Chapter Text
Overlooking the cliff on Arcadia Bay, Max and Chloe were witnessing the apocalyptic storm raging around them with terrifying intensity. Dark clouds churned overhead, lightning split the sky, and the wind howled, threatening to tear everything apart. Waves crashed violently against the rocks below, while debris flew through the air like deadly projectiles. The air was thick and almost humid with the smell of rain and burnt electricity, as the ground trembled beneath their feet with each thunderous boom.
Chloe's blue hair whipped wildly around her face, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and disturbance. Her usually defiant posture was tempered by uncertainty, her gaze locked on Max. Max, her expression solemn and determined yet fraught with the weight of her powers. Her eyes glowed with a faint blue light as she struggled to comprehend the chaos around them, scanning for any sign of a way to end the cataclysm.
Max’s eyebrows pinched together in worry and grievance as she took in the destruction that was caused due to her manipulation and abuse of her own power. She looked at the tornado angrily
“This is my storm. I caused this… I caused all of this” Max cried out “I changed fate and destiny so much that… I actually did alter the course of everything. And all I really created was death and destruction!” She took a few steps forward, observing the hurricane as raindrops splashed on her face and her soaked, messy hair. Chloe turned Max around.
“Fuck all of that, okay? You were given a power. You didn’t ask for it… and you saved me! Which had to happen, all of this did… except for what happened to Rachel.” Chloe aggressively assured Max “But without your power, we wouldn’t have found her! Okay so you’re not the goddamn Time Master, but you’re Maxine Caufield. And you’re amazing.” Both locked eye contact and were silent for a brief moment until Max had looked off into the horizon of the storm. “Max, this is the only way.” Chloe handed Max the photograph of a Morpho butterfly on a bucket, shortly before Nathan threatened Chloe with a gun in the girl’s bathroom.
“I-I feel like I took this shot a thousand years ago.” She locked her eyes on picture.
“You…you could use that photo to change everything right back to to when you took the picture” Chloe’s voice cracked “All that would take is for me to.. to..” She began to sob into her hands.
“Fuck that!“ Max quickly cut her off “No…no way! You are my number one priority now. You are all that matters to me” She comforted. Chloe removed her hands from her face revealing her glossed face and red tinted eyes.
“I know. You proved that over and over again. Even though I don’t deserve it.” Chloe bawled “I’m so selfish…not like my mom. Look what she had to give up and live through. And she did. She deserves so much more than to be killed by a storm in a fucking diner!” She shouted “Even my s- my step…father deserves her alive. There’s so many people in Arcadia Bay who should live. Way more than me.”
“Don’t say that! I won’t trade you!” Max persisted
“You’re not trading me. Maybe you’ve just been delaying my real destiny” Chloe argued “Look at how many times I’ve almost died or actually died around you. Look what’s happened in Arcadia Bay ever since you first saved me. I know I’ve been selfish, but for once I think I should accept my fate… our fate…” She put her hand on her shoulder. Max shook her head in denial.
“Chloe…” She wept
“Max, you finally came back this week and, you did nothing but show me your love and friendship. You made me smile… and laugh, like I have done in years” Chloe sense that Max was staring at her quite somberly, as if she was starting to sense the outcome “Wherever I end up after this… in whatever reality all those moments between us were real, and they’ll always be ours. No matter what you choose, I know you’ll make the right descision.” She exclaimed.
“Chloe, I can’t make this choice!” Max wailed. Chloe rested both of her hands on Max’s and stared at her determination.
“No Max,” The tone of Chloe’s voiced quickly softened “You’re the only one who can”. As tear on Chloe’s waterline sunk back into her eye, a new one formed on Max’s. She stayed silent as Chloe awaited on her decision. “Max…It’s time.” She lowered her hands and backed away.
“Chloe…I’m so, so sorry… I…” She apologized “I don’t wanna do this!” Chloe wrapped her arms around Max’s neck
“I know, Max. But we have to. We have to save everybody okay?” Chloe released the hug “And you’ll make those fuckers pay for what they did to Rachel. Being together this week… it was the best farewell gift I could have hoped for. You’re my hero Max.”
