Chapter Text
It was the final scene of this drama, of that Max was sure, but it was one she was desperate not to end. Having to make a choice, whether to save Chloe, or the entirety of Arcadia Bay. It felt like a choice one should never have to make. But in the end, Chloe was the real one to decide, and asked Max to sacrifice her to save everyone; Joyce, Frank, even the step-dad she hated. Though the whirlwind stole away every tear that came down Max’s face, she could still barely see the photo she was concentrating on.
“Don’t you forget about me.” Chloe said from behind her, almost completely braking Max’s concentration. As if Max could ever forget about her. They said that true love was when the priorities of one’s life shifted, away from one’s own goals and dreams to that persons dreams and happiness. If that was true, then Max really did love Chloe Price. If Chloe had not asked Max to do this, Max doubted she would have the strength to go through with it at all.
Suddenly, everything changed. The wind stopped howling, and Max would not feel Chloe’s presence behind her. She was once again in the past, when this amazing but terrible week had started, in the girl’s washroom, hiding away from sight. It was here that she had first tried to change the past, stopping Nathan from panicking and shooting Chloe. The door suddenly opened, but Max didn't need to look to know who it was, after all, she had gone through this several times already.
“Let’s talk bidness…” She heard Chloe say, speaking to Nathan and then demanding money from him. Max knew what would happen next, Nathan would go crazy, and take out a gun and threaten Chloe with it. Meanwhile, Max fought an internal battle within herself. She knew that needed to let this happen, but it was the hardest thing she had ever done, she could barely make out what they were saying.
“Get that gun away from me psycho!” She heard Chloe yell, and with the most terrible feeling in the world, Max knew that she was meant to just let it happen, to allow Chloe to die and restore the world to the way it was before.
Chloe Price… she wasn’t perfect by any measure. Once, for the briefest instant when everything was at its darkest, Max had even doubted her own love, worrying that it really was some kind of Stockholm syndrome. But as she heard Chloe’s voice one last time, all the times they had spent together flashed before her eyes; the best and worst times of her life. Max was suddenly certain of it. The silly things Chloe said, the heartfelt and honest feelings behind every action, the way she dressed, the way she acted, the way she looked at Max, the way she held Max. It was real…Max loved her with everything she had.
“No!!!” Max heard someone shout, and she was suddenly in front of Nathan and Chloe, reaching out to stop it all from happening. To her surprise, Max recognized the voice as her own. Even knowing what would happen to Arcadia Bay if she stopped Nathan from shooting that gun, Max realized she could never let go of Chloe. Both Nathan and Chloe were looking at her now, the surprise was written on their faces, neither had known she was here. Then Nathan’s gun went off, the gunshot almost deafening in the confined space. But when Max looked over in horror to Chloe, she saw that Chloe was still standing.
Max stood there in confusion for a moment, not sure what had happened, then felt a coldness in her side. She looked down, then saw the crimson stain spreading out from under her shirt. It took her a moment to realize. Somehow, Nathan had shot her instead of Chloe. All three of them were silent for a moment, then Max’s legs gave way under her, and her vision span as she numbly fell to the floor. She heard the door open again, probably Nathan running out to get away from what he had done. Then another face came into Max’s view. She had vivid blue hair and blue eyes, and she was looking down at Max with panic in her eyes.
“Max!?” She heard Chloe shout out her name. For the first time in what felt like a very long time, Max smiled. She wasn’t sure if this would destroy reality again by changing destiny, but Max had been given her power to make a choice, and she had made it. Maybe she would get lucky and stop the storm? A third solution, not to sacrifice Arcadia Bay or Chloe, but to sacrifice herself instead. Maybe it was because of the shock, but instead of pain from the bullet, Max just felt relief instead. She hoped that she had found a way out of this after all. If she died instead of Chloe, then maybe Arcadia Bay would still be safe, since Max wouldn’t be there to destroy it. Max used what strength she had left in her body to raise one arm, then took hold of one of Chloe’s hands.
“Chloe… be happy out there. It’s a strange world we live in.” Max whispered to Chloe, thinking about everything that had happened as her vision darkened. Chloe was shouting for help, but Max could barely hear her now. Instead she was thinking about everything that had happened. Though it had been terrible, watching her friends die around her, being tortured by Mr. Jefferson and desperately trying to make things right, it had also been brilliant. She had saved Chloe, and been given an entire week to spend with her before Max was to die as well. As Max’s head fell to the side, she saw the blue butterfly, the being that Max reckoned had started this all.
“Thank you…” Max whispered to the butterfly. Though it might have been a trick of her mind, it looked like the butterfly suddenly started glowing a bright blue, then vanished as if it had never been there at all. Then Max’s own vision finally went dark, and she fell into the void.
Even as the darkness claimed her, Max found herself in a new place. She was sitting on a hard wooden bench, with the wind blowing through her hair, she could see a sunset covering the ocean below her in a serene golden light. Max instantly recognised where she was. It was the lighthouse, where her first vision of the storm had happened, and where she had said a final goodbye to Chloe. But there was no storm here, it was calm instead.
