation for seeing Max calling her while reaching away from her, as if talking to a ghost.

It can't be just the shooting... Something else must have happened during those five years. Something that keeps haunting her.

Chloe softly kissed the hand she was holding tightly in hers. She sat by the hospital bed, leaning forward with her elbows resting on the mattress. In front of her laid Maxine Caulfield, brought to the emergencies to be patched up again. Chloe felt tears building in her eyes again as she watched over her friend.

She looks so fragile, so exhausted... God I hate seeing her like this.

It had been hours since they had arrived. Night had gone by and the early light of the morning sun was starting to peak out the window. Chloe had not left the side of the bed all night. She knew she had to be there when Max woke up, or the girl would never really come back from whatever nightmare she had been lost into. She had argued herself blue with the nurses when they had tried to kick her out after the visiting hours were over. The medical staff even asking a cop to come and remove her. Lucky for her Officer Berry had just looked at Chloe's face and told the nurse to let her be.

Price 1, Mean Nurse 0!

She had caught a short sleep during the night though, head on the mattress as she sat in the chair; although now her neck and back were sore. She reached out to brush on Max' pink bangs softly, glad to see that her friend had finally caught a nightmare less night.

The door opened, and she turned her head slightly, seeing the doctor entering. "Hi, doc."

The man froze a moment, frowning as he hadn't expected to see anyone in the room. "Oh, Ms. Price... didn't know you would be there," he looked at the clock on the wall, "three good hours before visitor's hours." He said quirking an eyebrow.

Chloe shrugged as she resumed her watch over Max. "Never been good with time... Ask Blackwell..."

The man shook his head and walked to the opposite side of the bed as she checked Max' charts.

"How's she?" Chloe asked softly eyes back to staring at Max' body, watching her chest rise and fall slowly with her breathing.

"Better, I'd say... Fever's down too. I guess all she needs now is rest." He pondered a moment before he asked. "No trouble during the night?"

Chloe shook her head. "Not this time. I guess she's just too tired to even dream."

The physician just nodded softly. He started to head for the door when Chloe's voice came out. "Doc? What she ... did... Will it... cause her troubles?"

The doctor paused and looked at Chloe. "Physically, the cut was not that deep, so no, just a small scar that's all. For the rest..." he sighed softly, "I'll have to see once she wakes up, maybe have one of the psy talk to her too. But even if all seems good, I think she should consult anyway, at least to talk and sort things out."

Chloe nodded as she whispers a bit to herself. "I'll try to convince her..."

As the doctor left, Chloe heard her phone ping. She moved one hand away from Max and pulled out her mobile from her pocket, checking the messages.

Victoria: How is Max?
Victoria: Not that I care, I'm asking for Kate.
Chloe: oh?
Chloe: you surrendered your crown to her?
Victoria: fuck you!
Victoria: also, Kate is worried.
Victoria: news about Max?
Chloe: Beauty been sleeping for over 15h
Chloe: Not even waking up for kisses.
Victoria: let her rest.
Chloe: yeah
Chloe: And... Thanks for talking sense into me yesterday
Victoria: Well my hand's already broken, not like I'd get it worse by knocking your empty head till your brain cell wakes up!
Chloe: Fuck you Dicktoria.

She sighed as she ended the discussion. She still didn't really like the blonde, but she had to admit the girl had actually cared.

Don't mean I got to like her!

She pursed her lips and decided to send a group message to Kate, Dana, Steph and Warren.

Chloe: hi guys! Max is all good. Peacefully sleeping and resting.

She pondered a moment and decided to add another message to Steph.

Chloe: Can you see with Thunder and Carrie if I can move their appointment later this week.
Chloe: I'd like to stay with Max.
Steph: Ok, will do.
Steph: Take care of Max. And kiss her for me.
Chloe: KEEP YOUR LIPS OFF MY GIRL.
Chloe: but will do.

A lulling warm softly brought her out of cozy darkness and she blinked, wincing at the bright light burning her eyes as she slowly opened them. Max felt groggy, still a bit fuzzy, but also rested like she hadn't felt in over a month. She felt a soft brush on the skin of her hand, warmth radiating through her skin. She slowly parted her lips, her tongue trying to moisten them as her mouth felt dry.

Her voice was soft and a tad raw as she left out her first sound. "Chloe?" she whispered softly.

"I'm here Max! I'm here." Max felt a squeeze on her hand as the voice responded sweetly with a hint of worry mixed with relief.

Max relaxed as she heard Chloe's voice. Slowly, her mind began to wake, to work, thought slowly taking speed, like the blade of a helicopter rotor slowly taking RPM when the engine starts. Max' eyes wandered slowly, recognizing the all too familiar sight of a hospital room. She was in a different room than before, without all the expensive monitors. Her wheelchair and crutches were resting in a corner by the window. To her right, holding her uninjured hand tightly in her hands, the bluenette sat pressing her cheek to Max's skin.

Max felt something wet drop on the back of her hand and she looked down feeling ashamed. "I am sorry Chloe..."

Chloe pressed the hand closer to her cheek as she leaned slightly her voice soft as she asked. "Why? Why did you..." her voice choked up not being able to even word what Max had done to herself.

Max looked at Chloe, her eyes tearing up as her voice sadly spoke. "You were dead, Chloe..."

Chloe shook her head softly. "It was just a nightmare Max. I never died. You saved me remember?"

Max shook her head. "I saw you die so many times Chloe... so many times... I failed to protect you so many times... I just ... I just couldn't keep on Chloe... I wanted to be with you again..."

Chloe moved a hand cupping Max' cheek, making her thumb wipe her tears. "It was all dreams, Max... You ran a fever, you were tired... hungry..." She softly caressed the freckled face trying to comfort Max. "You just had bad dreams..."

Max turned her head away. "You don't understand." She said flatly. "No one can."

Chloe sighed, trying to catch her anger before it blurted out. "Then make me understand, Max... Explain to me!" She reached to pull on Max' chin so that she could look at the girl's eye. "You always kept everything to yourself, Max... Your nightmares, your feelings... Tell me, Max! Tell me why your nightmares are so bad! Tell me why you sometimes seem to drift in another world! Tell me why you get suddenly angry or upset!" Her voice slowly started to shiver as all the questions, the frustration started to pour out. "I really want to help you, Max... Really want to protect you. But I can't if I don't know what's going on... Please!" She gave a soft squeeze on Max' hand.

Max bit her lip for a moment, trying to balance her fear of losing Chloe's trust and her fear of scaring the girl away. "You... You would not believe me, Chloe... I barely believe it..."

Chloe looked at Max' eyes intently. "Max. You're my best friend! You're my only real friend! Of course, I'll believe you!"

Max looked at her friend hesitantly, trying to gauge how serious she was. She was about to shake her head when Chloe seemed feel her mistrust. "You can have me walk the plank if I make you think I don't believe you!"

Max felt the corner of her lips curled at the reminder of their youth, of happier time. She sighed closing her eyes, swallowed a couple time as she searched for the right words to say.

"Chloe... I ... I can travel through time." Her voice was unsure, and she winced waiting for Chloe to laugh and mock her. The room was silent, Chloe not saying anything. Max shyly opened her eyes, glancing at her friend to find her looking at her as if trying to read her mind.

"You... You're not messing with me, are you? You're not high... You're really telling me the truth?" The surprise and disbelief at the seriousness of Max' voice and face coupled with the enormity of what the girl had revealed, was heavy in the blue-haired girl.

Max sighed and rolled her eyes. "I knew you would not believe me! I..."

Chloe reached and put a hand on Max lips interrupting her as she started to get upset. "Max, I believe you! It's just... " The punk paused and shook her head. "Tell me everything Max, the whole story."

Max pursed her lips, still doubtful about her friend. Do I really want to tell her? She'll freak!

Her hesitation must have been visible because Chloe moved her hand to her cheek cupping her face softly. "Maximilian, please! Tell me! Help me understand!"

Max nodded weakly. "It... I dunno how it really started, or where the power came from... I had a strange dream while in ... Mr. Jefferson's class the day you got shot."

Chloe leaned back as Max started to tell the story. "You mean the day we got shot, right?"

Max shook her head. "Yes and no... Chloe, please listen and it may be clearer." She took a deep breath. "I had this strange dream, I was by the lighthouse and giant tornado was obliterating Arcadia Bay, destroying everything, killing everyone. It felt so real, Chloe, I could feel the rain, the wind, the electricity in the air. I thought it was reality, until I woke up. I was in class, feeling lost... confused... So, after the bell, I went to the bathroom to splash some water on my face... I saw a strange blue butterfly and I took its picture... That's when Nathan entered the room. I was surprised seeing a boy in the girl's room. And he was ranting, sounding like a lunatic. So... I hid behind the stalls... And then, you came in... I didn't know it was you, though... I heard you argue and he pulled a gun... You tried to shove him away..."

Chloe interrupted. "And you jumped between us as the shot went."

Max groaned. "Chloe, stop! Don't interrupt me and listen please!"

Chloe frowned a moment the story so close to her memories. "But-"

"He shot you, Chloe! You and only you!" Max said raising her voice, anguish in her throat. "You fell on the floor, dead! He killed you, Chloe!"

Chloe was about to say something, and Max raised her free hand in a silent demand for her to stop. "He killed you, and I was so horrified to see a girl die that I came from behind the stall and I reached. I think I was trying to reach so I could help, but instead, I found myself back in the classroom, just after my dream... The class went exactly the same, Chloe. Exactly! The same words, the same bullying from Victoria to Kate, the same pen falling on the floor... That's how I understood I had gone back in time..." The corner of her lips twitched. "So... I ..."

Max told Chloe everything. Every details of the lost week. How she saved her in the bathroom. How Chloe saved her when Nathan attacked her in the parking lot after she had reported him. How they had fled the school to go to her room and how she had protected her from David. She told her of the labors she had done to prove the Chloe in the other timeline that she really could rewind time, of the events in the junkyard and how Chloe shot herself when Max had told her to shoot the bumper. She told of their encounter with Frank and how Chloe and he fought over Rachel's bracelet, how Frank had pulled a knife and how she had pulled the trigger of a gun on him for Chloe, even if the gun was empty. She told of their discussion on the railroad tracks, of how Chloe's foot got caught in the needles of the points as a trained arrived; of how she saved her friend but also of how she had failed and heard the bloodcurdling scream as Chloe called her name. She told of how when she got back to school, Kate had tried to commit suicide, and how she had managed to save her even if her power had failed. She told her of when they broke into the school, the swimming pool, the sleepover and the kiss. "It was that night and morning I realized I still loved you, Chloe..."

She told Chloe of their investigation, of how they broke in Frank's RV, how they found out about him and Rachel. She told of how Chloe had reacted, spitting anger dropping her at school breaking her heart, and that she had found out she could travel through pictures by returning to the day William died. She told her of the alternative timeline, where William lived, and Chloe was broken. Of the request Chloe made and Max had finally caved in and done.

"I saved William, Chloe, I wanted you to have him back, but instead, I hurt you! And... And... You were suffering so much! You made me kill you, Chloe! I couldn't go with that! I had to... I had to let him go! I had to set things right!" Max had started to cry, her voice broken by sobs as tears poured from her eyes as she tried to apologize over and over for not having been able to save William.

Chloe leaned and hugged her tight, tears in her punk eyes as she felt the sadness of losing her dad again after hearing of him being alive and the pain in her friend who failed in saving him.

After a moment, Max took a deep breath, stifling the sobs as she continued. She explained how they finally put all the pieces together, taking the files from David, breaking into Nathan's room, getting info from Frank. She told her how they found the dark room, found Rachel and how Chloe went after Nathan. She felt her heart tighten as she recollected of the message from Nathan, their run to the junkyard and how Jefferson tricked them, drugging her and killing Chloe. She stumbled, her voice shivering and her free hand moving to rub her wrist as she quickly went over the event in the dark room, not giving details as she wanted to get it over quickly. She explained how she escaped by photo jumping, how she gave a tip to David that had Jefferson arrested, how she won the Everyday Hero contest only to get called by Chloe when the tornado she thought she had stopped came and destroyed everything, killing Chloe too. She told how she came back, destroying her contest picture, how she ended up in the Dark room again, how David saved her, how he broke down and killed Jefferson when he found out Chloe was dead, how she got back in time again to convince Chloe to stop chasing Nathan and to go to David, how it allowed the arrest of Jefferson, but that the Tornado still came. She told of her nightmare when she collapsed on the beach, how she woke up with Chloe by the lighthouse and how she had the most difficult discussion of her life.

"I didn't want to do it, but you insisted, you told me I had to return back to the bathroom, to let you die! Oh Dog, Chloe! I really thought about ripping that picture, but I saw how sad you were at the thought of losing your mom, of losing David... I ... I thought you would hate me, I thought I'd hate myself for causing the death of so many people. I didn't know what to do and you kept telling me to go back... That you had all you ever wanted with me coming back for you during those 5 days. We... Kissed... And I felt so much love, and so much sadness... I was weak... I was so weak, and I did as you asked... I went back to the bathroom... I... I was about to let you die Chloe! But I couldn't. Just as I felt I couldn't live with killing all these people, I just couldn't live without you! So... When you were about get shot, I ... stopped time and I came in front of you... I decided that if someone had to die, it had to be me, Chloe! Because either way I would have died in the end, either shot or killing myself." The tears that had built up during the story came crashing down with all the anguish. Max pulled her hand away from Chloe's, pressing her face in her palms. "I love you so fucking much, Chloe... And I thought you loved me too... I ... I thought you would still have the feelings of the Chloe I abandoned at the lighthouse...But... But... You didn't... And you cut me off... I know you probably hate me even more now, Chloe... I-"

Max felt the air chocked out of her as two arms suddenly got wrapped around her tightly. She could hear Chloe's sobs as the girl held. "Fuck Max! I ... I can't believe you went through all this and held so long, Max... I would have stopped functioning so long ago! God Max! And you did all this for me... To save me! And you did save me!" The girl leaned back releasing Max as she raised her hand cupping the pinkette's face. She sobbed loudly as she looked into Max' eyes, getting drowned in them. "I don't hate you, Max... I... I love you! I love you so much I'd rather never see you than see you hurt again!"

Max felt her lips trembling as her friend held her head, she saw the pain and the love in the big blue eyes and she felt herself melt, felt all the walls around her pain, her anguish, her fears collapsed. She wailed softly her body relaxing. The next thing she was conscious of were the warmth of Chloe's breath and the softness of her lips as the punk leant forward and kissed her

Chapter Text

"So, Maxine... sorry Max, how have things been since our last session?" The woman, middle-aged redhead with steel rimmed glasses looked at her from the chair across the small coffee table. Max was sitting on a black denim sofa, toying with the crutches that lay on her laps.

She shrugged not really caring for being in that office. "It was okay."

It was only the third session with Dr. Amelia O'Donnell, and Max still didn't like that she had to see the woman. It had been a week since she had tried to slit her wrists and the first day at school since the events. Before she had been discharged by the hospital, a psychiatrist had come to talk to her, more like evaluating her, and had decided she should consult. She had of course refused, trying to oppose her parents, Joyce even Chloe. Until her mom had threatened to take her back to Seattle, a threat her mom had found effective and used more than once. The choice of therapist was hers, and it had taken a couple days before she had her first tryout session with the woman who worked at the Arcadia Bay VA.

The woman gave a soft smile at her obvious lack of interest. "Okay then, how was class today?"

"Max!" the cheerful call from the small blonde felt warm as Kate ran to meet her on her first day back at school. The girl had leaned and hugged Max tightly while the pink haired girl sat in her wheelchair. "I'm so glad to see you! I was so scared!"

"I'm sorry, Kate! I ..."

"I'm so sorry I couldn't help you Max... I wish I could help you more." The girl moved back softly her face sad and Max could see the ghost of what had happened in Kate's eyes.

"It was not your fault, Kate! You helped me! It was me!"

Kate smiled softly. "Let's forget about it, Max." Her voice showed some worry as she moved to push Max toward the classroom. "Everyone's waiting for you Max!"

Her friends had all come to greet her when the small blonde had pushed her in the room. Their greetings had been warm, filled with relief to find her back. But behind their smiles, Max could feel their concerns, their fear that she would relapse. Every word they used kept away from what had happened, as if it was the biggest elephant in the room.

Strangely, it had been Victoria that had been the one acting as normal as usual. It had been strange to see the tall blonde come to greet her. Victoria had kept some distance, not hugging her like Dana or Juliet, but she had been genuine when she had said she was glad to see her in better shape.

She hadn't been back for a couple hours when she saw the first picture. Taken by one student, the picture of Max crying in Chloe's arms, her wrist bleeding through the punk's tight grip, had been shared through the school. Max had originally wanted to blame Victoria when she found out, but Kate and Dana's recounting of how the girl had kicked the wanna be paparazzi from her room and tore the jocks hard as they had started to tease and bully Max - almost punching them with her broken hand - had forced Max to accept that Victoria had somehow changed.

The teachers had not been that much better, taking gloves, giving her less work. It had been rather annoying to be singled out as if she was somehow unable to do the work. Max had not liked it one bit. She wanted to be treated normally, to just move on and not be reminded of the nightmares and incidents all the time by the very efforts made by others to accommodate her difficulties.

Max pursed her lips. "They either treat me like I'm made of crystal and am about to crack, or like I'm a freak."

The woman, a psychiatrist working at the local VA rolled her eyes in sympathy with the small girl. "Well you know you did scare quite a few of them. It's normal they feel awkward around you, at least for a while. The others, I would not put too much attention on them, concentrate on your friends."

Max groaned softly. "I know..."

Max sighed. "Things are so strange... My friends are avoiding every difficult subject... Victoria, the girl that had been bullying me since the first day of school, is protecting me..."

The councilor tilted her head on the side. "Are you upset that she is protecting you?"

Max shook her head. "I'm not sure, I would think it would bother me if I was the only one she was watching over. But she seemed to be even more protective of Kate. It's so strange... Like the world is upside down."

"I suppose it could be true." The woman raised a hand. "You and your classmates have experienced some traumatic events, between you being shot and the discovering of your teacher's crimes. Sometimes, these things make people look at their life and makes them change." She moved to reset her glasses on her nose. "A bit like you, Max. You were changed by the events."

Max shook her head. "Not really."

The psychiatrist looked her a moment. "Max. You changed your clothing style, you got piercings, changed your hair cut... Do I have to give more?" She looked at the girl. "Everyone gets changed by our experiences."

Max crossed her arms and looked away, not willing to discuss this part of her life yet, choosing deflect the question. "Still I wish they would just treat me normally... It's hard to not think about... stuff... when everyone around you makes so many efforts to avoid mentioning it. Pretty much have the opposite effect. I mean, those obvious avoidance kinda makes you think about it even more, like the elephant in the room you know... You don't talk about it but well it's fucking ginormous and you can't stop seeing it. While if you talked about it, you may be able to make him leave..."

Doctor O'Donnell nodded. "I can understand. Have you tried to talk to them about it? Maybe if you breached the subject they would be less awkward about it?"

Max pursed her lips. "They'll want explanations I don't want to give."

"What about your photography classes? Any progress?"

Max shrugged. "Not really. May have a new teacher after Thanksgiving, but not been confirmed yet."

Max sounded uncaring and uninterested in the topic and Amelia decided to move to another topic. "Okay, let's move on. How are things with the Madsen's? Have you found your marks with the Sergeant's family?"

David and Joyce had come to pick her up the evening of the day she woke up, taking her to the Price house. With the Doctor's insistence, the school support and Vanessa Caulfield renewed threat of coming to take her back to Seattle if she refused, Max had moved in with them, sharing Chloe's bedroom. The dinner had mainly been spent talking about Maxine's plan for the rest of the week, for which she had none, beside working on the assignments her friends had told her about, even if apparently the teachers had decreed she didn't have to; but then she didn't want to let the gap get too big and risk graduating one year later.

At some point the topic came to the next morning's schedule, Joyce explaining she had the late afternoon shift and would be there to prepare them a great breakfast - which had made Max salivate in advance - and Chloe pointing she had an appointment at 10 but offering to take Max with her if she wanted to 'nerd out at a game store'. The most surprising part had been David explaining he had a group therapy meeting at the VA at 9 and offering Max to join him. Max had tried to decline, saying she doubted she'd been welcome as she was not military, but David had pointed out that being a gunshot victim she probably shared the same kind of trauma as the people in the group, besides the therapist was also working with civilians. Thus, her first day's schedule had been planned. Breakfast with Joyce's delicious pancakes, group therapy with David and then hanging out at Fantas'ynk with Chloe and Steph.

The rest of the week had been similar. Max having actually found the group therapy interesting and the Veteran having accepted her as a kind of fellow wounded slash mascot - being the only girl and aged to be either their girlfriend or daughter - Max had accepted to come to another group session and also to try individual sessions with Dr. O'Donnell. So, she had fitted those sessions among the homework, hanging out with Chloe, relaxing in front of the TV.

All in all, the house had been nice, despite the rough persona that characterized David, and the only issue might have been the lingering awkwardness with her roommate.

"Awkward, tensed sometimes considering how things are between Mr. Madsen and Chloe, but nothing much to add." Max shrugged the question not really one she had even thought about.

The woman tilted her head, obviously having expected more details. She seemed to think a moment before talking. "And with Chloe? How are things going with her?"

Max clenched her jaw a moment having hoped to avoid this.

Chloe pulled back from the kiss. "I... Always loved you Max... since we were kids..." She looked down blushing at the girl that was half sitting in the hospital bed.

Max remained stunned, surprised at the kiss and the words, looking at her friend for a moment. "I... did too..." She breathed softly.

After a brief moment of silence, Chloe looked at the pinkette, thinking softly. "Max... I trust you and if you say it is what happened to you then, I'm sure it happened."

Max' lips trembled softly her voice a bit shy as she asked. "Really?"

She took a deep breath as she saw the girl eyes growing somber. "I... Well, you have to admit it sounds so strange, so impossible Max..."

Max clenched her fist as a surge of anger had rose in her. "Chloe! I swear to Dog! I..."

Chloe reached placing her palm on Max' cheek. "Max! Please wait!" She looked in Max' eyes. "I'm with you okay! And I know you! I believe in you Max!" She started to caress the girl's cheek with her thumb. "I've seen how bad your nightmares get, Max... And it makes sense that a lot of bad things happened to you Max... I don't remember those events, so I can't really be sure, but I believe in you, Max..."

Max nodded, her face still showing a bit of angst at the doubt she still feels in her friend's voice. She was about to protest when the nurses interrupted them and the discussion was never really finished.

The rest of the week had left Max perplex. Chloe and she had been relatively close, spending a lot of time together, spending the nights together Chloe holding the smaller girl, they even exchanged kisses. But despite that, there was some uncomfortable distance between them. It was not as Max had expected. All their kisses since the first one had been chaste, as if Chloe wasn't completely sure about her feelings. The punk girl had also been extra careful in her touches and Max was confused at the contrast with the usual blatant and crude innuendos.

"we are great! Everything perfect!" Max responded with too much enthusiasm.

The therapist could not help but catch the discomfort in Max' voice. "Max..."

Max sighed at the tone used by the woman. "Too much?" Dr. O'Donnell nodded her lips curling slightly. "I dunno how we are... I love her and ... I know she loves me too... At least she says she does... It's just... it feels like we're not progressing at all..."

The psychiatrist quirked an eyebrow. "How so?"

Max groaned not really wanting to talk about her intimacy. "I dunno. I think it's... just not as... vivid as I expected."

Amelia nodded. "Well awkwardness could but just because you are trying to find your marks as you transition from the friends you were to your new relationship."

Although Max wasn't completely certain it was just that, she acquiesced, having no desire to expend on the topic with a stranger.

The therapist took a look at her small notepad. "Okay. On a less, pleasing topic... How were your nightmares?"

Max bit her lip nervously. "They got... They are not as strong as before the medication you gave me last time... But they are still there."

Doctor O'Donnell made a few notes. "Are they still about that time in the bathroom?"

Max nodded, trying to not avert her eyes as she made a less than complete response. "Mostly yes... The... playing varies, but the end is still the same..."

The therapist pursed her lips and nodded. "Well, you only started taking it a few days ago, so the treatment needs a few more days to be completely effective. We will see if things are better next week." She took a few notes before looking at Max. "What about anxiety? Any incidents?"

Max started to bit her nail a bit. "Well, a few sometimes... Mainly when a place is too crowded... I had some kind of anxiety this morning when I started to think about how people would see me after ... You know... But I managed to keep it down."

And let's not talk about how I go Full Max Panic if I wake up and Chloe isn't beside me.

"You used one of the technics we discussed?"

"Yes... It helped distracting me from what was frightening me."

Max was glad when she finally escaped from the therapy session. While she admitted that the anti-anxieties and the use of a small medicinal hookah had helped her deal with the worst of the panic attacks and nightmares that had haunted her, Max still didn't like talking about her problems to a stranger. The therapy also added a new cause to her anxieties - talking about the traumas of the week that wasn't without actually telling what those traumas were or when they occurred. Not really something helping her sooth her psyche.

Max carefully wheeled herself toward the parked truck, watching the blue haired girl that leaned on the passenger door, smoking a cigarette as she played on her smartphone. She pursed her lips a bit, hesitating a moment. "Hey!"

Chloe rose her head, smiling awkwardly at her before she leaned, her moves stiff and hesitant, to give a soft kiss on Max' lips. Max tried to press the kiss further but Chloe moved back scratching her head.

Dog Chloe!

"Hey. How was therapy?" The punk asked as she opened the passenger door for Max.

Max stood from the wheelchair, carefully using her crutches to move toward the truck as Chloe started to fold the chair.

"Same as last time... Lots of questions, not many responses... You know I can't really tell everything to her!"

Chloe smiled as she put the chair in the truck's bed. "I know Maximo! I know! But I'm happy you're trying anyway."

Max nodded biting her lip, part of her wanting to mention how distant Chloe seemed to be since she left the hospital. She sighed softly while Chloe moved around the truck to climb in the driver's seat. "What's the plan this evening?"

Chloe smiled. "Well, I'd say dinner at Two Whales? Then I can either drop you home or you can come with me at the shop while I work on a friend's tattoo."

Max pondered a moment. "Steph will be there?"

Chloe frowned a moment. "She should be. Why?" She said with a bit of a bite, a slight jealous tone in her voice.

Geeze Chloe! You're the one holding me from afar and you bark as soon as another girl is mentioned!

Max shrugged. "I had a few questions about some game."

Chloe looked at Max a moment before she started up the truck and backed it up.

Chapter Text

They arrived at Fantas'ynk after a nice burger and fries at the Two Whales Diner. After getting out of the truck, Chloe and Max went to the door and as Chloe opened the door, Max reached in her hoodie, taking a cigarette. "I'll join you in a minute." She said with a smile as she stood up with her crutches, the cigarette between her lips. "Can you take the chair inside? This way I won't bother you when I get in."

Chloe nodded with a smile. "Sure, thing Maximax!" She entered the store setting the chair by the table as she moved to great a tall bulky man with Samoan tattoos. "Yoh, Thunder! How things?"

The man laughed softly. "Good! Ready to finish that last ink!"

Steph moved out from the back room. "Hey Chloe! Where's your twin?" She asked smiling.

Chloe chuckled. "Having a smoke outside. She should be joining us soon to annoy you with gaming questions."

Steph giggled. "Is fine, you know I love talking about games!"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Yeah you do, you nerd! Okay Thunder let's do this, so I can go chill with my girl sooner!"

Max was looking at the Harley parked in front of the store as she lit her cigarette. She turned and saw Steph waving at her through the store window. Max waved back making a gesture inviting the girl to come. She smiled as the store owner nodded and came outside.

"Hey Steph."

The girl smiled at her. "Hey Max! What's up? Chloe said you had questions about a game?"

Max chuckled softly. "Yeah, the game of loving Chloe Price." She responded making the girl chuckle too.

"I see... Not everything like you expected?"

Max nodded softly as she took a drag of her cigarette. "Yeah... I'd expected her to be more ... demonstrative."

"Oh?" Steph sat down on the small wall by the window beside Max. "Okay tell me what bother you."

Max nodded. "Well, you know how Chloe is always making kinky innuendo and jokes whenever she can find an opening in what people say? I kinda expected her to be as open in her display of affection."

Steph smiled softly. "I guess she is not."

Max let her head hang down. "Yeah... I was expecting I'd have to actually ask her to slow down, but well you saw how she act tensed, barely touching when we kiss... She does kiss often but ... all are just smooches... And every physical contact is just like that, chaste..."

Steph pondered a moment. "Was she like that from the start?"

Max shook her head. "The first time... She was really affectionate, and the kiss was great, not hot and all that, but more than a brush of lips too..." Max' lips curled dreamingly at the memory.

"Okay, so you're afraid she is pulling away?"

Max nodded quietly taking another drag of the cigarette. "I dunno what to do... I'm not asking for the whole length right away... I'm not ready for it all... But, kisses, cuddles, holding hands and all! I'd like them to feel normal, not kinda forced."

Steph reached and wrapped an arm around Max' shoulder. "Well, first you have to understand that despite everything she says, Chloe can be a shy girl." She thought a moment. "She told me when you were kids, you were very shy, and introvert and she was the eccentric energic girl dragging you around. Is that right?" Max nodded with a blush. "Well, when she and Rachel got together, at the beginning, Chloe was like you were. Shy, awkward, not really knowing where to stand. Rachel was the extrovert one."

Max frowned a moment. "You cereal?"

Steph nodded softly. "Yes... I think Chloe needs some time to adapt and let herself get that close... Also remember that she's dealing with her own traumas, losing her father, your moving away, losing Rachel. Chloe's got quite an abandonment issue. So, she's probably scared to lose you for a reason and she's trying to protect herself."

Max sighed. "What do I do then?"

Steph chuckled. "Well you can try talking with her, be reassuring. Or you can wait... Trust me when she is ready, you will have to slow her down." Steph patted her shoulder before giving her a hug. "Better be ready."

Max blushed softly as she finished her cigarette. "Thanks Steph!"

The older girl shrugged softly "What for? I'm Chloe's friend, and yours too now. It's normal I want you both to be happy. Besides, if it -"

Steph was interrupted by the loud crescendo or an engine echoing through the streets as a vehicle, probably a bike as far as Max could judge, approached fast. Deciding to wait for the noisy intruder to pass by, she paused and both girls looked up street to catch a sight. The sound was regular, not the drumming bass that Max was used to hear from the large American twins. It was more like a loud purr starting low and raising high as the engine rpm climbed. Max and Steph could hear the biker pushing his machine, the cut in the raising voice of the engine as he shifted gear.

The engine suddenly started to lower its voice spitting with each downshift and there it was! What looked like a racing bike, appeared at the intersection two blocks up, turning with an angle which baffled the girls as the driver's knee scrapped the pavement. The bike righted itself as the engine started to roar again but not as fast as before. The bike approached them and came to park beside Thunder's Harley.

The motorcycle was slick, painted in white with customized pink petals and flowers along its cowl. Some Asian characters had been traced on the flanks as if written like on the traditional drawings Max had seen sometimes in museums. The Exhaust was following the frame from under the saddle and came out just under the tail. On the sides, just below what should be the passenger seat, black letters read 'CBR-600RR'. After a few seconds, the rider - definitively a woman judging by the hourglass figure and the long white hair reaching down to her shoulder blades - in a white leather racing suit, her helmet the same white with pink flowers as the bike, dropped the kickstand and reached to shut off the engine.

The woman stepped off her bike and reached to unbuckle her helmet and open her silver-tinted visor revealing two almond eyes of a pure black. She slowly pulled the helmet off revealing her face to the girl as she smiled. "Hi, this the tattoo parlor Fantas'ynk?"

The woman - or maybe girl, Max could not really be certain - was clearly Asian, with a porcelain skin of nice complexion. Her almond eyes rested under thin eyebrows and she displayed numerous piercings - a ring at the septum, a barbell on her right eyebrow, several rings and a band on her right ear. Her hair trimmed so the right side of her head only sported at most a millimeter-long stub, where hanging long on the from the top and the left side of her head, dropping over her shoulder. They were clearly colored to give it a pure white color.

Max nodded softly and looked at Steph as she realized the store owner had not responded. To her amusement, the girl was kinda frozen and mute, her eyes wide and her jaw slightly dropped as she looked at the girl. Max gave her a little nudge and Steph blinked a few times before nodding softly. "Oh hi! Yes... Sorry ... Yes, it's my store... err I mean Fantas'ynk... My store."

Max couldn't help and chuckle at the flustered tattoo artist and the woman looked at them a moment quirking an eyebrow. "Err, is... there a problem?"

Max shook her head quickly. "Sorry no. No problem... Although, I think she may be having a stroke or some sort."

The woman nodded. "Okay... The store's open right? I wanted to get some more ink."

"Yes!" Steph blurted the words so fast, almost screaming. She blushed immediately and stuttered. "I mean... I ... Yes... It's open... We ... were about to go back inside... Were we?" She looked at Max pleading silently as she noticed the pinkette struggling not to laugh.

Max giggled and, after tossing her cigarette butt, slowly leaned on her crutches and stood with a soft grunt. "Nice bike. Not one we are used to see around here though." she said to the woman who smiled.

The woman nodded with enthusiasm. "Sure, it's a nice one! It's a Honda CBR 600 RR! I call her Sakura!" She gushed happily, her words slightly deformed by some accent Max couldn't really place.

The small group slowly moved inside, Steph showing the way, Max following carefully as the new comer came last, watching as Max kept talking, looking at the flustered Steph with a chuckle. Chloe was seated on her stool, working carefully on the big man's lower leg as he sat in the dentist chair facing the window. The privacy curtain was open, and Max could see the bluenette quirk an eyebrow at the sight of the Asian girl.

Max felt the corner of her lips curves mischievously as she resumed her talk with the woman while lowering herself in her chair. "It's a cute name and the painting is great! I'd love to ride a bike like that one day." She talked loud enough to make sure Chloe caught the conversation and she saw her two sapphires she called eyes dart and gauging the customer.

The biker-girl looked at Max a moment pursing her lips as she slowly reached and lowered the zipper of her suit revealing, as the leather parted, a pale smooth skin, with only a white tank top that stopped just below her ribcage. "Well I'd be happy to ride with you behind me if you want." She looked at the chair and winced a moment. "Are your legs okay? I mean for a bike it's very important so ..."

Max groaned softly at the familiar question. "Sorry. And yes, they are okay... I got into an accident a few weeks ago and well... It's getting better, I can nearly move my legs as I want now... Although can't support myself with them yet... Docs says I should be able to walk on my own soon, although maybe with a cane."

The girl winced a bit at the description. "Well cane is okay. So long as you can stand you can ride." She winked at Max. "So, I'll be happy to have you for a ride when you get better!"

Chloe coughed loudly, frowning, her glare clearly saying 'don't touch my girl' as she paused in her work.

Thunder chuckled as he saw the punk's reaction and he raised his voice. "Max, you should have asked me for a ride. American bikes like Harley are the best bikes!"

"An'ta Baka nano ka?" the girl interjected placing her hands on her hips. "Japanese are way better and much more reliable! And Honda are best of all!"

The biker laughed loudly shaking his head. He was about to say something, but Steph intervened.

"Thunder... Could you please not fight with my customers please!" Her voice was soft, and shy, lacking the usual bite she used when ruling her store, making both Thunder and Chloe raised their eyebrows. Steph took a breath and moved toward the girl. "I'm Steph, the owner. The girl with wheels is Max, and the tattoo artist working on Thunder, and who's been glaring at you, is her girlfriend Chloe."

Max crossed her arms mumbling. "Not my girlfriend..." she looked and noticed Chloe's pained look at her words before she added. "Not officially." Sticking her tongue out.

The girl nodded and gave a short bow. "Well met! I'm Azumi!" She looked at Thunder and with a smirk. "And if your bike is the girl toy parked beside my Sakura, I'll be happy to race you anytime. I'll probably only have to use half my gears but... well can't help it against a bicycle."

Thunder rolled his eyes with a grin. He was about to respond when Steph frowned at him insistently and he let it slide.

"Err Azumi. You said you wanted some ink done?"

Chloe looked up at the shy tone in her friend's voice. She looked toward Max raising an interrogative eyebrow. 'What the fuck?' She mouthed to the pink-haired girl. Max had obviously a very difficult time not to just laugh at Steph's clear smitten behavior. She shrugged raising her arms palmed up.

"Oh hai! I wanted to have a dragon wrapped around my belly and chest." She reached setting her helmet on the table before she started to pull on the sleeves of her suite. "Chotto matte!" She called a she slowly removed arms and shoulders from the leather.

Steph's jaws literally dropped as she saw the girl start to undress without really caring about the presence of anyone. She didn't even think about stopping the girl and making her move to the station. The girl's skin was covered in ink, Japanese designs with koi, waves, mountains and other traditional shapes covered her arms.

Max was stunned at the art on the girl skin and her eyes danced at it trying to find all the references she could. Even Chloe and Thunder had paused their session to admire the way the items moved on her porcelain skin.

Unaware of the eyes looking at her, the girl started to push the riding suit down making Max blush as she found herself faced with a round pair of buttocks simply covered with black cotton panties. Chloe was the first one to react, dropping the tattoo gun on a tray and rushing to Max, pressing her hand on the pink-haired eyes. "What the fuck! Steph! You can't let her strip in your store like that! She can be seen from the street Dude!" Her voice was harsh, anger seeping in her tone, her move to prevent Max from seeing the half-naked woman making clear what had really upset her.

Steph jerked as if waking up suddenly. "Oh God! Yes! Wait come with me!" She said reaching for Azumi's wrist, dragging the girl to the empty tattoo station, quickly moving to pull the privacy curtain.

Chloe breathed deeply turning to look at Max with a frown. "What the hell was that?"

Max looked at her shrugging. "No idea... I mean I never thought she'd start to ..."

Chloe growled. "And did you have to look at her!"

"Are you Cereal? She was standing in front of me!" Max rolled her eyes as she saw Chloe crossing her arms and looking away. "What are you angry for Chloe?"

The punk looked at Max. "Nothing! After all I'm not your girlfriend!" She sounded hurt as she quoted Max's earlier jab.

Max sighed reaching to put a hand on the punk girl's arm. "Chloe! I love you more than anything! I love YOU! No one else!" She gave a soft groan of frustration, rubbing a hand on her face. "Let's talk about this later." As she saw Chloe starts to get grumpy she leaned and wrapped her arms around the taller punk, pressing her face to her belly. "You got a tattoo to finish. We will talk about it after, okay?"

Chloe sighed. "Fine!"

The barking tone used by Chloe made Max' heart sink a bit. She pressed her face closer to the taller punk pulling her closer as the girl stiffened. "Chloe. You're my only punk... Trust me, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah..." Chloe separated herself from Max and headed back to Thunder, changing her gloves before she resumed her work on his shin.

A few minutes later, a red-faced Steph followed Azumi as she came back the top of her suit wrapped around her hips. "So, can you do it?" The girl asked with a smile.

Steph nodded, "Either me or Chloe can do it yeah. Will take a while though." She scratched her head. "You... You staying in town for long?"

Azumi shrugged. "I'm starting a new job next Monday and should stay at least till summer."

Steph looked down shyly. "Should be done by then for sure." She said. "Do you want to see our portfolio before you decide on which of us you want to do it?"

Azumi seemed to eye both Steph and Chloe with an interest that bothered Max. Down girl! Chloe's mine!

"No need. I'll take you." She said to Steph with a wink that made Steph flush even more. "When can you start?"

Steph moved to get a book from the register and looked at it. "I can tomorrow at 3, is that good?"

Azumi pursed her lips a moment as she reached to slide her arms in her suit's sleeves, shrugging the leather over her shoulder. "Yeah, that's fine."

As Steph wrote it down, Azumi slowly zipped the rider suit up. "Ok... I... I'll ... See you tomorrow." Steph stuttered, drawing a soft chuckle from Max.

Azumi smiled warmly, reached for her helmet as she responded "Yes, you will." She moved to the door waving an arm. "Bye all! And Max, hope I can ride with you someday right!"

Max nodded. "Sure, I'd like to try." She felt Chloe's eyes on her and sighed softly.

I'll really have to talk to her.

Her thought got interrupted by the roar of a revving bike.

Chapter Text

The ride home had been tensed. Chloe had obviously stayed angry, remaining silent as she drove with brusque moves. Max knew the discussion would be coming soon and she nervously drummed her fingers on the handles of her crutches as the truck jerked to a stop in the driveway of 44 Cedar Line.

Max noticed the cars already parked in front of the house and cringed at the idea of possibly having a fight with Chloe in front of Joyce and David. She didn't want to hurt Joyce or put her in a difficult position, and she certainly didn't want to risk David try to mediate between her and Chloe.

A recipe for disaster if there is one.

Chloe must have thought the same thing as she just shut down the engine and turned in her seat to look at Max, her eyes stern as she remained silent a moment.

"So can we talk about why you were flirting with that bitch now?"

Max flinched at Chloe's tone. "I wasn't flirting with her, Chloe! I saw her bike and I found it cool. When I told her she offered me a ride on it that's all!"

Chloe crossed her arms and shook her head. "Max don't bullshit me! I saw you ogle her as she stripped her ass in front of you!"

Max rolled her eyes. "Dog Chloe! She literally dropped her pants under my nose! I didn't ask for it!"

"You could have turned your head or closed your eyes!"

"I was shocked! Okay? I never had this happening to me! I was just looking at the tattooes! I certainly didn't expect her to drop her pants like that! And I certainly didn't enjoy it!" Max looked at Chloe her face flushing a bit. "I'm not that kind of person Chloe! I would not cheat on you!"

Chloe scoffed softly. "How should I know? After all I never thought you'd deny being my girlfriend!"

Max winced. "I'm sorry Chloe… I shouldn't have… But I swear I didn't mean it like that!"

Chloe looked at Max her voice with pain as she asked. "Then how did you mean it!"

Max reached trying to take Chloe's hands. "I… I wanted to get back at Steph for outing us so quickly so as to try and get all of the girl's attention to her…" She frowned a moment and sighed. "And… I think part of me also wanted to make you react… I'm sorry…"

The punk girl almost cried. "Why? Why did you want me to believe you thought we weren't together Max?"

Max bit her lip as she said softly. "Are we?" She looked at the blue-haired girl as she opened her eyes in surprise. "Are we together, Chloe? We never discussed this, Chloe! And since our first kiss, we barely smooch; you hold my hand as if you tried to stay as far as possible… One moment you get jealous and possessive, the next you keep me at arm's length like you don't want to get too close! I don't understand where we are and it's frustrating me! Because I love you! And I want to be with you, Chloe!" She felt tears starting to drip along her cheeks as she let all her concerns, all her doubts pour out. "Are we together, Chloe? Do you want to be with me or are you just showing pity?"

Chloe's mouth gapped as she heard the questions and doubt in Max' voice. "We are!" she responded without hesitation. "I love you Max! I always did! I want to be with you! But I'm hella scared okay! Every person I ever loved disappeared on me! My dad and Rachel died! Even you disappeared for years only a few weeks after I realized my feelings for you! I fucking love the hell out of you, Max, and that fucking scare the shit out of me! I'm scared that if I let this happiness come I'll lose you again! Scared that I'll fuck this up like I fucked up everything in my life!" As her words escaped, her voice slowly broke down and her tears started to run down.

Max felt the pain in Chloe's voice, the fear. Just as Steph had said, Chloe was scared to lose her, and she had just been trying to protect herself from possible hurt. She moved, reaching to wrap her arms around the blunette, and pulled her close. "I hella love you too, Chloe! I'm never leaving you!"

Chloe wrapped her arms around Max and pressed her face in the crook of the pinkette's neck. "You can't promise that, Max…" she sobbed. "You going to your parents in only two days!"

Max tightened her grip on the blue-haired girl. "It's only for Thanksgiving, Chloe! I'll be back on Saturday, I swear to dog!" she answered kissing the girl's head softly.

Chloe shook her head softly. "What if you can't come back? What if your mom doesn't let you?"

