Chapter Text
Rain falls with unceasing fury as the wind howls angrily through the air. Debris is flung about wildly by gusts of wind, powerful enough to uproot trees. The sky grows pitch-black, and the path slowly disappears under the rising waters. With each passing moment, a relentless flood claims Arcadia Bay for its own. Max Caulfield found herself unprepared for the onslaught, drenched and shivering. The week she's had should have proven the storm from her vision was real. It is real.
A vision had come to her at the beginning of her crazy week, a premonition of a storm wiping out her hometown. And it's bad , just as disastrous as she had envisioned it. In the wake of her nightmare, she feels herself slowly come back to consciousness. Each breath is a struggle, and the nightmare is still fresh and vivid in her mind as her heart thumps loudly against her chest. She can feel her body trembling as her gaze settles on the waterspout in the distance. Dark clouds dance and twirl around the vortex she’s sure she created. She could feel the storm getting closer, the thunderous roar of the wind and the pouring rain bearing down on her. Max stands at the edge of the cliff with her best friend, Chloe Price.
“This is my storm,” Max feels small and helpless in the face of the raging storm. “I caused this! I caused all of this! I changed fate and destiny so much that I actually did alter the course of everything. And all I really created was just death and destruction!”
“Fuck all of that, okay?” Chloe quickly reaches out and lightly grabs hold of Max's shoulders, positioning her so they face one another. She stares intently into Max's eyes, her expression unwavering as she demands Max's attention. “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. But without your power, we wouldn't have found her! Okay, so you're not the goddamn Time Master,” Chloe's voice quivers with panic as she looks at Max, her eyes wide with a mix of urgency and desperation. “But you're Maxine Caulfield, and you're amazing.”
Chloe’s eyes brim with tears. "Max," she whispers, her voice unsteady and cracking. "This is the only way." She extends her hand, and her fingers tremble slightly as she presents the photo of the blue butterfly that Max took earlier in the week.
“I feel like I took this shot a thousand years ago.”
“You–” Chloe tone quivers. “You could use that photo to change everything right back to when you took that picture. All that would take is for me to... to…”
“Fuck that!” Max exclaims. “No, no way! You are my number one priority now. You are all that matters to me.”
“I know.” Chloe looks at Max, her eyes locked with intensity as the storm rages around them, its fury unleashed with a deafening roar. “You proved that over and over again, even though I don't deserve it.”
The air swirls and churns, a cacophony of howling gusts and crashing waves. Despite the chaos, Chloe's focus remains solely on Max, her hold on Max unwavering. Chloe wails, “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. Even my step… father deserves her alive. There's so many more people in Arcadia Bay who should live way more than me.”
“Don't say that... I won't trade you.” Max felt a surge of determination coursing through her veins. Chloe was her one and only priority, her driving force.
“You're not trading me. Maybe you've just been delaying my real destiny,” Chloe keens. “Look at how many times I've almost died or actually died around you. Look at 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.”
Max looks at her, words strained from her dry throat. “Chloe…” Max cries. “I can't make this choice.”
Chloe grabs Max's arms. “No, Max, you’re the only one who can. Max, it's time.”
“Chloe, I'm so, so sorry. I– I don't want to do this.” Max feels the weight of her guilt and sadness through the strength of her stare. Her eyes were wide and brimming with tears, a silent testimony to the turmoil she felt within herself. Although she tries to hold Chloe's gaze, the raw emotion etched on her face is almost too much to bear.
Chloe wraps her arms around Max, pulling her into a tight, affectionate embrace. Her grip is firm, expressing the depth of her feelings through the strength of her hold. “I know, Max. But we have to. We have to save everybody, okay? And you'll make those fuckers pay for what they did to Rachel.”
Max melts into the hug, finding solace and comfort in the warmth of Chloe's embrace.
“Being together this week,” Chloe's eyes settle on Max, the look in her gaze both intense and searching, taking in every detail of Max's face as if it’s the last time she would. “It was the best farewell gift I could have hoped for. You're my hero, Max.”
Chloe pulls Max closer. The chaos of the approaching tornado fades from their awareness as they lean in slowly. Their silhouettes unify against the backdrop of the stormy waters lashing against the rocks below. They share a gentle, tentative kiss that leaves Max reeling. The electricity of the storm fuels their connection. “I'll always love you,” Chloe says as she pulls back. “Now, get out of here, please! Do it before I freak. And Max Caulfield," Chloe's voice shakes. "Don't you forget about me.”