“Well, that worked out unexpectedly well.” Max heard a voice next to her say. Max looked over in surprise, then gasped as she saw the girl she had been searching for, the one she had never even met.
“Rachel Amber…” Max said, not sure what was happening. Rachel smiled in response, answering
“Yep, the one and only. Nice work there Maximus.” She said. Max smiled back, then frowned.
“Wowser… So is this like heaven or something? You died after all… and I just got shot.” Max said, looking to her side to notice there was no wound at all. Rachel inclined her said to the side as she thought of an answer, her earring lying slightly on her shoulder.
“Well… we could be halfway to heaven, but then it could be some crazy dream. This might just all be in your head. Are you sure that bullet Nathan gave you with was a fatal shot?” Rachel asked her curiously. Max looked back to where she had been wounded, thinking about it in confusion. Before she could speak, Rachel continued.
“I guess it doesn’t really matter, either I am a figment of your imagination, or I am here to guide you to the pearly gates. Either way, you have the same choice to make.” Rachel said, standing up and looking out at the ocean.
“Choice? What choice? I thought I had already made my choice when I got shot.” Max said, now in even more confusion as she stood up to stand next to Rachel.
“You made that choice, and a clever move it was too. But now you have another choice.” Rachel said, looking at Max seriously this time. Max was silent, so Rachel continued.
“You can decide to finish it here.” Rachel said, pointing to the lighthouse, which now seemed to be glowing faintly. “You can pass on to whatever comes after your life ends, and let go of all of the pain, fear and doubt.” Rachel explained, then turned to face the path leading back to Arcadia Bay.
“Or you can try and go back. I don’t know whether or not you will make it, nor do I know what life will be like in this new world. I don’t even know if your sacrifice has averted the storm. But if you don’t try then you will never know.” Rachel said, looking towards Arcadia Bay wistfully.
Max finally understood the choice. In all honesty, a large part of her was tempted by the lighthouse. She knew that she would never be the same after what had happened, like a soldier returning from a bloody war, she would have scars that may never heal. But there were things keeping her back as well. She thought of everyone she cared about in her life; her parents and friends, Kate and Warren, hell even Victoria and David after everything that had happened. But more than any of them, Chloe, who would be left even more alone than before without Max. Suddenly a memory came flooding back to Max, when the two of them vowed never to leave each other ever again. She would be Chloe’s partner in crime, and Chloe was her partner in time. Even if the chance of her surviving was small, any chance of returning to Chloe was one she would take. Her mind decided, Max turned to Rachel, but before she could speak Rachel spoke first.
“I thought you would take that option. If you do make it back, then I wish you the best of luck. Tell Chloe that I’m sorry.” Rachel said, already knowing Max’s answer.
“Sorry for what?” Max asked.
“Sorry for not being able to come back. I have to move on now. But I’m happy she found you.” Rachel said as she started walking away from Max, heading up towards the lighthouse.
“Rachel wait! Is any of this real? Or is it just in my head?” Max asked her. Rachel laughed.
“How should I know? Life is hella weird after all. Goodbye Max, it’s a shame we could never hang out.” Rachel said. Even as she spoke she started glowing blue, just like the butterfly before. Rachel smiled once more at Max, waving goodbye to her before disappearing altogether. Max took a deep breath, and with one last look at the woods and Rachel, Max turned, heading down the path back towards Arcadia Bay.
Max opened her eyes. At first all she could see was white, and for a moment she thought she had died and was in heaven after all. Then her other senses came back to her. She could see the outlines of a balloon next to her, with the words ‘Get well soon’ written on them. She could smell a strong sent of disinfectant, and a more subdued smell of cigarette smoke and leather. She could hear the consistent beep of a machine next to her, along with the sounds of deep breathing. It took her a single moment to realize where she was, and who was by her side. Max turned her head, to find Chloe sitting next to her, her head on Max’s bed and fast asleep. Max smiled once more, tears of happiness forming in her eyes. She had done it. They were both alive and well, though her side ached, maybe just alive then. Trying not to wake up Chloe, Max looked around the room, taking stock of her surroundings. It was clearly the hospital, the various machines Max was still plugged into as well as the various ‘get well soon’ balloon and cards were a testament to that. If Max didn’t know better, she would have sworn that she was in the same room Kate had been in, but that was now a world that had never happened. Suddenly Max remembered everything that she had done had been unmade again. Kate might have jumped from that roof after all… Max looked around in a panic, trying to find the time or date. On the other side of the room was her bag, likely with her phone in it. But with a few wires attached to her, Max could not get to it on her own. While Max didn’t want to wake Chloe up, she needed to know how much time had passed, and more importantly if she had averted the hurricane destroying Arcadia Bay. Gently, Max tapped Chloe lightly on the shoulder, wincing from the pain the movement caused in her side. Chloe didn’t budge, and eventually Max gave her a shove, almost pushing her off the bed in the process.
“What???” Chloe murmured fuzzily, slightly confused as to where she was. Then she remembered and looked at Max, relief clearly in her eyes.