Max felt the girl shiver in her arms. "I don't care what my mom wants! I'm 18 and I won't let her take me away from you ever again! I'll wheel myself from Seattle if I have to!"

Chloe chuckled softly at the words from Max. "I don't want you to leave anyway, Max! I would hella miss you too much." With her words, Chloe's arms tightened so hard that Max felt like her ribs would crack.

"Then come with me!" Max proposed. "Drive me to Seattle on Wednesday, spend Thanksgiving with me! Drive me back!"

"Are you serious?"

"Hella serious! I don't wanna spend a single day or night away from you ever again!" Max said softly.

"What about my mom?"

"I'm sure Joyce won't mind! We can also come back on Friday and have a Thanksgiving meal with her then!"

Chloe seemed to relax a bit. "Thanksgiving on Friday, yeah sure!" she chuckled.

Max chuckled too. "I'd rather stay here and eat your mom's food! But my mom would come and take me away for good if I did!" She felt Chloe's arms tighten around her at the idea. "Better that we go for a few days and keep the dragon asleep."

Chloe nodded weakly. "I know, Max! I know… And I'll go with you! I don't care what mom and David say. I'm not letting you go again either!"

Both girls hugged each other tightly, enjoying the warmth of each other's presence, the sound of their hearts. Max could almost feel herself purr as she pressed her face in Chloe's neck.

"I'm sorry, I made you feel jealous." Max finally whispered in the punk's ear.

"I'm sorry I kept my distance." Chloe responded kissing Max's collarbone softly. "Max?"

"Hmm?"

"You really didn't enjoy seeing that chick stripping off in front of you?" The question was whispered, asked with a mix between worry and teasing.

Max chuckled softly. "Not at all."

"You sure you are gay? I mean, it's not like she was ugly."

Max softly kissed Chloe's neck. "Meh, I've seen much better."

"What you are looking at other girls? Tell me who is that chick! I will kill her!"

Max chuckled "Well, she's tall, lean, has short blue hair, wonderful blue eyes and a great sleeve tattooed on her arms. She's also a complete dork with a foul mouth, but so cute and sexy I can't help loving her!"

Chloe made a faint growl. "She is so dead! I'm gonna murder her!"

"That would be suicide, doofus!" Max chuckled softly before she whispered softly "I love you, Chloe."

"I know."

"Did you just Han Solo me!" Max moved her hands along Chloe's flank. "You'll so pay for that!" she said as she suddenly ran her fingers along Chloe's ticklish body making the tall girl squeal and struggle to escape.

"NOOO! Bad Max! Bad Max!" Chloe found herself pressed against the driver's door as Max crawled on the couch relentlessly attacking her. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please stop Max! I surrender! I love you too!"

Max pulled her fingers back rising as she looked at the punk with thin eyes. She grinned at her victory as Chloe panted loudly trying to recover from the onslaught. "Never underestimate the power of the Max side, Chlobacca." Both girls burst in laughter as Max leaned on the blue-haired girl, pressing her head to her heart.

Chloe reached a hand up and caressed the pink hair for a moment before asking. "So, Azumi never had a chance?"

Max shook her head. "Nope, not with me. I'm only interested in her bike." She raised her head and looked up at the blunette before leaning forward to press their lips together in a loving kiss. She pulled back looking at Chloe's blushing face before she added. "Although I think she got Steph smitten. I mean the girl was all frozen and stuttering and blushing!"

Chloe giggled. "True, I thought her head would explode when Azumi took the leather off."

Max pondered. "I wonder if I should skip class tomorrow… I don't want to miss how awkward that first session will be."

Chloe booped her nose. "Nope! You're going to school; you missed enough class as it is! Besides, I'm not sure this will not turn into some adult rated scene."

Max pouted, crossing her arms on her chest. "I'm an adult!"

Chloe giggled and kissed her nose. "I know Maxou I know! But still, you can't skip anymore classes! By the way, what's your schedule tomorrow?"

Max grunted as she was denied the chance to escape boring school. She frowned a moment at the question and said. "English teacher still absent, so class is cancelled. So is photography so, I got nothing tomorrow morning."

Chloe pursed her lips. "Okay, I guess it will be a light day then… How about brunch at Two Whales then?"

Max hugged Chloe as she responded cheerfully. "Deal!"

Chloe smiled lovingly and pressed her lips to Max'. The kiss was much deeper than those Max experienced in the previous days and she melted in Chloe's arms as she responded, only to literally jump, pressing a hand on her chest, at the unexpected knock on the driver's window. "Young Ladies! Will you please come inside so we can have diner? Some people work early in the morning you know?" the cheerful voice of a smiling Joyce interrupting them.

Kate was still in her bed despite what would be for her a late hour. She was not sleeping, nor tired. But at the same time, she didn't feel like getting out of bed. She lay on her side, looking at the other blonde girl still sleeping beside her, moving a hand to brush a few strands of the pixie cut behind the girl's ear.

I don't understand. Why do I feel better when she comes to join me at night? And why do I feel blue when I got to see her leave?

Kate remained there watching over the other girl's peaceful slumber as she tried to sort the puzzlement of her feelings. She had to admit she had felt lonely for a few days after Max had started to live at her friend's house. Kate could have gone back to her old room and people would probably have said nothing, but Max still being officially on the rosters as living in the dorms, her moving out being listed as 'Medical leave', Kate had decided to stay and wait for her possible return.

It had at least allowed her to keep the larger room, which had proven a godsend seeing how often Victoria, Taylor and Courtney came to hang out, sometimes joined by Dana and Juliet – although things remained tensed between the two groups. The new room was also helpful for moment like this morning as being in a secluded wing would make sure no one would risk seeing Victoria leave her room in the mornings after she spent the night.

After all she's still working hard to keep this secret. Not that I mind… I feel that I have to hide this too lately. I wonder why… There's nothing to be ashamed with having a sleepover with my friend right?

Kate kept trying to figure out where her growing awkwardness was coming from when she heard the soft chime of her cellphone. Leaning over the other girl, she reached to her nightstand for the device having broken the quietness of that Tuesday morning and looked at the message she had just received.

Max: Chloe and I are going to get brunch at Two Whales? Wanna join?

Dana: Count me in! Although Trevor has classes :/

Kate pondered a moment and started to type.

Kate: I'll be coming! I miss sharing tea with you!

Max: Awww! I miss it too Kate!

Max: although we will only share a meal.

Kate: Well brunch or afternoon tea is the same thing for friends.

Max: True! Cya at 11?

Kate: I'll be there!

Dana: Sure!

Kate looked at her watch and pondered a moment. She was trying to decide whether she should start to get ready or if she still had some time when her guest stirred softly.

"Hmmm… Kate?" Victoria's surprise was audible despite the groggy waking voice.

"Good Morning Victoria." Kate responded softly. "And yes it's me. It's still my bed after all." She said softly.

Victoria rubbed her eyes as she woke up. "Sorry, just not used to see you when I wake up."

Kate nodded. "It's okay. I usually get up earlier I know."

Victoria started to get out of bed, blushing a bit as she did every time she came asking if she could spend the night. "I… I should be going… I already took enough of your hospitality."

Kate shook her head. "It's okay Victoria. I already told you, you could come anytime." She looked at the blonde with a few concerns. "Are you nightmare still bothering you?"

Victoria bit her lip a moment and nodded. "Yeah, I … " She shook her head. " Let's not talk about it, please." She moved briskly to the door as if embarrassed but paused as she had her hand on the knob. "Do you want to join me and the girls for lunch today Kate?"

Kate looked up a moment and shook her head. "I'm sorry, I can't. I'm meeting Max for brunch."

"Oh." The slight disappointment was visible on Victoria's face and Kate immediately added. "You should join us!"

Victoria's head turned quickly looking at the smaller blonde with surprise her brown eyes. Even Kate seemed to notice how awkward her proposition felt as she stuttered shyly. "I mean… err… You did help her… I'm sure she and Chloe would be happy to see Tay, Courtney and you."

Victoria pondered a moment and nodded. "I suppose… I'll ask the girls."

It was bordering on 11.10 when Chloe's truck entered the parking lot with a roar of an engine mixed with the clinks of an old machine. After a moment, the blue-haired girl climbed out the driver's door and a pink-haired girl carefully slid out of the passenger seat using crutches.

"You sure you don't want the chair?" Chloe asked with concerns.

"Nah, we are not far and I still need to train." Max responded as she started to move toward the diner's door.

"Just saying it would be faster and we are already late." Chloe said as she moved to walk beside the shorter girl.

"Whose fault is it?" Max retorted with a chuckle. "I wasn't the one who started a make out session instead of getting dressed!"

"Hey, I don't remember you complaining!" Chloe exclaimed as she poked the pinkette.

"Don't disturb me while I'm walking Chloe! I'm only standing thanks to my arms!"

"Okay! Okay! I don't wanna my Maximo to hurt herself!" Chloe said softly as they approached the stairs leading to the restaurant. Chloe stopped in front of the first step and looked around. "Wait a moment."

"What? Is there a problem?" Max asked looking around trying to find what was bothering the punk.

"No, I just wanted to do something before we joined up with the others." She said leaning as she wrapped her arms around Max' waist. Seeing where she was going, Max lifted her face their lips met.

The kiss was warm, hungry as Chloe pulled the girl closer to her, holding most of the small girl's weight as she deepened the kiss her tongue brushing and asking entrance to the girl's lips. The small girl melted and soon felt Chloe's tongue dancing with her.

When the kiss broke, both girls were flushed and panting, gasping for air. "Wowser…" Max whispered as she looked dreamingly at her blue-haired girlfriend.

"That's what they all say." Chloe retorted cheerfully, but Max could see the girl's true feelings as her face turned red. "Let's get in before they send for a search party!"

Max nodded, still at lost for words as she slowly started to climb the stairs with more assurance than days before.

As they entered the diner and looked around, searching for Dana and Kate, Max heard Chloe swear. "Shit!"

"What is it?" Max asked raising an eyebrow as she looked in the direction her girlfriend was staring at. "Uh, oh!" She said noticing Kate and Victoria sitting on one of the couches together with Courtney, Taylor and a not so happy Dana on the other.

"I take it you didn't invite Vicky and co?" Chloe asked between her teeth.

"No, I didn't…" She sighed and started to shuffle toward them. "Guess we don't have much choice though." She said as she saw Kate's smile widening as she spotted the two of them.

"Max! Chloe!" She cheerfully greeted making all girls look in their direction.

"You're late!" Victoria complained her arms crossed in an attempt to look pissed, but her lips trembling as she tried not to smile kind of gave her act away.

The girls greeted them Kate, Courtney and Dana standing to hug Max. As they all stood Max looked at the booth a bit worried. "Err not to complain and all, but we'll never all fit in one booth."

The girls looked at each other when Kate sat back beside Victoria and pointed at the couch across. "Well you're the one who set up this brunch, so you should be in the center couch while the others set in the adjoining booth."

Max looked at the others and at Chloe before she slowly slid herself ending up sitting across Victoria. Dana was about to sit beside her, obviously not wanting to be relegated to the other table with Courtney and Taylor, but Chloe coughed and frowned. "Err sorry but I'm sitting with Max." she said assertively.

Dana looked at the punk a moment and was about to argue when Max reached for her wrist. "Please Dana." The cheerleader looked at her for a moment and moved away letting Chloe sit and press herself along Max' side. Dana quickly moved to take the seat right behind Max, soon joined by Courtney who reached to comb Max' hair.

"Still looks nice isn't it Max? Although you will need to touch the color up a bit soon. Let me know if you want me to do it." She said cheerfully.

As Chloe looked puzzled Kate smiled and explained. "Courtney is the one who did Max' hair. She's a pretty good stylist."

Courtney looked up at Chloe and asked. "Like it? I could do yours too! I like the color!"

Chloe tensed a moment. "I… err I'll think about it."

Max chuckled as she saw her girlfriend stumble in front of the black and purple haired girl. She reached under the table and took the punk girl's hand in hers, part of her still amazed at how natural a fit it felt. She looked around her pondering. "By the way, I invited Dana and Kate… So why are you all here?"

Taylor and Courtney pouted. "Thanks Max! Really make you feel loved! And us who wanted to maybe mend fences and all." Courtney said with a mock hurt.

It was Victoria who simply explained. "I tried to invite Kate to join us for lunch and she invited us to join her instead."

"The more the merrier after all!" Kate said cheerfully.

"Okay, I guess." Max said, unable to feel angry at the blonde.

Dana looked at them all and shrugged before she asked. "So, what you all planning for the weekend?"

Kate smiled warmly. "I'm going to my family of course!"

Courtney and Taylor nodded. "Yeah me too." "Same here."

Dana looked at Max. "What about you?"

Max sighed. "My parents want me to go spend Thanksgiving with them in Seattle, so I'm going up there tomorrow afternoon after class and back down sometimes this weekend I guess."

Kate pondered a moment. "Are they coming to pick you up?"

Max shook her head. "Chloe's going to drive me and spend her first Caulfield Thanksgiving in five years." She said with a smile as she felt the punk's hand squeeze hers.

"Gonna be better than a screaming contest with my step-douche anyway!" Chloe joked with a soft laugh.

Kate gave a soft chuckle at Chloe's words, but the other girls just winced feeling uncomfortable until Max reprimanded her softly. "Chloe! be good!" Then they all giggled as Chloe grunted with a false pout.

Remembering the last person present who had not said anything, Dana looked at Victoria and asked. "And you? Going to Seattle too?"

The blonde shook her head. "No. My parents will probably spend their time doing who knows what at the gallery anyway, so they won't have a Thanksgiving dinner. No use for me to waste my time going up there just for a couple days and an empty home." Her voice was bitter, and Max felt sorry for the blonde.

Guess her family is pretty shitty too.

The others must have felt the same way because they all looked down. All except Kate who looked at Victoria and offered with a soft voice. "You could come have dinner with my family then. I'm sure they'd be happy to meet you after what you did for me and Max last time." She added as she pointed at the bandaged hand.

Victoria seemed to tense a moment unsure, her cheeks catching a slight pinkish color before she nodded. "Thanks. I appreciate it Kate. But I don't wanna impose."

Kate shook her head. "It's Thanksgiving! The day you're supposed to give! Of course, you would not impose!" She smiled softly. "I insist."

Max chuckled softly at the shocked face on Victoria and everyone laughed when Dana chided. "You can't refuse now, Victoria! Would be bad karma!"

Victoria bit her lips obviously not convinced. She looked at Kate and sighed. "Fine, I'll come!"

Kate gave a small squeak as she clapped her hands happily. "Thanks Victoria! It will be fun!"

Apparently, Victoria didn't really seem to agree on the definition of fun, but she forced a smile and nodded.

They all chuckled chatting about how fast they wanted their last classes before the long weekend to pass when Joyce showed up for their order.

"Okay, girls! What can I bring you to eat today!"

Kate pondered a moment and asked. "Grilled cheese okay?"

"Of course!"

Victoria pondered a moment and said. "I want the fattest burger you have with a lot of fries." She felt the stare of every girl on her and looked up grumbling. "What? Do you know how frustrating is this thing? I think I deserve a break!" She said waving her broken hand.

Max looked at Joyce and smiled. "I'll have your famous eggs and bakey!"

Chloe smiled as she cheerfully passed her order. "I'll take the Max and Cheese!" A sudden silence could be heard while Max' face turned dark red with embarrassment as she gasped "Chloe!"

Kate's mouth was gapping, and her face was flushed as she tried to look away. Dana, Taylor and Courtney just stared at the punk as if some video game character frozen as the CPU tried to process so difficult information. Only Victoria reacted differently, pressing her unbandaged hand to her face as she muttered. "Oh god!"

"Again Chloe? Didn't you get enough Maxaroni last night?"

Chloe suddenly realized how her tongue slipped and blushed pulling her beanie over her face to hide as she groaned. "I mean Macaroni and Cheese… Oh Fuck! I can't believe I did that! Mom, can you kill me now?" she asked the blonde waitress.

Joyce chuckled, "No can do Chloe!" shaking her head trying hard not to join all the other girls in the general laughter while Max tried to bury herself.

Once Joyce got Dana, Taylor and Courtney's order, the Cheerleader jumped and knelt on her couch looking at Max and Chloe. "Maxaroni? I think you two got something to tell us!"

Courtney and Taylor nodded as they moved trying to get closer to be included in the story telling. Max groaned and looked at them pleadingly. "Can we … forget about this please?"

Dana shook her head with a frown. "Maaaxx! You well know that is impossible! Now Spill!"

Max looked at Chloe and sighed. "You cereal Chloe? Couldn't help yourself even one day?"

Chloe looked down. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it swear to dog!"

Dana leaned over the couches backs raising a hand giving a tap on the back of the pinkette's head. "Max! Now!"

Max cringed and raised her free hand in surrender. "Okay! Okay! Chill out! No need to hit me!" She looked at the girls around her then down as she mumbled. "Chloe and I are … together…" She finally said before pressing her face in the punk's shoulder as the brunette leaned to hug her, squealing cheerfully.

The effusions took most of their meal to quiet down, Dana and Courtney hounding the two lovebirds for details that Max wasn't really willing to give. The pinkette just tried to disappear in the booth seat, her shyness catching up. It was getting overwhelming until Victoria, of all people, intervened.

"Girls! Give them some air to breath! No need to pull out every detail of their life right away!"

Max looked up at the blonde in surprise. "You… knew?"

Victoria rolled her eyes. "Knew what? That you girls loved each other? Worst kept secret ever!" She said annoyingly. "Only seeing Kari here begging you not to die at the hospital would give out how much she feels about you! And seeing how you lit up when leaving class to meet her or how you just shut down when her stupid ass decided to cut you off would make you love her pretty obvious!" She sighed "God, I'm glad you two stopped waltzing around the issue!" Her tone was filled with frustration and a pang of uneasiness that made Max wonder if her drama of a love life with Chloe was the only issue bothering Victoria.

"Sorry about that Victoria…" Max responded looking down.

The blonde just waved a hand. "What about? Not like you can choose who you love." She said with a grunt that had all the girls around the table pondering.

Max bit her lip a moment her hand holding on Chloe's. She looked around and remembered the only girl that had been silent all this time since Chloe's lapse. She saw the confused look on Kate's face and she felt her heart sink a bit. "Kate? Are… Are you okay?"

The small blonde jerked out of her thoughts and stammered. "What? Oh … errr… Yes! I'm fine!"

Max felt the uneasiness in Kate's voice and she wasn't sure what to say. She started to fear her friend's religiousness would make the small blonde hate her for being in a relationship with another girl. She was about to say something when Chloe's phone chimed a few times and she got side tracked when her girlfriend released her hand to check on her mobile. The Punk's chuckle made her lean to look at the screen.

Steph: Chloe! Where are you?

Steph: I need your help!

Steph: Azumi will be there in 3 hours for her tat and I can't come up with something worthy!

Steph: Her skin's so perfect! I can't defile it with a crappy tattoo!

Steph: HELP ME!

Chapter Text

Steph: Chloe! Where are you?

Steph: I need your help!

Steph: Azumi will be there in 3 hours for her tat and I can't come up with something worthy!

Steph: Her skin's so perfect! I can't defile it with a crappy tattoo!

Steph: HELP ME!

Steph was sitting at her desk in her small store several drafts of dragons scattered around the room, as she held her head looking at the phone laying on the table as she waited an answer. She had been working all night, beginning her sketches as soon as the biker girl had left, fueled only on coffee. Still, she couldn't find a design she would find worthy of the canvas she had been offered.

She stared at the phone, drumming her fingers nervously on the table. She was about to reach and send another message when she finally got an answer.

Chloe: I need to drop Max at Blackwell, then I'll be coming. Cya in 10 to 20.

She sighed with relief and took a new piece of paper starting another design. She worked her tongue between her lips as she concentrated, picturing the body of the Asian woman in her head, her forms, her curves, trying to imagine the dragon wrapping around it. But she had troubles staying focused. As it happened already several times during the night, she felt her cheeks warming up as her mind got lost once again into imagining other things than a tattoo running along the porcelain skin.

The sound of a banging on the front door jerked her out of her reverie. She looked around in confusion until she heard the muffled voice of Chloe's shouting. "Yoh! Steph! The door is closed!"

Steph ran through the store, knocking her pencil box from the desk, and went to unlock the door. She barely left time for the punk girl to enter before she grabbed her and pulled her to the desk. "Thank god, Chloe! I really can't find a good design! We got to hurry she'll be there soon!" Her voice was frantic, completely panicking and Chloe yelped as she got dragged.

"What the fuck, Steph! It's already noon and you haven't opened the store yet?" She collided with the brunette as she stopped, looked around the room and noticed the mess of paper and sketches strewn across the floor and table. "Holy shit!" Her eyes went to the girl, quickly registering the dark bags under her red eyes and the messy hair. "Steph, how early did you start with this?"

The store owner looked at the blue-haired girl. "What? I didn't stop! I been working all night!"

"Are you crazy?" The punk girl groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Steph, you gotta chill, dude! I'm sure some of those are probably perfect." She said pointing at the countless designs.

Steph bounce like a rabbit on steroids. "They are nice, but I need it to be perfect! God Chloe! I got to do it perfectly!" she whined, "I can't put this crap on a goddess like her!"

Chloe rolled her eyes and grabbed Steph's hand. "Oookaaay… you're going to go lay in the back room for a couple hours before! You need to rest before you blow up or something."

As she started to drag the girl, Steph pulled and struggled to get free. "NO! I gotta finish that design! Chloe! I need to make it perfect for her! Please!"

"And what will you do when she gets there? Fall asleep on her with a big ass needle in your hand?"

"I won't fall asleep! That's why we got coffee you know?"

"And how much coffee did you drink already?" Chloe asked eying the girl.

"Just two or three…" Chloe started to frown clearly not believing the girl. "… pot. Or four…"

Chloe shook her head. "Oh Dog! You're going to sleep now! You can't fucking operate a tattoo gun while completely doped with caffeine!"

Steph whined and tried to pull her wrist from the punk's grasp. "No, Chloe, please! I gotta get the perfect design for her! You don't understand! She's got the perfect skin!"

Chloe mumbled as she forced the girl to the back room and kicked a small futon to unroll it. "And if you tattoo her with just coffee and no sleep, she'll soon need a skin transplant! My god Steph! You're the one who taught me not to ink people while stoned!" She pushed the girl on the futon. "Now you sleep! And no complaints or I'll knock you out! You sleep, and I'll open the store so she knows you are here and don't go home pissed! And I'll look through what you already drew, because I'm sure you already got the perfect one and just couldn't see it through your coffee-filled eyes!"

Steph tried to stand as she got forcefully pushed down the small cot only to yelp as Chloe slapped the back of her head. "Please, Chloe!"

"SLEEP!" The punk shouted her order as she left the room locking it from outside and moved through the store to boot the register and switch the lights on muttering to herself. "What the hell, Steph, you're acting like a tween just before her first date! Why do I have to be the responsible one!"

Once she made sure the store was opened, two to three hours later than usual, she moved to the station where Steph had obviously spent her night drawing. Shaking her head at the complete chaos, she started to sort through every sketches looking for the designs that are complete and those that she could help finalize.

As she looked through her friend's work, it became clear that the girl's exhaustion, probably helped by her infatuation for her customer, had completely screwed her ability to judge the quality of her work.

Dog, Steph! Those are just hella great! No need to torture yourself like that!

As she started to build a selection of the best designs, she heard the sound of a door knob rattling. With a sigh she shouted through the store. "I swear to Dog, Steph! If you don't fucking lay down and sleep I'll tell her you can't make the appointment! I'll either reschedule it in a few years or do her tat myself!"

Max bit her lip a moment, hesitating as she moved her chair toward Kate as she was packing her books in her bag. Her mind split between the concern she had facing her friend's discomfort during lunch and the fear that said friend would suddenly cut her off because of who she had fallen in love with, Max had a hard time to find the courage to approach the small blonde.

"Kate? Do … Do you want to get tea?"

At the question the girl raised her head and looked at Max with a stiff smile. "Err… sure! Do we go to my room or yours?"

Max' lips twitched slightly as she noticed the uneasiness in her friend's expression. "I suppose we should go in yours, mine's probably still a mess."

Kate nodded and started to walk toward the class' door, Max slowly moving her chair to follow. As they moved together toward the dorms, Max felt her heartbeat increase as she dreaded the discussion she was about to begin.

Why oh why am I even doing this? If Kate has no problem with me dating Chloe, she'll be hurt that I even brought this subject… If she has issues with it, I may push her into cutting me off… I'll lose on both side!

As they entered Kate's room, Max moved her chair toward a corner so as not to get in the way of Kate's preparations. But as she watched the blonde prepare the water, the tea bags, the cups and a plate of cookies, Max felt her apprehension climb further as the tension started to rise in the room.

Both girls started to sip as the tea got ready, remaining silent for a moment. Kate seemed to hesitate, opening her lips a few times as if she was about to say something, but then lowered her head and closed her mouth. Max frowned and bit her lip a few times trying to come up with the right words. In the end she took a deep breath and breached the silence.

"Kate… can I ask you something?"

The blonde nodded softly. "Err… sure? What is it?"

Max looked down her eyes fixed at the bottom of her cup. "I … I wanted to ask… If you… If you're really okay with me and Chloe… I mean… I'd… understand if you… didn't like it… I just… I just don't wanna lose my friend you know…"

Kate's body stiffened a moment before she looked down. "I … suppose, my being religious kinda makes you ask this?" she asked softly drawing a nod from the pink- haired girl.

"I… don't mean it like that… But yeah… and … You been silent since we told it at the diner… I… understand if it makes you uncomfortable, but … I don't… I don't want you to hate me because I'm in love with another girl." Max's voice slowly broke at the words, her eyes moistening as it pained her to even imagine the smaller blonde hating her.

"What?" Kate looked up surprised, horrified by the realization of her friend's fears. "Oh No! Max, No! I don't hate you! I'd never hate people for loving others!" She bit her lip a moment seeing the pinkette's eyes raising to look at her shyly.

"Are… Are you sure?"

"I am!" She responded firmly. "I don't hate you. It's just… I'm confused… Not about you and Chloe, no! But after everything that happened since September, you know… I am confused about my faith." She looked down, twirling her spoon nervously in her cup. "I… Well you know how my family is very religious… So, I guess you can understand I been raised with strong values I never really questioned… Like the fact we should be kind and truthful, that we should help people, that we should… wait to be wedded before sex… things like that." She sighed. "I suppose it includes same sex relationships being a sin…"

As Kate started to talk Max could see her eyes moving to stare in the void, as if the girl was still trying to find a true answer.

"I may not have had as strong a view as some members of my family or my church about the last one, but I suppose it was always there… It was strange I suppose, we are taught that love is everything, to be kind and understanding, and at the same time, that some forms of love are wrong." She gave soft chuckle. "I can see how stupid it is now…" Her voice slowly grew sadder, and her eyes filled with a few tears. "You know what happened to me, Max…" As Max nodded silently, Kate looked down again. "So, well you know how, hard it has been for me, how much help I needed. I have always followed my Family's and Church's teachings, been a fully integrated member, kind, honest and helping. Yet, when this video came out, when I knew something wrong had happened to me, they all turned on me. The people who knew me from birth, those I should have expected to give me help, to support me in time of needs, all judged me and condemned me without even having a moment of hesitation."

Max looked down, her heart aching for her friend. "I am sorry, Kate… You deserved better."

Kate smiled softly. "Thank you, Max…" She reached and wiped her eyes a bit. "Only my dad and my sisters tried to show some kindness to me… My mom, my aunt… they sent me letter filled with so much hatred… I couldn't believe it… I felt abandoned… And then… You supported me, you tried hard to be there for me, to show me you believed me… You were a true friend, someone better than even some of my family were…" She smiled at the pinkette. "So… how could you be a bad person just because you are in love with another girl? How could I even see you as a bad person when you acted with more kindness and compassion than those who claim to be good and holy people?"

She sighed putting her cup on the table before pressing her face in her hands, sobbing a bit. "I… I dunno Max… I know I don't hate you… I don't care if you love another girl… I'm happy for you… It's just…"

Max wheeled herself closer and moved an arm around the blonde's shoulders. "It's okay Kate… I am so sorry I brought this out… I'm sorry I made you feel bad..."

Kate shook her head. "You didn't Max! You don't have to apologize! It's not you… It's… I dunno who I am anymore Max… I get so much feelings pilling up… I do not know what to think sometimes… I'm just… confused… I'll just need time and help to find myself… It's all."

Max hugged the blonde. "You'll get there Kate! I'm sure you will… And I'll be there to help you all the way! And if I am, Chloe will be too! And look! You got so many friends now! Dana, Courtney, Taylor even Victoria!" She put a soft kiss on Kate's temple. "You'll get there Kate! Just be true to yourself and you'll get there."

Kate smiled shyly. "Thank you, Max!" She sniffed a moment and rose back. "Let's finish the tea before it gets cold!"

Max smiled and gave a last hug to her friend. "Yes! I would not want to breach our tea etiquette!"

They sipped their tea a moment while discussing the various rumors that had started to move around the campus about a new photography teacher. It was still a bitter topic for them and they noticed they both hadn't taken pictures in a while.

"I don't have a camera anymore, though…" Max finally said looking down. "I guess I could ask my parents to buy me a new one… But …I…"

Kate tilted her head a bit as she felt the shiver in her friend's voice. "What is it Max? Are you scared to ask them?"

Max shook her head. "No… It's… about Chloe…" she started with an embarrassed face.

"Oh… They … don't know?" Kate asked looking at her friend who just shook her head.

"No… And I'm freaked at the idea of telling them… I dunno how they will react…"

Kate pondered a moment. "Are they … conservative?"

Max shook her head and winced a moment. "No… Not really … I don't think… my dad's pretty cool… But… Well… Both sides of my family still from Irish origins you know… and my mom… well she can be uptight… very Catholic sometimes too…" She shuddered. "I don't think my dad will mind… but I'm scared… She'll want me to be happy… I mean… She should, right?" As she talked, stuttering, she gave off the impression that she was trying to convince herself that all would go well. Then she shuddered. "Just… Mom really wants me to return to Seattle and I fear she could use it as another reason to force me…"

Kate reached and hugged the pinkette. "It's going to be okay, Max… I'm sure she'll still love you and want you to be happy… you're probably worrying for nothing."

Steph got released from the back room about twenty minutes before the appointment. She had taken a few minutes to calm and accept to lay down on the futon, but once she did she actually crashed hard. If Chloe had unlocked the door earlier, she had not noticed. It was actually the Punk that came to wake her up, telling her to freshen up so she would be fully awake. When she left the small bathroom after having rubbed some water on her face, she came to the blue-haired girl who just gave her a stack of paper with sketches. "There you go. YOUR designs… and they all are fucking great so if she isn't perfect with one of those then there's nothing anyone can do not! So, go on and ink her up!"

"Thanks, Chloe… sorry about that… I dunno what-" she started but the punk cut her off.

"It's fine, Max had to go back to class anyway so you didn't interrupt anything." She smirked. "Beside you did help me so many times with my love life, the least I can do is help you woo the girl that has you so smitten!"

Steph felt her cheeks warm as her blood rose. "Shut up! I'm not smitten! I barely know her!"

Chloe burst in laughter, holding her sides. "You soooo are! Hell you even outed Max and me on the first occasion you had to try and deflect her attention from us!" Chloe panted softly as she stopped laughing. "Thanks for that by the way… Max and I ended up fighting because her first reaction when you threw her under the bus was denial… I even thought she would dump me."

Chloe's voice tried to be light, but Steph did notice the pain, fear and angst in it. "Oh god… I'm sorry, Chloe… please tell me you and Max are okay!"

Chloe nodded. "Yes we are… it even helped fixing a few issues we had… Still never do that to us again… It really was no fun…"

Steph winced a moment and nodded. "Sorry… I take it you and Max had that talk about what she mentioned to me?"

Chloe bit her lip and nodded. "Yeah… " She sighed softly. "It's going to be harder for us than I thought, Steph… Between me and my abandonment issues and Max and her PTSD… we are both on edge and … I feel like we are both landmines the other will step on one day and make us blow… I nearly hit one at brunch too … Thank god she didn't freak out!"

Steph frowned a moment as she processed the difficulties her friends had encountered. She knew that both girls were damaged; it was obvious even if both girls tried to hide it. She had never thought it could really cause them to blow apart; they seemed way too infatuated with each other. "What did you do again? Let you mouth get the better of you?"

Chloe nodded. "Sort of… We were at the diner with Max friends… and friends of her friends it turned out… Mom was taking our orders and when she asked me what I wanted to eat… my tongue slipped… Well more like slipped fell and slid on some fucking epic ice for the rest of times… I never been so embarrassed and I think Max wanted to actually dig through the seats and floor to hide."

Steph actually saw the girl blush and she tried her best not to laugh as she asked. "What did you say?"

Chloe turned an even darker shade of red as she looked down with embarrassment. "I said I wanted Max and Cheese."

"OH MY GOD!"

"I meant Mac and Cheese you know!" the punk responded as Steph had folded over laughing so hard she was crying.

"Oh god! Worst slip of the tongue ever! It's the most cheesy and silly way of coming out I ever heard!" Steph tried to sit down as she laughed hard only to fail and fall on the floor.

"Shut up! I didn't mean to out us in front of everybody! Not without asking Max!" Chloe said angrily.

Steph laughed for a bit more before she finally regained control herself. She wiped her eyes and started to stand up. "Sorry… just… well… Anyway, how did your mom react? I mean I know she knew about you and Rach so, shouldn't be a surprise I guess."

Chloe grunted. "Mom didn't help… She already knew since she caught us making up and out yesterday… That bitch even went and told everyone I already had all the Maxaroni I wanted yesterday!" Steph puffed again choking another burst of laughter as the punk looked at her. "Don't you dare or I'll fucking tell your customer you nearly lost your mind in your wet dreams about the idea of sticking a big ass needle in her skin!"

Steph raised her hands in surrender. "Okay! Okay! No need to drop a nuke!"

The store's door chimed as it opened, giving way to a white-haired Asian girl wearing a leather biking suit. Chloe chuckled as she saw Steph suddenly stiffen with nervosity as she realized they had been so distracted by their antics that they hadn't noticed the roaring bike as it came to park in front of the store.

"Hey gals!" the girl cheerfully greeted as she entered, helmet in her hand.

Chloe nodded and waved a hand. "Hey!" She paused a moment noticing the stiff "Hey!" given by Steph. She rolled her eyes and nudged her with her elbow. "Hey Steph you should go prepare the station while I get Azumi's details for the paperwork and all you know."

Steph blinked a moment and nodded understanding the hidden message from Chloe : and use this chance to get a grip on yourself.

Chloe moved to the register and waved at Azumi to follow her. She reached for the tracker and opened a new file.

"Okay, its nothing biggy, just a way for us to keep track of the sessions and the work done. It also let us track the ink lots used so we can warn our customer if one is suddenly reported defective or stuff like that." She shrugged and looked at the girl who had pulled the sleeves of her suit off and wrapped them around her waist leaving her in a black tank top that contrasted sharply with her pale skin.

"Okay, sure." Azumi looked at the girl and tilted her head. "Chloe? Was it?"

Chloe nodded as she started to input some basic information in the file. She looked up and asked. "I'd need some ID too, make sure you are over 18 and all, you know… boring legalese stuff."

Azumi chuckled softly as she reached to retrieve a small plastic card holder from her riding suit. She pulled out her ID and presenting it to the punk. "This good?"

Chloe nodded and started to input the details frowning a bit at the name and its foreign spelling. She suddenly gasped and looked up. "Fuck what? You're 28?!"

Azumi turned her head sharply back to the punk, separating her eyes from the girl preparing the tools by the dentist like seats. "What? Oh yes! I am yes! Why? You thought I was older?"

Chloe shook her head and bit her lip. "Nah… I thought you were closer to my age." She looked at her friend a bit concerned as she realized the age difference. "I'm still 19 and Steph turned 20 a couple months ago." She quickly typed the birthdate and moved to scan the card.

Azumi chuckled softly. "Oh that's all? Well yeah seems you western people thinks us Asian looks younger than we are all the time… A pain in the ass when I wanna drink by the way."

Chloe nodded softly before she called. "Steph, we're ready when you are."

Steph nodded and responded. "Just a moment!"

Azumi called back. "Take your time." She turned to Chloe leaning on the counter. "So, everything ok with your girlfriend? Max, was it?"

Chloe frowned a bit and nodded. "Yeah we're great. Why?"

Azumi shrugged. "Well you kinda fought yesterday and I don't want to cause trouble. She seems like she already got enough with her accident."

Chloe stared at the woman a moment and nodded. "Yeah… it's complicated. But we're fine."

Azumi nodded. "What happened to her? I mean, I don't have to know but I saw her walk with crutches and use a wheelchair so, I got curious a bit."

Chloe stiffened a bit her hands balling. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath not wanting to punch a customer, although she really wanted to smash the idea she should mind her own business into her head. She sighed and shook her head. "She'll tell if she wants to, not my place to tell. Nor is it anyone's but hers." She added the last part, eyes drifting to look warningly at Steph who was approaching.

Azumi nodded quietly to the words and turned to look at Steph. "Ready?"

Steph took a deep breath and nodded, her cheeks blushing slightly. "Yeah, let's do this. I got several designs sketched so you can tell me which you prefer… "

Both girls moved to the station and Chloe looked at the white-haired girl pondering who she was and what kind of pain she would bring to her friends.

Chapter Text

Steph could not believe her luck. She was sitting at her tattoo station looking at the most amazing girl she had ever seen and the girl was nearly naked as she used a pencil to draw on the stencils she would use for the tattoo.

Azumi had chosen one of her most risqué design, one she had actually made in a bout of fantasies as she imagined herself sliding her hand along the stencil hoping to touch those places. The dragon would have its tail begin over the left side of her groin, tip just in the crook of her hip, slowly slithering down along her inner thigh before curling around her buttock to wrap around her hip and belly. The rear paw would be just below her bellybutton, its claw pointing down to her nether area and the leg would actually circle her navel. The body of the dragon would move across her belly and up reaching following the curve of her right breast before wrapping around her rib cage. Then the beast would return to her back across her shoulder blades, the front paw in the middle of her back with its claw pointing down her spine, before it would coil its long neck over her left shoulder, its head coming to rest on top of her left breast, its maw pointing down her cleavage as if the beast was resting on a soft pillow.

Steph kept blushing as she slowly traced the lines. She couldn't believe the girl had chosen this one. It was so full of innuendos, the claws clearly pointing at places she wants to actually set her own claws to. She shook her head a moment, chasing the impure thought from her head as she tried hard to remain professional. She bit her lip, the pain of her teeth sinking in her own flesh helping somewhat as she slowly finished.

She pulled back taking a deep breath and closing her eyes a moment. "Okay, I'll need a bit to prepare the stencil for the transfer, and then I'll need a few hours to do all the contouring." She blushed a moment her eyes slowly trailing on the porcelain skin. "Do you want to do it today or come back another day?"

Azumi stretched with a soft groan. She pushed up on her elbows smiling at the girl with a shrug. "I got all the time till Monday." She said her eyes scrutinizing the younger girl's face.

Steph swallowed loudly, part of her wanting to delve in the girl's skin, to keep contact with it. The other part knowing she had to be better rested before she actually started with the needle. She was hesitating her mind constantly playing a game of 'yes but no' when a shout suddenly brought her back to reality.

"Steph! I gotta go pick up Max! I'll be back soonish so don't mess around too much!"

Steph froze as she realized she would be alone with Azumi. She felt her heart drumming faster, her breathing getting heavier.

Shit! I forgot Chloe won't be there for the rest of the week! I can't be alone with Azumi! Or can I? Alone… with her… nak… Stop this!

Steph shook her head. "Okay, Chloe!" She turned to Azumi and smiled weakly. "Sorry I had a very short night. " More like none! "I guess it's best if I'm rested before we actually go for the needles… Tomorrow's okay?"

Azumi pondered a moment. "Oh sure… But I thought you people didn't work tomorrow afternoon. I don't wanna force you to open just for me!"

Steph frowned a moment pursing her lips. "I… Err, no, we are open it's only Thursday that is closed. Well schools will stop sometimes on Wednesday to let students go home."

Okay! Right! I had planned on being closed tomorrow and the rest of the week but if I can spend just hours with her I'll fucking open the store!

Azumi nodded. "Well okay then. Tomorrow, then? What time?"

Steph responded quickly, "I'm free all day tomorrow so whenever you want." Free because I was supposed to be closed.

Azumi rose and started to dress up. "Okay then I'll see you tomorrow around noon? Okay?"

Steph nodded. "Sure, works for me."

Max hated the waiting. She hated Algebra too. She never was a sciency girl like Chloe had been, but at least chemistry she could manage a bit, it was like cooking. Algebra… it was like a completely different language for her. She sighed looking at the clock above the blackboard for the umpteenth time.

5 minutes to go, ugh!

She always found time to be long while in Algebra. But today was worse. First it was the last class they had before the long weekend of four and a half days. And just that would make her antsy to get out. But as a second reason was that in now four minutes, she would climb in Chloe's truck for a 5 to 6 hours road trip toward Seattle.

The idea of spending time driving with her girlfriend along the roads and landscape just made her giddy. It would be all she needed to be happy this week end. Well close to, at least. They would be headed for the Caulfield residence. And while Max was happy to see her parents again, part of her dreaded the meeting and the reaction her parents would have seeing Chloe, or more exactly when they would know what their relationship was.

Will they freak out? Will they accept us?

Max started to fiddle with her pens, looking at the clock as if to try and make it move faster. Even without the dread of going back to Seattle, she would love to spend those four days loved in Chloe's arms. She started writing things and doodling in her notebook. She finally lost track of time as she started to imagine how her weekend would go, playing and replaying the scene in her head, every possible discussion, word, reaction.

She was writing some possible ways to come out to her parents when the bell rang. She snapped her notebook close and literally swiped her stuff in her bag before she quickly wheeled herself to the corridor.

"Max!" Warren's voice called for her and she heard footsteps catching up to her. She groaned as she realized she will have to delay her exit a bit.

"Hey Warren… is there anything?" The boy stopped by her and panted a bit.

"Damn you're fast with this thing." He exclaimed before raising. "Sorry, I was wondering if you wanted to come to catch a movie with Brooke and I?"

Max winced. She knew she had not spend as much time as she should have with Warren since she left the hospital.

I really suck at keeping in touch with my friends… even when they are in the same school.

"Sorry Warren… I would have loved to, but… Chloe and I have to hit the road. We're going to my parents in Seattle."

Disappointment could be seen on Warren's face despite his smile. "Arf… well no problem, we should set it up for after Thanksgiving then. You should bring, Chloe if she wants. I mean a friend of Maximus can only be a good friend, right?" He added making Max blush slightly.

Shit I forgot he doesn't know! I'll have to tell him! When I get back…

"Err… yes… I'll talk to her! I'm sure she'll be happy to." She heard her phone chime and she winced. "Sorry! That's probably Chloe calling! I got to go I'll see you Monday!"

Warren nodded and waved. "Sure! I'll look at the schedule at the drive in for next weekend!"

Max paused her hands pushing the wheels for a minute as she rose a hand to wave back. Then she hurried toward the exit.

She found Chloe bouncing by her old truck on the parking lot. Seeing Max approaching, Chloe just ran toward her, almost tackling her to the ground as she wrapped her arms around her and kissed her.

"Easy there tiger! You act like I been away for ages!" Max chuckled once their lips parted.

Chloe giggled and nodded. "Well sure feels like it! Beside I got to cash in as many of these as I can so I don't get into withdrawal during the next 6 hours!" She leaned and pressed their lips together again making Max' heart skip beats.

They finally got on their way, Max sending a text to her mom to let her know – although seeing her mom's insistence once would be more accurate by using the word confirm – that they were underway. Soon they passed the city limits marked by the old Arcadia Bay signs hoping to see them again soon and Chloe just screamed in the truck, "FREEEDOOOOOMMM!" making the pinkette laugh.