“Oh Chloe…I’m gonna miss you so much” They went in for another hug in the midst of chaos as pieces from buildings swirled around them. Chloe let go of Max.
“I’ll always love you. Now get out of here, please! Do it before I freak.” Chloe laughed at the end of her cry “And Max Caufield? Don’t you forget about me.”
“Never.” Max shook her head. She pulled the photograph out from her left hand, and focused on the image. Everything blurred into a haze, then went blank. Suddenly, Max found herself transported back to the moment she had taken that photograph. A click of the camera produced an instant photo from it. Max let go of the photo, watching it drift onto the cold tile floor. She peeked over the bathroom stall, awaiting to see Nathan’s break in. The door swung open violently, prompting Max to swiftly turn and press herself against the wall, out of sight. Nathan began frantically muttering to himself in the mirror, only for Chloe to confront him, leading to an argument between them. Max leaned herself up against the wall slowly sliding down, allowing the situation to play out. She knew what to expect next when she heard Chloe order him to put his gun away. The gunshot made Max flinch, sending a ring through her ears. Blood from Chloe’s wound quickly spurted out as Nathan desperately tried to wake her lifeless body up.
David Madsen barged in with an armed gun, his body almost going limp once he saw Chloe on the floor. He looked up to see Nathan with his arms up, begging for mercy.
“Son of a…” David dropped his weapon and lunged himself onto him. Nathan braced himself to soften the impact. David put him in handcuffs promptly, only to see Max sniveling in the corner of the bathroom. His eyes softened with sympathy as he pulled a walkie-talkie from his belt “Principal Wells…” he sucked in his tears “Come to the bathroom. A..And bring some officials. Please.” There was a faint echo from the beep of his device. Max felt as if it was safer to cry as much as she wanted. There was no one to hurt her. Not Nathan, and definitely not Mr. Jefferson. David stood up next to Nathan. “We’re um…we’re gonna let the real cops handle this.” He huffed, nudging Nathan with his foot “And the paramedics, they’ll take care of Chloe”. He wiped his eyes, doing his best to keep his composure in front of Max. “C’mon kiddo, follow me.” He assisted Max to her feet while she used her jacket sleeve to wipe away the tears from her face.
David shielded her as they exited the bathroom. Authorities and students crowded the area, their murmurs and chatter filling the air from all directions. He took them to a more open area, with only a few questionnaires continuing to follow them.
“Max? Hey! Max!” Max recognized that voice. She looked over her shoulder to see Warren’s head poking through at what had seemed to be her peers.
“Warren!?” She weakly called out, still latched on to David
“MAAAAX! HEY! I’m right here!” Warren started hopping up and down making himself visible
“Warren…” Max smiled broadly. Warren squeezed himself through the narrow crowd of students. Max and David both fully turned around together as Warren finally made his way through the maze of students. Max let go of David. “Oh my god..” She clung herself tightly around his torso. Warren then wrapped his left arm around her neck leaving his right hand to hold her head. Warren pulled away with both hands being on Max’s shoulders.
“Max, what happened? Are you okay?” Warren asked worriedly. Max studied Warren's features as they locked eyes. It had then it her that this was the boy she had kissed during chaos. He was the one who had assisted her with science tasks and stood by her side, yet he had no memory of any of those moments. This only made her more upset.
“Oh, Warren!” She blubbered. She buried her head into his shoulder and cried loudly. David awkwardly backed away and cleared his throat.
“Warren, correct?” He raised his eyebrow. Warren nodded patting Max’s back as she cried. “Okay, well uh, I think I’ll let you two go now.” He assertively tipped his hat. Warren gave him a thumbs up and watched him walk away. Warren and Max slowly broke away to see the commotion. Police sirens could be heard coming directly from the entrance of the school. Two police officers were escorting Mr. Jefferson down the stairs. Max found relief in seeing him taken into custody as soon as they could. They turned back to one another.
“You have some serious catching up to do” Warren chuckled softly. Max smiled, resting herself on him.
“I know, Warren.”