“Max! You’re awake! The doctors said that they weren’t sure if you would make it or not. Damn girl it is good to see your still with us.” Chloe said, then noticed the strange look on Max’s face.
“I guess you don’t recognize me after so long? Just saving some random girl you never met? The blue hair is new but…” Chloe continued to speak, and with a start Max remembered that this was the Chloe she had just met again since she had left as a kid. This Chloe had never worked with her to find Rachel, had never broke into the school with her, had never dared Max to kiss her.
“Chloe Price, just because you have blue hair, some badass tats and several inches more height doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t recognize you.” Max said, smiling sadly as she realized that she was the only one to remember that other world.
“Well, you never tried to contact me once, but I guess I should let you off the hook, ya’know, for the saving my life thing.” Chloe said, obviously trying to conceal just how confused she was now about how to feel. Over the past week (or so, it was hard to calculate time when you were a badass time traveller) Max had become skilled at reading people, especially Chloe.
“No, you shouldn’t let me off the hook.” Max said, looking at Chloe with a determined expression.
“I left you just after William died, just when you needed me the most, and even after I was settled in, both in Seattle and here, I was too scared to contact you. I was afraid you would reject me after I left, which is exactly what I would have deserved. But I’m not leaving now, never again.” Max said, being as honest as she could be with Chloe.
“Well yeah that’s true, you did kinda abandon me. How about saving my like makes us even?” Chloe asked Max, who smiled and nodded, then Chloe continued.
“But then your parents are probably gonna come screeching in here any time now and drag you away as soon as you can leave, so that sucks.” Chloe said, her voice lowering and looking away from Max. Once, in another life, Max would have taken the offer, to get away from everything back to the safety of home. Not anymore though. Max was a lot older and wiser than she had been before.
“No, if they come then I will tell them I am staying here, after all, if I go back then the'll never let me out again.” Max said, joking about the real reason she was staying.
“Wow Max, you might look the same as when we were kids, but you must have grown some balls in Seattle, you seem more… confident now.” Chloe said in surprise, to which Max smiled. Old Max from before this began was certainly like Chloe remembered. But a lot had changed over this crazy week. Then Max remembered why she had woken up Chloe in the first place.
“Hey Chloe, this might sound strange but it is very important. What day is it?” Max asked Chloe. Chloe gave Max a look like she was crazy, but answered.
“It’s still the same day, though I guess it’s technically tomorrow now. Good morning Maximus.” Chloe said, looking at her watch as she spoke. Max frowned. The hurricane would not have happened yet, but then the snow would have.
“Did it snow just before it got dark then?” Max said determinedly, half terrified about what the answer would be. Chloe gave her another crazy look.
“Oh yeah, and Santa gave everyone an early Christmas. It’s barely into October dude, ain’t no snow here.” Chloe said. Max finally gave a relieved sigh, sinking back into her pillow as she did so. That was a very good sign. It looked like Rachel or whatever figment of her mind it was had been right. Max honestly had no idea how she had avoided the apocalypse, but maybe it had just been about returning to the moment she had started changing time, and simply stopped messing around with it. For a brief moment Max raised her hand, to test whether or not she could still rewind, but then decided against it. If she could then she would just ruin things, it was better to just leave it alone, for good. If there was a choice to keep Chloe or keep her powers, then she would choose Chloe every time. Then Max realized something else, something brilliant. If only a single day had passed, then Max still had time to help everyone else; to save Kate from the bullies, and to stop Mr. Jefferson from killing Chloe, Victoria and Nathan.
“Uhh hello? Earth to Max? That bullet remove some of your brain power? You totally just spaced out there.” Chloe said, interrupting Max’s thoughts. Max suddenly grinned, joy filling her as she realized what she could do now, with all the knowledge and experience she had gathered over the time. Somehow, after everything she had messed up, she had been given one last chance to change things, and she knew exactly what to do. It looked like Mr. Jefferson wouldn’t be going to San Francisco after all, not after everyone found out the truth.
“No, I really died and have returned as a zombie hipster!!! brains…” Max said jokingly, reaching out to Chloe, who graciously pretended to freak out for a moment.
“Seriously though, if we are even after the whole taking a bullet for you thing, can I get a hug?” Max asked. Chloe nodded, reaching in and giving Max a strong hug. As she did so, Chloe never noticed the single tear drop down Max’s face, mostly because she suddenly winced in pain as Chloe brushed against the bullet wound.
“OK zombie hipster, the docs said I should let them know if you woke up. You want me to come back after or are you gonna get more sleep?” Chloe asked Max as she sat back down.
“I do still feel exhausted. Fine, send in your doctors and healers. See you tomorrow?” Max joked again.
“Even after being shot, you still act like a dork.” Chloe teased as she got up and made to leave. Just before Chloe left, Max made sure to get the last word in.
“People loves dorks.” Max said quietly, remembering how Chloe had said something similar in the other time. As Chloe left, Max sat back in her bed, wincing as she felt more pain from the bullet wound. Sure, a lot of things were different, but Max had been given the one thing nobody else ever had; she had been given a second chance, and while she was exhausted, Max was almost burning with determination not to waste it.