They rode at a leisurely pace, one that would get them to Seattle not too late but also wouldn't risk the beaten-up truck to break down on them. Despite all the reassurance Chloe had mustered, Max knew the punk wasn't as confident her old truck would survive such a long drive as she tried to let it look. Max and Chloe took turn into choosing music as they rode, starting with the Sparklinghorse's Piano Fire, which they sung out together screaming the choruses until their throats were raw. Max started with some indies, Local Native's Mt Washington, Syd Matters' Obstacle, which brought some grunts and complaints from the punk although Max did see her lips muttering the lyrics and her fingers tapping the tempo on the wheel.

They paused for gas and a late, very late lunch in fact, after a couple hours. While Chloe was filling the tank up, Max used her crutches to move toward a small Diner, taking up a booth looking at the other patrons as she waited for her girlfriend. She felt a bit concerned at the sight of a small group of rough looking rednecks who obviously had already a lot to drink despite the early hours of the afternoon; but shrugged it off as they didn't seem to pay attention to her.

This changed once Chloe joined her, leaning for a kiss before she sat on the other side of the table. Max could feel their eyes on them, and a cold shiver crept up her spine. Chloe had seen them too as she scowled toward them. She reached for Max' hand and stood up. "Let's go somewhere else." She simply said waiting as Max slowly stood with her crutches and they both started toward the parked car. They had made it maybe halfway when they were caught.

"Hey there dykes! Where you going?" a man reeking with booze said as she reached to grab Chloe's shoulder.

"Leave us alone dude!" Chloe responded shoving him away as she positioned herself between the five men and a terrified Max.

"Now, now… no need to be violent there girl! We just wanna be friends there." The man's smile was evil and Max whimpered a bit as she saw the other men starting to crowd her and Chloe, cutting them off from their mean of escape. "After all, we got to be nice guys and protect two obviously confused girls like you, don't we?"

The rest of the group chuckled at his words and Max gripped her crutches as Chloe's fist started to clench. "We don't fucking need the help of fucking drunk shit!"

Max hissed softly "Chloe…" trying to calm her friend as she felt fear building in her.

"Oh yes you do! You need some real man to teach you what you really need!" The man quickly grasped at Chloe's arm but the punk just screamed, "Don't you dare fucking touch me, Asshole!" as she kneed him in the crotch.

Things went downhill, and Max had already started to rewind when she heard the loud thud and the sound of ripping fabric followed by Chloe's scream. As the world around her started to move back, Max felt like a hot poker was shoved into her head. She winced, her legs trembling. Everything played backward, the men dragging them back to where they got intercepted, her and Chloe walking backward to the diner, soon followed by Chloe walking out of the diner returning to the truck. She kept going, wincing even more as she forced herself through the pain, until she saw herself walk backward out of the diner. She waited to see herself and Chloe back in the seat of the truck and she let go and resumed the normal flow of time.

She fell to the ground as she was no longer supported by her legs nor her arms, grunting in pain as she quickly moved her hands to her head. "Fuck…" She took a few deep breaths, feeling the warmth of her blood slowly tickling down her nose. "I gotta go back to Chloe before she goes in there."

She slowly crawled to her crutches and started to rise on wobbly legs and arms. Each steps a long and arduous struggle, Max walked toward the station, only to hear the surprised and panicked call from her girlfriend. "Max!"

She reached the truck, collapsing a few steps from her friend as she whispered. "Chloe…"

The punk hurried to her, pale with fear as her eyes caught her weakness, her bleeding nose and pale as a corpse skin. Chloe reached and quickly pulled Max to her feet, carrying her to the truck and placing back in the passenger seat. She reached to the glove compartiment, searching for some tissue and quickly started to dab it under Max' nose.

"What the fuck happened Max! You were with me and suddenly you had disappeared!" Her voice was trembling with fear, Max feeling the panic she instilled in her friend as she seemed to have teleported through her rewind. "What the fuck Max! Tell me what happened! Why are you so pale, bleeding?"

Max panted a bit, pressing a hand on her forehead. "Chloe… Can we just gas up and drive to another restaurant?" She responded weakly.

"Max? What's the problem? Isn't this Diner good enough?" The punk looked at Max with concern, hovering around the pink haired girl.

"It's… " she started groaning as her head stung again.

Chloe frowned and looked at Max. "You used it, didn't you? You fucking used it?"

Max nodded softly her eyes looking down. Chloe sighed softly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bark. It's … I never saw you do it Max, and I got so freaked out … You look in so much pain! And you're fucking brain is fucking bleeding through your nose! Oh god Max! Is it always like that?"

Max nodded softly with a wince. "It wasn't… It's … more difficult each time… more painful."

Chloe glared at her a moment. "What happened?"

Max sighed and looked down. "There's… There's a group of assholes in there… They were drunk and … they came at us after they saw us kiss… We tried to leave but …"

Chloe frowned turning her head to the Diner. "Did they hurt me?"

Max seemed to ponder. "I … I think they were about to… It was about to become a fight, you kneed their leader in the nuts, Chloe…"

Chloe scoffed. "Good! But you can't just rewind just for a fight Max! Not if it means you to get hurt like that!"

Max looked at Chloe. "What if they had hurt you!"

Chloe shook her head. "I don't care if they punch me Max! Don't rewind unless you are about to get killed! Or I am dead!" She looked in earnest at the pinkette, her eyes moistened with tears.

Max looked at the girl, her lip trembling as she hated that request. "Chloe…"

The punk interrupted her. "I'm fucking serious Max! You fucking promise me now! No rewind unless it's a life or death situation!" She reached and caressed Max' cheek. "I can deal with the rest! It's better than loosing you because you fucking bled your brain out."

Max started to shake her head. "Chloe… I …"

Chloe shook her by the shoulder and insisted. "Please Max! Promise me! Really Promise me! I don't say you can't use it to protect me! But please only if it's to protect me from death! " Chloe sobbed a bit looking down. "I can't lose you Max! And I'm worried if you keep using these powers…" Her voice trailed down and Max swallowed.

"Okay… I promise… I'll not use them unless it's… absolutely necessary." She caved, sobbing a bit.

Chloe pulled her close in a tight hug. They held each other for a few minutes and Chloe pulled back. "I'll go gas up and then we're going to look for another place to eat."

Steph barely had lunch. She had been too nervous to even drink coffee too. She still was tensed, even now as she worked slowly and carefully on the soft and pale skin of her customer. Azumi had showed up at noon, although instead of her usual racing suit, she had worn a pair of washed up jeans and a slightly more loose leather jacket. At Steph's quirked eyebrow she had laughed and simply explained, "I'm not about to put a tight leather suit on a fresh tat!"

The first big question had been to know with which part of the dragon they would begin. Both the head and the tail of the dragon being strategically placed, Steph had felt herself blush crimson as she waited for the Asian woman's choice.

They had opted for to begin from the head, and Steph had been working for hours now, slowly drawing the lines, giving birth to the majestic beast. The head had been quite a strenuous beginning. Her hands only inches from what Steph had begun to name the mounts paradise. It was quite a struggle as she had to constantly wipe the mix of blood and ink from the area she was marking with tissues, not to simply stray aside and slide her fingers where she really wanted to. Things got a bit better as she worked over the woman's shoulder, tensing up a bit as she moved down the back, her eyes unable to stop taking in the white haired woman's figure and curves.

Damned girl! Chill out or you'll have an attack before this is over!

All along the growing shape of the dragon, Steph kept wiping Azumi's skin clean with paper tissues, and each time, she felt her own body shiver as if she had just touched the most perfect thing in the world. Several times as the tattoo slowly coiled back to the girl's belly, Steph's hand brushed the underside of the soft and, in her opinion, perfect breast. Steph felt her cheeks warm up and she tried to look away with embarrassment. Azumi had chuckled at some point and Steph had thought she would just burst into flames right there as she looked up to find two sparkling black eyes fixed on her face.

Steph was now reaching the end of the contouring. Azumi was on her stomach, waiting patiently as Steph's fingers deftly worked their magic along the curve of her buttock, inscribing forever the scales of a dragon tail that slowly wrapped itself along her thigh. The artist had her tongue between her lips, her cheeks red as she held the woman's skimpy underwear away from the surface she was working on with one hand.

Fuck I just want to bit these b… down girl!

Slowly she moved her eyes and her hands lower along the woman's thigh starting the last loop that would take her back to the girl's front. With a sigh she pulled back wiping the skin one last time to clean it before she looked up. "Okay last stretch… can get your back and … spread your legs please?"

"Hmmm… Been waiting that for days!" The tone of the voice made Steph drop the tattoo gun, drawing a laugh from her customer as she cursed.

Steph picked up the device and quickly unplugged the needle turning to the counter and fumbling into a drawer. She carefully fitted a new, clean and sterilized needle to the tool and turned back toward Azumi. She kept her eyes down scared to even cross the woman's eyes as she slowly worked along her inner thigh, her eyes constantly darting to the mound hidden behind some black and red lace. As she slowly moved her work along the groin, silently wishing she could actually kiss it as she went, she had to restrain herself from speeding up her work. In fact, she had to slow even more as her hands started to shiver from exhaustion and also excitement as she was brushing her fingers so close to heaven's ground. A couple time she felt the back of her hand brush on the girl's crotch eliciting a heavier breath from the White haired girl; and Steph bit her lip trying not to faint.

She finally finished, the tip of the dragon's tail following exactly the curve of Azumi's groin to stop right at the top of her hip. She pulled back after brushing the tissue one last time and discarding the tattoo gun's needle directly into a small stainless steel box before she set the device back on the tray beside her. She looked up, a bit scared as she announced. "Okay you can look at it in the mirror and tell me what you think before I cover it up."

The girl looked at her for a moment, making Steph wish she could just melt and disappear; then she stood and walked, hips swaying as she moved toward the mirror and started to look at herself.

"That's great! Can't wait to see it with the shades and colors!" Azumi exclaimed happily before returning toward the artist that was preparing the bandages she would use to protect the skin from more damages that could mess the tattoo.

"You're gonna be sore for a few. Make sure to use the lotion regularly and keep it clean? Steph said as she worked carefully. She finally pulled back and ripped off her surgical gloves immediately tossing them in the bin as she asked. "See you in a week for the shading?"

The Asian girl nodded. "Sure but will have to be evening. My job starts on Monday."

Steph nodded as she walked to the counter, leaving the biker girl to dress up, partly against her will. "Next Thursday fine?" she asked after checking her schedule.

She raised her head as she got no response. "Azumi?" She started to turn her head back toward the station when she jumped, noticing the Asian's face inches from her.

"Thursday's perfect." The girl said as she slowly moved toward the artist pressing her back against the counter.

Steph eyes were wide, moving up and down as she realized the girl was still in her underwear and bandages. For the first time that day Steph was glad she had not officially opened the store and that the store's blinds were down. She also felt more and more trapped as the woman suddenly leaned forward her hand reaching to press on her cheek. "Err…" She started only to be shushed by the white haired girl. Then her eyes grew wide with surprise as she felt soft and warm lips pressing on hers, first softly and then with more hunger, a wet tongue pressing at her own slightly parted lips. It took her a moment to finally react, and she melted into the kiss feeling her heart pounding in her chest. And then the kiss was done. Azumi, pulled back and winked at her before she moved to the station and started to put on her jeans and tank top, leaving Steph breathless and in shock.

Did… Did I die? Or I'm dreaming? She… She did kiss me?

"Say? You done for the day?" The question took her out of her dreaming and she slowly nodded, mouth still gapping. "Wanna go on a ride with me?"

Steph took another minute, her brain still rebooting. She nodded softly. "I'd… love this." She said shyly. She turned and started to work on the computer, saving and turning it off. "I… need to close up… is that…"

The biker chuckled at her flustered companion and nodded. "Take your time!"

Steph closed up her store in record time, not even bothering to clean the tattoo station, deciding she would do it on Friday. She switched off the lights and hurried out of the store fearing Azumi would leave her behind as she heard the engine roar to life. As she reached the biker, the girl was holding a helmet out to her and she quickly complied and put it on before she climbed behind her. The saddle was not comfortable at all, clearly not planned to have a passenger, Steph felt like she was sitting on some rounded beam as she leaned forward to hold on the driver wrapping her arms around her waist, hands joining on the girl's belly.

To her shock the girl reached and pulled her hands up, placing them on her chest, and Steph flushed in her helmet.

Fuck is it real? I got her … boobs in my hands?

She heard the muffled voice through the composites of the helmets as Azumi leaned back to press both protections together. "Hope you don't mind, but only place it would not hurt to have you press your hands on!" Steph heard a soft chuckle followed by "Hold on tight!"

She blinked a few times trying to compute what was happening to her only to squeal loudly as the biker girl shifted into gear and launched the bike on the road making the rear tire skid a little.

They were reaching their destination. After finally having lunch at a McDonalds somewhere on the road in the middle of the afternoon, they had drove off again both girl feeling better after Max had been able to rest a little and Chloe had been able to stop, at least partially, worrying. As they sped off, laughing lightly as they remembered the face of the maybe 16 year old boy sweeping the room as Max put the last fry in her mouth and turned her head playing Lady and the Punk with Chloe and ended the game with a long kiss bordering on indecency, Max brought up a song Chloe had never heard. But she had quickly started to dance in her seat as the radio blared L'Arc~en~Ciel's Driver's High. A perfect way to start up the last leg of their trip, as far as Max was concerned.

Now they were slowly driving through a residential area in the suburbs of Seattle, Max trying to guide her driver using her phone as a GPS.

"Next left and then third house on the right." She said putting the device in her pocket. She looked at the road and started to nervously hold her elbow in her opposite hand as she bit her lip.

"What's up Maxipad?" The punk girl asked as she noticed her friend's anxiety. "Afraid they'll lock you up in your room forever?"

Max sighed and nodded. "They may very well do. I mean, they didn't see me since the … incident, so they don't know about this." She said pointing at her pink hair and her piercings. "And… I dunno how they'll react when we tell them."

Chloe bit her lip a moment as she slowly took the left turn she had been indicated and let the truck slowly roll to the designated house as she parked. "It'll be okay Max… what are you afraid of? Your parents love you! Too much actually seeing that they would keep you in some cotton box forever if they could!"

Max shook her head her voice trembling. "We can't know! Beside you forget my parents are Catholic!"

Chloe chuckled. "Only on paper Max! I never saw them attend mass that much!"

Max shook her head. "Mom's pretty religious! And conservative too! And she has a short temper!" She pressed her face to her hands as anxiety and fear started to grow stronger in her.

Chloe smiled at her girlfriend and wrapped an arm around her. "It's going to be alright Max… Please do not worry okay? I'm there? Beside even David is okay with us! And he's much more the typical redneck than your parents are!"

Max nodded and leaned inside her girlfriend's arms a moment. She thought a moment "Could we maybe … wait a bit before springing the news? I mean I'd rather get settled before risking a shouting match… Especially after the long road."

Chloe kissed her forehead and nodded. "Okay. Won't be easy for me you know, I mean I'm just… willing to write that you are mine all over you. But I'll do what I can."

Max poked the punk's side as she got teased a bit, secretly beaming at the idea of being made Chloe Price's private property. "You dork!"

"Nerd!"

"Dweb!"

"Mine!"

"Hella yours!"

Max leaned and kissed Chloe deeply. Both girls enjoyed a long kiss, a final display of affection until they managed to tell Max' parents the news. Both girls finally pulled back and stepped off the truck, Max moving to seat in her wheelchair as soon as Chloe got it out of the truck's bed, freeing the bluenette's hands for the luggage. They both slowly moved through the driveway, Chloe getting her first real view of the two story house.

"Holy shit! That's huge!" She looked at Max. "You could have told me you were loaded!"

Max chuckled softly. "Well yes and no. I mean we did move so my parents could get a better job and income. But still not mega rich you know."

Chloe shook her head. "Nah! I'm sure your family is mega rich! I mean their daughter is a real gem!"

Max blushed and giggled nervously. "Shut up!"

They reached the door of a large residential house with freshly repainted white paneling. The door was painted in a pearly black with gold colored knob. Max hesitated a moment as the building anxiety increased as they got closer and closer to her reunion with her parents. "Chloe?" she started "can we maybe…"

The punk rolled her eyes and, making a flourish with her hand, pressed the doorbell, cutting short the small girl's attempts to delay. Max was about to complain when the door opened on Vanessa Caulfield.

"Maxine!" the woman exclaimed rushing pass Chloe to hug her daughter. Max stiffened in her chair arms flailing.

"err… Mom! I need to breath!" She groaned as Chloe chuckled softly.

Mama C's hugs aren't that strong but Max still feel awkward with PDAs!

Vanessa Caulfield pulled back a bit and took the first real look of her daughter. "JESUS CHRIST!" She gasped loudly her hand moving to grab Max' chin as she started to turn the girl's head left and right, lifting it as she examined her daughter. "Maxine! What have you done!"

Max blushed and reached to pry her mother's hand away. "I needed a change, mom." She shook her head as she saw her mom about to argue. "Relax mom, it's not like it's permanent." She rolled her eyes a little.

Chloe choose that moment to remind the woman of her presence. "I think she looks great like this! Oh and hi Mrs. C."

Vanessa turned to look at the blue-haired girl, frowning a bit. "Hi Chloe… is this your idea?" She asked with a stern voice.

Chloe raised her hands defensively. "No I swear I didn't! I left her one Sunday at the dorm looking all nice and brunette. The next I saw her she was like that I swear!"

Before her mother had a chance to press further, Max came to her girlfriend's rescue. "Mom! Leave her alone! She didn't know I was going to do that! I did it on my own! For me…"

Vanessa pursed her lips looking at her daughter with concern and disapprobation. "Hmm… if you say so…" She didn't sound like she really believed it, and the glance she gave Chloe clearly showed who she held responsible. With a sigh she waved the girl inside as she called. "Ryan! The girls are here! Come see what your daughter did to herself!"

Max cringed as she followed Chloe inside, pushing on the wheels of her chair as her mom closed the door behind them. Ryan Caulfield's head poked out from an opening further in the corridor. "Finally!" he started only to stop eyes wide as he saw his daughter's new look. "Damn!" He paused before shaking his head a bit. "That's a change…" He looked at Chloe quirking an eyebrow.

"Not my fault! I swear!" She said holding her hands up in front of her. "Also… hi Mr. C…"

Ryan shook his head with amusement. "Hello Chloe. Hope the drive wasn't too long for you."

Chloe shook her head. "Nah it was great. First big run for my truck too! I have to admit I was a bit worried she wouldn't make it, but she held herself great!"

Ryan smiled softly and went to hug his daughter carefully. "Glad to hear. And glad to see you, Max!" He looked at his daughter's face from closer and frowned a bit. "Any other changes?"

Max shook her head. "No, nothing more than this and some clothes… I thought about other things like tats…" Max heard her mom gasp softly and she rolled her eyes turning her head to look at Vanessa. "But I didn't want to do anything that would be permanent yet."

Ryan nodded. "Yeah, best to wait for things to settle a bit for that." He reached and patted his daughter's shoulder, "just be careful okay?"

"Ryan!" Vanessa interjected with a slight shock.

Max' father shook his head. "I'm not telling her to do it… But I can't tell her not to either… our little girl is an adult now." He looked at Max with a serious face. "Which means she's responsible for her own actions and should act like such…" He fixed his girl till she nodded her agreement and then nodded himself. "Good! Now why don't you get settled in, the food is nearly ready." He looked at Chloe with a smirk. "The guestroom is ready, upstairs."

"She's not going to the guest room! She's staying with me in my room!" Max said firmly sounding almost like a child about to throw a tantrum, making her parents chuckle.

"We know, Max! We know!" Ryan said with a wink. "Air mattress is already set in your bedroom, sweetie."

Max pouted as she realized she'd been played. She sighed and wheeled her chair in a corner before locking the breaks. Taking her crutches she started to stand, her mother quickly hovering toward her.

"Maxine!"

"It's okay mom! I can even climb stairs now. The chair's just for long periods now." She smiled as she stood and took a few steps. She knew she couldn't move as she used to do yet, but she saw her mother relax a bit as her steps felt steadier.

Chloe moved behind her as she reached the stairs, something that had become kind of an habit since Max started to use the stairs without help, trying not to hover too much as she got ready to catch her friend if she stumbled.

They got to Max room and as she stepped through the door, Chloe's eyes opened wide. "Wow! Your room is nice! Bigger than mine!"

Max shrugged as she moved toward her bed, sitting as she looked around her. "Never really felt like my room…" she said a bit sadly. "I guess it is my room, but … to me home always was in Arcadia Bay…"

Chloe shook her head at the gloomy face of her friend. She sat the bags down on the floor and moved to sit by Max. "Hey, Maximo! It's okay, you know? I'm here with you this time."

Max nodded softly as she leaned to put her head on Chloe's shoulder, the punk wrapping an arm around her. "I'm glad you are… I hated this house…. I missed you so much… I kept hoping to return to Arcadia Bay…" She turned slightly to kiss her girlfriend's cheek softly. "I'm sorry it took so long…"

Chloe rubbed her hand on Max' back. "It's okay, and you did it anyway! That's the most important right?" She kissed Max forehead softly. "We are together again."

Max nodded and wrapped her arms around the bluenette's chest. "Yes… And I'm not letting you go ever again."

The words were whispered softly, kind like a wish, kind like a silent promise. Chloe looked around the room, taking in the lanterns along the walls, the polaroids. Those were what she had expected to find in her friend's room. What she thought was missing though was life. Beside the pictures and lanterns, the walls were naked, without posters, without any decorations. Chloe felt like the occupant of the room and never really settled in, like the room was more of a cell.

Seeing her girlfriend's eyes scanning her bedroom, Max pressed her face in the crook of her neck.

"It feels different from your dorm room, though."

"Yes… Because my dorm is more home than here." Max simply said.

"You really hated Seattle, uh?"

Max pulled back a bit. "Of course I did! It took me away from you! You were not here!"

"But you still had a few good memories here, no?"

Max shrugged. "A few… Mainly going to sports events with dad… or the few times Kristen and Fernando took me out… But they pale beside the memories I had with you."

Chloe grinned. "I hope so! I'm Amazeballs after all!"

Max chuckled. "Yes, and it's not like I love you."

Chloe looked at her a moment with a slight worry. "But you do, right? Love me?"

Max smiled and leaned brushing her lips on Chloe's. "I do… with all my heart." She whispered before pressing herself closer, kissing the punk with more passion. She grunted a bit as Chloe pulled her to the bed, both girl lying down as they held each other tightly, their lips parting as their tongues danced together. Max let out a soft moan as she felt Chloe's hand starting to slide down her flank, brushing down her hips to her thigh.

The sound of a tray dropping and glass shattering as they fell on the floor jerked them out of their romantic moment, both girls looking up, searching for the cause of the crashing sound. As Max' eyes moved toward her bedroom's door, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped, her face turned pale as horror froze her blood.

"Mom…?"

Chapter Text

Vanessa Caulfield was happy. Her baby was finally home, far from danger, pain and the other difficulties from life. The past couple months had been a nightmare for her. Having Joyce call her to announce that her little girl had been shot, had felt like someone had ripped her heart out of her chest, and she hadn't slept very well since. She had understood her daughter's wish to stay in Arcadia Bay. She knew her daughter had never really felt home in Seattle, that she never really accepted their moving away from Chloe. She knew it would have been very difficult to make her come back to Seattle even after the incident. And seeing how strong, how determined her daughter had been not to surrender in front of the pain and hurt a bully put her through, Vanessa had been proud.

She hadn't been able to admit it at the time. The near death of her daughter had put her in her momma bear mode, a mode she was quite quick to take even when everything was normal, and she had just wanted to get her daughter back close to her, where she could protect her. And tonight, for the first time since they drove her little girl at that cursed school, her daughter was home, safe.

Of course, the new look was disconcerting. Pink hair? Piercings? Her daughter had never been one for these kinds of things. Maxine was a good girl, a nice girl; maybe not a poster church girl, after all the Caulfield weren't very devout, but a quiet and honest girl who was kind with everyone. Despite all the claims from her little girl, Vanessa was certain those changes had come from Chloe. Not that she disliked the girl, after all she had been her daughter's best friend and protector for so long. But Vanessa couldn't help but remember how her baby had been hurt, and part of her was worried the blue-haired girl would drag her daughter in more danger.

And where was she when my little girl was breaking down? That's why Maxine should have been here! So I could watch over her!

She sighed and shook her head. She had this conversation with Ryan a dozen times already, and she had to agree he was right on one point – she could not force Maxine to stay in Seattle anymore. Not if she wasn't prepared to lock her daughter in her bedroom and other unpleasant dealings. She didn't regret how hard she had pressed for the girl's return when Maxine had been hurt. She had acted like every mother would, she was certain. But she had come to regret the distance that had been created between her and Maxine following their discussions. Since that time, phone calls and texts had been nearly all initiated by Vanessa, with only short and concise responses from Maxine. Her girl had never ignored her, nor lied to her. But at the same time, she wasn't coming to her as she used to do anymore either, and she missed that.

I'll be a good mom, show how much I love her and maybe things will get better.

Vanessa hummed to herself as she prepared two glasses of fresh orange juice on a small tray, figuring the girls would be thirsty and in need of something fresh after such a long drive. She placed the bottle back in the fridge and took the tray, heading for the stairs. Still humming she reached the second floor and walked down the corridor for a door with a small pirate flag on it claiming to be the lair of the Long Max Silver. She chuckled a bit as she remembered her daughter's youth and figured her house would soon be alive with laughter and happy screams now that she Chloe Price was within her house again.

She paused in front of the door and carefully moved to knock on it with two fingers not releasing the tray. "Maxine? Girls? I brought you something to drink!" she announced expecting to see either girl opening the door with a smile. But she got no response.

"Maxine? Are you there?"

Still no reaction from the room, but she did hear some rustling.

The girls are probably busy with something.

With a shrug she carefully reached for the door handle, opening the door slowly. She pushed the wooden panel with her shoulder and entered the room, looking at her tray to make sure she had not spilled the beverages.

"I thought you may want something to _"

Her voice cut off abruptly in a gasp as her eyes rose up to find Chloe draped over her daughter, a hand hooked under Maxine's thigh as the girl had her arms wrapped tightly around the blue-haired girl's chest as they made out.

Out of shock, Vanessa Caulfield dropped the tray she had been carrying, the glasses shattering on the floor, orange juice spilled and splashing her feet. She didn't notice. Her mind was frozen on the image in front of her, her mouth gaping as the girls jerked up from the bed.

"Mom…?"

The crashing sounds jerked her up. She pulled away from the pink-haired girl and turning her head to see what had happened. She felt like lead had been poured in her stomach as she saw Max' mom standing by the bedroom door, eyes and mouth wide in shock.

She turned to look at the smaller girl, trying to see if her girlfriend had a better read on the situation and her mother's reaction. But what she saw definitively killed her hopes. Max' face was pale, nearly white, her eyes were wide open, and her mouth was gaping, horror screaming out of the girl's frozen features. Chloe wasn't sure whether the horror was more due to her girlfriend's embarrassment at being discovered in such a compromising position, or due to the fact the woman's expression was the indicator of an incoming shitstorm.

Please be cool! Please be cool!

Chloe started to pray in her head, as her eyes kept darting between Max and Vanessa, her arms still around the girl's body, tightening slightly as if she unconsciously expected to fight in order not to be separated from the girl that meant the world to her. She felt Max' arms tightening around her in response and a quick glance showed that the girl was snapping out of her torpor. Her lips were trembling, and her eyes kept moving around as if trying to look for a sign, an escape, as she leaned her head closer to Chloe, searching a closeness she felt would soon be ripped away from her.

Silence weighted on the room for what seemed ages. And the longer it lasted, the more Chloe felt what little hope she had that it would be okay disappear. Vanessa Caulfield finally broke the quietness stammering softly as puzzlement replaced shock. "Wh… What… what? Max? What?"

Slowly the woman's features changed, her face darkening as her expression became stern, her eyes thinning, her lips curling as her brow dropped into an angry frown.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY DAUGHTER!"

The first real sentence boomed through the house as Max' mom shrieked.

"Mrs. C.." "Mom…" both girls started, both trying to explain how things were. But the woman just didn't let them.

"YOU! I knew IT! I knew you were bad! You take your hands away from my baby, right now!" Vanessa Caulfield's face was distorted as her voice echoed on the walls.

Chloe's hands automatically started to pull away as she started to respond. "Mrs. Caulfield, it's not…"

"I don't wanna hear your pathetic excuses! Maxine's been through enough pain already because of your delinquent's crap! I will not let you abuse my daughter like that!" the woman screamed loudly.

Chloe felt like she had been punched in the gut as the woman claimed every injuries Max suffered had been her fault; the guilt that had started to fade in the back of her mind suddenly crashing back. She sat there stunned for a moment feeling Max arms tightening around her and she responded in kind as Vanessa stormed toward them.

The woman grabbed Chloe's arm, pulling at it roughly as she tried to pry the punk away from her daughter. Chloe winced as she felt the woman's nails digging through her skin as the fingers crushed her arm. "I TOLD YOU TO GET AWAY FROM MY DAUGTHER!"

"MOM STOP! LET HER GO!" Max' voice filled the bluenette's ears. Chloe could feel the panic in the words as her girlfriend's hand moved to try to pry the frantic woman's hands from her. But the woman didn't let go, the grip getting even stronger as the woman struggled to get the girls apart. Chloe winced, letting a soft painful cry out as she felt her arm being twisted, and suddenly a loud crack echoed in the room interrupting the struggle. "STOP HURTING MY GIRLFRIEND!"

Chloe felt the hand release her arm and she quickly scrambled away from the woman, turning to face her. Vanessa was standing a hand pressed on her cheek as she held a reddening face, shocked both by the words and the realization her own daughter had slapped her. Max was standing, legs shaking as she didn't use her crutches for the first time since her injuries, a scowl of fury on her face as she panted.

It took a moment before anyone dared even move. Vanessa stared at her daughter with disbelief as she held her cheek, the sting of the slap turning her skin red. Max' scowl slowly rescinded as she slowly realized what she had done, her eyes dropping to her hand, tears slowly starting to run along cheeks as her whole body started to shake.

Ryan Caulfield had finally been attracted by the commotion and was standing in the doorway looking at the scene with shock and sadness. "What happened?" he asked, his deep voice soft but still showing concern.

Vanessa recovered from her daze, looking at her daughter with a mix of disgust and fear. "Girlfriend?!" She said her voice rising both in tone and intensity. "GIRLFRIEND!"

Max closed her eyes as she heard the disbelief, the denial in her mother's voice. She dropped to her knees as her legs finally gave up after having strained for longer than they had in months.

"Max!" Chloe called as she rushed to her girlfriend and wrapped her arms around the girl pulling the pink-haired head to her chest trying to sooth her, slapping the raising hand and shaking her head to the girl as she noticed the girl's move and concentration. She looked at the mother, tears coming from the pain she felt as her girlfriend's mother came down at Max, and from the rage building in her at her friend's pain and distress. She turned her head at the woman hissing at her. "Yes girlfriend! Max is my girlfriend! Got a fucking problem with that!"

Ryan groaned as he realized what must have happened. He closed his eyes as if not wanting to see the train wreck that was about to come.

Vanessa shook, her voice filled with disgust and disbelief as she came down on the couple. "She can't be your girlfriend! She can't have a girlfriend! My baby's a normal little girl! Not some perverted freak!"

Both Chloe and Max' eyes widened at the outburst, the judgement painful to them. "Freak?! Freak? You are calling us freak because we are in love?"

But Vanessa wasn't listening. She pointed an accusatory finger at Chloe as she seethed. "It's your influence! All this! The rebellious look, the refusal to come home, she even dared hitting her own mother because of you! You got my daughter caught in your criminal actions, got my baby hurt and now you are trying to pervert her! To get her damned!"

Ryan started to reach for his wife as the situation got worse. "Vanessa…"

But before he had a chance to calm things down, the woman shrieked again "Get the fuck out of my home! I don't want you here! And don't you ever try to see my daughter again! She's not like that!" as she pointed the door at Chloe.

Ryan reached to put a hand on his wife's shoulder as she called out panicked. "Vanessa, no!"

But too late. At her mother's words, Max had lifted her head her face cold as she asked in a low voice. "You're saying I can't be your daughter and love Chloe?"

Chloe shuddered at the tone, the mix of disbelief and resolve she heard in her girlfriend's voice. Ryan quickly reached trying to sooth things. "What? No! Max…" But he was cut off by his wife.

"My daughter isn't gay!"

Max clenched her jaw a moment then reached for her crutches as she simply said. "Chloe, take our bags. We're leaving."

Chloe looked as her girlfriend slowly stood up, her voice trembling as she heard the calm, cold tone of Max' determination. "Max?"

The pinkette looked at her father, not even her mother. "We're leaving, Chloe. Now!"

Chloe swallowed and moved to get their bags. She looked at Ryan Caulfield with pain, searching some support, hoping the man would understand she didn't want this, but the man was frozen, tears slowly dripping down his bearded cheeks.

As Max started to move toward the door her mother reached and grabbed her arm. "Where do you think you are going, Maxine! You stay right here!"

Max turned her head as she spoke each word separately. "Get. Your. Hand. Off. Me." She pulled her arm away from her mother's hand as the woman's jaw dropped, surprised by the cold hatred her own daughter showed her. "If you dare touch me again, I'll call the cops." Max simply stated as she moved toward the door.

Vanessa took a step back shaking her head. "You would call the cops on your own mother?"

Max paused before crossing the bedroom door. She didn't look back as she simply added. "You said it yourself. I'm not your daughter anymore."

Barely an hour after arriving, Max and Chloe were back on the road. Ryan Caulfield had run after the girls as they were about to board the truck, calling out to his daughter. Chloe thought the girl would turn him down, but she had not. She had accepted and even hugged her father back as the man apologized to both girls, swearing he would always love his little girl and that he didn't care who she loved. Max had thanked him in a cold and emotionless voice that Chloe didn't recognize. Chloe had told him how sorry she was that things had turned out like this, that she hadn't wanted this. The man had hugged her like she had been his own child simply asking that she took care of his daughter.

They had finally parted with Chloe promising she would try to talk with Max, while Ryan promised he would try to make his wife come back to reason. They had been driving in silence for an hour, Chloe casting glances at her girlfriend every now and then, worry on her face. Max had remained there, her face inexpressive, her eyes staring at the road as her jaw was clenched tightly.

She's trying not to break down! God Max! I dunno what to do!

"Why did you stop me from rewinding?" Max' voice was flat, and Chloe bit her lip. She sighed deeply and carefully drove to park her car on the side of the road, shutting the engine off before she responded.

"Because it would not have changed anything, Max."

"You don't know that!"

"I do! Max, even if she had not seen us, she would have freaked out the same when we would have told her! Using your power here would have changed nothing! It would only have delayed it!"

"But I would not have struck my mom!" Max complained her face slowly crumbling as tears filled her eyes.

Chloe hesitated a moment, feeling the pain of her girlfriend tear her own heart apart. "You would still have remembered it, Max…" she said as she reached to take the girl in her arms.

The girl shook herself trying to get away from the hug. "You should have let me do it!"

Chloe felt a pang in her heart as her girlfriend tried to keep her away. Her wish to comfort her girlfriend, but also the panic at the idea of the girl pushing her away made her reach forcefully and hold the girl tight against her. "No, Max! It's better this way! This way you didn't break your promise to me! This way we share the pain! All of it! And I can really be there for you" She said trying to rock the smaller girl as she tried to get away. "Max, please… It would have changed nothing! All it would have done is hurt you even more..."

Max' struggles slowly faded as the girl's walls collapsed. She broke down in Chloe's arms wailing as all the pain, the suffering, the tension she had held in her, trying to be strong and resolute, finally were released. Chloe held her tightly, kissing her head as the girl cried in her chest; her own eyes filled with tears as she felt responsible for having broken her girlfriend's family.

Max cried for over an hour before exhaustion caught up to her and she fell asleep in Chloe's arms. Carefully the punk sat her girlfriend on the truck's seat, placing the girl's head on her lap so she could caress the short pink hair as she resumed her driving.

I'll be there for you Max… I'm sorry I caused this, but I'll be there! I'll make it better!

Chloe drove to the next resting area and parked the truck in a remote corner. She carefully got out of the truck, making sure to softly put Max head back on the cushion, and lit up a cigarette. She leaned back at the truck's side looking at the clouded, starless sky.

Can't we catch a break? Why would the world put Max through all this shit? It's not fair!

Chloe groaned as she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She pulled it out and sighed as she saw her mother's name appear on the caller id.

Of course…

"Hi, Mom…"

"Chloe Elizabeth Price! Why did I just get a call from a screaming mother claiming you were breaking her family up and brainwashing her daughter?"

"Mom… I don't really know how it happened… she caught us kissing and it all went south, I swear! I never thought she would freak out like this on us, mom! I didn't want this!"

Joyce sighed at the other end of the line. "I know you didn't want things to go like this, Chloe. But you can't go and rip Max away from her parents like that."

"I didn't rip Max away from her mother, mom! If anyone did, it's Max' mother! She told Max she couldn't be her daughter and love another girl, mom! She kicked me out and made Max choose between me and her! And now that Max has chosen me, she called you to complain! Fuck mom! She called us freaks! She called her own daughter a freak! I'm sorry but even if I didn't want it to go like this, I'm not sorry Max decided to slam that door in her face!"

Joyce remained silent for a moment on the phone. "I… I'm sorry honey… I know it was probably hard on you and Max… " Another sigh could be heard from the phone. "She wanted me to order you to bring Max back to their house."

"What?!"

"I'm not telling you to do it, Chloe!" Joyce cut the girl's protestation short. "I'm just telling you what she asked me… nay ordered me to do. God I never seen Vanessa like this… Anyway, even if she had been polite about it, I would not have ordered you to do it, I might have asked, but not ordered. The way she made the request… I won't let anyone talk to our family like that."

Chloe winced. For her mother to react like that, Mrs. Caulfield must really have lost it. "That bad?"

"Let's say she doesn't have a very good opinion of you at the moment."

"Trust me mom, it's mutual right now! At least Max' dad seems to be on our side. He told me he would try to talk to her… Not sure it'll work, but well."

"That's a good thing. Vanessa always was hot tempered, and I think most of the things she said tonight were more out of shock and surprise than real feeling. Maybe he can talk her down."

Chloe snorted. "Yeah well, I won't hold my breath on him managing to put some sense in her, even if I hope he does, for Max…"

"Mmmhmm… How is Max?"

Chloe grunted. "Mom, her own bitch of a mother disowned her and called her a fucking pervert and a freak! Max kicked herself out of her own home and even threatened to call the cops if her mom tried to stop her! How the hell do you think she is? She's fucking broken and in pain!"

"Language, Chloe! But yeah, I get it… You're coming back to Arcadia Bay?"

"Yeah, got nowhere else to go really…"

"You take your time, Chloe. Don't drive all night and get into an accident. You be careful."

"I will mom, we should be home some time tomorrow, can't tell when though as I'll have to rest at some point and, I may have to stop to take care of Max…"

"You take your time. And please tell Max I love her too."

"Thanks mom, I'll tell her. I'm sure it'll make her feel better."

After the call ended, Chloe put her phone in her pocket as she finished her cigarette. She kicked the truck's tire and swore loudly; "FUCK!" before she climbed in the vehicle and set off for Arcadia Bay.

Victoria was nervous as she parked her car in front of the Marsh residence, much more nervous than she had expected. She already had doubts about coming spend Thanksgiving with a family as religious and devout as Kate's, being non-practicing herself; but she could have dealt with it in order to make Kate happy. It had surprised even her, but just the idea of Kate's disappointment had she refused or cancelled her coming, had been enough to twist her guts. So, she had taken upon herself and agreed to come. Until the news came in a series of texts, earlier that morning.

Kate: OMG! Max' mother kicked her out of their home!

Victoria: WHAT!

Victoria: what happened?

Kate: I don't really know the details, Chloe didn't say much about it. She just sent a warning.

Kate: Apparently, they had a falling out when her mother found out she and Chloe were together.

Kate: It ended up with Max and Chloe leaving before they even unpacked. They drove all night to be back in Arcadia Bay!

Victoria: Fuck!

Kate: Poor Max!

Victoria had felt her courage falter at the news. From what she knew, Max' family was supposed to be easy going. Sure, they were Catholic like most of the families from Irish origins like the Caulfield, but it had looked like they weren't really practicing. Max, unlike Kate, didn't even wear a cross! So, the idea that what had looked like an easy-going family to turn on their daughter like that for being gay, kind of made her dread spending even only an afternoon with what she had learn to be one of the most conservative and judgmental family she had heard of. After all, even Max' mother hadn't blame her daughter for having been shot! The same couldn't be said from Mrs. Marsh.

God! I hope this goes well!

With a deep breath she reached to push the doorbell's button. Time to die I guess...

The door opened on a light brunette woman wearing a white cardigan over a white dress with flowers. "Oh! Hello! Are you Kate's friend?"

Victoria took a brief moment before she nodded. "Err… hello. Yes, I'm Victoria, Victoria Chase."

The welcoming smile the woman gave her contrasted with the cold image she had started to make to herself following the explanations of the woman's reaction to what happened to Kate. "Welcome Victoria. Please come in." The woman took a step back waving her inside as she turned and called. "Kate! Your friend is here!"

Steps came from the nearby stairs as Kate hurried down to greet her. "Hey Victoria! I'm glad you came!"

Victoria's heart fluttered as she saw the warm smile on the girl's lips and she let the corner of her own mouth curl up softly. "Hi Kate! And thank you for inviting me."

Mrs. Marsh shook her head lightly. "We couldn't leave one of Kate's friend alone on Thanksgiving! That would not be Christian of us!"

Victoria felt a pang in her heart and the quick twitch on Kate's face told her the little blonde had felt the same pain at this. Between Victoria's parents lack of care for family gathering and the news of what happened to Max, both girl could only see the woman's words as a veiled criticizing of other families. Not that Victoria disagreed with the fact her family and probably Max' were skewed, but it irked her that a woman who had treated her own daughter like crap when the girl had needed help and love thought herself better.

Deciding not to say anything she gave a forced smile and followed Kate as the girl invited to the living room. She got to meet the blonde's family and had to admit Richard Marsh was friendlier and his welcome was genuine. Kate's sisters were nice too, split images of their older sister, Samantha Marsh had a fashion sense and an artistic trait that endeared her to Victoria although she could feel the girl remained cold and distant toward her, some words letting her guess the girl was angry at her for what happened to Kate, and Victoria had to admit she had cause. Lynn was younger and shier than her sisters. She barely talked to her, but her love for her big sister was clearly obvious as she stayed close to Kate, following her every move.

The one person Victoria would have loved never to meet was Kate's aunt, Melinda Marsh. The woman's greeting had come under the form of a single question. "Are you one of poor sinners at Kate's school?"

It took all of Victoria's self-control and wish to not cause more trouble for Kate not to slap the woman; and Victoria spent most of her visit as far away from the woman as she could.

She hadn't been able to avoid her during the dinner though, and she had started to feel uncomfortable when the discussion had started to move toward the events at Blackwell.

"I'm not surprised something like that happened." Melinda Marsh had started with her haughty and judgmental tone, as if she knew better than anyone. "That school with those provocatively clad girls and their so called artistic teaching… When one takes a step on the sinner path, one cannot expect anything different than these kinds of things."

Victoria had ended up intervening despite her best judgement. "I can't believe this! Are you telling Kate deserved what happened to her? Or that Max deserved to be shot?"

"Do not take this tone with me, you girl! Kate got what's becoming to her for releasing her inner harlot and kissing all those boys! As for your other friend, if she got shot surely she was involved in something criminal!"

Victoria's eyes had widened with shock before narrowing at the woman, her fist clenching on the table. Kate had been the one intervening. "Max isn't a criminal! She got shot while trying to save another person! She acted like the Christ himself and calling her a criminal would mean insult Jesus himself!"

Kate's mom scolded her girl quickly. "Do not talk to your Aunt like that, Kate! Your own behavior at that school is bad enough that you shouldn't make it worse!"

Victoria had burst out at those words. "You can't be serious! Kate was drugged and raped and you are blaming her! Your own daughter was a victim and you are blaming her for what a psychopath did to her?" She shook her head as Kate reached to put a hand on her wrist trying to calm her down.