Max meets her gaze, her eyes filled with a depth of ambivalence. She replies without hesitation. "Never," Max says, her voice firm and resolute, turning her back to Chloe. She tries not to let her feelings get in the way of what she knows to be the morally right choice and she focuses on the photo to travel back in time to the very moment where this fucked up week started in the bathroom. The butterfly image dances in her vision as she fades into the photograph and is transported to the moment her camera flashes.
Max takes the freshly printed photo and tosses it to the floor. She looks around the stall and waits for the bathroom door to open.
"It's cool, Nathan... Don't stress... You're okay, bro. Just count to three..."
Max huddles behind the stall, her body trembling against the cold tile beneath her. The echo of Nathan's and Chloe's voices reverberates through the bathroom. Max's heart races, she can feel a chill seeping into her bones from the anxiety coursing through her veins. She knows Nathan is about to draw his gun on her best friend, and she feels sick at the thought. She crumbles into herself. She isn’t sure she will be able to go through with this.
"You don't know who the fuck I am or who you're messing around with!" Nathan yells, and she knows that this is the moment when the gun will be drawn, the moment when she loses everything. As time seems to slow, her mind races through a whirlwind of memories and emotions, the kiss on the cliffside with Chloe replaying in her mind like a bittersweet farewell. She braces herself for what is about to unfold, her body taut with a mixture of resignation and fear, knowing that this one moment will change everything.
"Where'd you get that? What are you doing? Come on, put that thing down!" Max's body trembles as she impulsively springs to her feet, her eyes wild and panicked as she begins to frantically search for the hammer beneath the nearby cart.
"Don't EVER tell me what to do,” he slams his hand into the wall, frightening both Chloe and Max. “I'm so SICK of people trying to control me!"
"You are going to get in hella more trouble for this than drugs–"
"Nobody would ever even miss your ‘punk ass’ would they?"
"Get that gun away from--" The sound of glass shattering and the blaring alarm pulls Nathan away from Chloe.
“No way,” Nathan mumbles. Max collapses onto the ground, her body shaking from shock and relief as she drops the hammer that she had used to smash the glass.
"Don't EVER touch me again, freak!" Max barely registers the slamming of the door as she tries to make sense of what has just happened, the weight of the moment settling heavily upon her.
Max is resolute, her determination to save Chloe unwavering. Chloe's safety has become her sole priority even if she is aware of the consequences of this action. She stays on the ground of the bathroom behind the stall, and she barely processes the door opening and loud footsteps coming her way.
"Hey!" She hears David Madsen’s voice behind her. "You're the one who set off the alarm, aren't you? What were you doing with that hammer, huh? Answer me!" David thunders, his voice harsh and accusatory.
Max, her voice quivering with fear and shock, stammers out a response to David's accusations. "I-I had to hit the alarm," she crumples into herself, still trembling on the bathroom floor as she finally lets the tears she has been holding back fall against her cheeks. "Nathan Prescott was- he had a gun and was waving it around, babbling like crazy! I just... I broke the glass to get him to leave, I swear!" Max sobs relentlessly.
David's expression softens as he listens to the fear lacing Max’s words, along with her overall composure. "Alright, alright," David says, his voice taking on a slightly gentler tone. "I believe you. Are you okay? Did Prescott hurt you in any way?"
“No, I was hiding behind the stall. He didn't see me.”
“Alright, Max,” David helps Max up off the tiled floor. “I need you to tell Principal Wells what you’ve just told me.”
Max rubs the tears away from her eyes. She doesn’t have time for this shit, she needs to find Chloe. “He’s not going to believe a Prescott brandishing a loaded weapon at school.”
"Max, I need you to come with me," he commands, his words laced with authority. "You're going to tell Principal Wells about what happened with Prescott. I can’t help you if you don’t do that for me."
Max begrudgingly obeys David and heads towards the Principal’s office. Her mind is preoccupied with thoughts of Chloe, worry and fear all-consuming in this moment. She walks with a sense of urgency, her steps quick and purposeful, knowing that getting this over with as quickly as possible is the key to returning to Chloe.
Max takes a deep breath, steadying herself as she faces Principal Wells. Her voice trembles as she begins her report, her words quick and nervous. She leaves out any mention of Chloe, focusing solely on Nathan and his gun. Principal Wells doesn't seem to fully buy it, just as Max suspected he would.
He shakes his head, his expression skeptical. "That’s quite an accusation, Miss Caulfield. Do you have any proof to back up these claims?"
“My word isn’t enough?”
“I just want to be completely clear what happened. Mr. Prescott happens to be from the town's most distinguished family, and one of Blackwell's most honored students. So, it's hard for me to see him brandishing a weapon in the girls' bathroom.” Max sighs, clearly frustrated. “So, what happened next?”
