Work Text:
We Could Runaway... Today
Train tracks carved their way into the earth, iron snakes slithering. Early morning sunlight glinted off the metal. Long shadows cast by imposing Douglas firs broke through the ray, nature's guardians watching over Arcadia Bay. Birds chirped, deer and other creatures rustling in the undergrowth.
A faint clicking faded into existence, getting louder and louder. The tracks began to vibrate, ushering an oncoming freight train. Unbeknownst to the driver, two stowaways had made it aboard earlier on in the journey. Polar opposites; the punk rebel high school dropout and over-achieving “perfect” model student. Both were more than they seemed on the surface, had more in common than anyone could ever understand.
Except each other.
As the train gradually gained speed, Chloe let out a sigh - a mixture of relief and astonishment. “Holy shit. I can’t believe we’re actually doing this.”
She’d been stuck in Arcadia for so long now. A black hole of wasted potential, its residents confined by some mysterious power…
Well, unless your name was Max Caulfield.
Her teeth gritted at the name, flooded with bitter resentment. For the average asshole, the Bay seemed impossible to escape. It took a special kind of asshole to break free, conveniently forgetting the sleepy town ever existed. Too busy living it up in Seattle to care about a childhood best friend whose father was dead and mother now shacked up with a walking, talking mustache.
The thought was temporary. Fleeting.
She didn’t need Max anymore. Not her dead dad or Joyce either. Nobody … except for Rachel Amber.
“Can’t you?” the blonde asked with an enigmatic smile.
The question snapped Chloe back to reality, a welcome change for once. “Honestly… no. We’ve been talking about it for so long it felt like a distant dream.”
By this point, being let down was the expected default outcome.
“I said I’d get out of here one day.” Rachel nudged her shoulder and offered a warm smile. Genuine. “But I couldn’t possibly leave without my accomplice.”
“If anyone’s the sidekick in this adventure, you are,” Chloe shot back, flipping the shorter girl off.
Rachel’s grin turned mocking. “Okay, Girl Wonder. I’ll be the sidekick… who totally steals the show with her charm.”
“Yeah right,” she pouted playfully, which made her companion giggle. “I just hope LA is ready for us.”
Blackwell’s celebrity actually scoffed at that. “Oh please. Nobody ever is. And I’d like to keep it that way.”
Overwhelmed by happiness at that moment - holy shit they were actually doing this - Chloe nodded. “Me too. Always up for mischief.”
“Ha, yeah I knew that already,” the blonde stated confidently, a slight smirk tugging at her lips.
An eyebrow raised, amused. “You seem to know a lot of things, Ms. Amber.”
“About you I do.” She winked, sending her blue-haired girlfriend into a slight fluster.
There was nothing she enjoyed more than teasing Chloe like this. Especially knowing she was the only person out there who could turn the punk into a blushing hella gay blue mass.
What an amusing power.
Hoping to draw attention away from her embarrassment, blue eyes darted to the outside world. Towering trees whizzed past them, the soft clicking of wheels on train track blending with ambient sounds of nature.
Hit with a wave of nostalgia, Chloe fished out a battered mp3 from her pocket. One bud firmly tucked in her ear, she offered the other one to Rachel. Their eyes met for a brief moment, an unspoken memory shared. For old times sake, they started off with ‘Through the Cellar Door’, followed by Firewalk. From there, all the music associated with their journey from acquaintances to friends to lovers and everything in between. So many experiences all condensed into two, nearly three, action-packed years.
The best part: it was only just the beginning.
Legs dangling off the side, the two girls watched the scenery shift. Bathed in early morning sunlight, Rachel’s golden mane shimmered. Her trademark blue feather earring flickered in the wind, almost as free as they were now.
“So, what’re we gonna splash all this cash on?” The blonde patted a duffel bag safely wedged behind her filled with essentials, including all the money they could scrape together.
They had been saving for just over two years now. Rachel squirreled away any money she could from her parents and even managed to get a few Blackwell students to pay her for mini photoshoots. Mostly privileged Vortex Club members like Nathan… and much to both their surprises Victoria. Although, the bitchy blonde had sworn her to an oath of secrecy to protect her pride on pain of death.
Completely serious about escaping Arcadia Bay, Rachel agreed to her terms, vowing to carry that secret to the grave.