While she could see Mr. Marsh was agreeing with her, Mrs. Marsh and Auntie Marsh came down on to her without him saying anything. "Do not tell me how to raise my children in my own home!" "Yes! You are only a guest and should have the decency to respect your hosts, your girl!"

Victoria was about to lash back but the squeeze on her wrist and the headshake Kate gave her made her hold her words, leaving the women pour poison on her friends.

"… Besides," Kate's mother kept going after a moment, "Kate told me that Max' girl got kicked out by her parents, it certainly proves she isn't the good girl some people wants her to be."

"You are probably right." The Aunt turned to Kate. "You should learn from this Kate. God's punishment will always find you."

Victoria exploded. She stood up slamming her hands on the table. "And you should get off your pedestal and stop talking about things you don't fucking know! What kind of human being are you calling yourself? Blaming the victims instead of their rapists! Spitting on a girl in a wheelchair! Worse! The girl is in a wheelchair because she chose to sacrifice her own life to save another! And you call yourself Christians?" She fulminated angrily. "What kind of parents blames their children for being the victims of bullies or criminals? What kind of human being will rather judge and badmouth another human being when something bad happened to her! Hell, I'm already ashamed to even think we are of the same species!"

Mrs. Marsh stood up angrily as she shouted. "Don't you dare scream at me in my own home! You are just a lost girl who knows nothing of life or what the Lord plans for us!"

Victoria scoffed. "You are the one who knows nothing! You are just judging people, looking at them down your nose without knowing anything about them or what they went through! You judged your own daughter without even caring that the actions you blame her for weren't of her doing! You are telling shit about a girl, calling her a criminal when all she did was give the help YOU should have been giving your OWN daughter, and throw herself in front of another person when a sick man tried to kill her! You are here spiting on the Christ and you call yourself Christians?"

"Do not think you can teach me the scriptures, you foolish girl! And don't come at me telling me what my daughter went through when you don't have a single idea!"

Victoria felt the tears building in her eyes. "I know better than you what Kate went through! I was exactly in the same spot! And you will not tell me I am to blame when I got raped by a mad man! I will not let you push me into wanting to commit suicide like you did your own fucking daughter! And I will not let you talk shit about the person who saved her life, who showed more Christian charity than you ever did, just because she's gay!"

Her last words slammed in the room like bomb, Kate's father and sisters gasping at the revelation and the seething anger displayed by their guest. Richard Marsh's voice rose softly with pain. "Kate?"

But Kate's mother's shriek filled the room. "GET OUT! You are not welcome here! You and your perversions are not welcome around my daughter, around my family!"

Victoria spat at the woman's face before she turned and stormed toward the door. As she opened the door she heard Kate's voice screaming with pain and tears as she argued with her mother and Aunt. Victoria slammed to house door and headed for her car. She was starting the engine when Kate stormed from the house with a bag on her shoulder, screaming at the woman running behind her. "I hate you! I hate you and all your judgements!"

As the girl ran toward the sidewalk, Victoria stopped and waited for the smaller blonde to climb in her car.

Chapter Text

They had reached the Price household around noon, Chloe finally having to call it and stop to get some sleep. They had spent hours cuddled together on the truck's bench for sleep, or whatever little sleep they could get. Max had been a wreck. Sobbing and shuddering, the girl had spent the night alternating between crying and sleeping needing the close contact with Chloe much more than usual.

She's given up her own family for me… She's needing the reassurance that I'm still there I guess…

Chloe had kept her own arms wrapped around Max at the realization, trying to get the girl to feel better.

In the end they had slept until mid-morning, exhaustion and the crash down after the unwanted excitation of the evening, getting the better of them. Chloe had woken up to the pressure of Max' tightening her arms around her chest like a vice, threatening to crush her ribs. With a grunt she had tried to pry the girl away as she sat up on the seat, her hand rubbing the pink hair lovingly.

They had gone on the remaining half of the road, Chloe driving with Max either lying on the bench so her head rested on the blue-haired girl's thighs or sitting pressed along Chloe's side as the girls shared a cigarette. They had driven in silent most of the time, Max saying nothing even when Chloe tried to pry a few words out of her. And they had reached Arcadia Bay just in time to share turkey with Joyce and David.

Their return had been a mushy moment of hugs, tears and soothing words of love, Joyce reasserting once again that she saw Max as her own daughter no matter what as she hugged her tight apologizing for what had happened. The meal itself had been quiet though, no one really eager to say anything. Max had simply sat down and eaten, holding Chloe's hand all the time.

They spent the day mostly chilling out together, either in Chloe's bedroom, or in the living room, watching movies or just cuddling, pausing only for a smoke either laying down on Chloe's bed or going in the small garden.

Max moved around the house with more ease. While still needing her crutches to walk, her steps and the way her body put its weigh on her legs were visibly more assured and steadier than before, her stride longer, her back straighter as she put less weigh on her arms.

Max' phone had started to ring around mid-afternoon, the screen informing either that she was receiving a call from 'home' or 'Mom'. She had been quick to simply turn down the first few calls. She had started to get pissed though as the calls kept coming one after another. In the end Max switched her phone to silent and shoved it under the mattress of Chloe's bed.

They ended their day with an early dinner - mainly scraps from the remains from lunch, some turkey with salad and pecan pie – and came back to hang out on Chloe's bed. Chloe brought her laptop to the bed and looked up at her girlfriend.

"What you wanna watch Maxaroni?"

Max pondered a moment. "Some anime maybe?"

"I'm game! Any specifics? Love story? Or a good action one?"

"Maybe Ghost in the Shell? Unless… do you have Aoi Hana? Might know it as Sweet Blue Flowers."

Chloe turned her head, "That one with the childhood friends that love each other? I got the manga, but I didn't know they made an anime out of it!" She moved her fingers over the pad a moment and pulled back to recline beside the pink-haired girl. "Well Ghost in the Shell it is! I love that movie!"

Max chuckled as she leaned and pressed herself along Chloe's side. "You just like the fact Motoko is naked for the whole opening scene! Dork!"

"Well she got a killer body!" Chloe retorted with a smirk giggling as Max rolled her eyes. "Chillax Max! Yours is way better anyway!"

Max humphed softly. "Yeah it's true… First me, then Motoko… Yeah you can be a good third!"

Chloe pounced on Max reaching to tickle her. "You BRAT! Not even putting me before Motoko! I demand satisfaction!"

Max burst of laughter filled the room as she kicked and tried to get away. "CHLOOEEE NOO! I can't lie about this!" she said fighting her girlfriends attack.

"You will pay for this Caulfield!"

Max tried hard to stay strong in the face of the tickling torture but in the end, she had to surrender. "Okay! Okay I give up! You are the hottest girl!"

Chloe gave a few more run of her fingers for good measure. "And don't you forget it!"

They settled to watch the movie, Max flushed and her belly hurting from all the laughing. Chloe looked over her girlfriend as she pulled her closer and leaned her head over the pink hair.

I'm glad she could at least laugh a bit… She's been so gloomy all day…

They exchanged a few kisses now and then as the movie went on. They were at the scene where the Major was battling a tank when Joyce came knocking at the door with the wireless phone.

"Max? It's…"

Max stiffened and spat out. "I won't talk to her!"

Joyce shook her head. "It's your father."

Max sighed not really eager to talk to her family. "Fine…"

Victoria had driven back to the dormitory with Kate. Both girls had remained silent for the whole trip, Victoria concentrating on driving one-handed while Kate kept looking out the side window tears on her cheeks.

Victoria felt bad, the anger slowly decreasing as they got further from the house leaving her with only the guilt of having caused trouble for her friend. As she parked her Prius in the campus parking lot, Victoria sighed and turned to the smaller blond. "I'm sorry…"

Kate turned her head to look at her and blinking a few times. "Why?"

"I couldn't let them say so much bullshit about you or Max… I just couldn't."

Kate shook her head softly. "Not that… Why are you sorry?"

Victoria pondered a moment. "I messed your Thanksgiving… Even after you were so kind to invite me."

Kate frowned as she responded insistently. "You did nothing! If someone should be apologizing it's me for dragging you into my family crap."

Victoria reached to take Kate's hand. "You didn't know what would happen, Kate! It's me who lost my temper! You've got no reason to apologize, Kate!"

Kate nodded a moment as she hissed angrily. "You're right. It's my mom who should be apologizing to you! I can't believe what she and my Aunt said! They don't even know Max! They never met and yet they said all these lies, all this shit! How can someone be so judgmental?"

Victoria bit her lip not sure what to say. "I dunno, Kate… "

They remained silent for a moment then left the car, walking quietly to their rooms.

Victoria was getting ready to call it a night after checking her emails. She regretted not having anything alcoholic to drink, a way to relax after a shitty day. She reached for her book reader deciding to catch up on a science-fiction series she had recently discovered. As she began reading the next chapter of David Weber's On Basilisk Station, she wondered if Commander Honor Harrington would manage to successfully navigate through the numerous plots set up by the Havenites and that inbred cretin Lord Young. She enjoyed the way the novel was set in the future, telling of a space navy reminiscent of the old sailing ships from the British Empire. She found the premise interesting, and the fact the main character was a woman trying to move through the world, keeping to her ideals while fighting the attacks and back stabbing from some rich asshole was just icing on the cake.

The heroine was everything she wanted to be, strong, talented, with a strong sense of honor and justice, not caring what others thought of her. She reminded her of Max in a way. Compared to the fictional character she knew she was a pale image of a human being, with her insecurities, her near reflex wish to bully those she thought better than her, to make herself feel better. She had started to change in the past months. Seeing Max taken away on that gurney, falling victim to a psychopath rapist, finding comfort and peace in the arms of the very same girl that had been the victim of her bullying, she had discovered that she had to become a better person, someone deserving the care and the love given to her by the angel she knew as Kate Marsh.

She had reached the moment all the machinations in the plot reached their peak, the moment just before the final battle began, when someone knocked on her door. She already knew who it had to be. They were only two in the dorms that night. Yet she needed to buy a few seconds.

"Yes?" she responded as she scurried to turn her kindle off hoping to hide what she had been reading.

The door slightly opened, and Kate passed her head through, her face shy as she looked down. She had obviously been crying as her eyes were red and her cheeks showed traces of tears. "Victoria? Can… Can… Can I sleep with you tonight?"

Victoria felt shaken at the sight of Kate in such a distress. The girl had been her rock for the past two months and she didn't know how to feel if that rock were to shatter. "Of… Of course you can."

Kate shyly entered the room closing the door before she ran and crawled into Victoria's bed, immediately reaching to hug the taller girl and press her face in her bosom. "I'm so sorry! I just don't know where to go anymore!" she simply said as she started to cry.

Victoria remained there for a brief moment, stunned as she found herself with another girl crying on her chest. She slowly wrapped her arms around Kate, moving a hand up and down the small blonde's back soothingly. "It's okay, Kate… It's okay… I'm there…"

"I'm … I'm sorry… I know you have your own problems… I … just…"

Victoria shushed the girl softly. "Kate, you are my friend! You helped me so much! I'm happy to give you a little back! You can stay here, as long as you need. I'll be there for you."

"I just don't know what to think anymore… All my life… I always knew what to do, what to believe… I always followed the path set by my family, my church… But I see now… I see how hypocritical they are!" She cried out, her small body shuddering. "I don't understand how people who advocate love and compassion can pour so much hatred on people they don't even know…"

Victoria rocked the smaller girl softly. "I'm sorry it happened to you, Kate… I don't really know either… I mean maybe they are just insecure and need to do it to feel better about themselves…" As she said it, Victoria realized she had more in common with Mrs and Auntie Marsh than she really cared for.

"I'm not like them! You got to believe me, Victoria! I'm not like them!" Kate earnestly said as she rose her head looking at Victoria's eyes.

Victoria nodded softly, her eyes dropping away… "I… I know you aren't, Kate… You're an Angel, nothing like them! If anyone is … I am…"

Kate shook her head moving a hand to caress Victoria's cheek. "No, you are not! You are not as mean and hateful!"

Victoria cringed at the touch, feeling like she didn't deserve it. "Yes, I am! Look at what I did to you, Kate. Talking shit about you, spreading rumors and shit on you just because I was so insecure about myself that I needed to make you look bad! I'm just like them." She felt tears starting to fill her own eyes.

Kate shook her head frowning softly as she cupped and held Victoria's face. "No, you are not! You are trying to change! You are nice and caring even if you don't always know how to show it." Kate moved her arms back around the taller blonde's body and pressed her face back down in Victoria's chest. "We are nothing like them…."

They fell asleep holding each other, finding comfort with each other. Having always been the little spoon, Victoria felt strange as she held the smaller girl, giving her some of the comforting presence she had always been the one to receive. She was glad she had a chance to give something to the one girl she had started to think of her angel. At the same time she felt a growing uneasiness as she extended her support to the girl, held her in her arms. Her heart fluttered questions kept running through her head.

Is it really okay that I am the one to help her? Does she still forgive me for my role? Does she really think I am different from her mother and Aunt? What are her feelings for me? What am I doing here? Is it okay that I don't wanna let go of her ever? Why does my heart feel like it will explode when she hold me like this? Am I falling for her? What does it means about me? Will she hate me if I do?

As a result she found sleep much later, her arms tightly wound around Kate's smaller body, one leg draped over the smaller girl as she both tried to protect her and feared to let her go.

They slept until late in the morning. Usually the first of the whole dormitory to wake up, Kate didn't stir as she rested, nested along the taller blonde, while the first rays of the sun poked through the window. When she woke up, the sunlight was bright in the room and a soothing warmth was pressed along her. Instinctively she tightened her hold on Victoria's body, softly shifting as she raised her head from the fleshy pillow and looked up at the taller girl's sleeping face.

As Victoria woke up, feeling Kate's smaller body shift softly, she found herself staring in Kate's eyes, their faces only inches apart. She felt her heartbeat accelerating as her eyes slowly traced down the pale skin and the rosy lips, their color promising softness and delicateness. They remained this for several minutes both enthralled by the other, lost in each other's eyes, before both girl suddenly released the other and sat up, turning their head away.

"Uh sorry for staring…" Kate's soft voice broke the silence first.

"No… It… It's me…" Victoria responded, feeling her heat warm and blush as her heart threatened to leap out of her chest.

As Kate quickly rose she stammered softly, "I'll… I'll go shower…" as she left the room leaving Victoria flushed and confused as she sat on her bed.

Steph stirred as her phone started to play the soft mesmerizing tunes of In Utheneras. She reached slowly for the nightstand, her eyes closed, only to hit some wall. With a grunt she opened her eyes, looking around in confusion as she found herself facing some kind of wooden paneling. She slowly turned her head around frowning as she took in the room.

Oh God! I completely forgot I'm not home!

She smirked as she remembered where she was only to sigh as her phone kept singing. She sat up and looked around her for her belongings.

Must be in my Jean's pocket I guess.

The room was rather small, although spacious considering she was in a trailer, filled with a large king size futon bed and a few cupboard. The walls where a mix of dark wood and paper paneling that reminded her of the walls and doors she saw in old Kurasawa movies. The floor seemed to be made of tatamis, although she couldn't really judge as most of the bed sheets and covers were spread around, clear evidence of how wild her time had been. She blushed a little as she noticed some clothing hanging from the ceiling lamp.

Is that my… panties? Wow!

She finally located her jeans at the bottom of the bed, strewn where they had been discarded without care. She crawled on the bed, trying to forget her state of nakedness, as she collected them and searched the pockets for the disturber of her good dreams.

What is Chloe doing calling me? I thought she was in Seattle!

She picked up and responded with a groggy voice. "Hello?"

"Yo Steph, where are you?" The exuberant voice of her friend responded quickly.

"Home… sleeping… why?"

"Well I was just wondering why you haven't opened your store yet."

Steph frowned a little trying to wake up. "What you mean? It's thanksgiving… Everything's closed today… I'll open it tomorrow…"

"What the hell? Steph, what day do you think we are?"

"Thursday… Why do you care anyway, aren't you in Seattle?"

"Steph…. It's Friday… and it's already 11… And … well I'd rather discuss Seattle in person… with Max around too…"

Steph frowned a little and rubbed the finger of her free hand on her temple. "Uhhg… Can it wait …. I don't think I'll be able to open this morning…"

The voice on the phone laughed loudly. "Oh my god, Steph! Are you hungover? Woot must have been hell of a blast if you don't even remember what day it is!"

"Chloe,…. Please shut up…"

"Just tell me one thing? You wake up alone?" the obvious glee in her friend's voice started to annoy her and she decided to cut short on the call and return into her slumber.

"I'll tell you when I open… Bye Chloe." She said before ending the connection and letting herself fall back on the bed. Rolling to her side, she looked at her phone confirming the date and time.

Wow… I slept most of my Thursday too… Well not like I slept much on Wednesday if I remember… Not that I remember much... God that Sake must have been strong!

Deciding she could afford to open only in the late afternoon she pushed the phone aside and settled down to catch a few more winks, only to smile and purr softly as she felt the warmth of a body pressing on her back and a hand slowly brushing on her hip as it sneaked toward her intimacy. She felt soft lips on her shoulder as a voice whispered to her.

"Do you need to go to work?" The words sounded soft but filled with mischievousness.

"Hmmm… I should be going… Unless you can convince my boss…" She responded with a blush as she felt the hand sneak closer to her core.

"I think I can do that." The voice responded with a playful tone. "Especially…" Steph felt a kiss on her neck. "Judging by how my discussion went with her yesterday." Steph moaned softly as she felt the lips pressing firmly on her neck, suckling and biting softly at her skin while the fingers brushed along her groin and softly started to brush at her petals.

Steph panted softly before she suddenly rolled to face the owner of the trailer quickly pressing herself to the Asian woman as she wrapped her arms around her neck, reaching to pull Azumi into a deep kiss as she wrapped her leg around the woman's hip opening herself to the exploring hand.

Chapter Text

Max returned from her phone call obviously shaken. Chloe didn't know what had transpired during the girl's conversation with her father, but part of it had obviously not been good. Seeing the tears and distress on her girlfriend's face, Chloe quickly opened her arms welcoming the pinkette into a warm comforting hug.

"Hey… everything okay?"

Max shook her head softly and pressed her face in Chloe's shoulder as she responded softly. "I dunno… Dad said he and mom had a huge fight and Vanessa spent the night at a friend's house. What if this cause my parents to divorce? I don't wanna be responsible for that!"

Chloe tightened her hug and kissed the girl's head softly. "It's going to be okay, Max. You'll see… Your mom is just dealing with the shock… She and your dad are just too good together they won't get a divorce for this."

Max pulled back softly. "You can't know that! Chloe, it's pretty bad! Vanessa and dad had fights before, but never did one of them leave the house like that!" She pressed her face to Chloe's chest, her body shuddering as she sobbed. "Vanessa is right… I'm just a freak… I keep breaking things…"

Chloe pushed Max away, holding her by the shoulder so she could look directly in her eyes. "Max, STOP!" her voice was stern, angry. "You are not a freak! And I won't let anyone say that you are! Even you!"

Max lips shivered as her eyes widened, more tears running down her cheeks as she stammered. "But… but… Look at what I do…. I break time, Chloe… I'm not normal! I can travel through time! And I don't even do it right! I nearly killed the entire city because I couldn't do a single thing right… I put you in a wheelchair… I even killed you!" Her voice was earnest, pained and distressed as she tried to argue. "I'm not even able to protect the one person that matter the most to me! For Dog sake, Chloe! I nearly let you die in that bathroom! I was going to let you die and do nothing!"

Chloe pulled the girl tight in her arms, knowing her friend's anger and hatred at herself was out of sadness and grief more than genuine disgust. "But you didn't, Max… You saved me… You offered to sacrifice yourself to save both my life and the city!"

Max shuddered as she nearly wailed in Chloe's embrace. "But what if I had made it worse! Chloe, I nearly sacrificed you! I nearly sacrificed the whole town because I was too selfish! Because I couldn't live without you! And that same selfishness will break my family!"

Chloe rocked the girl against her shaking her head as she hated the way her friend's thought were taking her. "You are not selfish Max! Someone selfish would not have worked to find the truth about Rachel! Someone selfish would not have tried to save the whole city! And you would not feel so bad if you were selfish, Max!" She kissed the girl's head softly. "You are the most selfless person I know Max… You tried to help everyone around you, to save so many people during that wrecked week of yours!"

"But I'm breaking my family! I'm breaking my family, Chloe!"

"And what would you do? Would you leave me?" The words came out shocked and angry, Chloe starting to panic at the thought her girlfriend might choose to sacrifice their love to save her parents' marriage. "Are you going to break up with me, Max? What about us? Aren't we your family too?"

Max pulled back in shock, crying as the pain she felt in her girlfriend's voice made her realize what her confusion caused. "No! Chloe, I love you! I'll never leave you!" She reached and cupped Chloe's face in her hands. "I love you Chloe!" She pressed forward crashing her lips to the punk's. As she pulled back she looked at Chloe's eyes, her blue orbs fixed on the saphires of the blue-haired girl. "Am… Are we really a family?"

Chloe nodded softly. "Isn't it what two people who spend their life together are?"

Max looked at her girlfriend, cogs whirring in her head as she processed everything she thought, everything she felt. She nodded softly as she reached to wipe her tears with the back of her hand. "You… You really want to … to spend your life with me?"

Chloe reached and cupped Max' face with a hand, brushing her tears with her thumb. "Max, I hella want to be with you forever!"

At the response, Max pounced at the taller girl, surprising her as she wrapped her arms around Chloe's neck and pressed their lips together. Chloe's arms flailed a bit as she got pushed back on the bed, falling back on the mattress with a grunt. She quickly caught up, melting in the kiss as she wrapped her arms around the pink-haired girl.

The kiss was turning wilder than she had seen coming from her small girlfriend and part of her responded enthusiastically to the new closeness. Hands started to explore the girl's body, fingers brushing along her sides to her hips sliding under the hem of the tank top in search for the warm contact of the pinkette's skin.

Chloe groaned as she felt Max' hands reaching and raking in her hair, pulling her head up as the girl's lips moved to her throat, nibbling on her skin. She felt the kisses slowly move to the side as Max reached and possessively pressed her teeth at the junction of her neck and shoulder, making her moan as her heart fluttered at the claim laid on her. Chloe moved a hand up to Max' head pulling her closer. The smaller girl's hand moved down on her body, reaching down and starting to pull her tank top up over her belly. Chloe grunted as she felt the fingers slowly brushing up to her chest, pressing under her bra to grope at her breast.

"Max…" she whispered in a soft moan as the smaller girl touched and kissed her with a passion and a lust she had never seen in her girlfriend. "Max… slow… down…" She started to say as she started to feel concerns at the sudden daring moves of a girl she remembered as being overly shy.

This… This is not right… "Max… you don't have…"

"I do! And I want!" the smaller girl cut her off, raising her head from Chloe's neck before pressing her lips to Chloe's in a hungry kiss.

Chloe moved her hands from Max' back to the girl's shoulder, starting to hesitate. Something's wrong… This isn't like Max! The brush of Max' hand trying to sneak under her jeans jerked her eyes opened. She pushed Max back breaking the kiss and contact. "Max, No!"

She panted as she looked at the confusion starting to show on her girlfriend's eyes. "You… You don't love me… You …" the small girl started to stammer.

Chloe shook her head as she held Max firmly. "I love you Max! I so love you! But this isn't you! All this isn't you!"

Max shook her head crying. "It is! It is me! I want to do it! I want to be with you!"

Chloe shook her head. "No it's not! Max, I want to be with you like this too! You don't know how much I want it! But this right now? It isn't you! It isn't what you truly want!"

Max tried to get closer, her hands moving toward Chloe's body. "It is! I want it now Chloe!" The girl cried, tears forming in her eyes.

With a frustrated grunt, Chloe pulled Max to her and rolled them on the bed, moving to straddle the girl. She grabbed Max' wrists and pinned them down on the bed as she sat up. "No Max! You hella don't! You are just afraid that if you don't do it, I'll leave you! But I won't! I love you Max, and I'll be with you forever! And we will be like this one day! But not tonight! Not now! Because it isn't right! And you know it!" Chloe looked down at Max as the girl started to relax on the bed, her body going limp as she started to wail.

"Chloe… I don't know what to do… I… I …"

Chloe released Max' arm and slowly pulled back, lifting her up to sit and wrapping Max' upper body tightly in her arms. "It's okay Max… It's okay… Just relax okay?" She kissed Max hair softly. "I love you Max… And you don't have to do this for me to love you and stay with you."

Chloe remained there holding the smaller girl tight for a while as Max cried, letting all her pain and fear pour out.

They fell asleep later, exhausted by all the tension and the emotional roller coaster induced by the situation. When they woke up the pain had only taken a small place in their mind and they remained cuddled up in the bed for a couple hours, enjoying each other's presence.

It was midafternoon when Steph arrived at her store, riding behind Azumi on the flowery bike. She had found the experience of the return trip even more pleasing than the ride that had taken her away from her store on Wednesday afternoon. The last 48 hours had been like a dream to her very few moments had been spent without bodily contact between her and the Asian woman. So, she dreaded to return to work, to finally let go and be parted from the girl. Even when the bike came to a stop by the curb, she didn't release her hold on the rider, keeping herself pressed on the woman's back, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the feeling.

She felt the saddle stop to vibrate as the engine shut down and with a groan she obeyed the silent pat on her hands. She reluctantly released her hold on the woman after a last squeeze and carefully climbed off the bike, reaching under her chin to unbuckle the helmet. As she pulled it off her head, she turned and looked as Azumi pulled her own protection off shaking her hair back.

"Thank you for bringing me back to work Azumi… And thank you for this great time." She said softly leaning toward the woman offering her a kiss.

The Asian girl wrapped a hand behind her head, kissing her deeply before she let go. "Thank you for spending that time with me! It was great! Hope we can do it again someday!"

Steph felt a pang at the words. What? Does it mean she only saw it as a one night thing? She remained silent as she offered the helmet back before stepping back as Azumi started the engine again.

"I'll see you Thursday for the tattoo then, right?"

Steph jerked her head up. "What? Oh yes… yes Thursday evening. You got it." She stammered in response.

The woman on the bike smiled at her and put her helmet back on. She reached and brushed her gloved fingers on Steph's lips before she reached for the handlebar and drove away.

Steph stood there a moment, brushing her own fingers to her lips as she considered her Thanksgiving and how it ended.

Okay… So spending hours brushing my fingers and needle on the most beautiful body that ever existed only to have its owner kiss me and kidnap me from my work, check! Taking off on a motorcycle ride while holding the rider's boobs, Check! Spending two nights and a full day drinking, making out and doing the crazy with the most perfect girl in the world, Check! Having a crush on said girl and getting my heart broken in the morning, … Fuck I don't want to check that!

She stood there staring at the road the bike had disappeared on when the voice called her.

"Yo naughty girl! Isn't that the same clothes you wore two days ago?"

Steph jumped and turned as she got surprised by the voice. "God! Chloe! Don't scare me like that!"

The punk girl leaning by the store's door and the pink-haired girl sitting on the small walls beside her giggled at her flushed face. "Hi Steph!" Max greeted with a wave of her hand.

"Well someone had to break you out of your dream! Or did you want to stay standing there in the middle of the road?" Chloe responded with a shrug.

Steph sighed, her shoulder drooping as she walked toward the door, taking her keys out of her jacket. "Hi Max! And shut up Chloe! I don't really feel like talking about it…" She paused and frowned. "By the way, aren't you both supposed to be in Seattle instead of spending your time teasing me?"

Max face grew somber at her words and Chloe looked down kicking her foot on the ground. "Yeah… well … Shit happened…" Chloe responded as she straightened up and moved to put an arm around Max.

Steph unlocked the door and looked at the couple. "That bad?"

Max nodded softly but Chloe looked away with a scowl. "Worse."

The artist bit her lip and nodded as she entered the building, holding the door for her friends. "Well get in, we'll talk about it around a coffee…"

While Steph moved to switch on the store lights, turn on the music and boot up the computer and register, Max and Chloe sat side by side at the table. As she moved to get the coffee ready, Steph passed in front of the tattoo station she had used before leaving with Azumi and cursed. "Shit!"

"What's up?" Chloe asked raising her head.

"I forgot I had some clean up to do…" Steph said reaching to start picking up the used tissues. "Chloe, can you make the coffee while I do that?"

Chloe nodded and stood up, smirking as she walked by to go get the coffee machine started. "So did you even finish the contouring before you jumped the girl?"

Steph dropped one of the small trays as she heard the question. She sighed and crouched to pick up the small cups she had used to hold the ink for the last session. "I didn't jump her… If anything she jumped me…. And yes we had finished for the day." Her tone was harsh, maybe a bit too harsh, as she couldn't keep her frustration out of her voice.

"You go girl!" Chloe cheered, leaving it at that.

Steph finished cleaning the station and seat, placing the gun and needles in the sterilizing vat, as Chloe came out of the back room with two mugs of steaming coffee. "Yours's on the counter." She told Steph as she walked back to the table and sat both mugs for her and Max.

Steph finished her work and picked up her coffee before she joined up with the girls sitting as Max seemed to be texting someone. "Okay, so what happened?"

Max stiffened and looked at Chloe, obviously not wanting to speak about it. The blue-haired girl sighed softly, wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulder before she looked at Steph. "Well… Max' mom kinda… walked in on us making out…"

Steph winced. "Oh boy! I take it she didn't take it nicely?"

Max and Chloe both shook their head, Chloe's lips twisting as she remembered the incident. "No… Not nicely at all… She freaked out and… Long story short, she called us freaks, and kicked me out of their house. Max slapped her mom when she was trying to rip my arm off, threatened to call the cops when she tried to prevent her from leaving with me and decided to choose being gay with me over still recognizing Vanessa as her mom…"

"Holy shit!" Steph said, her jaw dropping at the news. She looked up at the girls and shook her head. "Okay… So that's the short version… Can you … tell me the long one?"

And Chloe started to recount the events, not necessarily giving that many details, but explaining, with a little help from Max and many swear words, how things happened at the Caulfield's. When she was done, Steph's face was grim and she was drumming her fingers nervously on the table.

"I can't believe this… And you didn't expect this right?" Steph asked the pinkette.

"No… Not something as bad… I mean I knew Vanessa was a bit stiffer than my dad… And that she would not just jump and sing cumbaya at the news… But to tell me I couldn't be her daughter and love Chloe at the same time... ? No I didn't expect that."

"I'm sorry to hear it happened, Max… Do you think your mom may change her mind?"

Max shrugged. "I don't care what she does…" Her face stern as she hissed her words.

Steph reached out and gave a squeeze at Max' hand. "Yes you care, Max… And you should… What you shouldn't do is let it change the path you have chosen for yourself. But that doesn't mean you've got to completely burn that bridge. She's still your mom and I'm sure one day she'll remember that she loves her daughter."

Chloe nodded and squeezed Max' shoulder softly as Max responded. "We'll see I guess…"

Steph smirked softly. "And look at it! At least you are both together and in love! Isn't it the most important? To love someone and be loved by that someone?"

Both girls nodded and looked at each other, exchanging a short kiss before Max leaned her head on Chloe's shoulder.

"Awww, so cute!" Steph cooed with a smile.

"Shut up!" retorted Chloe her cheeks slightly blushing, although not as much as Max'. "Anyway, you got our story. Now spill it! Tell us what you and miss cradle robber Azumi did all this time!"

Steph stiffened a bit. "A girl don't kiss and tell! But wait what do you mean cradle robber?"

Chloe froze a moment her lips twisting. "You haven't checked her file? She's … She's 28… Not that it's a problem for me… I mean she doesn't look like it and if you both love each other it's cool!"

Steph groaned and put her face in her palms. "I didn't know, and I don't care… Well I don't think I do… Although it surely explains how … experienced she is with some things…" She blushed deeply. "I just … I dunno… "

Chloe frowned a moment straightening in her chair as she let go of Max' shoulders. "Steph? What happened?"

The brunette sighed. "I… I dunno what she's thinking of this… I mean … Obviously she had some attraction… But I wonder if she … might have thought this was just a one-time thing…"

Chloe and Max looked at each other a moment, Chloe biting her lip as she knew how bad Steph was crushing on the woman. "What… what make you think so?"

"She … She told me she wished we could do it again someday…" Steph said. "Translation, I had fun but I'm not planning to have it happening again."

Chloe shook her head. "You don't know that. Maybe she really wishes to spend more time with you." She pondered a moment. "When is she coming for the tat?"

Steph sighed and leaned her head on the table. "Thursday."

"Well… You'll have to talk to her I guess… At least, try to see if she wants the same thing as you do before you go further." Chloe said.

Steph nodded weakly only to grunt as her phone chimed.

The water was running down her skin as she stood under the shower just staring down at the tiles. She had finished the usual cleaning part of her morning shower, more like a mid-morning shower if not noon, and was just standing there reflecting on what had happened the previous day, the previous night and earlier that morning.

Kate wasn't really confused about the previous day in itself. Her mom and Aunt had really acted like bitches, and she had no regret what so ever about how good she had felt when Victoria had started to read them the riot act, or how she stormed off to leave with the taller blonde. If she had but one regret, maybe it was that she had not stood up and told all those things Victoria said. She had sat there frozen after her initial outburst, cut off by her mother's scolding, leaving Victoria to fend for them. She had felt ashamed for the rest of the day; ashamed of her family and ashamed of her own silence.

I should have acted… I'm better than this…

The events of the nights had been rather straightforward too. She couldn't sleep, pain and shame had filled her and she needed to make sure her friend forgave her and knew she was different. She had needed comforting and just as she knew she would, had found it in Victoria's arms. It was something strongly ironic. First, because Victoria had been the source of her torments from her first day in Blackwell to that day at the hospital. Then, because since that night, she had been the one comforting Victoria regularly.

From tormentor, to comfortee, to comforter… things sure changed.

No she had no qualms about the previous day or the previous night. Her confusion came from that morning, from what had nearly happened, from what she had felt. Kate wrapped her arms around her body as she remembered how warm she had felt pressed along Victoria's body, how her heart had fluttered when they both had gazed at each other's eyes from so close, how her eyes had kept darting to the other girl's rosy lips. For a girl that had never experienced any romantic love, such feelings were alien and deeply perturbing. She felt a form of panic as she thought about how she had lost control of her composure.

What the hell is happening to me? What were those feelings I had? Is it what people mean when they try to describe love?

Kate nervously reached with a finger and started to twirl her long blonde hair as she tried to analyze what she had felt. Part of her had wanted to just close the gap between hers and Victoria's lips. And that scared her. She had never kissed anyone like this, but she knew that it meant some kind of attraction. Some kind of attraction her upbringing had taught her she should absolutely not be feeling for another girl. And yet, it was there, undeniably there. She knew it was possible, after all her best friend did date another girl, so she had proof right in front of her. But she still felt doubts.

Maybe it's not love, maybe it's something else!

Kate shook her head, pulling herself out of her wandering thoughts. She shivered, realizing the shower had turned cold during her wool gathering, and turned the water off before reaching for her towel. She quickly dried herself, her long hair falling along her back, before she put on large shirt and sleeping shorts. She moved out of the stall and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

Should I ask someone what my feelings are? Who do I trust? Who would know?

Kate moved her hands mechanically raising her long hair in a tight bun as she thought. Finding who to talk to was rather easy, her best friend would certainly know and she would not have any issue if it turns out she had romantic feelings for a girl. Deciding if she should ask was another matter. The shy part of her wanted to just hide her feelings just as she would hide herself. The curious part of her wanted to ask, to find the solution to her dilemma and solve the problem she had. And the part of her that was born from the assimilation of her mother's philosophy during her rearing, found the idea of even envisaging she had such feelings ludicrous and disgusting. That last part, while quickly diminishing since the events of October, and even more since the previous day, scared her, insisting that if she ever had such feelings, her soul would be damned and everyone would hate her. She knew it was ridiculous, but that tiny pang still remained.

I'm silly… I should just ask Max! No use panicking before I know if what I felt, feel, is love or not!

Taking a deep breath she left the bathroom and hurried to her bed, picking up her smartphone.

Kate: Max, I hope you are doing better! Do you want to meet sometimes today?

She spent maybe ten minutes waiting for an answer, but nothing came back. With a sigh she got changed and tried to immerse herself into some homework and preemptive reading of manuals. She even tried to play some violin to kill time, but quickly put the instrument down as she found her music too melancholic. It was mid-afternoon when her phone suddenly chimed.

Max: Hey Kate!

Max: Sorry I had my phone on silent after that mess with my parents!

Max: Of course I'd be happy to meet with you. I'm at the store Chloe works at. Do you want to join us?

Kate: Hey Max! It's okay I understand.

Kate: Could we meet somewhere private?

Max: Err okay. Dorms? Or do you want to come to Chloe's?

Kate: I'd like to avoid the dorm.

Max: I'll ask Chloe and let you know.

It took several more minutes, maybe half an hour before the phone chimed again.

Max: We can come pick you up at the dorm and see from here.

Kate: Okay!

Max: Ok. Text you when we get there!

Victoria spent most of her day sitting in her bed, her knees drawn up to her chest. Kate's hastened departure had left a rather bitter aftertaste to what she had thought to be a perfect night. Waking up with Kate in her arms had felt magical, even more so than waking up in the small girl's arm. She wasn't sure why, but feeling the girl's presence so close to her heart had made her feel much more complete and at peace. She had woken up as thinking she was still dreaming, with Kate's face so close to hers and she had felt the urge in her to simply lean and kiss the smaller girl. She knew her heart had been pounding madly in her chest; it still was whenever she remembered that moment, whenever her mind insisted on imagining how it could have played out.

But Kate's sudden withdrawal had just left Victoria with a swirl of conflicting feelings. She was confused of course, never imagining she would ever feel such a strong attraction for another girl. In fact, what was even more confusing is she had never felt one so strong for anyone before, even boys. She had been straight, or thought she was, all her life until that moment and her mind was in constant puzzlement at this new found development. It wasn't something new; she had started to feel this new attraction, this warmth, in the coming days, weeks. But, the intensity of the feeling and the lust she had felt that morning had been.

Fuck! What does it mean? Does it mean I'm gay and didn't know it? Does it mean I'm bi? Am I just losing it?

Victoria buried her face in her knees. The questions had been coming again and again, turning in her mind for most of the day already, and she couldn't make head or tails of any of them. She hadn't had any real relationship before. Oh she had fooled around, gone out with some boys, even slept with a couple of them. But she had never really loved them. Not like the love she could see between Max and Chloe, or even Dana and Trevor although that last one paled compared to the two girls.

With a groan Victoria leaned back against the wall raking her fingers in her short blond hair. "Fuck it!" She cursed as she reached for her phone.

Victoria: Steph. I need some help with something.

Victoria: Mind if I come by your store?

Steph: Sure. Although not sure I'll be great council today.

Chapter Text

The tension had kept rising in Kate's stomach since Max had texted her to let her know they were waiting for her on the parking lot. She had been glad to see her best friend earlier than she could have expected and the greeting she received from Chloe had also been a nice balm to what had been a rather strange day. After some deliberation, they had decided to drive back to Chloe's house, Kate climbing in the Truck to ride beside Max as the pink-haired girl sat between her and Chloe. It hadn't seemed to bother the two girls at all. In fact, Kate felt like it was better that way.

They seemed to have enjoyed the excuse to both drive and snuggle!

Kate chuckled slightly as she remembered. She was now sitting at the foot of Chloe's - and one could say Max' – bed, her hands fiddling nervously with the hem of a navy-blue cardigan. Max was sitting on the wooden chair by the desk while Chloe was perched on the table, by the opened window. Both girls were smoking cigarettes, although Max was only taking a drag now and then, while Chloe seemed to literally breathe through the nicotine sticks, as they retold of how their visit to Seattle had gone.

"I can't believe it! Your mother sounded so nice when I met her in the hospital!" Kate reacted after the story. "I'd have expected it from my mom for sure… but not yours…."

Max looked at the smoke coming out from her cigarette for a second and shrugged sadly. "I guess… I hadn't thought she would react like that too… My dad says she will turn around, that it was just some knee jerk reaction…" Max pursed her lips. "I dunno… And I'm not sure I care anymore… Chloe's all that matter to me now."

"I can understand…" Kate responded her thought wandering again toward her feelings about a taller blonde girl.

"And you Katie? How was your Thanksgiving? Hope it was good at least!" Chloe started with an enthusiastic smile. "Icky Vicky didn't ruin it, uh? Tell me if she did, I'll totally make her pay for it!"

Max and Kate chuckled at the obvious belligerent expectation from the punk girl. Kate shook her head and look down sadly. "It wasn't a good one, but it's not Victoria's fault." She said softly. "It's more my mom and my Aunt that should pay for ruining things."

The disgust and anger in her voice was enough to make both Max and Chloe wince and stare at her. "What happened?" Chloe finally asked.

Kate took a deep breath before she began. "Well, my Aunt and mom started to talk shit about the school and students. They are so judgmental! To them everything that happened was somehow beseeched. Even…. They even said I was the one to blame for what happened to me… Victoria just… She exploded. Started to read them the riot act actually. But, well mom and my Aunt are just… no… bigots not even strong enough a term I think… They kept saying how what happened to me and Victoria was our own fault, that Max being shot was somehow warranted by some imaginary criminal behavior that surely had to have taken place, because people being shot are all criminals of course." Her tone was turning bitter and even poisonous as she kept retelling the events. "Mom even went and said you been kicked from your parent's house was proof you were a delinquent!"

Max and Chloe frowned, the punk crushing her cigarette in the ashtray with anger before she took another one and lit it up.

"Victoria went berserk… I thought she would actually slap my mom… but she just called them for what they were, hypocrites. Then she stormed out. My mom and Aunt started to talk shit about her now that she was gone, because of course they couldn't do it in front of her! I couldn't take it so I left too."

Max stared at the smaller blonde stunned by the acid in her voice and the fact Kate had ran from her parents. "And, are things okay for you? I mean did your parents try to contact you and all?"

Kate nodded weakly with a frown. "My dad and sisters tried to call yesterday, but I was too upset. I just sent a text to Sam – err Samantha's my sister – that I'd call them when I was ready."

Chloe nodded stiffly. "I would like to punch your mom and aunt… No offense by that but, damn!" She sighed and shaking her head as she obviously tried to reign her anger in. "Okay that's it for your family… But, how are you? And I mean you, Katie. Max and I, we don't care about your mom or aunt, we care about you."

Kate smiled warmly. "Thank you, guys! I really appreciate it! And I'll be okay, I think…" She frowned and looked down fiddling with her cardigan again. "Actually, I'm… Well something …" She paused as if trying to find her words before she sighed and blurted her question. "I wanted to ask… how does it feel…. Love?"

Both Max and Chloe looked at her with mouth gaping and she felt her face burn as her skin turned red. She shrunk down on the bed trying to disappear as Max responded while looking at Chloe.

"Err… tough one… I'd say… It feels like everything makes sense… Like music, poetries and all, you know… Like all your life was meant for being with that person… I know with Chloe I feel safe, safer than anywhere else, and that I can do anything. When I hold her hand, it's like our hands have been molded to be together you know… same when we cuddle… It feels so natural, so warm so peaceful… The world could end I would not care, I'd just want to remain there staring at her eyes and holding her." Max paused and nuzzled her head on the punk thigh softly. "I feel like nothing else matters, a bit like the song, I don't care about others or anything else, just my Chloe… And I'd sacrifice the world for her…"

Chloe blushed and reached to caress Max' hair lovingly. "You nearly did, hon…"

Max nodded softly. "Yeah, I guess I did…" She shook her head slightly as if brushing a thought and looked at Kate. "Does it help?"

Kate pondered the words a moment. "I am not sure… I might actually be more confused. I mean I never had to see if I'd take a bullet for someone else so …"

Max chuckled softly. "Good! Better that you don't know about that one, because it really sucks!" She smiled softly. "Anyway, why did you want to know?" Her smile turned a bit more mischievous. "Is Kate Marsh crushing on someone?"