Max figures he will only take her seriously if she tells him Nathan was threatening Chloe, but she is also aware of how pissed off her friend would be if she brought her up at all. Max carefully weighs her options, keeping in mind she is completely capable of rewinding if it doesn’t go well.
Fuck it. “Then someone else came in, and I figured she was meeting up with Nathan. They began fighting and he drew the gun on her.”
David interjects, his tone a mix of surprise and disbelief. "Wait a minute. You didn't mention anyone else being there. Who else was there, Max?"
Max avoids David's gaze, her voice timid as she replies, "Uh, someone who doesn't go here anymore. I'd rather not give out their name, okay?"
Principal Wells leans forward, scrutinizing Max. “I still need to have all of the facts before speaking with Prescott. Max, who was he threatening? It is our job to keep you safe.”
Max feels her temper snap, her anger boiling over. "You're terrible at your job! I don't feel safe at all, and it's clear you value the Prescott's money more than the lives of young women.”
He looked taken aback by Max's outburst, a flicker of irritation crossing his features. "Now, see here, Miss Caulfield. I don’t appreciate being accused of not caring about the safety of my students. But you need to understand that accusations like these require solid evidence, and without any, my hands are tied."
“You care more about maintaining the reputation of an abuser who threatened gun violence on another woman here on campus than the victim herself! What if I were to tell you this is not the first time Nathan has hurt a woman?"
Principal Wells holds up his hands, his tone placating. “Now, now, Miss Caulfield, there’s no need to get worked up. I simply asked for evidence, and now it just seems like you are making things up. Accusations like these require proof, and may ruin lives if they turn out to be untrue.”
Max's voice quivers with barely suppressed rage as she responds to Principal Wells. "We live in a world where abusers can roam free and the lives of victims are shattered when they find the courage to speak out. The system is rigged against everyone but straight, white males. I told you the truth, but nothing I say can convince you to take me seriously."
Principal Wells leans back in his chair, a patronizing smile on his lips. "Your word alone isn't enough. Without any evidence, it's your word against Nathan's.” Max shakes from anger. He is completely disregarding the point she made. “When I speak with him, I will learn his side of the events. If he denies your accusations, then unfortunately, without proof, my hands are tied as far as disciplinary action goes."
Max takes a deep breath, her frustration clear as day as she finally voices a solution. "But if you allow David to search Nathan, you'll find his gun. It's the evidence you need."
Principal Wells shakes his head. "I can't allow Mr. Madsen to search Nathan Prescott without further evidence supporting these accusations. I understand your concerns, but the law doesn't work on assumptions and gut feelings."
Max clenches her jaw, the anger in her voice evident. "A report about him threatening a woman isn't enough grounds for search? What more do you need? Should I go back in time and let him shoot her? Will you believe me then?"
Principal Wells gives Max a disapproving glance, his voice firm. "Unfortunately, it is not. If you have any additional information or evidence you would like to add before I call Nathan in, now would be the time, Miss Caulfield."
Max takes a steadying breath, mentally preparing herself to rewind. Perhaps she should have mentioned Chloe specifically. She closes her eyes, focusing on unraveling time, and her heart pounds in anticipation. She bends reality and twists it back on itself, colors blurring and sounds melding as time begins to unreel, moving backward, faster with each passing moment. A strange sense of disorientation washes over Max as everything rushes backward. Finally, she takes a deep breath to regain her bearings.
"Wait a minute,” David says. “You didn't mention anyone else being there. Who else was there, Max?"
Max’s voice trembled as she spoke, “He was threatening… my friend, Chloe Price.” Sure, Chloe will probably be pissed with Max for this, but fuck it, she needs Principal Wells to believe her.
David's eyes widen in surprise, his expression a mix of concern and confusion. “Chloe?”
Principal Wells stares at Max, disbelief on his face. “Chloe Price? You sure?”
“Yes, I’m positive,” Max replies.
Wells continues his questioning, “You mentioned that you are friends with Chloe Price, so you should know she was expelled. What was she doing on campus? Did you have any knowledge that she would be here?”
Max shakes her head, her voice earnest. “No, I had no idea at all.”
Wells leans in closer, his gaze unwavering. “Can you describe the conversation between Nathan and Chloe? What were they talking about? What did Chloe say to Nathan to anger him?”
His accusatory comment towards Chloe caught Max off guard and she wonders why he would assume Chloe instigated him. She tries to leave out as many details as she can that would incriminate her friend for blackmailing Nathan. "I don't know the whole story," she lies, her voice fearful. "But it seemed like he owed her money or something. She accused him of selling drugs to Blackwell students, and he drew the gun on her when she mentioned his family."