She’d even gone so far as to sell drugs for Frank, the local shady drug dealer, almost getting caught a couple times. After her first major run-in with David on that, Chloe had convinced her to stick with the other options.
Meanwhile, the blue-haired punk had picked up some shifts at the Two Whales and put her mechanic skills to good use fixing up cars for cash. Again, mostly students. She’d even sold her old truck, obsolete given their great railway escape plan. Not great money, but she wanted to contribute somehow .
No way she could leave it all to Rachel.
“What else? Weed, booze and strip clubs,” she replied with a smirk.
Rachel nodded with mock approval. “Perfect plan as always, Price.”
Blue eyes narrowed, suspicious. “Do I detect a hint of sarcasm there?”
“Only a hint? Hmm…” She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Guess I’ll have to try harder. As much as I would love to follow your glorious plan...” Her amusement faded, expression suddenly turned serious. “First on the list: finding somewhere to stay.”
Despite Rachel’s normally impish behavior - and Chloe’s for that matter - when it counted she could be responsible and reliable. They had already scouted out a few options pre-attempted runaway. Unfortunately, their plan to leave in a few more months had been cut short…
Thanks to shitty families, they had to get out way sooner or risk going batshit insane.
Chloe leaned back on her hands. “Guess it’ll be cheap hotels for a while.”
“Unless you want to go full-on hobo,” Rachel suggested playfully.
That was enough to lighten the mood. “I don’t think I’d suit the beard.”
Tilting her head to the side, the blonde pretended to be deep in thought imagining it. “I dunno, you could totally rock it if you tried.”
Chloe scoffed, playfully unimpressed. “Please, I’ve had enough bad facial hair in my life, thanks… well, bubonic plague rats posing as mustaches.”
They may joke about it, but neither of them wanted to leave their fate to the streets. Chloe had already tried that once when she ran away from home. After William died and David first entered the picture.
10/10 never again.
Rachel chuckled at that description. “Truth. Shady backstreet motels it is.”
Rolling her eyes, Chloe went to reach for the duffel bag tucked behind her girlfriend. Her hand was batted away playfully.
“Oh come on. I’m hungry,” she whined.
Of course it wouldn’t be that easy.
Wagging her finger, Rachel lightly booped her nose. “When aren’t you? I might consider it… if you can tell me the password.”
The way the blonde was looking at her could only mean one thing. Shuffling closer, Chloe leaned in for a kiss and reached her hands around as if going for a hug. Unfortunately, Rachel caught onto her not so subtle plan to grab the bag, pinning her wrists to the cart’s floor.
“Nice try, Price…” she whispered, warm breathe tickling Chloe’s face. “But not good enough.”
Closing the gap, she pressed her lips against the bluenette’s. Happy enough with the ‘consolation’ prize, Chloe leaned into her kiss. Every time felt like the first, just as refreshing and exciting with much more meaning now. They had been through so much, both alone and together. Every moment like this was a breath of fresh air.
With any luck, they wouldn’t be as rare from now on.
After a few moments, Rachel pulled away and released Chloe’s hands. Reaching around, she pulled the duffel bag onto her lap and took out two candy bars and some water. Since they had eaten before leaving, that should be enough.
It would have to be.
Less than impressed, Chloe took the water and chocolate she was offered, tearing into it like a half-starved animal. Used to her table etiquette - or lack thereof - Rachel didn’t even bat an eyelid as she sipped at the bottle.
Hazel eyes watched Arcadia flicker by, soon to be a distant memory.
Not soon enough.
The only good thing about it had been Chloe and the reverse true for her blue-haired girlfriend. There was nothing left for them here except pain. Now, they could have a fresh start.
One they deserved.
Time blended together in an inseparable mesh. It felt like they’d been on the run for weeks, months even. Every second seemed to last for an eternity with little way of keeping track. They had both left their phones behind, not wanting to be bombarded with messages and tracked down. All they had now were cheap flip phones to use in case of emergency, turned off to save battery.
Finally, after hopping from train to train, narrowly avoiding getting caught hitching a free ride a couple times and walking the gaps between, they made it. Completely exhausted, the pair slipped off early enough to not get spotted.
“Thank fuck that’s over,” Chloe muttered under her breath, feet aching.