Kate blushed furiously and looked away as she nervously played with her clothing. "I… I dunno… it's rather confusing… Is why I asked…" She shyly responded.

Max let out a soft "ah" as she clapped her hands giddily. Chloe slapped an excited hand on her desk. "This is so rad! Katie's in love! Woohoo!" She looked down a bit more serious, the smile on her face and the sparkling in her eyes showing how much she enjoyed this. "So! Who's the lucky guy?"

Kate's lips had drawn into a soft embarrassed smile at the giddiness and cheerfulness of her friends, but the question felt like an ice-cold bucket of water had been dropped on her. She stiffened and, her face twitching as her smile disappeared and her eyes stared at the floor.

"Kate?" Max' voice called to her with a hint of concern.

"It's… It's complicated…" She whined softly, words stuck in her throat as she couldn't get herself to say them.

Chloe's face turned serious again as she looked at the small girl. She jumped off the table and went to sit beside the blonde, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "It's… It's not a boy, uh?"

Kate shook her head as she reached and pressed her hands on her face, the confusion overwhelming her.

Seeing her friend's distress, Max softly moved to join both girls on the bed, sitting on the Kate's other side as she joined her girlfriend in hugging the girl. "You're confused because, you think you are in love with another girl?" She asked softly, only drawing a soft nod from the blonde.

"Well, that wasn't expected!" Chloe exclaimed causing Kate to shudder with a sob.

"Chloe…" Max scolded softly and the blue-haired girl palmed her face as she realized she had left the words out.

"Shit! Sorry Kate, I didn't mean it like that! I mean, … It's cool with us anyway…Argh… Okay I'll move somewhere remote… maybe Antarctica or something…"

Max and Kate chuckled softly, the blonde's head rising a bit as her lips gave a faint smile. Max shook her head at her girlfriend's antic as she talked. "What my airhead of a girlfriend is trying to say is that we don't really care whether it is a boy or a girl. She was just surprised because well, it's not like we expected to see another gay couple among our friends… And maybe because of the religious thing…"

Kate nodded. "I understand, I mean of course people would be surprised…" She sighed deeply. "I just dunno what to think, Max… I know I don't mind that you and Chloe are together at all. I'm happy for you… So, I suppose I, should be okay with me having these kinds of feelings for another girl too… But … It's confusing… everything feels so confusing about this…Was it like that for you too at first?"

Max looked up at Chloe and pondered. "I… I dunno if we can really compare it… Chloe and I grew up together. We've been together since, kinder garden?" She looked at Chloe who nodded as she quipped. "Might have been since daycare, except my parents never took me there."

Max snorted softly before she continued. "Anyway, we were always very close… Although I hadn't really thought about that at the time… I know I been confused about how hard it hurt when my parents told me we would be moving… And I know I pinned on losing her for years while in Seattle… But I still needed some… strong event for me to realize I loved her. And when I did, well, all was clear to me."

Kate looked at Max with a soft interrogative frown. "You mean, … the bathroom?"

Max bit her lip and nodded softly, her eyes looking at Chloe.

"I always loved Max! She was my first crush! Although, only my dad knew… I think that's why it hurt so much when I learned she had to move away… I … I wanted to tell her how I felt… It was our last day together and I wanted to make it special, to open my heart… But…" She sniffed softly, and Max finished for her. "William died…"

Chloe nodded. "I think it was more confusing with Rachel though… I mean it happened so fast… I knew I felt something, just didn't know what till she hit me with her kinda proposal…"

Max smiled softly, "Still got to get Steph to show me the video!"

"Max! Don't you dare watch that!" Chloe blurted her face turning crimson with embarrassment.

"Anyway a good way to see if you really love her would be... ask yourself, would you cut all ties with your family for her if it came to that?" Max looked stern with a harsh face. "It's not an easy thing trust me... but if you really think you could do it, and I mean really cut yourself from even your sisters and all... You probably get your response."

Their antics at least made Kate feel better as she giggled but the sudden seriousness made her hesitate. "I suppose you are right… We can't really compare things like that I guess… I mean Victoria and I didn't really like each other until October, and… we got close because of the incident …."

Max and Chloe pulled back a little mouth gapping. "Holy shit! Kate! You mean… You crushing on Victoria Fucking Chase?" Chloe blurted out, speaking for both of them.

Kate winced as she realized she let the cat out of the bag and nodded weakly.

"How… How… How did this happen?" Max asked softly.

Kate shuddered softly. "I dunno… I'm not even sure I'm really having a crush… It's… It just feels… weird…" she sighed trying to find a way to explain. "We got close because, she went through the same thing I did you know…" she said hoping the girls would not make her voice the name of her aggressor, "And in a way helping her, comforting her maybe, helped me move on from it too. It was just hugging and watching over her you know… Like some nights, she couldn't sleep she had nightmares, like Max I guess, and just having me in the room helped… so we started to have sleepovers … " She bit her lip nervously. "Later, we started sleeping in the same bed I guess… Just sleeping though!" she added nervously as if trying to defend herself.

Max and Chloe looked at each other silently. They were unsure about how they should react to the news that Kate and Victoria had needed each other's presence to sleep. But seeing that Max still couldn't sleep a full restful night even with Chloe, they could relate.

"Usually it was just me comforting her, you know… but yesterday…" Kate began nervously.

"You went to her for support?" Max said warmly as she hugged the small blonde.

"Yes… I just… I needed to be with someone you know… and it felt natural… familiar…"

Chloe chuckled. "Well I can understand that! I mean you been spending every other night with the other beside you to sleep right? So, you are used to the other's presence! Me, I been sleeping with Max for just a few weeks now, but I know I'll hella hate the day I won't have her beside me to sleep! She's like the best teddy bear to me now!"

Kate smiled and even giggled at the image while Max cooed. "Awwww, you're so cute!"

"Shut up!"

The banter lightened the mood a bit allowing Kate to find her words again. "Anyway, this morning… we woke very late… and I think we weren't fully awake… We were in each other's arms, just … inches apart I guess… And I felt myself about to kiss her! … I dunno why!"

Max soothingly rubbed a hand on the small girl's back. "It's okay Kate… nothing bad about that…"

Chloe nodded and smiled softly. "So? How was it?"

Kate looked up. "What?"

"The kiss, duh! It was your first one, right?"

Kate eyes widened. "Oh, no! We didn't actually kiss! I… I caught myself and … Well I may have, sort of, run away…"

Chloe made a small pout, clearly disappointed at the news. "Oh… okay… well nothing wrong with panicking… I mean…"

Max interrupted her with a smirk. "You mean you did exactly that when I told you how I felt?"

Chloe groaned as her shoulders slumped. "Yeah… okay… can we talk about something else… not exactly my best moment…"

Kate came to her rescue as she looked at Max. "What am I supposed to do? I mean I don't even know if she feels the same about me!"

Max tightened her hug on the small girl. "It's okay Kate, no panic. Not yet… I guess the first thing would be for you to talk to her. Tell her how you feel, or how you think you do… Maybe she's just as confused as you are!"

Kate tensed. "What? I could never tell her that! I'd be too embarrassed! And what if she doesn't feel that way about me?! What if I … disgust her! "

Max and Chloe looked at the girl surprised by the panic in her voice. "woah! Chill down, Kate! No need to work yourself up like that! You saw how chill she was with me and Max being together on Tuesday right?"

Kate nodded softly at Chloe's question.

"Then she won't be disgusted! It may be awkward for a bit, especially if she doesn't reciprocate your feelings, but she won't hate you for loving her!"

Kate looked down. "But… But I don't want it to mess with our friendship… "

Max bit her lip. "I'm not sure it can work that way, Kate… I mean, if you say nothing you will feel awkward and frustrated all the time… And that's not fair to you. If you say something, either she loves you back and … well your friendship evolves… or she doesn't, and things will be awkward, at least for a moment…. But things may turn back into friendship after a time… I guess."

Kate pondered the words, not sure if it was encouragement or just a grim statement of her situation. "I … I guess… I don't have much of a choice…"

Chapter Text

Victoria cursed a few more times as she tried to park her car one-handed. Her small Prius wasn't really hard to park, her size allowing her to pass where many usual cars might not but maneuvering with one hand locked into a cast was rather turning into a different kind of painful matter.

Beside I hate that car! We have money; we have dozens of cars in our garage in Seattle, some having not even been use in years! And when I asked for a car, I was hoping they'd just let me use one of them! I dunno, maybe the Porsche Boxster or the small Z convertible from BMW, hell I'd have settled for the Mazda! But nooo! They had to buy me the new hybrid Toyota! Because a cleaner engine is sure making it a better car, no matter how slow and uncool it would have been compared to a convertible!

After several more attempt, Victoria gave up on making her parking clean and perfect. She pushed the start button, switching the car off - Can't even call that shutting an engine down! – and stepped out of the car. She quickly rejoined the walkway, looking around her, before she headed for the small store.

She entered Fantas'ynk in a shy and measured way that was completely unusual for her, looking around and searching to see if Steph was busy or anything. The brunette was at the register with a few customers. Judging by their look, and the lack of piercings and other body modifications, Victoria gathered they were mainly here for the second kind of business Steph was offering, gaming. She shrugged and decided to take a walk along the aisles of book and figurines.

After all, I might be closeted, but I'm still a nerd, although not as much as Steph! No, I'm being unfair… We are not the same kind of nerds… She likes gaming and Fantasy… I like video games and sci-fi and manga. Not the same kind of area, but still pretty nerd anyway.

The store seemed busy. Not as busy as a Mall would be, especially on Black Friday, but busier than usual. Say what you want but it is the national shopping day! Half a dozen teenagers were perusing the store's shelves looking through books and other items. Most of them were the typical nerdy guy, teenagers with glasses, pale untanned skin and probably a success rate with girls close to zero considering how all of them looked at Steph with awe.

Guess they still have no clue that she's batting for the other team!

Victoria decided she would wait. She'd rather not talk about her new-found heart issues in front of teenagers. Besides, Steph probably didn't need her to kill the mystic that probably brought so many of them in this store by advertising the owner's lack of interest for men. If they still believed they had a shot, they'll keep coming to do business right? She shrugged and started to look at figurines to kill time, and quickly found herself looking at them in details and wondering on which ones she would use for consolation shopping.

I have to admit I do like that small blonde character in some kind of military uniform. She's not overly busty as the others and her tight bun gives her a cute look that goes well with the skirt and vest!

Victoria frowned a moment taking another good look at the figurine.

Shit! Get a hold of yourself, girl! You're salivating on it because she reminds you of someone!

"Didn't peg you for a fellow nerd." Steph's voice took her out from her thoughts and she pulled her eyes away from the shelves.

"Yeah well, I do enjoy some games and stuff… Sometimes…" The blonde answered with a shrug. "How are things today Steph?"

The brunette frowned a bit, unused to a civil Victoria Chase. "Guess they are ok… Especially compared to what happened to others."

Victoria nodded. "Yeah, heard Max had it rough… Although I didn't get any details."

Steph winced a bit. "Yeah, well… She'll tell you if she wants I guess." She looked at the blonde "Want some coffee or tea?"

Victoria nodded softly "Coffee sounds nice, thanks."

Steph moved toward the back of the store and Victoria followed quietly. "How are you Victoria? Your texts mentioned something about needing help?"

"Yeah… kinda… I kinda been having something like an existential crisis lately…."

Steph came back out of the small back room with two mugs, offering one to the blonde. "I see… Anything you wanna share? I mean, it would make it easier to help if I knew what was going on…"

Victoria bit her lip and moved to the table at the center of the store, taking a seat in a chair. "It's…" She paused, thinking about how she could bring her concern out. "Before I start… Can I ask you something? Something personal… Very personal."

Steph quirked an eyebrow and nodded. "I suppose, provided I can refuse to respond."

"Okay… I wanted to know… How did you realize you preferred girls? I mean did you always know it or did you just realize you were attracted to one or …" her voice trailed out as she blushed, jerking her head away so as not to face the brunette.

Steph stared at Victoria for a few minutes, her mouth gaping, her mind whirring madly trying to compute where the blonde was heading as she had not expected this question. "Okay… that one came way out of left field I guess…" She scratched her head as she thought a bit. "I don't really know… I never had much attraction to boys… Sure I could be friend with them but, never felt more than that you know…" She looked at the window for a moment. "I think I realized it was because I am gay when I had my first crush on a girl… Before that I just didn't pay attention to it."

Victoria nervously fiddled with her fingers as she listened to the words. "So wasn't something you always knew but wasn't something that came suddenly either…"

Steph shook her head. "It's not like flipping a switch, you don't become gay overnight, just as you don't suddenly wake up and decide 'oh yeah from now on I hate dogs and only like cats!'" She scoffed a bit. "Well you could I guess, but I wouldn't trust my feelings if you were like that."

Victoria nodded quietly, looking at the coffee much as she thought. After a moment she just groaned. "Okay that doesn't really help…"

Steph put her mug on the table and sat in a chair with a more serious expression. "Okay Victoria, what's bothering you?"

Victoria sighed. "I think… I think I might be attracted to a girl…"

Steph's eyes slowly scanned the blonde's face, searching to see how serious the girl was. "I… see… And is that… bad?"

Victoria looked up. "What?" She shook her head softly. "No… At least not like that… I'm not homophobic… It's just… it's complicated and confusing… And I'm not even sure…"

Steph pondered a moment. "Well, can you tell me more? I mean, I don't need names or details, but without knowing what happened it's hard for me to help… I think…"

The blonde pondered the words carefully, trying to gauge what she should or not say, what she could or not say. She sighed and looked at Steph. "You promise it's between us?" As the brunette nodded, Victoria sighed and took a deep breath. "Okay… I figure being friend with Max and Chloe, you know what happened at the school in October."

Steph nodded somberly. "You mean Nathan or the teacher?"

Victoria started to bite her nail a bit. "Both in a way… I mean, Nathan was like my brother you know… So… Was quite a shock to hear he shot someone! But, I was more meaning the … teacher thing…"

As she started to mention Jefferson, she felt her pain and fear slowly emerging in her stomach. Her face must have shown some of it as she paused, searching her words, because the brunette reached out and put a hand on hers. "Victoria, … don't tell me that…"

The rest was left unspoken, but both girls knew exactly what Steph had meant. Victoria nodded, tears starting to pearl at the corner of her eyes as the discussion brought back the angst and fears.

"Shit! I'm so sorry…" The brunette started to shake her head in disbelief. "God, Victoria! I'm glad that bastard was stupid enough to try to shoot it out with the cops! "

Victoria nodded looking down. "Anyway, I had a hard time sleeping since then. The night I got saved, there was a storm and the lightning kept making me feel like I was back in that nightmare… That's when she came… She comforted me… I still don't understand why… I mean I was total bitch to her! God! I … I nearly drove her to suicide! But she still came to look after me… She kept doing so since that day… When I had nightmares, I'd go see her and she would hold me and reassure me… At first, she would sleep on my couch or I would sleep on hers… Just knowing she was in the room really helped, you know." Victoria rubbed her thumb on the rim of her mug as she talked, eyes looking down. "Then, one night I probably had a worse nightmare than before because well I woke up in the morning, with her lying beside me and holding me. Was rather embarrassing actually… I… Well, I really tried to ignore it, to keep sleeping on the couch and all… But, I ended up unable to really sleep… I didn't feel safe… unless I was in her arms…" She looked up at Steph with stern eyes. "What kind of fucked up situation is that? I'm a fucking grown up! Sure I got through some fucking shit… But time was actually helping… I mean I didn't get that many nightmares and they weren't as … bad… But I still couldn't sleep peacefully unless I was in her bed… in her arms…Fuck!" She sighed pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Anyway, I dunno when, but I started to realize I … I .. I felt like she was becoming the most important thing … Like seeing her smile and happy is like a fucking rainbow, like seeing her safe is soothing my worries … fuck I even broke my hand beating the crap of a reporter just because he gave her a little shove… Well he made both her and Max fall… but it was mostly her…"

Steph nodded, pursing her lips although she said nothing waiting for the girl to finish.

"Anyway, yesterday … she had a bad day… Her family, especially her mom and Aunt are like those religious bigot caricature… They already came at her for having been roofied and filmed kissing boys… They said that that asshole Victims were the one to blame … Fuck they said I was to blame for a sick jerk drugging me, kidnapping me and fucking raping me!" Victoria slammed her fists on the table wincing as her right hand reminded her of its broken status. "In the end she ran away, I guess… And well she came seeking comfort yesterday night… She … She had given me so much you know… Of course I'd give it to her!... Anyway when we woke up this morning, we … Were staring at each other, so close… I … Fuck! I was going to kiss her! I was going to kiss a girl!"

Steph tilted her head. "Okay … I get the feeling you left quite a lot out but … We'll see…" She rubbed a hand in her hair. "So basically, the girl really looked after you when you needed… And you feel like you are falling for her." She looked at the blonde who nodded. "Okay … I guess that is one reason you are not sure about your feelings? You fear you are just having some kind of "love my nurse" syndrome?"

"A bit… and … Well I never been attracted to a girl before."

"Do you find some of them cute or attractive?" Victoria nodded in response after a moment. "And do you find some boys handsome and attractive?"

The blonde pondered before giving a curt nod. "Depends on the guy I guess… Why? What has it got to do with my problem?"

Steph pondered a moment. "Well just trying to show you don't find only boys attractive I guess…"

Victoria shakes her head. "So what, because I may think you are looking nice I'd be gay? And don't be dreaming! I think you have a cool look! Doesn't mean I'm attracted to you!"

Steph chuckled. "No worry, you're not my type either." She waved a hand in front of her brushing the idea away. "What I meant is first you can be attracted both to boys and girls… It's called being bi, I think?" She asked ironically. "And that's just if you wanna use labels… We don't choose who we fall for Victoria… Else life would be soooo much easier… Look at Max and Chloe! All the drama they could have avoided!"

"Yeah, well maybe. But they sure look nice together… like nothing could take them apart. Kinda makes you gag with sweetness!" Victoria responded rolling her eyes.

"Okay, bad example I guess. Then maybe I would not have chosen to crush on one of my customer… Especially since she probably saw me as a one-night stand… Well the night was more 48 hours but still…"

Victoria winced a bit. "Oh, I'm sorry Steph… You going to be okay?"

Steph shrugged sipping her coffee. "I dunno. I'll see… I'm supposed to keep working on her tattoo soon and I think … I'll try to find out if I can get … more… But that's not the point… The point is you don't choose who you fall in love with… So try not to focus on whether it's a boy or a girl… focus more on the person… If you really feel attracted to her… Well try to enjoy that! No need to drive yourself crazy over it, just go talk to her."

Victoria sighed and leaned her head on the table. "It's not that simple…."

Steph frowned. "Why that? Are you afraid she turns you down?"

Victoria pursed her lips a bit. "Well yeah … I mean I doubt she would feel the same as I do… She's pretty … religious as I said… And the … same gender love and all is still pretty taboo!"

Steph bit her lip and nodded softly. "Could be… But, what's the worse she could do? I mean she won't have you burnt at the stake!"

Victoria shook her head some tears in her eyes. "She could decide not to be friend with me anymore! Fuck she probably knows I wanted to kiss her… She scurried out of bed and … ran away this morning…"

Steph sighed. "Well if so, talking to her won't make it worse… And if she decides she feels the same you would resolve all your problems? Beside maybe she ran because she felt the same as you do but didn't know how you'd react?"

Victoria rose her head and rubbed her temples with her fingers. "Fuck… this is giving me too much of a headache!" She sighed softly. "Guess this means you dykes don't get away from the awkwardness straight people get…"

Steph chuckled. "Oh no! Far from it! The cold feet and all are the same… But we also have to deal with the 'is she gay too?' dilemma!"

Victoria groaned. "So, what do I do?"

Steph shrugged. "You got two choices… You either talk to her … see how it goes…Or, you just do your best to avoid her for the rest of your life."

Victoria groaned again letting her head fall on the table in frustration. "This is just so fucked up!"

Steph chuckled a bit. "Tell me about it… Anyway, take your time and think about it if you want… just don't use the 'it's not natural' excuse to bail out of this. You'll end up doing yourself more hurt than good."

Victoria raised her casted hand in a soft wave. "Yes Ma'am!"

Steph smiled and finished her coffee. "How are things in Blackwell these days?"

Victoria pondered a moment. "Quiet… which is nice… We haven't had much drama this week and honestly I had forgotten how it felt… "

Steph nodded. "It's good… Some of you need the quiet and deserve the peace."

Victoria grunted. "Yeah we do … Just hope the assholes stay down for a while."

Steph smirked. "Yeah well don't hold your breath… suffocation is an ugly way to go!" She put her elbow on the table resting her chin on her hands. "What about class?"

Victoria shrugged. "I'm doing good, although I'm … a bit nervous about Monday… We're supposed to get a new photography teacher..."

Steph nodded. "Not that eager to return in that classroom I guess…"

Victoria pursed her lips staring at nothing. "I… Haven't been able to even take a picture or anything since the incident…"

Steph pondered a moment. "Well take your time… The harder you pushed the worse it gets…" She pulled back drumming her fingers on the table softly. "Maybe, find yourself a model you find comfortable with, one you feel safe with…"

Victoria pursed her lips and nodded. "Yeah… I'll try that…" She sighed and rose from the table. "Okay! Now, tell me how much discount you give me if I buy you some figurines?"

Steph laughed softly. "Depends… Which ones you gonna take?"

Chapter Text

Tuesday, November 19^th

OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! CHLOE AND I ARE FINALLY TOGETHER! SQUEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Okay I guess I better explain that one… I kinda messed up again… I used my powers again. It wasn't the first time since I promised myself I wouldn't do it… But the other times I didn't change fate or anything… I think… This time I did… I saved lives… Maybe they should have died but maybe not… Certainly not! I mean I can't let Chloe die or become a murderer! I know I promised I would not get involved in the matter but of course I couldn't let Chloe deal with her ass of a dealer alone… So I tried to go behind her back… Told her I'd be going to Saturday's gaming party with Warren… While in fact I took the bus and went to the beach.

Chloe was already there, so epic fail on the go behind her back part… But things got very bad when I got there… Of course she had a gun… Because, well it's Chloe… And because she did… She shot Frank and immediately broke down at what she did. So here came the rewind and trying to stop her… which turned even worse as Frank just stabbed her! My Chloe was dead again! I had to rewind to find a way to stop all this… And I did… Kinda pounced in the middle and laid down the law onto both of them… Dog it hurt to do it… But at least I saved her…

Except she got super pissed that I broke my promise… And she told me she didn't want to see me again… Long story short… Broken heart, nervous breakdown… And another scar later I'm back in hospital… But Chloe is there! Chloe is with me! Although I had to tell her everything… everything about that week she doesn't remember… I couldn't get into all the details but … I told her. She said she believed me but I know my punk I'm sure she still doubt… Anyway she told me she loved me! And she kissed me! Oh Dog my poor heart! But this is just heaven! Wait? Am I dead? Please let it be real!

No! It is real! I KNOW IT! Take that Fate! I fucking am with CHLOE FUCKING PRICE! And I'll be with her forever!

Gotta go kiss her again, bye!

Max: This therapy thing sucks! How is listening to other people traumatic stories supposed to help me?

Max: All it does is traumatizing me even more!

Chloe:  Max… I think you're not supposed to text me while you are getting your head checked!

Max: Butttttt! :/

Max: I gotta have something to distract me! Or I'll fall in love with my therapist like every patient!

Chloe: Hand's in your pocket! Eyes on the walls and NO EMOJI!

Chloe: Yoh Warren! What's the story with you and Nerd girl?

Warren:  Well we're going out, playing video games and role play.

Chloe: Oh la la! Role play? Like Teacher and student? Captain Kirk and Uhura? Boss and secretary?

Warren: What? NO! I'm not like that!

Chloe: oh Warren, Warren… just answer one question though.

Warren: I fear to the even think about what you're going to ask…

Chloe:  Did you and Brooke do it?

Warren: Do what?

Chloe: The whole shebang! Play doctor! Put the salami in the bun! Be the beast with two backs!

Warren:  Fuck you Chloe!

Chloe: I take that as a no… And I doubt Brooke would like that… not that I'd be interested anyway.

Warren:  Good bye Chloe!

Chloe: God Max, you should see Steph!

Max: What happened?

Chloe: She's losing it big time for that Asian chick! She calls her a goddess!

Max: Oh god! Poor Steph! Yeah she lost it!

Chloe: She spent the whole night working on designs!

Chloe: They're pretty good!

Max: Thinking about getting one on yourself?

Chloe: Thinking about putting one on you! You'd look totally badass!

Max: I be a dragon!

Warren : Hey girls! When are we going to catch up on that tabletop?

Max: No idea, things are … complicated at the moment.

Chloe: Why?

Warren :  Drew keeps asking me!

Chloe : Wait do Wookie text?

Warren : Wookies are intelligent! He says it's his only chance to see Mickey..

Max: Woooaaa you can speak Wookie? What a nerd!

Chloe: Say the girl with the entire Wonder Woman comic collection!

Max: You can talk Miss I know every quote from Battlestar Galatica!

Chloe: Shut up Fracking toaster lover!

Warren: So say we all!

Juliet:  Max! I heard something incredible about you! Care to share?

Max: I dunno… What did you hear?

Juliet: Oh nothing big! Just that you allegedly are gay and in couple with Chloe Price!

Max: Oh that's all? I thought it was something about my cannibalistic dietary habits! Who's your source?

Juliet: Not telling! So is it true?

Max: Not telling.

Juliet: Come on Max! Please give me something!

Max: I'll give you Dana's ass grilled with fries and hot sauce…

Juliet: 0_0

Dear Diary,

Thanksgiving with Kate was a bust… Fuck I can't believe there still exist people as bigoted and judgmental as her mom and Aunt! I mean, aren't they the typical hardcore conservative republican caricature? Honestly I feel bad for Kate… The girl went through hell, and her parents are … Shoving her back in it!

Speaking of which, Kate ran away from her parents! Guess they had this coming. I feel bad about it though, I know how hard it is when you and your parents are nearly estranged so I would not wish it on anyone. And I know Kate loves her sisters too… At least, it means I won't be alone all weekend…

And to make 2013 Thanksgiving even better, Max came out to her parents and got kicked out. I thought hipster as she was, her parents would be cool… Guess I was wrong… sucks… Maybe we should form a club? We could call ourselves "The Artists with shitty Parents" or "Bigostein's Daughters"?

Well not everything was bad. I got to sleep with Kate in my arms! Was maybe the best night in my life! And for the first time since, ever, I got to be there for her instead of her being there for me!

It became awkward fast though… I was so dazed this morning, I nearly… Kissed her! Fuck it can't be! Am I really becoming Gay? Steph says I should not really care about labels and gender and focus on the feeling and person. Weirdo…

But then again… I feel great when I'm with Kate… and… And I better stop right there, stay away and get my shit together! No way Kate would love me! She's a girl and I'm one too! She's religious and great and sweet, and I'm just the bitch who didn't help her when she got drugged, taped her when she got abused, and spread everything on the net calling her names… Besides, I don't want to be the reason she never talks to her family again… Kate deserves better.

Yeah well everything cool! It got to be… At least I don't have to worry about anyone reading this, I barely can myself! Guess there's advantages to having to write with my left hand!

Now I have to find a place for my new figurines! My many new figurines! I may have gone overboard on that one. God I can't believe she had one of Lightning or Kirika! She even had Chloe and Mireille! Maybe I should offer Chloe to Max! Could be fun! But my favorite remains Sister Rosette Christopher… Yeah as if I didn't know why… A blonde religious girl who goes out with a demon… Any similarity with another story you know about Victoria?

Juliet: Fair warning, I think Max is pissed at you.

Dana: What did you do again?

Juliet: Asked her about that thing about her and Chloe.

Dana: And why am I… Oh okay… She thinks I blabbed.

Juliet: I'm sorry…

Dana: yeah you better be! I can't believe you went all reporter on her about this! Where did you get that info anyway?

Juliet: Heard Taylor and Courtney talking in the bathroom.

Dana: and did you tell Max?

Juliet:  No…

Dana:  That gonna cost you!

Juliet: Laundry and lunch?

Dana: If Max doesn't rip at me bad yeah… Else you be my personal slave for two weeks!

Juliet: God Max please be kind!

Max: Dude! You will never guess who my new photography teacher is!

Chloe: Chloe Kardashian?

Max: Nope… although I'd like that… would be quite a nice sight… I'd totally be a teacher's pet for her :p

Chloe: MAXINE!

Chloe: and no emoji

Max: Hey guys we should totally do some secret Santa thing!

Chloe: Aww you're so cute!

Victoria: erk… What are you 5? Count me out.

Dana:  Oh yeah It's going to be fun!

Trevor: I'm in!

Warren: Me and Brooke are ok too!

Courtney: Sounds nice!

Taylor: Why not!

Kate: Oh my god it's such a great idea! Thank you for that Max!

Victoria: Err well if everyone is doing it… I don't want to be a grinch so …

Chloe: Yeah we totally know who Victoria hopes she'll get!

Victoria: Fuck You bitch!

Chloe:  You wish!

Max: hands off my girlfriend Vic! Chloe's fucks are mine and mine alone!

Dana: Wow did you finally do it?

Max: …

Chloe:  Oh yeah we totally did! We actually did on your bed Dana! Didn't want to make Max' dirty!

Dana: o_0

Max: Honey?

Chloe: Yes babe?

Max: What do you want for Xmas?

Chloe: You

Max:  You know I'll be there. I mean for present!

Chloe:  You naked with just a gift ribbon and bow

Max: Dork!

Chapter Text

The weekend had not been a good one in the end. Between her fight with her mom, running off in the middle of the Thanksgiving meal and the awkwardness with Victoria, Kate's Thursday and Friday had been strange. The rest of their long weekend had not been great either.

She had returned from Chloe's on Saturday, accepting the invitation to sleep over with Max and Chloe. Chloe's mom was a very nice woman, and Kate had started to wish she could have been her mother instead of the harpy that she had home. And what a cook too, the food had tasted just like at the diner. She might have to find a way to spend more time at Chloe's.

Back in the dormitories she had quickly moved toward Victoria's room, hoping to talk with the girl. She hadn't been sure what she was going to say but she knew she had to see the girl and find out if the feeling were there or not. To her disappointment, no one answered when she knocked on the door. She had returned every now and then hoping to see the blonde, knocking on the door without getting any response. She left messages on the white board but nothing came out of it. She had started to worry too and sent text messages hoping the girl was doing good, without success.

All in all, the only sight she had of the taller blonde had been sometime on Sunday when she unexpectedly saw the girl walk in the dorm building with some take-out food. She had called and rushed to join her, but Victoria had just glanced at her and quickly hurried to her bedroom, locking the door and refusing to respond when Kate knocked.

It had hurt. Kate had felt a sharp pain her soul as the taller blonde had ran away from her.

Is she… Is she avoiding me? Does it mean she realized I … was about to kiss her? Is she … Is she avoiding me because she thinks I'm having feelings for her?

Kate's mind kept running in circle all night and she barely got any sleep. She had quickly showered and changed in the morning before going to class. She had hoped to see the taller blonde and talk to her. But when she went to say hi, Victoria had just nodded and resumed her talk with Taylor and Courtney, literally ignoring Kate. It had gone all day long. Every time, Victoria would ignore her in class, walk away from her, taking other paths when possible. At the end of the day, Kate was lost and confused as she sat beside Max in the photography lab.

They had decided they should sit with friends and try to change how things were so as to give a different feeling from the last time they all had been in this room. Kate had felt Max tensing up as they entered the room, the girl's hand squeezing her crutches to the point her fingers turned white. Kate understood why as photography had been the last class Max had before she got shot. And today was the first time she got back in this specific room.

They sat quietly, Max fiddling nervously with the rings in her ear. Kate looking at the nearby table, watching as Victoria kept her back to her as she spoke to Taylor. Kate had hoped they could all see together, but Victoria had purposefully moved her bag to the chair beside her as soon as she saw Kate approaching.

The message is clear. No seat for you here Kate…

Kate had moved reluctantly to the table at the back of the room sitting alone until Max had come and joined her with a smile. "You okay?" She had asked the blonde girl softly.

Kate had nodded with a wince. "Maybe a bit tensed, but I'm okay, Max…"

The bell rang and they all shuffled, head craning and eyes looking toward the door to look for the new teacher. Silence started to buzz in the room, everyone feeling some butterflies in their belly as they felt the tension of meeting an unknown teacher rise. But even after the corridors had turned quiet, the last stragglers having finally disappeared into their classroom, no one entered.

Max was partly glad to be back in class. It was a strange feeling actually, because she wasn't one of those hardworking students who enjoyed a classroom over chilling in her bedroom or walking around with her camera. But being at school had the benefit of filling her mind with something else than the endless family drama that kept bothering her during the weekend.

On the other hand, she wasn't so sure about she felt as enthralled by the idea of going to her last class. No, let's be honest, she was terrified! As soon as she had approached the photography laboratory's door, she had felt her heart pounding and her stomach churning as memories from that dreadful week had come back. She had been the last to reach it, following Kate so no one really saw her pause, panting with her eyes closed as she fought her demons and tried to ignore the creepy voice that had called in her head.

"Max Caulfield! As I kept saying, you cannot avoid coming back to me!"

Opening her eyes after a second she had taken a deep breath and stepped into the room. The buzz of students' discussions hit her like a wall, drawing her fully back to reality and her eyes had started to wander around the room. The first thing she noticed was how bare the walls were. Gone where all the magazine's covers, the pictures, the posters of Mark Jefferson's work. The man had fallen in disgrace and the academy had reacted by removing every hint of his passage. I hope they used his work for a bonfire!

Max felt the eyes of her classmates following her as she walked toward her table, smiling as she noticed Kate had taken place there as well. She knew why they all looked at her, knew what they all remembered, the last class she had before she got shot, her last photography class.

She took her sit beside Kate, looking at her friend's face she felt a bit of sadness at the longing showing as the blonde girl looked at Victoria. Yeah Kate, I'm afraid you are smitten…

The bell rang and like everyone she expected to see their new teacher pass through the door. But no one came. Minutes passed, students started to look at each other questioningly as they tried to find out what they should be doing and if the teacher was coming or not. Nearly fifteen minutes had gone by when a woman wearing a leather jacket, torn jeans and more surprisingly a motorcycle helmet, and carrying a box on which she had placed a stack of binders, came accompanied by the clapping of armored boots.

"Gomen Gomen! I had to stop at the administration office for the rosters and I got lost searching for the room." Her voice was muffled by the helmet although the silver visor was opened. Max found the voice and the helmet oddly familiar and she squinted trying to catch a better sight as the woman set the box on the desk and reached to pull the helmet off.

As she removed her helmet, she shook her head setting loose her long white colored hair and looked up revealing a relatively young Asian face with several piercings in her nose, lips, eyebrow and ear. Max' eyes grew wide as she recognized the woman and she felt her cheeks burn as a soft groan escaped her throat as she remembered her first encounter with who she realized must be her new teacher.

The woman sat her helmet on the desk and unzipped her leather jacket taking it off to place it on the back of the chair, revealing the heavily tattooed arms and a simple white tank top with a bandage covering her left shoulder. The woman moved to the blackboard as she resumed her talking.

"Anyway, sorry for being late on my first class. Like what, it can always happen to anyone, right?" Her tone was light and cheerful as she started to trace symbols on the board, which Max recognized as Japanese characters, then wrote letters beside them. "My name is Kurosawa Azumi and as you can suspect from the fact I am standing here, I'll be your photography teacher at least till the end of the semester and let's hope being late on my first day won't prevent me from being that till the end of the year!" She chuckled, joined by most of the class, although Max was still too stunned and busy hiding her face and trying not to imitate a lobster.

"Now, before we get to know each other, which is the main topic of the day, I'll try to answer the generic questions I usually get." She smiled raising a finger. "So, you can call me Kurosawa-san or Azumi, I don't really care provided you remain polite and respectful."

She raised a second finger. "As some may have guessed, I'm Japanese, although I do have a dual US citizenship as my mother was American. And no, my father or grandfather is not Akira Kurosawa. Actually I'm not even sure I'm even related to him, although seeing that we both live behind a camera, we never know." She winked playfully before raising a third finger. "I got a degree from Musashino Bijutsu Daigaku, another way to say I went to a fancy school to get a paper that says I know how to take good pictures… Yeah I guess the pictures themselves aren't enough, amirite?"

Most students chuckled and giggled at her words, the woman obviously not taking herself seriously. She let them laugh a bit before she took a binder. "Okay first on today's schedule, roll call…" She opened the binder and looked at the list. "Alicia Anderson?" she called eyes scanning the room, nodding as Alicia rose her hand with a simple "Here!"

The teacher looked down at her list. "Maxine Caulfield?" She rose her eyes, beaming as she noticed the pink-haired girl with a raised hand, and Max grunted as for the first time the woman realized she was in the room. "Oh, Max! Nice to see you again! You say hi to Steph for me if you see her today, ne?" She smiled warmly before returning to her list letting Max trying to find a hole where to dive and hide. "Victoria Chase?"

She proceeded with the call, taking each name in order and taking a minute each time to watch at the student's face, as if mentally taking pictures.

"Okay I see everyone is here! Great! Now, I have looked at the syllabus left by my predecessor for the school year." She raised a small folder from the box she had carried; oblivious of the tension she created by mentioning Jefferson. "And well, as I'm not a narcissist prick with delusion of grandeur…" She tossed the stack of paper in the trash bin. "There it goes… And I'm sure most of you will be glad." She wiped her hands together in an obvious 'I wash my hands of this crap' motion. "Seriously it was more a book on 'how to tell a group of people how much of a narcissist jerk I am' than a real way to teach you the technics you may need for your passion."

She moved around her desk and sat on it nonchalantly. "Because well, that's all there is really, passion. Like any artistic work, if you don't have passion for your craft, then it's just a job, not art. Whether you take landscapes, portraits, or whatever, if you just do it mechanically … Then your picture won't have no life, no soul and it won't move people's hearts. So it's not art." She looked at the students with a smile.

"Now, we'll go around the room and you will each tell me why you are interested, maybe passionate, in photography. Is it because every time you see something you can't help but taking pictures? You know, like those people you see walking around with a camera always on their face! Is it because you only want to submit it to galleries and magazines and get a big fat check, like a paparazzo? Is it just a hobby, a way for you to spend time now and then, and you want to take great pictures of your holidays? Or, god forbid, is it just a class you took because you had to fill your schedule and you thought it would be easier than… hmmm let see, sports?" She shrugged raising both hands in a 'yeah whatever' manner as she looked around and pointed at Stella. "So here we go. Tell me which photographer you are, remembering I am in the first category." She winked jokingly as she launched the discussion.

"Come on Steph! Seriously?" Chloe had lost the number of time she had complained as another melancholic song came out from the loudspeaker. Sure the singer's voice was nice and fitting the melody slowly given by some acoustic guitar, but the tone set by the song was very depressing and didn't help Chloe to concentrate on her work.

"Shut up Chloe! I'm still the boss and I feel like listening to this!" The store owner responded from the register.

Chloe rolled her eyes as she kept working the tattoo gun on a woman's lower back. "Dude, I don't say the song isn't nice, although I don't understand a single word of it. But it's not by playing sad songs non-stop that you'll cheer up and feel better!" As the first verse of Akatsuki no Kuruma ended, the guitar took a more sustained presence the song turning more folkish. "And where the hell did you find this song? Another sad, mushy, forbidden love-story anime?"

Chloe knew most of the music of Japanese origins her friends knew were coming from Japanese animations, and even if she would never admit she was just as into mushy love drama anime as her friends, if not more; she had been away from those for so long that she had no clue which drama that song might be coming from.

"Yeah sure… I mean Gundam series aren't exactly love-stories!" Steph retorted.

Chloe chuckled. "Well don't beat it! I mean I'm sure I could bag myself all the gals if I were piloting one of those big ass robots!" She looked at her customer and winked playfully as she slowly moved the needle along the stenciled line.

"Yeah sure… not like you need it…" Steph mumbled in her corner, envy pouring in her voice.

Chloe felt bad at the words. She had been trying to cheer her friend all day long but the brunette's mood had not improved. Chloe knew that Steph had a tendency to overthink her feelings into madness and depression sometimes, even before she made her moves too - after all that breakdown over a tattoo design for that Japanese chick sure made the point – but she still didn't expect her friend to toss her relationship with Max in the discussion like that.

"Yeah yeah… I know, I got Max and you got nobody… Boo hoo…" Chloe sighed and looked up from her work for a minute. "You really got to get a grip on yourself Steph. First, you don't know yet if your crush isn't crushing back on you, so no need to get so depressed just yet. Second, you know that things are far from perfect for me and Max."

"Sorry… I … it's just eating at me…" The response was shy and Chloe nodded before she resumed her work.

She knew her friend's worries were eating at her. Just seeing how hunched and apathetic she had become in just a couple of days would give it away. Hell the music she had been playing since morning would give it away. Just as it was giving away who had rendered her like this. After all, no real coincidence that every single song played since the opening of the store had been some Japanese music.

God please someone put me something I can understand! Hell I'd even take some of Max' pussy banjo strumming! Sponge Bob! Anything fucking English would be good!

"I know Steph, why I say you should change the music tone a bit. Put some rock or something funny! Will cheer you up a bit!"

Chloe focused back on the contouring of the tattoo in front of her, some tramp stamp for a college girl she had been working on for the past two hours. It was not a bad design in itself as far as Chloe was concerned, probably because it was an original Chloe Price.

At least she wanted something more customized than the usual butterfly or tribal shit!

A dear skull was centered on the girl's tail bone, antlers rising to cup her spine, while thorny vines moved out from its eyes and came to crawl over the curves of her buttock to reach her hips. A simple design but with enough punk in it that Chloe hadn't been as bummed as she usually was when working on tramp stamps.

The song moved on to an instrumental phase, the singer's voice replaced by a violin solo, and Chloe heard her customer chuckled softly. She frowned a moment and realized she had been humming along the music. Shit! Fucking tune is catchy! She scowled trying to hide her downfall as she finished the last thorn.

"Okay missy… we're done for now. Don't forget to keep it clean and protected and follow the instruction in the care package for the balm and moisture. We'll let it heal for a week and see if we can go with the shading or if we have to wait again."

She quickly took the needle off the gun and put it in the used needle container before removing her gloves, letting the girl rise to her feet. "See with my cheerful boss for your next appointment and, unfortunately, today's bill!"

"Sure! Thanks for the work and cya next time!" The girl responded as she carefully buttoned her low cut jeans and tugged her shirt back down.

"You got it!" Chloe responded automatically as she pulled her phone from her pocket, checking to see if she had received any messages.

She placed her phone on the station with a sigh as she started to clean up and refurbish the station for the next customer, cleaning the palettes, replacing the paper dressing on the table, tossing all the used tissues in the trash. As she worked, her shoulder started to droop and her mood got a bit darker.

One reason Chloe had been so pushy trying to cheer Steph up and get her to change the music, was that she needed to change her own mind from her own worries. She had managed to forget about them mostly as she worked on the design and contouring for her latest tattoo, but now that she had nothing to busy herself, her thought started to return to her little Maxine and the fact today was the first school day since the epic failure of their Seattle trip, and that her pink-haired angel would soon be attending her first photography class since that messed up week of October.

Lots of stressful firsts today….I hope she's okay… I wish I was with her…

She moved and checked her phone again.

She should have started the photog class 10 minutes ago. I guess all is going well since she didn't call, right? No news, good news?

"Worried about Max?"

The voice startled her and she almost dropped her phone as she jumped off her stool. "Fuck Steph! Don't do that! No need to give me a heart attack!"

The brunette's lips curled slightly, not a full smile but Chloe would take it as progress.

"You worried about her?"

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, first time apart since … well you know, and she told me they were having a new photography teacher today… first time she gets to that cursed class since … well that psycho and his shit got stopped."

Steph nodded understandingly. "Yeah guess it's a pretty rough situation too…"

Chloe reached and patted Steph's shoulder. "Yeah, guess we are two worrywarts today!" She looked around the store and seeing it empty grabbed Steph's wrist and dragged her to the door. "Come on, smoke break at last for me and you can fill me in on your new, probably silly, concerns about Miss Dragon tattoo."