Wells lifts his chin slightly at her response, leaning forward with clasped hands. “Well, what did she say about his family?” He continues, completely missing the point Max is making. “Was she bad-mouthing them?” He raises his eyebrows. “And why would Nathan owe her money?”
Max recoils in her seat and stares at him, blinking slowly. “What does that matter? He pulled a gun on her in the women’s restroom at your school.”
His eyes narrow. “It matters because I need to have all of the facts, and I need to make sure that something… inappropriate and illegal isn’t happening on this campus.”
"So is pulling a gun on someone not illegal anymore?” Max scowls.
Silence. He clears his throat.
“The fact is,” Max continues, “he had a gun on school grounds and pulled it on someone, and you are blatantly ignoring it. It doesn't matter what was said leading up to it, he pulled a gun on an unarmed woman during a heated argument. When I saw him aim the gun at her, I knew I had to hit the alarm and stop him from potentially killing her.”
David silently nods, putting the pieces together. “And that’s when I found her.”
Principal Wells lets out a sigh, his tone almost disdainful. "This is a severe accusation, Max. Are you absolutely certain that every detail you shared is fact?"
Max's frustration begins to bubble over again. She responds, her voice rising.
"Yes, it's completely true! Why won't you believe me?"
Principal Wells raises a placating hand. "It's not that we don't believe you, Max. We just need to take measures to thoroughly investigate the situation and make sure that Chloe wasn't causing trouble and instigating Nathan in a way that he would act out of character."
Max’s eyes flicker to meet David’s and he immediately avoids her contact. She should have known David wouldn’t stand up to his superior, even for his own stepdaughter. She starts to wonder what the point of this meeting is. He’s seriously accusing Chloe of causing Nathan’s threat on her life?
She realizes it doesn't truly matter if Principal Wells believes her; she is tired of having to prove Nathan's violent nature. Max finds herself in a whirlwind of frustration, her mind tangles her thoughts into a ball of frayed nerves. The real priority is to find Chloe before she leaves the campus. Time spent on endless explanations like this is a waste of Max’s time and distracts her from reuniting with her best friend.
"I have nothing else to add," she says with a sigh, her voice laced with exhaustion. Principal Wells dismisses her and she immediately goes to the parking lot to find Warren who has been blowing up her phone. Before replying, she skims the messages he had sent her in the last few days. She cringes when she realizes she hasn’t replied to any of his texts in almost a week. She feels horrible for it, especially after harboring the guilt she feels for ghosting Chloe for five years. She can’t let herself keep doing this
[Warren, Today 4:21 PM]
Hullo?
[Warren, Today 4:39 PM]
I love counting all of these cars out here… Where r u Max?
[You, Today 4:42 PM]
Srry. Running late. Got caught up in the principal’s office
[You, Today 4:43 PM]
Insane day.
[Warren, Today 4:43 PM]
WHAT? The principal’s office??? What happened?
[You, Today 4:44]
I’ll tell u when I get to the parking lot
If she’s going to successfully figure out how to save Chloe and the rest of the town from the tornado, she needs help, and a guy like Warren might be useful. She now knows he trusts her and he will believe her, so she regrets not telling him everything on that first day. Now that she’s back, she might as well do things a little differently.
Her racing thoughts overwhelm her, thinking of Chloe and if she’s already in the parking lot. She doesn’t have enough time to grab Warren’s flash drive from Dana’s room since she wasted it on her report on Nathan. She walks towards the parking lot, assessing what has just happened until she stops in her tracks suddenly. Am I outside, she thinks. Instinctively, she surveys her surroundings, confirming her location. Obviously, she sees the landscape around her and knows she’s outside, but how did she get here?
Typically, when exiting a photograph, she would instantly return to the future. But now, as she stands outside, no visible barrier stops her from exploring outside of the photo’s confinement. She questions if she’s still inside the photo, but the thought seems impossible. Yet, here she is, outside, unsure of how she has gotten here.
Max’s thoughts linger on the very kiss she shared with Chloe on the cliff that caused her to rethink her choice. Fuck destiny, Chloe is worth saving no matter the consequences. She comes to the realization that her love for Chloe is deeper than she originally thought, and she will be damned if she loses her. She can’t lose her.
After attempting to collect her thoughts about the whirlwind of events that unfolded before her, two fundamental facts become clear:
- With her power, she will figure out how to save everyone, including Chloe.
- She is undeniably in love with her best friend.