“Well, it’s not over yet,” Rachel reminded her. “But… we’re here.”
“Yeah, we are.”
It was already early evening by the time they arrived, the sun low in the sky. Pulling a map out of the duffel bag, Rachel tried to figure out exactly where they were and from there find somewhere to stay. Chloe joined her, pointing out areas and cross-referencing them with the handwritten list of nearby hotels.
Even the closest one needed some walking to get to.
“We could always hitchhike,” Rachel suggested. “Then we can become a real-life crime drama.” Her voice shifted to dramatic. “Two young and beautiful women venture alone in the concrete jungle of Los Angeles. Runaways, they seek refuge from their long and tiring journey. Flagging down a car, they think they have made it home and dry.” A dark and somber expression crept onto her face. “Little do they know their problems have only just begun.”
Chloe frowned slightly. “Too dark.”
“Nope, perfect dark,” she chuckled. “But seriously, I don’t want to be murdered now we’ve come this far.”
Lightly punching Chloe’s arm, she took the lead and they began their trek. After wandering around for some time, still no hotel in sight, they were starting to lose hope. If they weren’t careful, they would be left in the dark with only the stars to guide them.
Both girls were beyond tired by this point, bodies aching from walking so much and tension.
“I’ll be happy to never walk again after this,” Rachel groaned, shifting the duffel bag on her shoulder.
She refused to let Chloe take it, especially since the bluenette had her own backpack filled with various essentials that hadn’t fitted in the duffel.
“Me too,” the bluenette agreed, just as exhausted.
Doubt began to cloud her mind. Was this even a good idea? Maybe they weren’t prepared enough for this. They had left way earlier than planned. Even if they managed to get somewhere to stay, their money would run out eventually. And then what?
Running away had seemed like such a good idea for so many years. To escape the bullshit. What would Joyce be feeling now? Sure, she hadn’t been the best mom ever, but… deep down she did care. Losing Chloe might break her.
Shit...
“Chloe, look!” She felt a hand wrap around her wrist, dragging her along.
Half zoned out, she let Rachel pull her through the street. Before she could ask where they were going, she saw it. Glistening like a diamond in the sun was the Pacific Ocean. The sky was awash with color, fiery orange seeping into cool blue and mystifying purple. A pier cut through the water, stark silhouettes against the watercolor backdrop.
Santa Monica beach.
They stopped once they reached the sand, staring out over the water. Waves gently lapped at the shoreline, soothing.
“Holy shit…” Chloe muttered under her breath, taken away by the beauty.
In that moment, all her worries faded away. She no longer felt hopeless or afraid of an uncertain future. Nor did the past come back to plague her, playing her insecurities like some twisted instrument of pain and suffering. No demons tearing down her makeshift protective barricades.
For the first time in years, she felt… at peace.
Fingers gradually intertwined with hers, getting her attention. She turned her head, met with the most beautiful vision. The only person she needed in this world, who had stuck by her and chased away the nightmares. Their eyes met, understanding. Chloe put her hand on Rachel’s cheek. The blonde wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, standing on her tiptoes. Lips collided in a passionate yet tender kiss, the world around them ceasing to exist in that one moment.
Only they mattered; everything else was simply background noise.
Seconds turned to minutes, the pair encased in their own personal bubble. Where Arcadia was a million miles away, so were all the people who had ever fucked them over. Strangers, friends, family. Everyone.
When they finally broke apart, they stared into each other’s eye. Mutual adoration, unconditional love and overwhelming trust. Two smiles, extending all the way from lips to eyes. Hearts beating in an out of sync, fueled by earned affection.
Not saying a word, both girls got comfortable on the sand. With some prompting, Chloe laid on the beach shore with her head in Rachel’s lap. Slender fingers brushed off her beanie, gently running through blue hair. As she worked, Rachel began to hum softly. A familiar tune, melancholic. In their situation, it seemed apt. Not as an impossible feat, two immovable mountains forever rooted with nothing but false hope and empty words awaiting them.
No.
This time it stood for a long-awaited promise, finally allowed to spread its wings and soar.
“And we could run away. Before the light of day. You know we always could. The mountains say. The mountains say.”
Those simple yet haunting words sent a shiver down Chloe’s spine as they watched birds lazily swoop overhead.
They had made it.
Finally .