"There's nothing new there, Chloe… I'm just bummed that she probably sees me as just a piece of tail she nabbed easily and quickly for a one night stand."

Chloe rolled her eyes, lighting up her cigarette as soon as they passed the door and taking a deep drag before sighing loudly. "Yeah that hit the spot!" She shook her head and looked at Steph. "Dude, you don't know she only saw you as a one night stand, okay? I mean she did tell you she wanted to do it again right?"

Steph nodded. "Yeah, but … Well she didn't sound like she wanted it that soon, and she probably won't be in town long."

"How would you know? She's got a job around no?"

"What she said yeah… Just she lives in a trailer and from what I saw, the thing looks like it's on the road pretty often. What if her job's only for a few weeks?"

Chloe pondered a moment. "Well even then, she won't leave town without you finishing her tattoo so you get more chances to woo her."

"Which will do nothing, as she would still be leaving town." Steph sighed.

"So what? Go with her! Leave this shithole behind and enjoy the roads!" Chloe waved her hands exuberantly at the idea.

"Chloe, I invested and borrowed a lot for the store, I can't just pack and leave! I got debts to pay back!"

"Fuck those Steph! If you lov-" She got interrupted by the loud chime from her phone. She winced as she realized the volume had been set to the max, and reached to look at the messages.

Max: Dude! You will never guess who my new photography teacher is!

Chloe: Chloe Kardashian?

Max: Nope… although I'd like that… would be quite a nice sight… I'd totally be a teacher's pet for her :p

Chloe: MAXINE!

Chloe: and no emoji

Max: Anyway, it's AZUMI!

Chloe: who?

Max: My teacher! It's Azumi!

Max: The biker girl with the tattoos!

Chloe: Steph's crush?

Max: Steph's goddess :D

"Fuck!" Chloe chuckled as she read the confirmation. "Oh god that's gonna be so weird!" Chloe finally said as shock finally left place to amusement.

"What?"

Chloe presented her phone to Steph as she said. "Let's say that I'm quasi certain your gal will be in town until June or July!" She quirked an eyebrow. "And that if you mess it up, it will be pretty awkward for Max!"

Chapter Text

The last days had been hard on Victoria, harder than she thought it would be. She had expected the difficulties to sleep and the remorse as she had started to keep her distance with the girl. What she had not expected was the pain and the constant knot in her stomach each time the blonde would look down with disappointment and sadness as she was sent away.

Kate had tried to make contact several times, each time more hesitant, with more shyness and hurt in her eyes. With each of her rebuke, she had felt a pang in her own heart. Each time, pushing the girl away, trying to act cold and bitchy became harder. She actually wanted to smile, to pounce and hug the girl, to have her sit beside her and listen to her voice as she looked at her sweet smile. But she knew she couldn't let herself follow this path.

I'm sorry Kate… I can't risk you sacrificing so much just for me… I don't deserve it…

She looked down at her meal, ignoring the wall of noise, the constant chatter in the cafeteria. She wasn't that hungry, had no interest in the food that lay on the tray in front of her. She just poked at the peas and carrots in front of her with her fork, her elbows on the table as her head rested on her free hand.

"Everything okay, Tori?"

Victoria jerked her head up looking as she got pulled out of her own thoughts.

No, I'm not okay, I'm pinning over a girl that would clearly not be interested in this kind of relationship and all I can do to not just jump her is to avoid her like an asshole!

She saw Taylor looking at her with concerns and she just nodded softly. "Oh, yeah sorry… just trying to decide on what I'll do for the photography project of the month."

Taylor looked up a moment and winced. "Yeah, sure is rough. Kurosawa sure got some strange ideas. I mean have each of us bring one picture per month, so they get shown on the displays around the campus. I'm not sure I'm ready to have everyone in school look at my work. Bad enough I have to show it in photography class!"

Victoria nodded softly. She wasn't really listening at first, but she decided to take the discussion in stride so as to push her growing longing for the small blonde out of her mind. "Yeah, I just dunno what kind of picture I wanna show… I mean it's quite a lot of pressure!"

Taylor nudged her with her elbow. "Come on, Tori! You know you got talent, you won the Everyday hero contest after all, and you already send submissions to magazines and galleries!"

Victoria winced as she remembered the night the winner had been announced. She had not told this to anyone, even Kate, but she had started to feel like she only had won so as to give Jefferson a chance to kidnap her, not because she was talented. She shook her head softly, brushing the thought away. "It's not the same, the people who will be judging me in galleries and magazines aren't here beside me all the time to mock or criticize me you know."

Taylor pondered a moment. "I hadn't thought of that… But well you will make it, I'm sure! Your picture will be perfect compared to mine."

Victoria looked down at her food again sulking a bit. "Yeah we will see, I guess." She responded softly.

I would need to actually be able to take said pictures for it to be perfect…. And I still can't press the button…

"Hey Katie!" Courtney's greeting pulled Victoria from her thought. She looked up and saw the smaller blonde smiling at Courtney. The smile was slightly forced, the girl's eyes red and her hair missing their usual neatness.

"Hi Courtney! Hi Taylor!" The voice paused a short moment before sounding a bit more tensed and shier. "Hi Victoria…"

Victoria grunted and dropped her fork on her tray. "Sorry, I got to go." She stood up brusquely and picked up her tray, leaving the cafeteria as Kate, Taylor and Courtney looked at her confused.

Max looked up from her notes as the bedroom door opened and her girlfriend came in, a beer bottle in her hand.

"Welcome home!" She smiled warmly at the blue haired girl.

Chloe moved in the room pulling her arms out of her jacket's sleeves, swapping her bottle from hand to hand as she let the leather vest fall on the floor. "Hey Maxipad! Still awake?"

Max frowned a moment and looked at her phone. Chloe's usually worked late, but judging by the time, the punk had finished early. "Well it's not that late, and I sleep better with my Chloe beside me anyway." She responded softly as she closed her notebook and slid toward the edge of the bed.

The punk leaned down to her and their lips met in a loving kiss, their usual greeting whenever they been parted for more than a few minutes. How mushy does it make us that we have to kiss whenever one of us had to go to the bathroom? Max thought for the umpteenth time. They both pulled back from their kiss and she smiled at her love. "How was your day?"

Chloe chuckled. "Max, we saw each other a few hours ago, remember? I'm the one who took you home from school."

The smaller girl rolled her eyes. "Fine! How was your evening?"

Taking a sip of her beer, the bluenette smiled. "Oh, the usual, boring waiting, couple of drunk tats and Steph whining… The tats weren't too bad although I think one of them will be lased off soon."

Max quirked an eyebrow. "Why?"

The older girl smirked evilly. "Well let's say it doesn't sit well for a big bicker dude to have a pink unicorn on his lower back."

The pinkette put her hand on her mouth as she burst out laughing. "A tramp stamp? On a biker? You kidding, right?"

Chloe nodded. "Nope! All true, swear to Dog! And it was his idea! Well maybe more the idea of his drunken pals!"

Max giggled at the silliness of the drunk bikers. "Gosh, some people are really bad!"

The punk shrugged responding, "Hey, at least it's making bank for me!" before she took a sip of her beer.

"Right! Oh, by the way, wasn't today the day Steph got to touch my teacher again?"

Chloe snorted softly. "Yeah! Talk about awkward… "

"Hey! I got to see her nearly every day at school you know! It's even more awkward to me knowing she's having inappropriate relations with a friend of mine!"

The blue-haired girl rolled her eyes. "You mean having hot monkey sex! Can't you say it straight?"

Max shook her head. "Nope! Not a straight bone in me sorry!"

Chloe chuckled. "Guess I left the door open for that one. Anyway, it was very weird. The chick was her usual exuberant self I guess, although you could feel she felt a bit weird being there. As for Steph, well she was so tensed and stiff I kept expecting hearing a loud crack and see her fly across the room like some broken rubber band!"

"Did they talk it out at least?"

Steph raised her head looking at the clock on the wall for what may have been the hundredth time in the past twenty minutes, when Chloe had left the store, taking a break to pick up Max at school. The news that the school day was over had been the beginning of the rising tension in her. She felt like a spring slowly getting coiled tighter as a key turned in her belly.

There was a big reason to her predicament. Well not that big, Azumi was about as tall as Max, maybe a bit taller, something like in between Max and herself, and she certainly didn't have any excess of fat. What she had though, was an appointment with Steph to keep working on the dragon tattoo. Appointment that was to take place right after her job. Job that, by the weirdest coincidence, was to teach her friend Max during her photography class. Class that she had learned from Chloe would be Max' final period of the day. Which meant that with Max leaving school, Azumi would be leaving school and coming to Steph's store.

Steph felt as tensed as she had felt for the first session with the Asian woman, albeit for very different reasons. The first time, her attraction, her lust for the woman had caused her to breakdown. But in the end Azumi had been attracted to her too, after all one does not spend nearly 48 hours doing the nasty with someone one is not attracted to. This time, it's the idea that the said woman wasn't attracted to her in the same way, or to be more exact, was only seeing her as a one-night thing.

And that would be bad for Steph. One thing her parents had never understood when she came out, was that even if she was gay, Steph remained rather prudish in a way. She never had one-night stands. She only slept with people she loved and with whom she was having a relationship, a real one. In fact, Azumi had been the first to hit homerun on the first day, and Steph had mixed feelings about that.

The sound of an approaching motorbike brought her out of her thought. She looked at the window and saw the white and pink bike park in front, its owner stepping off as she turned the engine off. Steph took a deep breath, trying to steady herself as she moved to prepare the tattoo station.

The door chimed as it opened, and Steph felt her body stiffen.

"Hey Steph! Am here as planed!" The Asian girl called as she moved putting her helmet on the table.

"Oh… hi Azumi! Nice to see you again…" Steph started looking at the woman.

Azumi moved toward Steph and started removing her jacket. She walked beside Steph without stopping and dropped her jacket on the chair placed in the corner. "Nice to see you too!" She simply responded before she pointed at the station beside Steph. "This one?"

Steph bit her lip a bit. She felt a bit hurt. She had expected some kind of mushy moment, being greeted with a kiss, or something intimate. But no, the girl had just moved around like she was used to the store. Steph took a deep breath pushing away her feelings and taking back her professional persona. "Yes. Can you take the shirt off too? I'll check how it healed."

The woman pulled her tank top off, revealing she had been going braless for the day apparently.

"I heard you took up a teaching position at Blackwell." Steph said starting small talk.

"Hai… Was surprised to see Max there. I thought she was college girl."

Steph shook her head. "Max' only 18. But then I thought you were about her age too so …"

Azumi chuckled. "Yeah, people around here always think I'm younger and I often tend to think Americans are older than they are. Guess it's hard to judge."

Steph nodded. "It is. I'm 20 by the way. In case you wondered."

"Chloe told me already. Not that you look much older to me."

Steph kept looking at the work she had done the previous week. "I'll take that as a compliment." She bit her lip trying hard to control herself as her brain kept rushing about the questions in her heart, the disappointment, the lust, and the feelings. "Looks like it healed well… we should be able to start the coloring."

Azumi smiled. "Great!" She lay back on the seat getting ready while Steph move to open a new needle pack and set it on the machine.

Steph looked up a moment. "Still going for the red one or do you prefer shading?"

Azumi looked at her and pondered. "I thought you had planned it red no?"

Steph nodded. "Yeah I drew it red on paper but looking at the outlining I feel like a black and white shading would actually suit your skin better."

Azumi, pondered a moment. "Well whatever you think best, you're the artist."

Steph looked down a moment then turned and moved to pick the bottles of black and white ink, breaking the seals and filling the disposable containers. "Shading it is." She made sure to clean the woman's skin before she started to work, the machine's soft buzzing filling the store.

Like last time, she had started with the head of the dragon. It was actually the longer part for she had to work all the little details of the head's shape and shadows. She worked carefully, in short bursts pausing to wipe the skin with a clean tissue. She had just finished the crest leading to the creature's neck when the door chimed again, and Chloe's voice called to warn her. "Steph, it's just me."

She raised her head and called back. "Ok, thanks for letting me know!"

The sounds of boots crossing the room covered the buzz from the tattoo gun. Chloe just pushed her head through the curtains. "Well I figured I'd save you the pain of regloving because you had to check if it wasn't a customer." She pondered a moment "You may need a front desk person if the tattoo part of the jobs keeps growing you know. Oh, and hi!"

Steph nodded softly. "Thanks, and I can't afford to pay someone."

Chloe frowned. "You're paying me though."

Steph shook her head. "No. Not anymore. Chloe, you're getting enough customers that I don't have to pay the guaranteed part of your wages anymore. Just as our deal says, I put in your paycheck the amount put in the register for your work minus my commission." She looked down and sighed. "Let's talk about that later though… I'm kinda working."

Chloe smiled. "Sure! She looked at Azumi "Cya later… Oh, and take care of my girl while she's in your class, kay?"

"Hai! Will do!"

As Chloe pulled her head back from the partition Steph called out. "By the way your license is in the mail on my desk! Make sure you make a copy for the store and put the original somewhere safe!"

"Aye aye Boss! Thanks!"

Steph resumed her work in silence, the buzz from the tool and the music, the only things breaking the silence. It felt awkward to her. She wondered how it felt for the woman she was inking. She was about to start the work on Azumi's back when the door chimed, and she heard Chloe greet the customer. She looked up at the clock as she heard the slurred speech that responded to her friend. A little early to be that drunk already, pal.

As they heard the guy ask for a big heart with 'Gina' inside, Steph and Azumi bit their lips trying not to laugh, especially because the guy was sitting just on the other side from a curtain. Soon, a second tattoo gun starts buzzing alongside hers followed by grunts of pain. Both girls looked at each other again puffing softly when they heard Chloe's voice calling. "Dude! I barely started! There's a girl in the station beside you she's having a full body one and she's like sleeping in the chair! Man up Dude!"

The hour passed with Chloe's customer's sobs and hisses joining the buzz of the machines. Soon Chloe stirred behind the curtain explaining to her customer how to take care of the new ink. If the guy is drunk, it may be moot, though. After a moment the door of the store chimed and they could hear the sound of Chloe cleaning her station.

Steph was around the middle of Azumi's back, working on the claws and digits of the dragon that pointed down her spine, when Chloe passed her head through the curtain again, rolling her eyes. "Can you believe this guy?"

Azumi looked up "Heart on his butt?" she asked with as smirk.

Chloe shook her head. "Could have been on his balls from the way he cried. But no, was on his arm. My guess Gina just dumped him, and he was trying to show how much he loved her."

Steph scoffed a bit. Chloe looked at her and was about to say something, probably something sassy, when the door chimed again and several voices, drunken voice filled the store. A bit worried, this time Steph did push her head through the curtain, only to see three bikers, drunk as hell, talking with Chloe.

The punk seems unphased, and she just cheerfully talked to them before leading one of them to the station. "Okay guys, what will be it then?"

Several responses came back, starting with the usual biker stuff, like "A skull!" "A wolf!" and so on. Then the responses switched, probably as the alcohol killed more and more of the brain cells, going to, "A rainbow!" "A butterfly!" until finally one called out "A pink unicorn on his lower back!" followed by a chorus of, "Yeaaah!"

At the last one Steph had to pull the tattoo gun away from Azumi as both girls just puffed loudly. To Chloe's credit, she did ask several times if the guy was sure before she actually got started.

Steph was working her way around Azumi's ribs, putting the shades and filling on the dragon's body curling under the woman's breast toward her stomach, when the buzz in the neighboring station stopped and the biker cheered loudly.

With a frown Steph looked at the clock on the wall and winced. As the voices got further into the store, probably moving to the register, Steph sighed and looked at Azumi. "I'm not sure we can finish it today. Do you want to pause here and work the rest in a week?"

Azumi lifted her head from the cushion turning to look at Steph. "Fine by me. Same day same hour?"

Steph pondered a moment and nodded. "Should work. I'll confirm with you at the register." She moved to clean the part already made. "Check what we already did in the mirror before I cover it up." She says before biting her lips as the woman stood topless and went to look at herself.

"Subarashi! You were right it's way better like this!" Azumi walked back and sat on the chair letting Steph start to cover the raw skin.

The brunette hesitated a moment before she started to speak. "Azumi, can… I ask you something?"

"Hai? Sure, you can."

Steph took a deep breath closing her eyes for a moment before she continued. "Would you… go on a date with me this week end?"

The woman tensed on the chair turning her head, her black eyes looking at Steph. "Do you mean… a date date?"

The brunette nodded shyly as she finished the bandage.

The white-haired girl pursed her lips, saying nothing for a moment. She fiddled with her hands nervously. "Steph… You're a great person… Really… But…"

Steph felt her stomach churning and her heart sinking as she heard the beginning of the woman's response. "But?"

Azumi shook her head softly. "I don't date people… I'm sorry." She reached for her shirt and looked at the artist as her head and shoulder dropped. "You're a great person Steph… We had a great moment and I do like you… But I never get involved."

Steph looked down shaking her head. "Don't tell me I'm a great person, please! Not when you just shot me down!" she hissed softly raising a hand to wipe her eyes. She took a deep breath, straining to keep control of her emotions as she just added. "See with Chloe for the next appointment." She then stood and left the station with brisk steps heading for the back office.

Chloe pondered. "I… I think so… I mean when the chick left she looked uncomfortable and Steph went to her office right away… She stayed there till I left… She closed the store early too."

"Not good I guess…"

The punk shook her head. "I think Steph was crying. I didn't hear what they said, and I didn't ask Steph about it, but…" She shrugged sadly. "I'll ask her tomorrow… Maybe she will be more… ready to talk about it."

Max nodded, feeling a pang in her heart for her friend, for the girl who helped her understand her own sexuality and feelings. "Do that please… "

The other girl nodded and took a sip of her beer. "Since we are talking about our friends, romantic lives… How is it going for Kate?"

The pinkette winced a bit. "I'd say, it's not that good…"

Chloe frowned a moment. "Did Dicktoria break her heart?"

Max shook her head. "No, at least I don't think so seeing that they haven't talked yet." She sighed. "No, the problem is more that Victoria is working very hard to keep Kate away."

Kate was sitting on her couch, her violin tugged under her chin as she slowly brushed the strings with the bow, while tears slowly ran along her cheeks. For once she was happy to be the only student in that part of the dormitories, at least Max would not hear the sadness filling the notes she slowly coaxed from the instrument.

She somehow felt like she was back in October. It was not the same kind of pain, not the feeling of having the whole world turning against her and pounding at her with hatred and evil. It was more a feeling of longing, of missing something or someone important. And while the new pain wasn't pulling her mind into the abyss she had fallen into in October, this new longing brought to her an unknown sensation of emptiness and sorrow.

That same sensation could be felt through the soft weeping of her violin, her music full of sorrow, lacking the warmth of her good days. It wasn't dark per se, but one could hear the bleeding heart and confusion of its interpreter.

Kate's week had been a roller coaster so far. She had strangely felt her heart soar every time she had seen the figure of Victoria, her hopes building as she saw the blonde's eyes catching her as she got closer, only for everything to crash painfully down as the girl would escape or make a move or a remark that would push Kate away.

The words weren't mean or bullying as they had been before. But they had hurt nonetheless by adding to Kate's growing confusion. She had slowly lost sleep as days went by, her brain unable to rest as it kept running its cogs trying to process the small blonde's feelings. Because this was the crux of Kate's pain, not knowing what her feelings were. She knew she had strong feelings for Victoria, but being unable to confront the girl, to discuss them, she wasn't sure if they were love or just a strong friendship.

Instead, Kate found herself weeping. Weeping for the lost friendship, the lost discussions. Weeping for the comforting presence at night she had grown into expecting and grown into needing to fully rest. Weeping for the focus that helped her forget the events of October and the loneliness now that Max wasn't living in the dorms anymore.

As her fingers slowly danced on the violin's neck, she started to remember every time she had tried to approach Victoria, trying to catch her in the dormitories' halls, in the school's corridor, trying to talk to her right after the bell rung the end of class; trying to see her during lunch, or even sending texts asking to meet her which even turned into just a time and location and a supplication. And she remembered every response she received, or lack of thereof; Victoria increasing her pace to escape, Victoria suddenly changing direction; Victoria suddenly striking a conversation with the first comer, who usually felt baffled and confused; Victoria suddenly raising and moving away abandoning her lunch or work; and Victoria never showing up, leaving Kate waiting seated on a bench alone in the campus' park. A bit before she came back to her room, she even had knocked on Victoria's door. She knew the girl was in her room, mainly because she had seen her enter the room as she arrived. But Victoria never answered any of the knocks, or supplications from Kate and the girl had been forced to return to her room, head hanging low.

Everything hadn't been bad during the week. Max had stayed with her for most classes, they had chatted, and the pink-haired girl had tried to be supportive and comforting after each of the failed attempts. "She's probably just confused and needing her own time to think it out before she talk. Chloe's like that too, closing up whenever she is confused." Max had tried to explain. "It doesn't mean she doesn't like you."

Each time, Kate had smiled. Each time, she had felt like some warmth had tried to thaw the ice slowly building in her chest. But each time, she had felt it fail leaving only coldness and emptiness.

"And how is Katie holding?" Chloe asked softly.

"She's trying to be strong, but I think it's eating at her…" Max responded with a sigh. "It's not as bad as it was in October, you know… But still…"

"I'm gonna kick that bitch's ass, if she keeps hurting Kate!" The punk's voice full of anger.

"Victoria's not really doing better you know."

Chloe lifted her head quirking an eyebrow. "What're you saying?"

Max raised a hand palm up. "She's not acting like everything is right either. I'm not sure why, but she looks more and more tired and edgy. Even Taylor and Courtney are starting to ask questions."

The punk reached and pinched the bridge of her nose. "That idiot is probably tearing herself apart for nothing too."

"Probably… Like she used to bully others because she feared she wasn't good enough… She's probably avoiding Kate because she's afraid of something that doesn't exist."

Chloe scoffed softly. "Yeah, I bet the bitch is having wet dreams of little Katie but is too much of a coward to admit it!"

Max frowned. "You think? But then why would she avoid Kate?"

"Fuck if I know. But I tell you, all this is hella annoying." She took a sip of her beer settling the half empty bottle on the desk before lighting up a cigarette. "Between that mess with Steph and your teacher, and that cats and mice dance between Kate and Victoria… I'm starting to wish I could just grab each pair and lock them into a room until they humped like bunnies!"

The younger girl chuckled at the image. "Oh god! I can't imagine Kate humping anyone like a bunny!"

Chloe smirked and winked, reaching for her beer to take a sip. Max reached for the cigarette box on the corner of the bed and lit up a cigarette, her first of the day. She sighed after taking a small drag, looking at the floor as her mind started to get lost in her own thoughts. She was halfway through her cigarette when her voice let out her inner interrogation.

"What does sex feel like?"

SPURRRTTTTTTT!

Chapter Text

"What does sex feel like?"

Chloe had been sipping at her beer when the bomb she would dub Little Boy hit the room. Completely taken by surprise, her first reaction is to spurt out her beer, the bubbly drink spraying on the floor from both her mouth and nose, leaving a burning foamy feeling in her nostrils.

She turned to face Max as she coughed. "What the Fuck?"

Max face was red with what Chloe recognized as embarrassment, her hands fiddling with the bottom strings of her black N7 hoodie as she repeated her question in a soft barely audible mumble. "What does sex feel like?"

Chloe shook her head trying to clear her mind from the shock. "Err… Where the hell does that come from?" Her voice started slightly panicked but slowly turned calmer, shyer.

Max kept her eyes trained on her feet, her legs slowly balancing, her hands fiddling with her hoodie nervously while she tried to respond without stammering. "I… I … I just wondered… I mean, I'm your girlfriend and… we are a couple… so, I … figured you'd want to do couple… stuff?"

Chloe frowned a moment and then chuckled softly at her friend's shyness. "God Maximax, you're too cute sometimes." She dropped from the desk and hopped to sit beside the pink-haired girl putting an arm around her shoulder. "Well yeah we are a couple, and yeah I'd want to do stuff with you." She put a kiss on the freckled girl's cheek. "But why are you asking me how sex feels like? I mean surely you have your own experiences, no?"

Chloe didn't think Max could have turned even redder - to her the girl already looked like those thermometers in cartoons that starts to swell with red before they explode - yet she did. "I… I… don't…"

Chloe frowned a moment, her voice soft although confused. "What do you mean you don't?"

Max bit her lip and looked away with what seemed like shame. "I… don't … have experience…"

"What?" Chloe pulled back a little, her hands reaching to grip Max' shoulders and turn her so she could look at her friend's face. "Max…. Are you saying? Are you… still a virgin?"

Max looked like she wanted to sink in the bed and disappear turning beet red as she nodded.

Chloe just looked at her friend, her eyes wide opened, her mouth gapping in shock as she processed the information.

Holy fucking smoke of a dirty fucking cracker! She's a virgin! Max is a VIRGIN! The Max who made the fucking first sexy move not a week ago!

She blinked a few times as Max' head slowly rose up looking at her with shy concerns. "Chloe?" the girl asked with a slightly afraid voice.

Fuck she's just to fucking cute!

Chloe quickly engulfed the smaller girl in her arms, hugging her tightly. "Wow… Max… just wow… I… That's something I didn't expect…" she stammered. She pulled back again looking at her girlfriend. "How come you never…?"

Max looked down. "I just never got interested… I just always thought boys were gross."

Chloe pursed her lips. "Boys are gross, period. Trust me on this." She pondered a moment "What about girls?"

Max looked down again. She's so fucking cute when she's all shy like that! Chloe's lips couldn't help but slowly curl into a smile. "No girls… I never thought of girls like that either…" The pink-haired girl blushed even more. "I … I always thought about you… although not like that either… not before that, week."

Chloe felt as if an explosion of feelings had suddenly taken place in her body. Fucking nuclear bomb of cuteness! "Gosh Caulfield… you're just a fucking mushiness bomb!" she finally said before pressing her lips softly on Max'.

As they broke the kiss, Max leaned and pressed her head on the taller girl's chest with a purr. "You still haven't told me…"

Chloe chuckled softly kissing Max hair. "I know… I just don't know how to describe it. It's… It's so different from one person to the next… whether you have feelings or not…" She softly caressed a hand on Max' back. "I don't think describing it will help because… with you it would be so different anyway."

Max moved a hand softly brushing a finger along Chloe's collarbone. "Good different?"

Chloe smirked. "Hella good different!" She responded happily. She then pulled back a bit and pondered. "Max. Why did you ask about it now? Is it… Is it still that thing with your mom?"

Max looked at her for a moment before leaning along her chest again. "Maybe a bit… But mostly… I want to be with you totally Chloe… To be yours fully…"

Chloe smiled and hugged Max. "It's okay… I understand. Just, I don't want to push yourself, Max… Not like you did Friday. Not because you fear you lost anything or you have to do it." She kissed Max' forehead softly. "We will do it when the time is right for both of us and not before, okay?"

Max nodded softly.

"Good! Besides, we haven't even had a date yet! And this is 3rd date material! So chillax Max!" She said with a soft chuckle.

Max chuckled too, drawing circle with her finger on Chloe's shoulder. "Well we already kiss so I suppose we already do the 1st date material."

"I reckon you're true! Tell you what Maximus!" Chloe said with a smile. "I take you on a date tomorrow evening okay!"

Max nodded softly.

"I take you on a date and then, we see." She paused and reached out, placing her hands on Max' cheeks and directing her head so they stared in each other eyes. "We see how far it goes. But I want you to promise me. You promise me that if at any moment you feel uncomfortable, you tell me! You tell me, and we wait for another time, okay?"

Max smiled and nodded softly. "Okay."

Chloe kissed her nose softly. "It's your first time, and it should be special. I want it to be special. For you." She frowned a bit. "You should have no regrets afterward; I'll make sure of it."

Max stared at the girl's eyes raising a hand to brush her thumb on the punk's cheek. "Thank you Chlo… I love you."

Chloe smiled softly and pressed their lips together for a soft peck. "I love you too, Maximush." She then pulled the girl's head to her chest, hugging her happily with a hand brushing the fuzzy part of her pink hair. Love that tennis ball feeling! She snorted a bit as she added. "You totally owe me a beer though!"

Both girls burst in a loud cheerful laugh.

Kate was sitting at the cafeteria, mulling over her Cesar salad. She kept pushing a piece of tomato around with her fork, not paying attention to the buzz of the conversation between Daniel and Mickey North on her left and Dana, Juliet and Trevor on her right and across from her.

The day didn't feel right to her. She had barely slept all night, spending most of her time sobbing as she hugged a pillow. She could have used the absence of the English teacher to catch up on the lost sleep, but sadly slumber had not found her. And to make it worse her first class of the day had been PE. Nothing like trying to run the track without any sleep.

She had spent the whole hour half running, half walking way behind the rest of the group, unable to find a pace, her legs screaming at her for restful sleep. And to put shame to the injury, she had not been the only one lagging behind, even if she had been the worst. Victoria had also been struggling although a few strides in front of her. And Kate had been forced to watch the focus of her sorrow hover in front of her for the complete hour.

It had been a cruel reminder of her week. All these days, she had been running after the taller blonde in hope to simply be able to have an honest discussion, to be able to sort things out; without ever being able to catch her.

PE had ended, and she had hoped to see the taller blonde during lunch break. But it seemed like Victoria had taken Taylor and Courtney out. Probably wanted to avoid me again…

Kate sighed softly, the frustration she felt at not being able to even talk to Victoria, the void she felt in herself as her heart was kept apart from what it longed for, everything kept piling up like water in a cup, and she felt close to the last drop.

"Something bothering you, Katie?" Dana's voice startled her, and she dropped her fork.

"What? Oh! Sorry!" She stammered as she quickly moved reaching for the silverware.

"It's all good, Kate. Don't worry." The brunette looked at the smaller blonde with concerns. "Are you all right? I mean, you looked like you were distracted."

"Yeah, I'm good! Just feeling a bit tired." She half lied not willing to explain all the things she had in her mind.

The cheerleader was obviously sceptic at her response. She quirked an eyebrow exchanging stares with Juliet for a moment before looking at the smaller girl again. "Do you need to go lay down a minute?"

Kate pondered a moment before she nodded with a soft purse of lips. "I might, yes… I'll go rest in my room before classes." She stood up and picked up her tray hurrying out as her friends just looked at her confused.

"Okay, see you in class!" The brunette's voice called back with concern.

Kate walked to dorms and entered her room, letting herself fall on her bed. She curled up holding her pillow close to her as she felt the tears building at the corner of her eyes. She felt so depressed, not in deep dark desperation as she had been a couple months ago, but out of profound frustration at her inability to get a concrete response to her turmoil. She reached for her phone.

Kate: Max! Can you meet me in my room before classes?

Max: Hey Kate! Sure, I can come! I'll see you in a bit!

Kate: Thank you Max!

Kate laid back again, closing her eyes trying to rest a bit as she waited. She wasn't sure how long she had remained there curled on her bed when the knock woke her up.

"Come in!" She called raising her head softly, watching the door as Max entered followed by Chloe.

"Hey Kate! Are you okay?" The pink-haired girl greeted warmly. "I brought Chloe with me. I hope it's okay."

The punk girl happily strolled in the room with a bouncy step. "Hey there Katie honey!" She looked around and smiled. "Nice room!" As a soft rattling could be heard, Chloe quickly bounced toward the cage. "How rad! Hey there bun-bun!"

Kate couldn't help it and she giggled at the taller girl's antic. "Hi Max! Hi Chloe!" She smiled softly. "Thank you, and this is Alice."

The blue head jerked up and around, looking at Kate. "Serious? Alice? And she goes into rabbit holes? So amazeballs!" her grin wide like the Cheshire cat making Max chuckle softly.

Max moved softly with the help of her crutches and sat on the bed carefully looking as Kate sat up in a corner raising her knees against her chest trapping her pillow. "How are you Kate? You look sad."

The words seemed to bring the tall punk from her giddiness and she quickly dropped to sit cross-legged on the floor as blonde responded softly. "I dunno, Max."

Chloe frowned a bit. "Still that thing about Victoria?"

"Yes… I mean she isn't mean or anything!" Kate quickly said searching to defend the girl they were talking about. "It's just, she's been avoiding me… and… I dunno what to think."

The two guests looked at each other with a slight wince. "Do you think she knows how you feel?" the pink-haired girl asked softly as she reached to place a hand on the girl's knee.

"Why else would she avoid me? I mean, she would have no reason, right?" Kate looked at the two other girl's her eyes red and puffed from the crying. "She must know… And she must be disgusted and hate me!" Her voice broke as she pressed her face in the pillow sobbing.

Max shifted and moved to hug the small girl. "Shhh, I'm sure she doesn't hate you, Kate. No one could hate you!"

"But… But…that's the only possible reason!" The blonde cried in the pillow. "She must have guessed I… I … I love her!" Her voice came stronger than she thought, surprising her into pulling her head up. "I love her… It's like you said Max… The more I'm away… The idea she won't want to talk to me again… It's crushing me, Max!"

"Oh dog! Poor Kate!" The pink-haired girl pulled Kate's head to her, hugging the crying girl comfortingly. "I'm so sorry! You should not feel like that." She softly brushed the lose strands of blonde hair behind the girl's ear. "But, at least you now know what your feelings are. Isn't it something good? All you have to do is tell her!"

"But what if she hates me! What if she doesn't love me?"

Max kissed the girl's head softly. "Then you cry, and you move on."

"I dunno if I could do that, Max."

"You can, Kate… It's the uncertainty that is the worst." The Pink-haired girl looked at the blue haired girl for a moment as she kept talking. "The moment when you don't know if your feelings will be met, the dread of rejection, thinking you should move on something else without being able to because you also fear regretting not trying." She looked at Kate softly. "You have to tell her, Kate! You can't stay this way, trust me!"

"But how?! I can't tell her anything if she doesn't let me talk to her!"

Max looked at Chloe searching support. "I dunno, Kate… I'm sorry…Chloe?"

The punk slammed a fist in her opposite hand. "I could smack some sense in the bitch!" Her tone while half-joking still showed the bluenette was angry at Victoria's behavior.

"No! Don't hurt her!"

"Relax Kate! I won't hit her." She sighed and leaned back resting on her arms. "I dunno how to make it happen though… Maybe…" She paused looking at the ceiling and Max could almost see the cogs spinning in her girlfriend's brain. "Okay I got it! Max, call up Waldo and nerd girl, Diana, Juliet, all the peeps!"

Max frowned unsure. "Why?"

"We're having a movie night tomorrow!" the punk announced as she stood up.

"How will that help?" Kate asked softly.

"Well we invite Bitchtoria without telling her you will be there, … might have to invite her two goons too…. Anyway, she doesn't know you will be there, and when she comes we set it so you have a moment with her and BOO-YAH! The bitch is confessed!" Chloe raised her arms in victory before bowing majestically like an actor at the end of a play.

Max and Kate chuckled. "I suppose it could work. But where do we all meet?"

"It's obvious! My place!" At the pink-haired girl's sceptic glare, Chloe smiled. "Chillax Max! David has to work night and mom has the evening shift. We'll have the house to ourselves till at least 1 or 2 am."

"Okay… I guess it could work… I suppose I should invite Victoria too then… I mean Kate cannot and if I let you do it, she won't be able to come." Max winked at Kate.

"Hey I'm offended! I said I won't hit her!" Chloe huffed crossing her arms pouting.

As Kate giggled at the punk's feigned outrage, Max slowly stood on shaking legs and leaned to put a kiss on the bluenette's lips.

They were sitting in her Prius, driving back to school after a lunch in a small restaurant on the beachfront. Courtney and Taylor kept talking, chatting about their usual concerns, fashion, boys and parties. To their dismay though, Victoria barely took part in the conversation.

"Okay, Tori. Enough, I want to know what the hell is going on!" the blonde sitting in the passenger seat finally exclaimed.

"What do you mean?" Victoria grunted, her tone already annoyed.

"I'm asking what's bothering you, Tori! You've been lost in your thoughts all week, barely talking with us, staying locked in your room! You've been avoiding Kate who I thought had become our friend!" The blonde turned on her seat and looked at Victoria. "So, what happened?"

"It's nothing. Doesn't concern you! And I don't want to talk about it."

Courtney frowned and leaned forward. "Sorry, Tori but it does concern us too. You are our friend! And Kate became one too after YOU invited her to spend time with us."

"I told you it's nothing! Leave it alone!"

They remained quiet for a moment, both girls looking at each other then at Victoria. "Did something happen at Kate's house?"

The pixie blonde's hand tightened on the wheel. "How should I know?"

Courtney shook her head. "Victoria, we know you went to spend Thanksgiving with her. We were there when she invited you, remember?"

With a sigh the girl took a glance at the mirror. "Fine! Yes, I did go and yes it sucked! Her mom and Aunt are assholes who kept blabbering their vile on all of us, Kate included! So, I told them to shove it and I left!"

Shock could be seen on Taylor's face. "WHAT? You left Kate there alone?"

"Who do you take me for? When she ran I took her with me!"

"Then what's the problem?"

Victoria growled. "I don't want her to lose her family because us… Even if they suck… I know how it is to have parents who ignores you."

Courtney sat back in her seat as she mumbled. "You're stupid."

"What's that your saying?"

Taylor came to the brunette's rescue. "She's saying that if you think having such a band of assholes as parents is better than having friends then you're stupid! And I'm sorry to say but she's right, Tori! What if we all ignored you on the hypothetic chance you may spend more time with your parents?"

The blonde at the wheel sighed deeply. "It's not the same…"

"True! It's not the same! Your parents never insulted any of your friends. And even if they did, I doubt Katie would suddenly treat you like a pariah!"

No one said anything else for several minutes. As she parked her car on the campus, Victoria finally sighed. "I know I'm not fair with her… but… I just can't deal with it now… I just need time…"

Taylor opened her door and looked at Victoria. "Well you better not take too much time! After what happened last time, I'm not sure Kate will easily be our friends again if you hurt her!"

Chapter Text

As she checked the time on her phone for what felt like the umpteenth time, Max wondered, again, why she had decided to sign up for Cultural Anthropology. Not that she didn't know why - she always found the way a culture and art evolved fascinating. No, the problem wasn't the topic in itself, but more the teacher. Max had never had a teacher who sounded as boring as this one.  She could have sworn the guy could have made the best movie ever, which in her opinion remained Final Fantasy : The Spirits Within, sound dull and boring. Suffering from ADHD, Max already had enough difficulties focusing on a class, but here, between the teacher's monotonous voice, his droopy tone and lack of energy, Max had a hard time not falling asleep on her desk.

Be fair Max, Mr. Simmons isn't the only reason you can't focus on class today. The excitement for tonight may also play a role!

She smiled a little as her thoughts moved toward hers and Chloe's plans for the evening. Their first date as a couple. And being her usual self, Chloe had deadpan refused to tell Max where they were going. She pondered a moment about the possibilities, not like there were many in Arcadia Bay with only a few restaurants, a theater and an arcade; the small town didn't provide much in matter of romantic outlets. Of course there were romantic scenery and viewpoints such as the beachfront, the lighthouse and the numerous parks. The issue with those were that you often had to trek a bit to reach them and Max doubted Chloe would ask her to battle the earthen paths with her crutches on their first date.

I guess she'll take me to a restaurant for diner, probably Two-Whales if I know my Chloe, and then maybe a movie at the theater? Arcades could be a possibility but I'm not sure she would ask me to play those games when I can't stand without my arms.

Max sighed dreamingly as she imagined a sweet evening with her paramour. The soft buzz of her phone vibrating to signal an incoming message jerked her out of her daydream. Looking around her to see if anyone had noticed the disturbance, she slowly reached for her phone and, hiding it under her desk, checked the messages.

Dana: Hey Max! Something good planned for tonight?

How the hell did she know?

Max took a moment to look at the girl sitting across the room, frowning a little as the brunette waved a hand while beaming.

Max: Maybe. Why?

Dana: Dude, you're dreaming and practically drooling on your desk!

Max felt her cheek start to heat up and looked up at the girl in shock.

Dana: Planning on playing with your girlfriend's bod?

Max was certain the top of her skull had just blown up and steam was whistling its way out of her head.

Max: what? No!!!!

Max: We're just going on a date!

Dana: A date? Woohoo!

Dana: You better tell me everything about it first thing tomorrow, Caulfield!

Max: insert groan here

Max: fine…

She knew there was no chance to avoid this. Dana was always looking for gossip and if she didn't go and tell the cheerleader at least a sum up of the evening, the brunette would just hound her and hassle her for every little details. She may just do that anyway, but by volunteering part of the story Max had better chances to avoid the interrogation. She was about to set her phone down, a silent groan in her throat, when the phone buzzed again. She looked up at Dana, but the girl's attention was back on her notes, or whatever she was writing on her notebook. She looked at her phone and noticed she had two new messages, one from Warren and one from Chloe.

Warren: hey Maximum Power! Brooke and I going to the drive-in tonight wanna join us?

With a shake of her head, and a little internal chuckle at the boy's decidedly bad timing, she quickly typed her response.

Max: You really have a bad timing…. I'm going out with Chloe. Not sure what she has planned though.

Warren: Come on! You're spending all your days with her or what?

Max: Well I do live at her house so … But no, just bad timing. But we'll still hang out tomorrow evening!

Warren: True, movie night! Ok, well your bad! We'll be going to oblivion without you!

Max shook her head slightly and moved to look at Chloe's text.

Chloe: Get ready! Get ready!

Max: Ready for what?

Chloe: Get ready cause I'm going to date you!

Max: Yes you are.

Chloe: I'm going to date you so hard you won't be able to spend a minute without me after that!

Max: Oh really? That bad?

Chloe: Yeah baby! That's how badly you'll love me after tonight?

Max: well yeah the date must be that bad if I'll go from missing you every second you aren't here to only missing you every minute.

Chloe: REALLY? Sass?

Chloe: Okay I'm turning back, no date for you missy!

Max: Noooo!!! Come back! I need my Chlo-fix!

Chloe: Okay, just for this one time… but u owe me, Max. U OWE ME!

Max: Do you take kisses?

Chloe: I think I can accept that currency!

Max: Yay! :-*

Chloe: NO EMOJI!

Max: but I was giving you a kiss! :(

Chloe: No Butt, you emoji temptress!

Max: Come to the Max-side, Chloe-wan, we have cuddles! :D

Chloe: Oh I'm so going to make you pay!

Max: But you love me!

Chloe: yeah… I do love your butt!

Max: Dork!

Chloe: Nerd!

Max smiled warmly at her discussion with Chloe, enjoying how enthusiastic her girlfriend was about their upcoming date.

To be fair I just can't wait to see what she has planned!

The bell finally rang and Max quickly stuffed her books in her bag before she took her crutches and quickly hopped toward the exit, her mind bouncing happily.

Time for date! Time for Chloe date! Time for Chlo-date!

She crossed the campus, hearing Dana and Juliet giggling as they saw her excited pace and the size of her smile, and finally arrived at the parking, somewhat relieved she hadn't stumbled on the way.

Would have put a damper on our date, had I broke my nose on the ground!

She quickly spotted the battered truck and hurriedly hopped toward it, surprised to find it empty as she reached the passenger door. Frowning, she looked around her but could not find the punk girl. She fished in her pocket for her phone and started typing a text to warn her girlfriend.

"BOO-YAH!"

"ARRRGGG!"

Max screamed and jumped, her hand releasing the phone as she lost her footing, the crutches toppling. Max fell on her butt with a cry and looked up as the blue-haired girl laughed at the success of her prank.

"Boo-yah, got it? Like I'm a scary punk ghost!"

"It's not fun you asshole!" Max complained, wincing as she looked at her sore hands, glad she didn't actually scratched them.

"Oh come on Max! You got to admit it was a bit fun at least!"

"Do you think it was fun for me to fall?" Max looked up at her girlfriend angrily. "I'm still injured Chloe! What if falling had made it worse?!"

The punk's face suddenly turned from amusement to great concern. "Oh fuck! Max, I'm so sorry! Are you all right? Please tell me it's okay!" She reached to kneel by the pink haired girl. "Geeze, I'm so stupid!"

Max shook her head. "I'm fine. I think… well aside from a sore butt." She reached for her crutches and looked at the girl who started to dote on her like a nurse. "Help me up, you jerk!"

"Yes! Yes!... One moment. Slow but steady, there you go Max!" Chloe stammered as she heaved Max to her feet carefully.

The pinkette looked around her searching for her phone. "Thanks, now please help me find my… Man! Are you cereal?" she cried as she noticed the device laying in pieces on the ground. "And now my phone is broken! I can't get a new one from my parents, Chloe! Not as things are going with Vanessa!" She looked up at her girlfriend pouting.

Chloe winced and picked up the pieces. "Sorry… I'm so sorry Max." She then quickly opened the door for the smaller girl to get in the truck.

Max grumbled as she boarded the vehicle, pulling her crutches behind her as Chloe closed the door. She fastened her seatbelt and crossed her arms on her chest pouting.

"I'm sorry, Max… Really!" Chloe sadly said as she climbed in the driver's seat, looking at her pouting girlfriend.

"You owe me a phone." The pink-haired girl just responded.

"I know! I'll get you one right away! We'll go to the store on the way!" The punk girl quickly turned the key in the ignition.

Twenty minutes later, Chloe came out of the electronic store holding in her hands a boxed mobile phone as if it was a trophy as she hopped toward the truck. Max had remained in the cabin, her rear still sore from the previous fall and her mood pretty miffed by her friend's prank. The punk quickly bounced around the vehicle and climbed back in the driver's seat before presenting the box to her friend.

"Please accept this gift as repayment for my breaking of your totem, oh powerful Goddess of time Max!" Her tone was a mix of playful joke and serious regret.

Max pondered a moment then took the box from her girlfriend's hand. She teased her by slowly examining it as if trying to gauge if the gift was worthy, then nodded. "Okay, I'll forgive you for now… But please, don't do it again"

Chloe nodded eagerly. "Aye Aye Ma'am! No more prank for this punk!"

The smaller girl shook her head. "I don't mind the pranks, Chloe… But think about all the consequences before you pull them."

The bluenette nodded. "I will… Sorry Max… please forgive me."

"I already did, dork!" the pink-haired girl leaned and kissed her girlfriend's lips softly. "Now, let's go go to Steph's so I can start up that new phone while you finish your work. The sooner we're there, the sooner you're done and the sooner we date!"

"I'm with yah on this one Maximo!"

Chloe had warned her during the ride, informing her that apparently Steph got rejected when she asked her teacher out, but Max had not expected the depth of the depressing level the ambiance music at the store had sunk to. Forget emo, this music selection made you want to jump from a roof. With a mix of languages going from English to Gaelic passing by Japanese and French, the playlist was rather eclectic and displayed a diversity of artists going from Era to Johnny Cash and Nickelback, hell there were even a few songs from Linkin Park. The only common denominator was the sadness and heartbreaking theme behind either the lyrics or the melody, or both. And while taken separately they probably would just make you sob a little, grouped together without any cheerful songs in between, they made Max want to hang herself. After all NUMB or How you remind me weren't that sad, but if you put Hurt from Johnny Cash or My Immortal from Evanescence in the middle, it could turn your heart.

At least it felt like this for Max, and she tried to ignore the gloomy music as she worked on transferring or re-entering her contacts into her new phone. The boot up had not been as simple as she had thought. First the SD card had been jammed with the shock and it had taken a while to get it out of her old phone. Then, finding the location to insert both the SIM card and the SD card in the new phone had revealed to be frustratingly difficult. Not mentioning the fact they make those damned plug smaller and smaller which becomes a pain when you need to insert said cards. But at last, her new phone was working, and after a quick selfie with Chloe, new phone meaning new wallpaper, she had endeavored to retrieve her contact list, and continued to issue invitations for the movie night.

She finally entered the last number with a sigh of relief, when the first guitar notes came out of the speaker.

"Come on, Steph! This song again?" Chloe's voice complained from her tattoo station, where she was working on her last customer for the day.

'Kazesasou kokageni utsubusete naiteru.

'Mi mo shinau watashi wo, watashi ga miteita.

'Yuku hito no shirabe wo, kanaderu guitaara.

'Konu hito no nageki ni hoshi ha ochite.

'Yukanaide, donna ni sakende mo orenji no hanabira shizuka ni yureru dake.

'Yawarakana hitai ni nokosareta, te no hira no kiyoku haruka tokoshie no,

'Sayonara, tsuma hiku….

As the soft voice of the singer slowly conveyed all the sadness of someone having to see a beloved one departing, Max felt herself brought back to the heart breaking memory of William's funeral; the vision of Chloe standing and crying by the grave, leaves and petals floated down with the wind, as her parents' car started to move, taking her away to another place, another life. Max had never really realized why she had felt so broken that day, like something was being ripped out of her chest. But with the song rekindling the memory in her mind now that she and Chloe were in a relationship, Max understood. What she had felt back then, was her heart breaking as she was taken away from the one person she loved more than anything, the one person she could not live without; and as the song kept going with a soft guitar strumming accompanied by a violin and such an expressive voice, Max felt the tears starting to run on her cheeks as the pain of that day crushed her heart. She started to sob, forgetting about everything around her; the store, the customers, Steph, Chloe. All that remained for her was the pain of the separation, the sadness of their goodbye as the wheels of a car took her away.

At some point, Chloe must have noticed her girlfriend was crying, because Max felt her arms wrapping around her small body, the warmth of her body pressed in her back and the softness of kisses on her cheeks. "Hey, babe… is there something wrong? Why are you crying like that?"

The pink-haired girl twisted and turned to press her face in Chloe's chest, seeking the comforting presence of the one she thought she had lost so many years ago. "It's the song… It's… It's reminding me of … that, day…"

"What day?"

"The day I moved to Seattle…" Max looked up a bit, her face full of sorrow. "The way it speaks of someone looking at the one she loves leaving… it reminded me of what I felt when I looked through the car's window… as I watched you getting further and further away." She broke into more tears and pressed deeper in Chloe's chest. "I… I… I felt like my heart was ripped away… Like I would never see you again… Like I would never be happy again…. I'm so sorry, Chloe! So sorry I had to leave… So sorry I couldn't find the courage to send all those letters and text I started to write… So sorry I couldn't find the courage to even press the call button after dialing your number… I'm so sorry for not contacting you, not telling you how I felt for those five years…."

The punk tightened her hold on her girlfriend, tears slowly escaping her eyes as she remembered that painful day, but most of all saw the pain in her beloved friend. "Shhhh… It's all right Max… It's all right… You are here, you are back with me… That is all that matters… You are with me again and we won't be separated again." She kissed the smaller girl's head softly. "We are together, forever."

Max nodded softly. "Forever…."

It had taken a few more minutes for Max to finally calm down and for the girls to finally depart to begin their first date. Of course they did lose a few more with Chloe tearing Steph a new one, telling her to 'fucking raise her head and stop playing this gloomy music, and never play that particular song again'. And that was the censored version. Chloe's language was rather colorful when she got all angry and protective. The argument could have lasted long, but seeing Max' distress, Steph had quickly relented.

They had left the store shortly after, Chloe smiling warmly as she drove, taking the truck through the streets. Max was surprised when they crossed the city's border, passing by the sign proclaiming it had been 'Another Great Day in Arcadia Bay'. She asked Chloe where they were going but once again the punk deflected the question. A few miles later they reached the neighboring town and Chloe whistled softly as she drove her truck through the drive-through of a Burger King.

"That's not very romantic…" Max pointed out only to see the bluenette smile.

"Chillax Max! Let me handle this! The food's not what makes it romantic! It's the setting, and we aren't eating here."

After picking up what probably were the two biggest burgers on the menu, a large box of French fries and surprisingly a smaller box of onion rings – although to be fair they both weren't sure about it considering their plans for the evening – they drove off across the town. Chloe took them to what revealed to be an old fashioned drive-in and Max pondered a moment, quirking an eyebrow.

"We going to a drive-in?"

The punk smiled softly. "I thought it would be better than a theater, after all less risks of being caught and kicked out if we decide to get cozy!" She winked at the pinkette moving a hand to brush a finger along her thigh. "Besides, I heard tonight's movie is pretty good!"

"Oh, what are they playing?"

"Mmm, a Tom Cruise flick I think… Sci-fi, this one… let me check." She reached to the dashboard for a leaflet. "Yep, Sci-fi with Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman… name's Oblivion."

Max tilted her head a bit. "I heard of it, wanted to see it but well I didn't leave my room much when I was in Seattle…"

Chloe smirked. "Well then no spoilers for anyone and we will enjoy a good movie a good burger and good cuddle session."

Max nodded as Chloe finally reached the booth and paid for their viewing. She drove the truck to an empty spot rather at the back of the parking and reached out her window for the old fashioned speaker she hooked inside. With a giddy nod and flourish to display her work, she looked at Max, beaming, before she reached for the paper bag with the food. "Okay, let's eat before it get's cold! I hope you're hungry!"

The pinkette smiled. "I'm famished! Now give me my nosh before I resort to eating you!"

"Oh, now I'm not sure I wanna give you a burger!" Chloe retorted playfully, making Max blush crimson as she caught up on the double entendre.

"Dork!"

They both chuckled as Chloe pulled both burgers from the bag and offered one to her date. They started to eat, taking a few bites of their burgers and exchanging bites with each other. While they ate and waited for the movie to begin, they chatted lightly, planning their trap for the following evening, wondering if Max should talk with her new photography teacher about the heartbroken tattoo artist.

Finally the parking lights started to dim, announcing the oncoming start of the movie. Max paused from eating her burger, reaching for her soda and taking a sip when they heard the sound of a car parking beside them.

"Man, I hoped we wouldn't have anyone beside us." Chloe complained with a groaned while the pinkette turned her head to look at the newly arrived car which had parked on her side.

The sudden spurt of soda as surprise made her cough up her drink through both mouth and nostrils startled the blue haired punk. "What the heck?"

Max coughed a few times as she pointed the window. "War… Warren and Brooke!" she finally blurted out and Chloe's eyes opened wide as she quickly moved to press her face to the window looking at the old car parked beside them.

"Shit, what they doing here?"

"I dunno!" She frowned as she thought for a moment. "Shit! I forgot! He invited me to join him and Brooke to go to the drive-in!"

Both girls looked at each other for an instant and then started to chuckle softly, and the chuckle turned to laughs.

"Geeze, so much for a nice private date! I thought by leaving Arcadia Bay we could avoid this kind of situation, you know!"

"Right, this gonna be so awkward." The pinkette said taking a bite from her burger before she winced. "Shit!"

"What?"

"He doesn't know…"

Chloe looked at Max, chewing a mouthful of burger. "Know whash?"

"Duh, he doesn't know I'm gay!" Max rolled her eyes before looking out the window at the car parked beside them.

"Well, it would suck but we could keep it chaste, I guess…" There was a soft disappointment in the punk's voice and Max felt a pang in her heart. She put her burger in its wrapping and on the dashboard before leaning toward the bluenette.

"No we don't!" she said firmly before pressing her lips on Chloe's softly. "We are on a date! And fuck everyone!" she added as she pulled back.

"Wow and you kiss your girlfriend with this mouth?" The blue-haired girl smirked before setting her burger aside too.

"Damned right I am!"

The following kiss was lustful and hungry, definitively not a chaste peck like the first one. Max nibbled on the punk's lip for a moment before she pressed her tongue requesting entry. Both girls quickly started battle, soft groans escaping their throats. Their hands started to reach to pull at each other's body, trying to press closer. Chloe's left hand lowered along Max' spine, reaching to her him and slowly sneaking into her shirt as she caressed the smaller girl's stomach, slowly moving up. Max shifted a bit on the seat trying to get closer, a soft moan in her mouth as her girlfriend's exploring hand reached her bra, brushing her breast through the fabric. She shuddered softly at the contact, and the cool draft brushing her back as her shirt got pulled up, hitched by Chloe's wrist.

The sudden sound of a knock on the window made them jerk apart, Max squealing a little with surprise, Chloe's hand quickly retreating as she looked at the passenger's side window.

"Uh, oh…" The punk said with the right corner of her lips raising in a twitch.

Max was still scrambling to pull her shirt back down as she saw her girlfriend's expression. "Warren or Brooke?"

"Both."

Max closed her eyes feeling her skin burn with embarrassment. "I suppose it would be useless to ask for a rewind?"

Chloe frowned a bit. "Damned right!"

With a sigh Max sat back. "Yeah guessed not…." She shook her head and turned to start lowering the window.

"Hey Warren, Brooke!" She said trying to hide how awkward she felt at the situation, although judging by Chloe's giggle she was obviously failing.

"Hi Max and Chloe!" the boy said blushing deeply, obviously as uncomfortable with the situation he caught the girls into as Max was at being caught.

"Yoh War-war! How's your date going?"

"Err… good…" He blushed more reaching up to scratch his head. "Yours?"

Chloe couldn't help being bashful as she responded. "Pretty damned good till a moment ago!" She winked and giggled as she saw both Max and Warren blushing and looking down

Brooke who had been silent until now chuckled as well and smiled at Max. "I can see what you meant by 'not being in the race', Max!"

"Uh… er… yeah!" the pinkette stammered only drawing more amusement from her girlfriend.

"Well she wasn't in the race for Waldo, that's certain! But who knows , maybe she was in a race with Waldo!"

At Chloe's words, Brooke's eyes jerked back to Max and opened wide as she considered the full extent of what had been said. "Err… I… I'm sorry, Max, but I don't swing that way." She said looking down.

Chloe laughed loudly and wrapped her arms around Max's waist pulling her close. "Anyway, she's mine! So you can't have her!"

Max leaned back against Chloe, enjoying the warmth of the taller girl's embrace, although her face flushed a little with embarrassment.

"Err… well, sorry I interrupted things, I … I wasn't sure it was you, but I saw Chloe's truck and … well pink hair…" Warren said his eyes wandering around, avoiding contact. "Anyway… I … I'm glad for you Max… You deserve to be happy."

"Thank you. Sorry I didn't tell you… I'm… I was waiting for the right moment… and…"

The sound of production company teaser started to blare through the speaker and the parking lights turned off completely, leaving only the light from the projection screen as they indicated the beginning of the movie.

"We'll talk about it later, I guess…" Max finally said. "Enjoy the movie."

"You too!"

As Warren and Brooke returned to his car, Max closed the window and turned to face Chloe. They looked at each other for a moment before both girls burst into a deep bout of laughter,

"So? How did you like our first date?" The punk girl asked cheerfully as she threw herself on her bed, bouncing a couple time on the mattress.

Max chuckled at the girl's childish behavior while she slowly walked toward the bed. She sat herself down, quickly joined by Chloe who sat up and wrapped her arms around her. "It was great. Well aside the moment we got busted by Warren… That was awkward."

Chloe giggled loudly. "Dude, the boy was so wanting to disappear! I bet he wasn't the one knocking on the window!"

Max chuckled as she dropped her crutches on the floor and twisted to wrap her arms around the punk's neck. "You're probably right. Warren's usually too shy to interrupt two people that are making out."

"Yeah I thought so too! Nerd girl though, I think she's kinkier than she lets on! I bet Waldo will be getting some very, very kinky things done to him soon!" She wiggled her eyebrow suggestively as she beamed, obviously amused by the idea of the cold and apparently repressed girl being a closet volcano.

"Oh boy! Poor Warren!" Max responded with a chuckle. She then leaned and kissed Chloe's lips softly. "Thank you for that wonderful date."

The bluenette suddenly pulled at Max, making her cry in surprise and flail as she heaved her onto the bed until the smaller girl was laying back on the mattress, trapped under her. "Why Caulfield? Did you think the date was over?"

"Oh, I dunno…" she played coyly looking at the bluenette as her hands moved to brush on Chloe's flanks.

"Oh yeah you don't!" With a growl, the punk pressed her lips to her girlfriend's, the kiss full of need and lust as she nibbled at the soft lips. Max moved her hands up threading her fingers through the blue mane of her lover as the kiss gained in intensity, while Chloe's hands reached under the girl's shirt brushing at her soft skin as it made its way to the bra covered mounds.

Both girls started to pant, giving out soft groans and moans as they parted their lips in a synchronized decision, their tongues meeting halfway and dancing. Max tightened her grip on Chloe's hair not letting her go as she pressed herself up along the bluenette's body. To Max' despair, the punk broke the kiss, rising up with a grunt before looking down mischievously. Her hands moved out from under the girl's shirt, fingers brushing on the soft skin and she quickly endeavored to part the opened hoodie from Max' shoulders, yanking the sleeves away. She beamed as Max rose up a bit reaching behind her to toss the hoodie on the floor, before reaching to pull the bluenettes tank top up, yanking it off and away before she leaned for a kiss.

The pinkette wrapped her arms around Chloe's torso her hands brushing on her soft skin as she pressed her lips on the bluenette's. She whined softly when the punk girl pushed her down on the bed pinning her on the mattress. Licking her lips, Chloe stared at the small girl in her black tank top shirt. She quickly moved her hands down and started to pull on the shirt, yanking it off revealing the pale freckled body of her beloved.

Feeling the intense stare of her girlfriend, Max suddenly felt exposed and she turned her head blushing deeply. Chloe's sapphire irises slowly scanned the girl's body, detailing each cute freckle, each curve, each soft shadow casted by the Christmas lights they had left on. Her eyes got dragged to the scar on the side of her friend's belly right under her ribcage and her hand moved, fingers brushing along the healed wound. As she did, Max turned bit her lip and closed her eyes as she muttered softly. "I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"I… This scar makes me so ugly."

Chloe leaned in and softly pressed her lips on the distorted circle crossed by a two inches line. "Shh, you are so pretty… so beautiful… so perfect." Kissing Max' scar with each compliment before she trailed kisses up along the girl's skin, each time feeling it shiver under her lips as the girl gasped softly. She kissed her way up the pinkette's chin and gave her girlfriend's lips love and tenderness while she sneaked her hands around her back, brushing along her spine. Her fingers slowly moved up, brushing along the rough patch of skin of the healed bullet hole, the place where Nathan's bullet had pierced her lover's skin where the muzzle flash had left small burns. She felt the girl stiffen as she spent time caressing the wound and she smiled softly looking Max in the eyes trying to show she wasn’t anything but in love with the girl and every part of her.

She kissed Max again, their lips meeting and parting softly, strands of saliva joining them. As she did, she moved closer pressing their bodies together, enjoying the feeling of skin against skin contact, the warmth of Max’ body. Her hands moved up reaching the fabric circling the girl’s chest and softly she unhooked the pinkette’s bra. She then moved her hands reaching behind her to quickly untie her own bra as she kept kissing the smaller girl. She then slowly pulled back, breaking the kiss as she smiled at the girl. Sensually, she let the cloth fall along her arms, uncovering herself with a grin, enjoying how Max’ eyes suddenly widened and focused on her chest.

Max was so stunned by the girl’s body, her so perfect curves, the paleness of her bosom, how the colored lights played, casting shadows so delicate she regretted not having a camera. She rose her arms only to have her hands swatted aside as she tried to touch the glorious orbs, the small pink buttons with metallic barbs. Wowser! She had them pierced?

Chloe reached and pulled the pinkette’s bra away uncovering the smaller breasts. When she saw the soft curves, the sweet pale skin dotted with adorable freckles, she helplessly felt her core burning with desire.

The girls eyed each other’s breasts lustfully and Max just could not hold her thought anymore. “Wowser! You’re… you’re so beautiful!”

“You are too, Max!”

“Shut up! I know I’m just a flat board.” She blushed and turned her head only to gasp as she felt the warm and soft lips pressing on the skin of her breasts.

“You are perfect, Max” Chloe breathed kissing and licking at the skin.

Max moaned arching her back up as she felt the wet tongue brushing around her nipples. Her hands reached up, and she couldn’t help but grope the bluenette’s orbs making the girl shudder and groan against her own chest.

They spent time exploring and kissing each other’s skin, groaning and purring at the touches, the tastes, the scents. Chloe moved trailing kisses along Max’ collarbone until she reached her neck. She started to kiss and nibble drawing cooing moans from the smaller girl who moved her head offering a better access as her own hands started to claw at the punk’s back. Her hands moved brushing and kneading Max’ breasts, she slowly moved one down, brushing along Max’ flat and soft belly while she softly sunk her teeth in her skin, making the girl shudder with a deeper moan.

Both sets of hands kept their exploring, the punk enjoying how the smaller girl writhed under her body, under her touch. Softly she sneaked her hand down brushing at the clothed thighs. When she pushed further, her fingers brushing along Max’ crotch, the girl suddenly pressed her thighs together and tensed up.

Chloe looked up, gazing at the pinkette noticing how she bit her own lip and blushed deeply. “Max?”

The girl closed her eyes and seemed to hesitate before she sighed. “I… I can’t… not yet…” She stammered, tears starting to appear at the corner of her eyes. “Forgive me, Chloe… I … I want to… I want to be with you that way… but…”

Chloe put a finger on her lips silencing her softly as she whispered. “It’s okay, Max. I understand. You’re not ready.”

The girl shook her head softly. “I’m sorry.”

The punk smiled and kissed her lips softly. “You don’t have to be. We will go your pace, Max. We got all the time in the world, thanks to you.”

As Max nodded softly, she knew she had killed the mood and that their moment was gone. Chloe smiled at her trying to alleviate her concerns. “It’s all good. I love you Max and I’ll wait for all time if needed.”

“I don’t want to make you wait.”

“Max. I don’t want you to regret anything, especially that.” She kissed the girl and moved to lay on her side wrapping her arms around the smaller girl and pulling her into a cuddle. “There, let’s just enjoy the night and sleep.”

The girl pressed her back closer to the punk loving herself in her warm embrace. “I love you, Chloe.”

“I know… And I love you too.” She kissed the girl’s neck before she whispered. “Now, rest and sleep my beautiful angel.”

Chapter Text

The soft chime of a phone broke the peaceful lull of her sleep, her senses slowly waking up. While the weight of her girlfriend's arm draped over her waist was a familiar sensation, the cool breeze brushing her chest contrasting with the warmth pressed at her back was unsettling. Instinctively, she pressed back, seeking to wrap herself deeper in the snugness until a soft cooing accompanied the soft pressure she felt on her bare back, followed by the tightening of the arm around her body. Slowly she opened her eye, the warm light of mid-morning making her squint with a grunt. Recognizing Chloe's bedroom after a few blinks, she purred softly and closed her eyes again pressing back against her girlfriend's body.

Her slight move drew an immediate reaction, the girl behind her tightening her hold even more, pressing her body on Max', the pressure of the soft velvet on her back making the small girl purr with contentment. Cozy and happy, the pinkette slowly let herself drift back into slumber, until she felt one of Chloe's hands shift on her body, reaching up and groping at one of her small breasts. The skin on skin feeling coupled with the soft pressure of warm lips on her neck woke her up and she quickly looked down, blushing deeply as she realized how exposed she was, wearing only her panties.

It only took a moment for the memories of the previous night to catch up with her, the date and the stressful encounter, the make-out session where both she and Chloe had started to undress each other from the waist up, the feelings of fingers brushing, of lips kissing, of tongue tasting her skin. And with them came the memories of the scents of her lover's body, the taste of her skin, of her lips; of the aborted attempt to push their passion further, of the embrace and soothing words offered to her when she felt guilty. The last thing she remembered before sleeping was Chloe's words of love and her soft kisses as they cuddled under the covers.

But I'm sure I still had my jeans! Did Chloe take them off?

"Good morning girlfriend." The soft voice of her favorite punk brought her back to the present.

"Mmmmh Good morning".

"I took the liberty of removing your pants at some point, so you'd be more comfortable to sleep." Chloe announce softly while putting feathery kisses on her shoulder, her hand still cupping her breast. "I hope you don't mind."

Max pressed back against the bluenette's warm body as she softly shook her head. "No it's okay…" She breathed softly reaching down to pull one of Chloe's hand, the one on her stomach rather than the one cupping her breast, to her mouth and placed tender kisses on its palm.

"Did you have a good night?"

The pinkette closed her eyes and smiled happily as she kissed the hand again. "Heavenly."

"Wow, Max, careful with the compliment, you won't know what to say next time!" The punk chuckled softly behind her before she moved to nibble her earlobe, her tongue softly playing with the small ring piercings.

The smaller girl blushed and moved her head slightly, offering a better access for the taller girl's morning attentions.

"We should get up soon, Max…" The bluenette softly whispered after a few minutes, giving a soft peck behind right behind her ear.

"Mmmmhh, nah I don't want…" Max responded with an almost childish whine. She wasn't one to usually play this part, especially when together with the punk, but that morning, being there loved into Chloe's arms with the sensation of her soft skin on her back, Max didn't want it to ever end. She didn't want to even move a single inch away.

"We will have too, you know… Mom will –"

"WAKEY WAKEY! EGGS A BAKEY!"

Joyce's call interrupted the punk and filled Max with nostalgia. She remembered the mornings when Chloe and her were kids and the woman used to wake them up in the same fashion after their sleepovers.

"Welll… right on time I guess!" The punk chuckled. She gave a soft squeeze at Max' breast before quickly shuffling to stand. "Come on, Maxima! Up we go!" She smiled, gazing down at the view of her half naked girlfriend. "As much as it pains me to leave you in this state, we got a big movie party to prepare for!"

With a grunt Max slowly sat up on the bed, blue eyes slanted under her pink bangs. "Fine…." She looked up, her eyes scanning the tall girl's toned body only covered by cute dark blue panties with a yellow X-men symbol on front and on the back. She gaped a bit at the way the blue-haired girl's curves played as she stretched in front of her, Max only wishing she could convince her to come back to bed.

The pinkette shook her head and looked around her before asking. "Can you give me my shirt and my jeans please?"

The punk looked around her searching for the discarded clothes. The jeans were easy to find, they were only at the foot of the bed after all, but the black tank-top had been tossed hurryingly in the midst of their passion and Chloe couldn't remember where. She finally found the shirt crumpled in her trash can and she winced a bit as she took it out. "You may want to take another one, honey."

With a sigh Max nodded. "Okay, can you get one for me please?" she asked as she slid her legs into her pants, bouncing on the bed to lift the denim up to her waist. A few seconds later she snatched the shirt given to her by her girlfriend and froze. "Err where is my bra?"

Chloe chuckled softly and waved a hand around. "Somewhere in the mess with mine!" the girl responded before raising her own shirt to reveal she wasn't wearing hers.

Max blushed and looked around. "I can't go like this Chloe…"

The punk rolled her eyes. "Come on Caulfield, you got to live it up a little!" As the pinkette looked at the girl she could feel the mischievousness building in her friend's head

"Chloe…."

"I dare you to go the whole day without a bra, Maximus!"

"What? The whole day?"

"I double dare you! No bra till tomorrow!" She smirked evilly and clapped her hand. "Hop hop! Put on that shirt and off we go!"

With a groan Max slipped the tank top on, only to realize it was not one of hers but one of Chloe's. With a little cry she pressed her arms around the white shirt with a buffalo skull wearing earphones, the loose fabric around her body threatening to fall and reveal her chest. She looked up at her girlfriend frowning at the mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"Chlo-e…"

"Oh come on Maxi! You look hot in my clothes!"

"Maybe, but I can't wear your freackingly large shirts without a bra! That thing is a boob-flash waiting to happen!"

"All the more reason to wear it!" the punk retorted with a chuckle before she opened the bedroom door. "You can change if you want though. Of course, I don't guarantee you will have any breakfast left if you take the time to do it!" With this threat, Chloe ran out of the bedroom and down the stairs, Max calling back at her.

"Chloe don't you dare!"

The pinkette quickly picked her crutches, forgetting about the shirt as she hurried behind the punk, hoping to intercept the girl before her well needed food is gone.

"WAKEY WAKEY! EGGS A BAKEY!"

Joyce returned to the kitchen after having called from the bottom of the stairs, looking at the eggs and bacon cooking on the stove. She quickly put a first serving in a plate and carried it to table, placing it in front of David who was reading his newspaper. The man quickly put his paper down and looked at the plate.

"Smells delicious, as usual!"

"Flatterer!" She responded with a smile as she headed back to the kitchen. The house started to fill with sounds of shuffling, she was about to call for the girls again when she heard the loud steps of her daughter running down the stairs while laughing, followed by Max' threat.

Joyce couldn't believe how happy she was to hear her daughter's laugh again, to see her run through the house with Max again. Over the past years she had given up the hope to see Chloe this joyful, this alive again. She had tried to help her daughter, but it had mostly ended up in fights and scream contest, the girl turning rebellious. It had mellowed a bit with Rachel -not a lot, the girl wasn't as grounded as Max ever was and their relations with David were verging on total war - but after the girl's disappearance, Chloe had sunk back into darkness. She had started to really fear for her daughter, to the point she had come to wait for the dreadful call informing her that the worst had happened. But things had changed.

Thank God for bringing my daughter's Max back into our lives!

"Mom! Where's Max' share!" The blue-haired girl came rampaging in the kitchen with a large smile on her face.

"Oh no you don't daughter dear! Max still is convalescent! She needs her food!" she said swatting Chloe's hand away from the plate she was preparing. "Go take your seat!"

"Not fun!" The girl said although still smiling as she bounced toward the table. Soon Max came to the living-room, her face flushed as she appeared in front of them in one of Chloe's, way too big for her, sleeveless shirt. With each of her steps, the straps on her shoulders threatened to slip on the side and let the whole cloth drop.

"Chloe! Don't you touch my food!" she called again pausing when she noticed both Joyce and David were there. "Oh… errr.. Good morning."

With a giggle, Chloe just pulled a chair from the table, standing behind it. "Come here mini-Max! Have a seat pete!"

Max grumbled a bit as she moved and sat on the chair unsure about her girlfriend's newfound gallantry. As she sat, one of the shirt's straps fell along her arm, the fabric hanging slightly.

"Good morning, Max." Joyce greeted as she placed a plate in front of her. Smirking slightly as the blushing girl quickly pulled the shirt back into position. "Did you sleep well?"

Max nodded softly. "Yes, thank you." She reached at the small bottles of pills sitting beside her glass of orange juice and quickly started to take her daily prescription. It had become a routine after two months although it was starting to enter the 'wish this was over' phase, even if she knew she was condemned to this for the rest of her life. She could imagine Nathan in a corrupt judge robe taping his hammer. Maxine Caulfield, you are hereby sentence to life on medication without parole!

She sighed as she swallowed the pills. Joyce hovered beside her for a minute, probably making sure she took the medicine as Max had forgotten about them a few times already, then walked around the table. The blonde woman frowned a moment, her lips curling to a smile as she moved to settle a plate in front of her daughter. "And here you go. Although I'm not sure you need it."

Chloe looked up at her mother. "Of course I need my breakfast, woman!"

With an evil smirk, Joyce put her hands on her hips. "Even after you snacked on Max?"

Max felt David's eyes quickly looking up at her, scanning, only to stop at her neck, his moustache slowly curling up as his lips gave a soft smile.

With a frown Max pulled her phone from her pocket using the camera to look at herself. What the hell? Do I have something on my face? Do my boobs show? As she looked at her image she noticed the purple blotch on her neck. Her eyes flared open and she turned toward Chloe "You gave me a hickey!!"

Chloe laughed at her reaction. "I sure did! But then again who can resist a Maxi-snack!"

Max blushed deeply quickly looking down, averting the eyes of everyone as she started to mull over her eggs and bacon.

"Oh, by the way!" the punk started, her mouth half full. "We planned a little movie gathering with friends tonight. Probably should have asked you before inviting everyone but, is it okay?"

David and Joyce looked at Chloe, flabbergasted. "Since when do you ask us permission?" the blonde woman asked with a southern drawl.

"Hey, I'm trying to be good!" The bluenette tried to defend herself while everyone around the table chuckled.

Joyce looked at David, who shrugged, before she nodded softly. "Fine, but no alcohol and no drugs in the house!"

Chloe smiled as she eagerly nodded. "Of course mom! Than…"

"And you clean the room tomorrow."

"… ks! Fine I will do it." She sighed as her face turned grim.

As she witnessed the exchange, Max wondered if Joyce had noticed the loophole in her conditions. She probably left it there on purpose because she knew Chloe would break it otherwise.

They had spent the day preparing the living room, making sure there was plenty of space and cushions in front of the HDTV screen, shopping for groceries, drinks, snacks and so on. At around 5pm, they finally sat down on the couch, the preparation done, and snuggled close to each other. "So how are we going to do this? Are we hiding Kate upstairs until Victoria arrives or do we just let the event unfold?"

Chloe pondered over Max' question for a moment, her arm wrapped around the pinkette's shoulder as the smaller girl rested alongside her, her head pressed on her collarbone. "Hmmm, tough one… If Victoria sees Kate, there's a good chance she decides to simply flip and run on us."

Max shifted a bit, moving a hand to play with the three bullets of Chloe's necklace. "I guess… But if we hide Kate, it will be obvious we did set a trap… and she will be even less amenable to the discussion…"

Chloe let out a soft sigh of contentment as she felt the arm and hand of her girlfriend fiddling with the item close to her chest. She moved a hand, slightly brushing her fingers along the smaller girl's ribs through the side of her large tank top. "True, and she would probably make it harder on Kate too… What did you tell Victoria?"

The pinkette shuddered a bit as she felt the soft touch on her skin, inching softly toward the area usually covered by the fabric of her bra. "I told her Kate had to spend the day at her parents, which technically is the truth, and … that she would probably not be able to come. Not really difficult to imagine given how things apparently went last time she saw her mom."

The punk nodded, slowly moving her fingers deeper into the sleeve of Max' shirt brushing on the side of her small mound. "Yeah… not a bad one… I hope Kate doesn't get too messed up by her mom though."

"Yeah… me too! Anyway, I vote for we don't try to hide Kate." Max purred softly as she felt the sneaky hand reaching for her breast. She shifted slightly giving up on playing with the bullets to occupy her hand with something else. "We can always say we didn’t know Kate would make it."

Chloe smirked as she felt the response from her girlfriend. "True. And with all this settled… I think we deserve a little chill-out sesh."

The pinkette nodded reaching up to kiss at the punk's jaw. "Yeah, although, I think I owe you something." She rose softly and looked into the taller girl's eyes with a glint of devilry. She shifted to straddle Chloe's legs, sitting to face her as she leaned to brush their lips together.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Maximo." She moved her hands between them reaching to cup the unsupported breasts.

"Oh, I think you do." Max kissed Chloe deeper before shifting to whisper in her ear. "Chloecula." She then leaned and focused on kissing and nibbling at the punk's neck, drawing soft pleasure groan.

"Oh! That thing!" The punk said with a soft heavenly voice only to let out a deeper moan as the pinkette sank her teeth in her skin. "Oh shit, Max!"

The girl scrambled back worried. "Did I do it wrong? Did I hurt you?"

Chloe shook her head and moved a hand to pull the girl's head back to her neck. "Hell no! I loved it! Please bite away little otter!" Her voice was needy and demanding, her hands winding tightly around the smaller girl, one at her lower back, the other pressing her head closer. She hissed and purred happily as she felt the teeth sinking harder. "Oh fuck yeesss."

After a moment sucking and licking on Chloe's neck, Max pulled back to look at her handiwork. "There! All marked and tagged! Propriety of Max Caulfield!"

Chloe purred. "I love when you get all possessive on me!"

"Well I ain't letting you go anywhere! I gave up too much to get you!"

The pinkette leaned forward again and pressed her lips to her girlfriend's, pressing forward into a more lustful kiss. Soon both girls were making out, forgetting about resting.

The loud knock on the door startled them awake. Max and Chloe were snuggling, intertwined on the sofa after their heated make-out session, and they had fallen asleep in each other's arms. Both girls took a moment trying to figure out why someone would be knocking at the door, only to scramble frantically, looking around them. Both of them were naked from the waist up, their shirts having been quickly discarded during their fooling around. Chloe hopped over the back of the sofa retrieving the two tank tops and stopped as she looked down at her sitting girlfriend. "Okay, that's gonna be hard to hide." She smirked, pleased with herself.

"What?" the small girl responded reaching for the shirt.

"Nothing! Just how hot you are!" The bluenette tossed the shirt to her partner before hurrying toward the front door, quickly slipping her shirt on. She reached the door and opened it, finding Warren, Brooke, Dana, Juliet, Trevor and Justin standing as they waited. "Hey guys!" she greeted as she finished pulling the hem of her shirt down.

"Hey Chloe! Did we interrupt anything?" Dana asked playfully, drawing questioning looks from everyone but Warren, who was busy trying to impersonate a lobster, and Brooke and Juliet whose smirks threatened to turn into full time laughter.

"Err, no… We were done, no interrupting." She answered quickly; waving the group inside, hoping no one would start pushing for further details.

Unfortunately, that was without accounting for Justin and his all-star high as a kite lack of social understanding. "Why would we be interrupting? I thought only Chloe and Max were there."

Chloe rolled her eyes as the girls giggled loudly. "Yeah only me and Max here. Which is why you could have interrupted us!" she responded pointedly.

"Dude, I don't understand, why could we have…"

Trevor slapped the blonde boy behind the head lightly. "Dude! She's telling you she and Max are together, idiot!"

"What? Max is gay? Oh man! I swear! All the cool girls are!"

Dana coughed loudly putting her hands on her waist. "What you mean by that? That I'm not cool?"

Trevor quickly moved to kiss her. "He's saying it, not me. You're the coolest after all."

Chloe shook her head at their antics and pushed them toward the living-room. "Okay guys move to the next room and please don't make out in the hall… Actually don't make out in my house, I'm the one who has to clean after us!"

"Hey guys!" Max greeted, her cheeks flushed as she stood, using only one crutch to keep herself steady. The tank top had found its place, hanging loosely on her body, revealing several purple blotches and bite marks that contrasted sharply with the pale skin of her neck and her chest.

Warren stopped in his track, blocking the rest of the group as his eyes scanned the small girl. "Err… hi Max…" he blushed furiously unable to keep his eyes away from the obviously braless girl, until a sharp pinch of his rear made him yelp and hurry forward. "Ouch!"

Brooke, who was following him, huffed as she entered the room with a stare that promised a rough time to the boy. "Hi Max!" she greeted, her eyes scanning the pinkette for a quick moment, the corner of her lips curling slightly.

As the rest of the group moved, everyone showed a quick reaction going from a blush to a smirk, if not a full smile, as they saw Max, making the pink-haired girl frown. She was about to ask what was going on, but Chloe cut her off, pointing at the TV. "Yoh Waldo, here is the set, why don't you get everything plugged in and ready. By the way, what movie did you bring?"

Warren grunted unhappily as Chloe clearly messed up his name. "Well I got us Blue is the warmest color, which I thought would be a nice movie given the circumstances." At his words, Dana just giggled loudly and pressed her face to Trevor's shoulder trying to hide her face. "Else I got Pacific Rim or R.I.P.D."

Chloe frowned a moment. "I heard Pacific Rim was nice. Don't know the other two."

"Well, R.I.P.D is funny, more a comedy, not really big on the story but it's funny, so we could get a good laugh. As for the other one, it’s a chick flick."

Juliet scoffed softly at the explanation. "Yeah we can say that seeing as it's the love story between two girls!"

Max blushed, especially as Dana added, "Yeah probably a good movie for our love birds. Lots of ideas for you!"

Chloe seemed to consider it then winced. "Err better not. I'm not sure all the people attending would be open to that story."

"Okay, well Action of Fun, whichever you fancy."

"We'll see when everyone is there."

They had spent the time chatting, mostly explaining to Warren, Brooke, Justin, Trevor and Juliet how they had come to be reunited and finally realize the extent of their love. Max kept checking her phone, getting worried as she had expected Kate to be with them already; but so far, they had no news. Given how the blonde’s last visit to her family had gone, she started to fear for her friend’s peace of mind.

A knock rang through the house and Max hopped toward the front door, hoping it was Kate. Unfortunately, while the person at the door was a blonde alright, this one was tall with a pixie cut, an attitude and accompanied by two other girls. “Hey, Victoria! Courtney, Taylor!”

Victoria looked down at her, eyes scanning the pinkette, she then smirked with a gleam in her eyes. “Hey Caulfield. You didn’t tell me it was a cannibal buffet.” Both girls behind her giggled nervously and Max looked down at herself for a moment then blushed furiously.

Fuck Chloe really went wild!

“Err…” she stammered trying to find excuses but was cut short by Victoria.

“Relax, Max. I’m just messing with you. Thanks for inviting us though.”

Max took a moment to calm herself before she nodded. “Well the more the merrier.” She said waving them inside. “Please join the gang. We’re waiting on one maybe two others and the pizzas.”

The girls entered, greeted by the others and everyone started to chat about various topics – school, fashion, skateboard, fashion and sadly Max’ sad coming out story.

“Your mom is a bitch!” had been one of the main reactions followed closely by “I can’t believe there are still people like this.” Which redirected the discussion toward Kate’s parents, and how Victoria’s thanksgiving had been cut short.

Everyone had apparently a lot to say about this, everyone feeling sorry about Kate and Max. At some point in the discussion, they were joined by Steph. The brunette had closed up shop earlier. She usually would not have passed on one of the busiest night of the week, but her mood was still pretty down. She tried to hide it while they kept discussing the Marsh and Caulfield families.

Suddenly, Victoria just stood from the chair she had been sitting on and walked through the opened glass door, to the backyard, surprising everyone. With a sigh, Chloe stood up and followed the girl picking up her cigarette box from the table on her way.

“What’s up with her?” Dana asked with a frown. Steph bit her lip as she knew what was on the blonde’s mind, but she knew better than giving out such secret. Strangely, it was Taylor who responded.

“I think she’s crushing on Kate.”

“WHAT?” Every voice, but Max’s and Steph’s came out at the same time.

Juliet frowned a moment. “How do you figure that out?”

"I dunno. Just a thought."

Courtney shook her head. "It can't be. I mean Vicky's not gay for one, she dated lots of boys! And even if she was, why would she fell for the religious girl?"

Steph sighed softly. "Because it's not possible for a person to like both girls and boys? I mean if I remember correctly, that's the very definition of bisexuality. But then again, I'm gay so I would not know such things." She shook her head softly.

Dana nodded. "Steph is right. It's not because she never felt attracted to a girl before she could not now… As for why she would Kate… Well Kate is cute, smart and so on. Besides, not like you can choose who you fall in love with, right?"

The black-haired girl sat back a moment crossing her arms as she gave the point with a nod.

"Anyway, it's just a supposition, maybe it's just she's still feeling guilty for the video thing." Taylor added, cutting short to the debate. "Let's change the subject, how did you find the new photography teacher? She seems to rock it, right?"

The girl was cheerful and the question innocent, but Max could feel Steph stiffening, her face becoming blank as if she had put a mask on, and she bit her lips before simply stating. "Well she seems cool, but I'll wait a bit before judging… We already had a rather bitter experience…"

Everyone grew silent at the reminder of the atrocities perpetrated by their former teacher.

Way to brighten the mood Max!

Thankfully a knock broke the silence and Max quickly stood and moved to the front door with her crutches.

Chapter Text

"Want one?" Victoria raised her eyes from the ground only to see a hand extending a cigarette to her. She slowly reached for it, looking at it hesitantly before she placed it between her lips and accepted the proffered lighter.

"Thanks."

She took a deep breath, letting the nicotine fill her lungs, before she took another look at the person who joined her. The blue-haired punk was leaning on the post holding the swing set, looking at her as she smoked her own tobacco stick. "So what's eating you?"

The blonde seated on the swing, shrugged wearily, getting tired of this question. "Nothing! I just needed to get fresh air after staying a few minutes in that crappy home!"

It was a deliberate attempt to upset the girl, to make her leave her alone, but to her surprise the punk just shrugged it off. "Can't fault you there! I've been trying to get away for years! Although less so since Max has been back." She took a drag of her cigarette. "So, what's your biff with Kate?"

With a groan, Victoria slumped further. She didn't want to talk about it, not since she had discussed it with Steph and came to her decision on how to deal with it. But she also remembered Chloe Price was even more stubborn than she was. "What do you mean, Kate and I are all right!"

The punk quirked an eyebrow, "You do know that Kate and Max are close friends, and that they tell each other nearly everything, right?"

Fuck! Is there no way to avoid this?

"Yeah… I know… There's really no issue. I just don't want to cause more damage in her relation with her parents." She looked up at the punk. "I know how bad it can come when your parents don't really stick with you."

Chloe sighed loudly. "No. You don't." She was about to argue but the punk kept going. "I'm not saying your relation with your parents isn't shitty. I've heard the rumors; I know they don't pay much attention to you, that they just shoot money here and there to make believe they love you and push for you to be what they want you to be. But trust me; you don't know how it is when things go bad. You're far from how it went for Rachel, or how it went for me until recently. Hell you wouldn’t even see how bad it is for Max even if you had a fucking Hubble telescope to look at it!"

"As if you knew how my parents are with me, you bitch!"

"Oh? Because your father been lying to you for 16 years about your real mother, and tried to have said mother murdered when truth was about to get out? Or maybe you spent hours fighting with your step-father pushing him so far he sometimes took a swing at you? Or did your mother call you a freak and a whore? Does she keep harassing you with dozens or hundreds of calls every day after you told her to stuff her bigotry up her own ass? Did she make you decide between leaving with your girlfriend and staying with your family?" Chloe paused a moment for effect, taking a drag of her cigarette. "Trust me Victoria; your parents may not be there when you need them, they may be demanding, but they'd be the dream for many of us. Hell I bet Kate would love to have your parents instead of those assholes who treat her like a disease just because she got raped!"

Victoria remained there, stunned. The punk's tone had surprisingly not been harsh and she had not screamed, but the ice cold enunciation of what reality was for others had been like a slap. Not a bad one, no. But one that helped clear her mind by putting things into perspective. "I… I suppose you are right. My parents aren't very affective and are very demanding… I sometimes feel they don't care about me, like when they didn't even visit after the incidents. But, they didn't call me a whore or kick me out of the house or hit me."

The blue-haired girl nodded. "So basically, you don't know what it is. Therefore you can't decide for others based on this argument." She looked down at her. "Now tell me this. Who do you think Kate would rather have?" The punk girl rose a hand palm up. "A mom who calls her a frigging whore for events that she had no fucking way to control; that treats her like the worst criminal, an infection and a disease, just because a fucking psycho decided to drug her and abuse her?" She raised her second hand making scales. "Or a friend; a person who understands her, because she went through the same shit?" She lowered her hands shaking her head. "I dunno for you, but me, I hella know which I would choose. And Max made her own choice too, in the same situation. Do you think she is any less happy?"

Victoria bit her lips dropping her eyes again. "I guess… I guess I see what you mean. And I suppose… we can tell Max is happy being with you."

"Damn right she is! Or at least I'm doing my best to make sure she is!"

The blonde smirked at the enthusiasm displayed by the boastful bluenette. "I guess you would. But… I can't ask Kate to do that. I don't deserve her to leave her family behind, to risk finding herself cut off, without money for school or anything! Not for me! I don't deserve it, not after all I did to her."

A sharp sting on the back of her head jerked her up. She looked at the punk who had just slapped her. "Stop deciding for Kate! Like you once taught me, it's not your decision to make!" She took another drag of her cigarette. "You may think you don't deserve her friendship, her love or whatever there is, that you've been horrible to her, that you hurt her and therefore she should be better without you. But would she agree with you?" She looked down, her eyes staring at Victoria's. "Do you think I feel like I deserve Max? I'm a fuck up, a drug-head who's been kicked out of school, who caused the incident where she got shot and because of which she spent weeks in a wheelchair, still needs crutches to fucking move from a chair to another, and will have to take pills every fucking day of her life. I'm the asshole who kept pushing her away, knowing how much she needed me and drove her to cut her wrist! I don't fucking deserve her love!" She pointed at the house for effect. "But here I am, with her, loved by her to the point she disowned her own mother for me!" She paused, her arms dropping beside her as she shook her head. "And you wanna know the weirdest part? I'm sure if you ask Max; she'll say she doesn't deserve to be with me, that she is the one not good enough for me."

The punk looked at the sky for a moment leaning against the post of the swing set. "You can't decide if you deserve to be with someone or not, you know? They're the one making the choice. All you can do is try to fucking be someone you think would deserve it."

Victoria took a few breath of her cigarette, pondering the words spoken to her.

She's right. I can't decide for Kate… I … I have to tell her… Even if she'll certainly hate me for this… but at least it'll be her choice…

"I… Suppose there is some truth there…" she finally half-admitted.

"Don't bite your tongue on this one! You know I'm completely right with this!"

"Yes fine… you're right." The blonde sighed, rolling her eyes as the punk boasted with pride.

"Of course I am! The Price is always right after all!"

"I guess I'll have to talk to Kate… I… Just need some time first… to think about how I'll do it."

Chloe pondered a moment and shrugged as she tossed her cigarette butt with smirk. "Well, not gonna tell you how to do it. But you'll have to talk to her very, very soon!"

Victoria watched the punk moving back to the house, her eyes narrowing.

Why do I get the feeling she's got some shit planned for me!

"Kate!" The pink haired girl greeted cheerfully as she opened the door for a short blonde who's hairs were tied in a tight bun.

"Hey Max! Sorry I'm late." The girl responded, her smile tensed and her voice slightly raw. As Max looked closer, she could see that Kate's eyes were slightly red; and she bit her lip a moment as she figured the girl's visit to her parents had not gone so well.

"Are you okay?" She asked softly drawing a curt nod.

"Yes… At least it's not worse than it was." She smiled softly. "Thanks for the invitation, it was a god send."

"Well, of course! Please come in, we were waiting for you to begin!"

Max let Kate enter the house and closed the door after glancing at the street.

Mmmh, no car? I guess she took the bus… Not a good sign…

She shook her head trying to push her worries aside and followed the blonde to the living room joining in the cheerful greetings.

"Hey Katie!" Dana greeted cheerfully, standing up to go hug the small blonde. "So, how did it go with your parents?"

Max winced at the question, biting her lip slightly. Way to go to kill the mood Dana!

"Not good." The smaller girl responded. "Can we talk about something else?" She looked around pleadingly before pointing to the tv set. "What are we watching?"

Warren smiled. "R.I.P.D or Pacific Rim. The first is a comedy with ghost… cheesy but funny. The other is an action movie with robots and monsters."

Kate bit her lip. "Is it scary?"

Max shook her head. "Nah. Lots of special effects, explosions and such, but they aren't horror movies."

The blonde seemed to ponder a moment picking up the Blu-ray boxes. "Mmm I'd go with this one I think… I'm not sure I can deal with ghost yet even in funny movies."

Warren raised his arms in victory. "Giant robots it is!"

Everyone chuckled at his outburst and Dana ruffled his hair. "Cool down there nerd!"

The boy quickly reached to brush them back. "Hey! I bet Max and Chloe are just as happy to see this movie!"

"Well we are, but we aren't nerds enough we would cheer like you just did…" She put a finger on her lip mimicking someone in thoughts. "At least I'm not… Chloe could very well decide to rock the house."

Just at that moment the punk girl came back in. "Someone talking about me?"

Max froze a moment. "No! No!" She quickly responded, but of course Juliet quickly spoke. "Yeah, Max was telling us how you'd probably dance when you learned we are watching Giant robots on TV!"

"Oh, really?" The punk quickly bounced toward the pink-haired girl reaching to her flank to tickle her. "You'll see my little devilish hipster! You'll pay for that!"

"Noooo! Chloe no stop!" the smaller girl started to plead at the infamous tickle torture, her laugh echoing in the room.

After a few, the bluenette relented and leaned to kiss her girlfriend. "Don't forget who's the nerd between us, girlfriend!" She smiled softly as she pulled back waving at Kate. "Hey! Glad you made it!"

"Hi, Chlo-"

"Kate?" The word, half cried and half gasped, interrupted the banter and cheerful chatter. As Kate suddenly tensed, everyone's head turned toward the glass door, looking at the tall blonde who had stopped in her tracks just after stepping inside.

The room was silent as people held their breath, unsure how things would turn. They all knew there was some tension between the two girls, although most didn't know why. After all, it was hard not to notice when two people suddenly stopped spending time together, especially if one was rather overt in avoiding the other.

"Hi Victoria." The smaller blonde's voice finally broke the silence as she turned and greeted the taller girl shyly.

Victoria frowned a moment, then looked at the bluenette and the pinkette, narrowing her eyes as she realized she had been had. I should have known! Of course Max would have been lying when she claimed Kate would not be coming! And that blue-haired bitch! Telling me to take my time! Oh you both wait! I'll so pay you back for this one!

The tension rose slowly in the room as everyone waited to see how things would turn out. Would Victoria run for the door? Would they both remain awkwardly silent?

"How are…" The cute shy voice of Kate Marsh finally broke the silence but before she could finish her question, Victoria panicked and stormed toward the front door. "I can't do this!"

As the tall blonde walked away, her steps echoing in the house, everyone winced internally. Max looked at Chloe as the bluenette shook her head sadly. The punk was about to stand and try to salvage the situation but against all odd, the first voice that responded was Kate's.

"Victoria stop!" The blonde's tone was harder than anyone had ever heard the girl use. Just as surprising as her newly found commanding voice, the usually shy and withdrawn Kate Marsh had stormed behind the taller blonde and grabbed her arm tightly in her hand to prevent her from leaving. "What is going on? Why are you avoiding me?"

Victoria's eyes stared confused at the smaller girl, unused to the assertiveness displayed. "I… I.. Kate… Please… I don't…"

"NO!" The single word bit through the house. "I want to know!" The smaller blonde's face was reddening with anger, her eyes filling with tears as frustration poured out, finally breaking the dam it had been piling up behind for days. "What did I do wrong?"

The taller girl took a step back, her eyes looking around as she tried to find some support, some escape. "Please Kate, not now." She begged, but the hold on her wrist tightened.

"No Victoria! I've been waiting for a week! I've been trying to talk to you and you kept pushing me away! I've had enough!"

"But…" Victoria started looking behind the smaller girl as the others had started to gather, looking at the scene.

"Okay, everyone back to the living-room!" Chloe suddenly broke the crowd pushing the others back slightly as she came to the two girls. "Kate, I don't think this is a discussion to have in public. Maybe you should use my room for privacy?" With those words the bluenette pointed at the stairs.

Still staring at Victoria, Kate nodded curtly. "Fine!" As Chloe lead the way and started to climb the stairs, Kate stormed behind her, following closely as she dragged Victoria.

As soon as the girls were out of sight, Dana turned to the others, eyes wide. "What the fuck was that?"

Max shook her head. "I… I dunno…"

They all looked at each other, shaking their head, none of them having seen the small Christian girl like that before.

"She really snapped, didn't she?" Courtney asked shyly.

"I never saw her like that!" Juliet added.

Warren scratched his head. "Somehow, I feel sorry for Victoria…" he finally said with a frown.

Kate literally shoved her inside the room as the bluenette held the door open. It was the first time she ever set foot in Chloe's room - or is it Chloe's and Max's room? – and in any other situation she would have cringed at the sight of the posters and crude graffiti, the piles of dirty clothes, the general untidiness of the place.

Is it normal that I'm actually afraid of what it might look like without Max to make the punk clean the place up?

Her thought was quickly interrupted by the resident of the room. "Don't mind the mess." The punk was about to close the door only to pause and add, "Oh! And no violence! Okay? Don't break my room!"

The door closed and the small blonde stood in front of her, arms crossed angrily. "So?"

Victoria bit her lip, hesitating. She felt intimidated by the sudden commanding tone in the smaller girl's voice, her stronger presence. "I… " she began, but she paused and shook her head. No I can't tell her… What if she gets even more pissed at me!

"Victoria!" The voice called her back to the present. "Tell me why you have been pushing me away!" the smaller girl took an intimidating step forward.

"I dunno how to! It's complicated…"

"Is it because… Is it because of what happened that morning?" Kate asked, her anger giving place to faint blush of embarrassment.

Victoria turned her head trying to avoid the girl's eyes. "Sorry…"

The short blonde stared with a frown, her arms dropping along her body, small hands clenched into fists. "Do you hate me?"

She jerked her head back looking at the smaller girl. Her heart sank at the mixed pain and anger she could read on the soft face in front of her. "What? No! I … I don't hate you Kate!"

"Then why have you been avoiding me?"

"Kate… I…"

"Is it because of what my mother said about you?"

Victoria grabbed her head with a frustrated grunt. She didn't know what to say or do, she felt cornered. "No, I dunno Kate! I don't really care what she says, but … But I don't want to be the reason you would split from your family!"

"Because you think my mom waited for that to push me away? To discard me?" the small girl's voice rose slightly. "Since the video, the only reason she hasn't kicked me out is that she's afraid of what people would say! She just fears my Dad would leave her and that people would judge her like she judges others!"

"But you still have your dad and your sisters! And I can't…"

"Can't what?" Kate interrupted. "Can't risk me losing them? They aren't like my mom! My sisters would not just stop loving me! My dad would not stop loving me!"

"You don't know that, Kate! They c…"

"Yes I do! They liked you! They are glad I have a friend that supports me!" Kate cut her off again, raising her voice to a level that surprised the tall blonde. "Why would they hate me for being your friend? Why would they suddenly hate you? It makes no sen-"

"Because I'm in love with you!" Victoria finally blurted out, cutting the Christian girl's ranting short as the small girl's jaw dropped and her eyes widened at the unexpected confession. Victoria took a deep breath before she continued, "I love you Kate! And I know I should not let this overwhelm me! Yet that morning, I nearly lost control! I nearly kissed you! And I'm scared, Kate!" She started to cry, looking down as she cried out all her feelings. "I'm scared that you'll hate me! Scared that if I keep hanging with you, I'll be unable to hold myself! Scared that I'll hurt you again!"

For minutes, all was quiet. The only sounds being Victoria's sobs as she could not hold her tears back while she poured her heart out. She could not even look at Kate, fearing to see disappointment and disgust on the girl's face. She stood there, her broken hand pressed to her chest, her other hand holding her wrist, wishing she could shrink, wishing she could disappear.

She felt a hand cup her cheek and she lifted her head hesitantly and froze as lips suddenly pressed strongly on hers. She remained there eyes wide with surprise as her brain tried to catch up with the events. Is… Is Kate KISSING ME??

As her neurons finally made the necessary connections, she pushed on the smaller girl and took a step back with shock. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Kate took a step forward looking to close the distance as she looked at her straight in the eyes. "I'm kissing you."

Victoria tried to take another step back but the girl just followed, pressuring her until her back finally encountered the wooden panel of Chloe's closet. "Kate… You… you…"

"I love you too, Victoria." The small blonde said, camped right in front of her. "I too was about to kiss you on that morning… But I thought you would hate me for that, I thought you were avoiding me because you hated me for what I nearly did… But you love me, and…"

"No Kate! You can't! You can't love me!" The taller girl tried to argue but the smaller girl reached up to cup her face again, lips getting closer.

"I can. And I do." She simply said, her lips a breath away from Victoria's.

The tall blonde pressed her hands on Kate's shoulders trying to push her away, put more distance. "Kate! You'd be giving up so much! I can't ask you to do that! I don’t deserve it!"

With an annoyed growl, Kate grabbed her wrists, the small hands surprisingly strong as the girl pushed her arms and pinned them to the closet's door. "You don't decide for me, Victoria. No one decide who I can or cannot love. Not my mother, not my aunt, and not you…" As she spoke, the girl slowly leaned and pressed her small body along Victoria's, pinning her to the wall. "Or are you telling me you do not love me?"

Victoria felt the intense gaze of Kate's eyes, the warmth of her presence, her breath softly brushing her lips. "I… I…" She stammered, unable to gather her words.

"It's simple." The small girl whispered. "Do… you… love me?"

Victoria felt trapped, unable to escape, unable to refuse her own feelings. She closed her eyes as she breathed softly. "Yes…"

Kate's lips pressed on hers again and this time she didn't try to break away. She kissed the small girl back, her eyes closed as tears of joy dripped from her eyes. As Kate slowly pulled away, breaking the kiss, she still held the taller girl pinned to the closet door. Victoria lay her head against the wooden panel. "Kate… What about your parents?"

The girl sighed loudly. "I don't care what they say."

"I still don't want you to lose your dad and sister for me, Kate."

The hold on her wrists tightened. "Victoria, I'm not letting you run again!"

"No! I'm not running! Just…" Victoria pondered a moment. "Maybe we keep this… to ourselves… for now… see how it goes…"

Kate looked at her with a frown. "I'm not ashamed of you, Victoria."

"It's not that… I… just think maybe… we should take our time… not break this out suddenly…"

With a soft sigh the smaller girl nodded and released her grip, taking a step back. "Okay, I suppose we could try… I'm not so sure it will work though…" Her expression was sour and she avoided Victoria's eyes, as her fists clenched.

The taller girl reached out with her unbandaged hand, cupping Kate's face softly. "Did… Did something happen today?"

Kate tensed for a second before letting her shoulder droop. "It was… bad…"

They both sat on a corner of the bed, Victoria hugging the smaller girl. "How bad?"

"Very bad…." The Christian girl closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths trying to calm down a bit. "My mom wants to take me out of Blackwell and send me to that private school my Aunt told her about."

Victoria stiffened at the news. "Will… Will.. you go?"

"Of course not!" Kate retorted turning her head to face Victoria. "I like Blackwell, and even if I didn't I'd certainly not be going to some prison camp where zealots park the kids they think need reprogramming!" she sighed a bit before laying her head on the taller girl's shoulder. "Not that it is what my mom wants…."

"What does she want?"

"She wants to shuffle me into a corner where no one will see me, a way to abandon her daughter, without the stigma of doing it. A way to say 'I tried to reeducate her' and give herself a good conscience in the eyes of her judgmental friends." The small girl hissed with bitter venom in her voice.

Victoria felt her heart being crushed by fear. She had just admitted her feelings and seen them met and answered by the girl she had deemed an Angel; and now all this was threatened. "Can… Can she do that?"

Kate wrapped an arm around Victoria pulling her tightly in her embrace. "Not really. I'm 18 so she can't legally force me. She could stop paying for my tuition of course, but I'm on a scholarship, so she can't control my access to Blackwell." Kate winced a bit, "Although, I do need to pay for my food and day to day necessities."

"I would do it!" Victoria blurted, the idea of losing the small blonde making her insecure.

The girl turned her head and cupped the pixie blonde's face. "I can't ask you that. And it's not that bad, yet…" She reached and pressed her lips on Victoria's when a loud knock echoed in the room.

"Girls? Are you done yet? We'd like to watch that movie some time tonight you know!" Chloe's voice, muffled by the door, called out to them.

"STOP THE CLOCK!" The whole gang shouted at the same time as the actor as the movie reached its end. They formed two half circle, one with Steph, Justin and Juliet sitting on the couch and Max and Chloe cuddling comfortably in the armchair, the other with Brooke and Warren huddled together with their back pressed on the wall, Dana and Trevor laying on their stomach in front of Juliet with Courtney and Taylor reclining beside them and finally Victoria and Kate sitting side by side but with a slight distance between them that Max felt was clearly calculated to be just as close as possible without giving anything away.

When the girls had come down from their discussion, it was obvious they had sorted through what problems they had. First, because the screaming had stopped - Chloe had offered her bedroom as a place of privacy, but no wall could have completely muffled the shouting match, although it made it unintelligible. Second, the smiles on their face and the fact they sat beside each other was a rather good indicator. The slight flush on their cheeks would also be a good tell, as far as Max was concerned but she decided the girls would tell anyone when they were ready.

The gang finally gathered to watch the movie they had decided on, passing pizzas around for each to take slices as they enjoyed battles between Kaijus and Jeagers, cheering when the giant robots scored hits, booing when the monster crushed a robot.

All in all, they all agreed it had been a great movie. Of course the nerds that were Steph, Warren, Chloe, Max and Brooke had been really involved in the movie, watching it with shiny eyes; but to the general surprise of everyone present, Victoria had sat in front of the movie leaning forward with her hands clenched as she followed the action, almost mirroring the moves from Gipsy Danger, to the point she narrowly missed punching Kate a couple times. No one had dared say anything but the exchanged looks had shown the agreement that Victoria Chase was the Queen Nerd of the night, although it was a close call with Brooke and Warren being present.

"Say, if we were Jeager pilots, how do you think we would pair up?"

The question came from Warren, of course, the boy looking around at the people in the room as he retrieved the disc from the player.

"Well for you it's rather easy!" Chloe cheered happily. "You and Brooke are the two biggest science nerd of BlackHell so of course you'd be together in the NerdBot!"

"Told you!" Brooke said giving a light punch on the boy's shoulder, drawing laughs from the rest of the group.

"Like you can talk, Chloe!" Came Dana's voice, "We all know you and Max would be together! You're practically grafted together already!"

"Damn right we are! And our Jeager will be named Pirate's Revenge" Max said, responding by wrapping her arms around the punk's neck and pressing herself tighter along the slender girl's body.

Juliet looked around for a moment. "Yeah well it's getting harder for the rest of us."

Chloe shook her head with a smirk. "Nah! It's pretty obvious!"

Victoria turned and frowned at the punk. "Oh is it? Well come on Price hit us with your wisdom!"

"Well first, Trevor and Justin!"

Dana raised her head. "Hey! Why not Trevor and I?"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Come on D. Those two are the two biggest pot head in the history of BlackHell… Well excepted Hayden maybe… Although he's not here so, my point stands! So Trevor and Justin together in the Ganjaeger"

The two boys high fived as Dana groaned and crossed her arms pouting. "Okay… who am I with then?"

Chloe smirked softly. "I'd say you and Court would do a nice pair! Both into fashion, both always with perfect make up! So you both in the Runway Child."

Courtney and Dana eyed each other for a moment as if gauging each other. "Well it's true we got style." Courtney finally said with a smile.

"I suppose." The cheerleader agreed. "Let's see what the other pairings are."

Chloe pointed toward Juliet. "You and Taylor I think. Taylor likes Gossip and well… Juliet is the resident reporter so basically the Master gossip of BlackHell… Okay Mistress gossip. So, here it is the Gossip Girl"

Juliet pondered a moment, then reached out and offered her hand, the other blonde slapping it with a cheerful "Gossip girls, yay!"

Chloe smirked softly. "As for the rest, it's hard. I never pegged Queen Bitch here to be a closet nerd, which could quite match with Steph who is a nerd and out of the closet. But I think I'll stick with the fearsome blonde duo from Heaven and Hell, the Angel and the Bitch, Kate and Victoria riding the Gospel!"

At the punk's words, Kate's face suddenly turned pink as she looked down embarrassed, while Victoria turned and reached to slap Chloe's leg. "Who are you calling a bitch from hell, you punk!"

Every one shared a good laugh, with Victoria finally joining too, as they all enjoyed spending a relaxed moment among friend. As the night went on, the guests started to leave, returning to the dorms in groups, except for Steph who drove back to her apartment. As she closed the door behind the last of them, Chloe sighed and smiled at her girlfriend. "Well, I think it was a nice little shindig for a first timer no?"

Max smiled warmly and moved on her crutches to lean along the punk's body. "Yes, total success! And Kate and Vic sorted out their mess, so I guess it's a success there too!"

Chloe snorted. "Seeing they messed our bed, I would think so!"

"Our bed was already a mess, Chloe!"

With a smile, the punk leaned and kissed the pinkette softly. "Well I guess it's true!"

They remained there standing, the taller girl holding the smaller in her arms, enjoying the calm and quiet after the busy evening.

"Say… What about Steph? Who would she be paired with?" Max asked softly.

"I'd say your teacher, but…"

"Yeah, I guess that one will be harder to make happen."

The punk chuckled loudly. "God look at us! First Kate and Victoria, then planning Steph and Azumi… Aren't we the little matchmakers?"

"Totally!"

Chapter Text

She should not be here. She knew she should not, yet she had to do it. She just couldn't deal with it anymore. She never had much patience to begin with, although since Max came back in her life she had improved greatly on that part; but things were getting ridiculous at the store and after one, just ONE, Monday in the same building, her mopping friend was driving her nuts with all the sappy and gloomy music. Worse, the girl was her boss and she couldn't argue as much as she wanted. Not easy to head-butt someone into sense when said person could take your job away!

Well she can't really take my job away from me, Chloe thought as she blew a cloud of smoke, but if she kicked me out of her store, I'd have to open my own place, or move to Portland.

As she lay on the hood of her truck, reclining on the windshield while smoking a cigarette, her mind started to drift toward the idea of moving out of Arcadia Bay, of living in a big city like Portland or L.A., even Seattle. Of course, I got to wait for Max to graduate.

She smiled softly, imagining her and Max future life together when the long awaited sound of motorbike finally broke the silence. With a grunt she sat up and looked at the small cemented pathway leading to where she was parked. As expected, the white bike was slowly approaching, the rider's head perking above the windshield turned slightly to face her.

Chloe let herself slide down the hood to stand in front of her old truck, watching as the rider parked her bike between a black F-150 with a trailer hitch and an aluminum colored trailer home that seemed to have seen quite a lot of mileage. She watched, finishing her cigarette as the rider climbed down from her vehicle and started to remove her gloves and helmet.

"Nanda? How come you came here?" The woman finally said with her usual nonchalant tone, once she removed her helmet.

"Hello to you too." Chloe started a bit annoyed. "Just came to ask you a couple questions and maybe a favor, if that's ok."

The white haired girl nodded happily as she reached to open the trailer's door. "Sure, want to come in?"

Chloe nodded, the weather getting colder every day. "Mind if I do… It's getting rather chilly lately… How can you ride a bike with these temperatures?"

Azumi entered the trailer and started to remove her leather jacket. "Well, leather is a rather well insulated material, although yeah I will have to start using my truck soon." She pointed to a couch, "Please seat." She offered in invitation as she stored her helmet and jacket in a closet. She then returned taking a seat in a well-worn chair.

The trailer was rather well furnished, as far as Chloe could tell. The front of the trailer was elevated; probably to give the space needed for the hitch, and contained what looked like a rarely used bed on which were placed several boxes and bags. Probably the guest room. The lounge or living room area followed as you went toward the back. Furnished with an emerald green couch and chair placed around a small coffee table made of dark wood, a TV screen hung on the wall just beside the trailer's door, above a black set of shelves filled with a blu-ray player, various videogames console placed over drawers that probably contained the movies and games. As you moved further, you entered the kitchen and dining room area. A small kitchenette with a few cupboard, a decent sized sink, a stove and a medium sized fridge were placed along the wall on one side of the space, while the other side hosted a small wooden table for four and two benches with emerald green cushions. The kitchen ended with a small corridor with three doors all of which were opened. On the left were the toilettes, kept clean and fresh, and on the right the bathroom, with black tiled floor and walls, a shower big enough to host one maybe two person, and a sink over which hung a couple shelves filled with cosmetics, under a spotless mirror.

Finally, through the last door, Chloe could see the bedroom. A large enough area, considering it was in a trailer and not a house, with a floor covered by tatamis on which laid a rather thick futon covered by a duvet and pillows. Around it were placed several cupboards and closets, leaving just enough space for someone to move around the bed. Chloe was rather surprised by the bed room which style seemed so traditional, although the unmade bed and the several piles of clothes lying on the floor showed the punkish attitude of its owner.

The whole trailer walls were painted in a cream color that reminded her of old paper, with dark wood paneling, and decorated with pictures of wonderful landscapes from around the world. On some of them, Chloe could see a girl with almond eyes and long black hair, smiling warmly at the photographer while pointing at something in the background.

"So what can I help you with?" Azumi's voice broke her observations.

Chloe thought for a moment, pondering which of her problem she should address first. "Okay… Well I wanted to ask you about bikes. You see, Max seemed to like yours when she saw it and I was kinda thinking maybe she would want to have her own. It's just… I know nothing about them, so I would not know where to start."

The Japanese girl smiled and leaned back, crossing her legs and removing her riding boots. "Sure! What you want to know?"

"Well… first, how much do you need your legs to drive one? I mean you obviously need to be able to stand or the bike would fall when you stop. But, well… "

"You wondering if she can ride with her injuries?"

Chloe nodded with a wince. "Yeah… She's doing better but…"

"Mind me asking what happened? I know you said you'd rather me asking her directly, but it would help judging whether she can or not." The woman stood and walked barefooted to put her boots in the closet.

The bluenette hesitated a moment before she finally spoke. "She got shot."

Azumi froze for a moment, hand holding the closet's door half closed. "I… I see… How bad is it?"

"She had a swelling near her spine. It compressed it and for a time she couldn't move her legs at all. The swelling is slowly going away though and as you saw, now she can move with crutches instead of a wheelchair."

The teacher nodded as she finally closed the door and walked toward the fridge, pulling a beer can from the door. "I see she's doing better yes." She cracked the can opened and took a sip before returning to her seat. "Okay, I've seen needing a cane to walk and still being able to ride a bike. The important thing is to have enough support to be able to keep the bike steady. Max could do it with time I suppose." She smiled. "Of course, she won't be able to do like race pilot unless she can stand without the cane; but you don't need fancy move to enjoy riding a bike." She smiled warmly.

Chloe leaned back eyeing the beer a moment, but saying nothing as she had not been offered one. "I guess she could ride in the future then." She scratched her head pursing her lips as she thought. "She'd need a license I guess… How much does a bike like yours cost?"

Azumi tilted her head to the left slightly. "Err… Mine would be about 24 000 at a dealership, before you do custom paint and all."

The punk whistled. "Wow… that's stiff. And… if you get it used?"

The Asian just shrugged. "Then depends on the condition and the seller I guess. I saw some go from 5 grands to others about 18 grands." She took a sip of her beer before adding. "You'd probably have to pay at least up 10 more grands to restore the cheapest one. They often have mechanical problems; suspensions could be used and so on… But so long as frame is okay, they can be restored."

"Is it… simple to do yourself?"

"With the right tools? Easier than cars! Bikes are made to be worked on!" The white-haired girl smiled happily. "Just parts can be a pain. Especially on imports like mine."

Chloe leaned back staring at the ceiling as she carefully tried to plan every step of her possible present for her girlfriend. "And I suppose it's harder to come by used bikes like yours than it is a Harley."

"I would not know. I surprisingly saw quite a few on the roads. Although, true you Americans sure love your Harleys!"

Chloe nodded and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "Thanks for the info…. Now, I dunno if the Motorcycle license works the same as the car one, but if it does, would you teach Max?"

Azumi pursed her lips a moment. "I could try, but I'm not really a driving instructor. Besides, my driving style is a bit more… sportive than she should learn at the beginning."

"We'll see when we get there I guess."

"Hai!" The Japanese girl sipped her beer quietly as she felt the punk's eyes looking at her. "You need something more?"

The bluenette joined her hands and rested her chin on them. "I do have a question, although it's on a different topic." The white-haired girl made a wave with her hand inviting her to speak. "I would like to know why you rejected Steph."

Black almond eyes fixed her for a moment, examining her, gauging her. "Why?"

She nodded, never taking her sapphire eyes from the woman's. "Yes. Why?"

Azumi shook her head with. "No. I mean, why do you want to know?"

The punk looked carefully at the teacher, analyzing her reactions, or at least trying to. "Because, Steph is my friend; because she's been hurt by your decision; and because the way you talked to her before and the way you told Max to say hi to her while in class tells me you do feel something for her."

The Japanese woman sighed and emptied her beer can, crushing it before sending it fly into the trashcan with a wave of her arm. "Well she's cool and she's cute… And very hot! But that's not the point." She leaned back on her chair, head hanging down on the back rest. "I… I like her… But I don't date."

"Why?"

"Because." She straightened and looked at Chloe. "Listen, Aoi-chan. I don't pretend it's fair. But it's for the best. I got reasons… personal reasons that makes that I try not to get attached to anyone or any place."

"Well, not like you leaving tomorrow."

"Hai! I'm not leaving tomorrow. But I don't plan on staying beyond June either." She groaned and brushed the long side of her hair behind her. "I never stick to a place. I only take substitute teaching positions. I like being on the roads and see new areas. It's how I take pictures and express my artistry!"

"So, just because of your art, you would stay alone all your life?"

A flash of pain, maybe sadness, showed on Azumi's face for a very brief instant. "Hai. That's how it is." She shrugged dismissingly, "I like Steph, she's fun and I enjoyed having fun with her. But she wants something I can't give her. So better we stop here before she gets hurt even more, deshou ne?"

Chloe frowned a bit. "I'm not sure I buy that. I doubt you're just the kind of person who would be happy to stay alone all her life."

A forced smirk appeared on the Asian's lips. "Ah so! Well, I guess you right. I'm happier when someone's with me!" She stood and move toward the punk reaching to cup the girl's cheek in her hand. "What you say? Wanna stay the night? No strings attached! Just me showing you good time."

The bluenette stood angrily, swatting the hand away from her and balling her fists. "Don't fucking mess with me!"

"Not messing, just offering. Besides, you might learn a few things you can use with Max later."

At the mention of her girlfriend, Chloe saw red. She punched the woman in the gut, shoving her away from her before she stormed toward the trailer's door. "Never! You pathetic piece of shit!" She paused looking at the girl fold over by the coffee table. "You do your last session Thursday and you never show your face at the store again! You never even talk to Steph again! And you better leave Max alone! Because if you do anything to her, I swear I'll kill you!" She slammed the door close and went to her truck.

As the old engine roared and the tires of the old pick-up screeched on the cemented pathway, Azumi remained seated on the floor, leaning her back on her favorite chair, head laid back on the cushion and arms hanging loose. She stared at one of the picture hanging on the opposite wall, tears in her eyes as she felt the emptiness of her life.

I may have gone too far… But it's better like this…

When only silence remained, a sad whisper breathed softly. "Koreha ii dayo ne? Fumi…."

The following day, Max and Chloe were with Kate in the school's parking lot during the lunch break. Having learned that the photography teacher would not be present that day they pondered about having a longer lunch at the Two Whales and trying to get a status update on the small blonde's heart problems.

"So Kate, how are things with Dicktoria?" The punk said as she sat on the small wall surrounding the area.

"Don't call her that please. And … it's going better." The Christian girl looked down shyly, her face flushing slightly.

"Yah eat each other's face yet?"

Max gasped at the question, "Chloe!" while Kate's face turned a deep shade of red.

"We… We kiss yes… But nothing more."

Chloe jumped from her seat and nodded. "Good!" She patted the back of her jeans, removing dirt. "So, Two Whales? We waiting for someone else?"

Max looked at the small blonde, lifting an eyebrow as Kate responded. "Victoria and Taylor had something to do. They said they might join us there thought."

"Works for me!" Chloe moved to her truck opening the door. "Hop in there then!"

"KATE BEVERLY MARSH!" The voice, like the shriek of a fury, startled the three girls, drawing a soft squeal from the blonde. "I told you I wanted you to pack your bags and be home this morning!"

Chloe pulled back from the truck turning to look at the woman who was screaming and walking briskly toward them as Max maneuvered herself to face the incomer.

The woman was taller than Kate, but not much, Chloe still having a good advantage. She had long blond hair that she wore untied, hanging on her shoulders and back, and the same hazel eyes as Kate. Her dress, plain and neatly maintained, had a similar style to Kate's usual attire. Everything pointed out to the woman's being Kate's mother, even before the girl tried to respond.

"Mom… I already told you I woul-"

"I don't care what you want! You already proved you weren't fit to decide, and I'm not letting you waste yourself in this pit of debauchery and sin! You already shamed us enough with your… display of debauchery on video!"

Both Max and Chloe looked at the woman in disbelief. Sure, they called the school Blackhell and didn't really find it great, but to depict it as the woman was doing was pushing it far. And even that wasn't what shocked Max the most. No, to her, the worst was the mother acting as if Kate had been responsible for what happened on that video; as if she had not been drugged or raped.

"Now wait a minute!" Chloe's voice interrupted the woman, the punk taking two brisk strides to put herself between her and Kate. "You can't seriously blame Kate for what happened to her that night? She was the fucking victim!"

"And who are you to meddle with things that don't concern you?" The woman screamed her face red with anger. "You don't know what you're talking about so stay out of this!"

Max took a step forward intervening before her girlfriend decided to punch the woman. "We are Kate's friend! And seeing the person who drugged and raped her also drugged one of us and tried to kill us, I think we're better placed to know about this than YOU are! At least WE know better than to blame the victim of a rape!"

The woman looked at the two girls, eyes moving to their piercings, their tainted hair. "Oh I know plenty! If God judged good to bestow this punishment on Kate, then surely she has sinned to deserve it! Just as you and your heathen friend surely did!"

"WHAT?!"

The punk's anger was reaching its peak and Max knew Chloe would not let herself, or worse Max, be insulted this way. She reached out, balancing herself on one crutches and placing the other in front of Chloe to stop her from pouncing.

"Who do you think you are to sound all mighty and shit! Who gave you the right to judge, when you know squat about us?"

"Oh I know enough! No need to go into details for this! Just looking at you is enough to know you are heathen whores, delinquents and drug addicts probably fornicating with every boy in town for your daily fix!"

"MOM!"

Kate's voice tried to stop her mom from pouring her venom on her friends but the woman ignored her. She pointed at Max with a snotty smile. "You probably got hurt in one of those gang fight or maybe your pimp did this, what do I care. You won't drag my daughter into your heathen sins!"

Chloe couldn't hold it anymore. She tried to punch the woman but this time she was held back by Kate. "SHUT YOU FUCKING SHIT HOLE! Max got shot SAVING MY LIFE!" the punk screamed, tears in her eyes. "She took a fucking bullet trying to protect me from the wannabe rapist who abused your own daughter. And you dare call her a WHORE!"

The punk struggled trying to get free from the smaller girl's surprisingly strong hold.

"Max's a fucking saint! She's my fucking angel! So don't fucking insult her!" The bluenette kept screaming while the small blonde pushed her back.

The mother slowly hissed. "Don't you dare taint the holy with your blasphemy! A lost girl like you who doesn't know the bible has no right to invoke the Saints!"

Max took a step forward. "Oh so you presume I don't know the bible?" Her tone was cold as ice, her face stern. She had not reacted as strongly as her girlfriend but the insult had cut her deeply, reminding her of her own mother's reaction just a couple weeks before. "Do you know my name, Mrs. Marsh?"

"I suppose you're that Max Caulfield the news been talking about!"

"And before you even judged me, did you even tried to find out where I came from?"

"What does it matter where in the States you come from! Just looking at you I know you are not Christian!"

Chloe stopped fighting to get out of Kate's hands, her lips curving slightly as she grasped where Max was going. By now, a crowd was starting to form around her, people attracted by the woman's shouting, mostly students who looked at the mother with hatred after having heard the insults she had laid on their hero.

"Oh I'm Arcadian born for sure, but my parents aren’t. In fact they weren't born in the State. They came from another country. One with long time traditions." The pinkette curled her lips, laying her trap. "Say, do you know where the name Caulfield comes from?"

"So your parents are English or Canadians? That doesn't change anything!"

"Oh please, don’t insult me even more!" Max hissed back, her Irish blood boiling at the idea of being taken for an English person. "Let's see…. If I tell you my Mother's maiden name was O'Riorden, can you guess?"

"Probably one of those back water country without education!" Kate's mother retorted, her face darkening as she get more and more annoyed by the girl's bashfulness.

Max could see several students puff at the words. She rolled her eyes as she spoke again. "Daoine neamhghnácha."

"Don't you dare speak your witchy language in front of me, harlot!"

Kate scoffed at her own mother, rolling her eyes. "That's Gaelic… Irish, mom!"

"Don't talk to me with this tone, Kate! I'm your mother!" The woman threatened taking a step forward. "And I don't see how her origins would make her a Chr-"

"As I said… Uneducated people…" Max said with a sigh. "As most people from Ireland or Irish descent, I'm Catholic. Which means, I probably know more about Christianity than you think." She hobbled forward with her crutches, eyes narrowed. "Like 'love thy neighbor', or 'Don't judge if you do not want to be judged'… As Jesus once said, only the one who never sinned may cast the first stone; and you Mrs. Marsh are continuously sinning!"

"How dare you! You a whore, a fornicator calling me a sinner!" The woman exploded, nerves abandoning her as she started to realize her mistake.

"Pride, Mrs. Marsh, is one of the seven deadly Sins! And the fact you are still calling me those names when you don't know me, proves you're too full of it! You just can't admit you were wrong in judging us!" Max shook her head, her voice calm as she spoke, blue eyes staring straight into the woman's hazel orbs. "You don't know anything about me Mrs. Marsh. You don't know anything about Chloe. Like how I'm a Catholic or how Chloe lost her father 5 years ago. You are calling me a whore judged on my look, not knowing I'm still a virgin. You calling me names, accusing me of crimes I never did, just because I got shot sacrificing myself for another? But would you call Jesus a delinquent when he sacrificed himself for us all?" Max spat at the woman's feet. "You are accusing us of fornicating with boys, well, go to hell you and your hypocritical judgement, because, being a lesbian that is something I'll fucking never do!"

"Ah!" the woman scoffed. "I knew you were an abomination! And you call yourself Catholic!"

"The bible says 'love thy neighbor' Mrs. Marsh! Not 'be heterosexual'! Christianity is all about love and you would forbid me to love someone just because of our gender? Once again your pride and judgmental hypocrisy are showing when you distort his words to suit your fucking ideas!" Max remained silent as she looked at the woman's shock, letting her words sink. Around them students were whispering, smiling at how the haughty religious zealot was being brought down, called on her own distorted views.

Max looked at Kate who stood dumbfounded at her actions, then at Chloe who was smiling. She turned back at the woman. "Now, if you please, take your pride and misguided judgment and leave us alone." She started to turn toward the truck feeling tired after the exchange.

"Oh I'll be leaving for sure!" The woman howled after a moment, storming to reach for her daughter's arm, shoving Max aside. "And I won't leave my daughter with the like of you!"

The shove wasn't that strong, but Max' balance was precarious, her legs still too weak placing most of her weight on the unsteady crutches. When the woman pushed her aside, the forced shift pushed her crutches out of alignment and, just like a house of cards, she collapsed, falling loudly on the ground.

"You bitch!" The angry scream followed by the loud smacking sound of a fist colliding with someone's face followed soon. Max pushed herself up and saw her girlfriend, standing over the woman that had been tossed on her butt, with Justin and Trevor holding her arms as she still tried to send kicks.

The woman held a hand on her jaw, a bruise already forming where the punch had hit, her eyes filled with hatred. "How dare you hit me, you delinquent! I'll sue you! I'll have you thrown to jail!"

The punk struggles increased at the words, the bluenette trying to free herself so she could deck the woman again. "Oh yeah? Try me you bitch! I'll fucking break your face!"

Max shook her head softly smiling at her girlfriend's protectiveness. "Calm down Chloe! I'm fine!" She called softly before she looked at the woman. "You may want to hold on that threat Mrs. Marsh, because I'll be happy to tell everyone how you pushed me to the ground. I'm sure people will be very impressed by your righteous actions when they see me testifying from my wheelchair… I think the one going to jail won't be the one you think."

Kate's mom stood up, grumbling some unintelligible words, probably more insults. She moved to grab her daughter again. "Come Kate, we're leaving!"

The small blonde tried to break the hold on her arm. "No, I'm not! I'm staying here!"

"Oh no, you don't! You're my daughter and you will do as I say!"

Max was about to intervene when a taller blonde rushed in and grabbed Mrs. Marsh's wrist. "Leave Katie alone!" Victoria's intervention created a stir among the witnesses, everyone wondering why the pixie blonde would defend the one she had once bullied.

The older woman reached trying to pry the girl's hand from her wrist. "Let me go! I'm leaving and I'm taking my daughter away from this wretched place!"

Victoria shook her head. "Not if she doesn't want to!"

"Oh yes, I'm taking her with me! She's my daughter, I decide what's best for her!"

"She's 18! She's an adult! It's her own decision to make, not yours!" The blonde shouted back.

"What's going on here?" The deep voice of David Madsen cut through the crowd as he slowly made his way through.