"Max...It's Time…"

The sentence was on the edge of Max's senses. All she could hear was the roaring of the tornado and the feeling of rain drops on her skin that felt like acid taking pieces of herself away into the sea. She turned back to Chloe, the shivering blue haired girl looked so vulnerable in that moment awaiting a decision that could end it all. Chloe had given her that power and she trusted her to make the right choice.

Max knew this couldn't be the way that it all ended. This wasn't fate, it was a twisted joke. She had changed so much and became the person she needed to be. She could feel the power within herself. Max didn't feel that her calling was to reshape reality to her whim but to right a wrong, to fight for something or someone that couldn't fight for itself. She knew that this time it was Arcadia Bay. She would answer that call. Finally, Max spoke and her voice was even and strong with the experience of the past week. This was no longer that timid girl in the girls bathroom.

It's Time...

"Yes Chloe, and I can control it. I was given this power for a reason. And it wasn't to watch you die."

Chloe searched Max's eyes with hers trying to discern if that meant she had made her decision. Reading Chloe, Max answered her unspoken question raising her voice against the howl of the storm.

"In one week you and I uncovered everything involving Rachel's disappearance. And we can find out why this tornado is hitting the bay just the same. We can stop it. Together."

Chloe listened to her with desperation, her clothes clung tightly to her damp body making her look small and exposed. Max could see that she wanted so much to believe in what she was saying. The punk was staring into her eyes as if the answer to everything lie there. Max took Chloe's hand into both of hers cradling it as if it was the most precious thing she had. She returned the anxious girl's penetrating gaze and spoke firmly.

"But I need you Chloe, the one that's with me now. The one that knows everything and has gone through everything with me. And…" Max ran her thumb over the back of Chloe's hand. "And knows exactly what she means to me."

Chloe's internal storm seem to slowly fade leaving behind a quiet understanding of what Max meant and she smiled squeezing Max's hand. "I love you Max, I trust you."

"I love you too Chloe." Max said almost breathlessly but not even the wind could take it away from Chloe's ears. She looked down feeling something being pushed into her hand by Max. It was the blue butterfly picture. The punk looked back into Max's eyes as she continued.

"You're coming with me. I won't ever leave you." Max stood beside Chloe and together they faced the raging storm as it began its rampage on the boats of the harbor. Together they watched the livelihoods of fishermen be carelessly swept aside as it had been before the tornado came. The swirling arms of the tempest plucked each hollow vessel from the bay and both of the girls saw them disappear one by one into oblivion.

Max had a plan. One that didn't involve her best friend dying in a cold bathroom, alone and confused, destined to become another casualty of Nathan's petulence. Max wouldn't allow her be just another footnote on Blackwell's record. She would take her with her, hold onto her so tightly that not even time could rip them apart.

Max absentmindedly shook her head to herself and smiled.

Where we're going, we don't need tornados

She wasn't sure how she would pull this off but her power seemed to work off of her own will. Even time stood still at her command, once in a great need, when Kate jumped. If this wasn't a great need she couldn't imagine what else could be. Max nervously moved behind Chloe and she wrapped her arms around the taller girl hugging her from behind.

Even through the taller girl's sopping wet clothes Max could feel the warmth emanating from underneath. It was Chloe's unyielding and resolute spirit that kept that fire within her kindled. It was what drew Max to her like a moth to a wild blue flame, she loved her most for that. As long as that flame was lit she knew she could confront anything.

Chloe nestled into Max's arms and the shorter girl thought for a moment before speaking.

"You're going to have to...uh..ummm slouch down and hold the picture out in front of you so I can see it." Chloe sharply drew in a breath not being sure what to expect and let it out slowly as she followed Max's instructions.

"Aye Aye Super Max."

Max almost giggled at the thought of seeing how funny they must look like this. She rested her chin against Chloe's soaked shoulder and squinted at the picture. She could see the image blur and waver and hear the click of the shutter. She could feel Chloe tense up against her as she spoke out.

"Wait...did it just..."

Max couldn't reply as she felt the uneasy but familiar feeling of the world slinking out of existence only to reappear again.

The time jump was jarring as the howl of the wind abruptly ended replaced with the deafening sound of silence of the girl's bathroom. Max hugged herself feeling her dry clothes press up against her and she looked around finally peeking her head around the stalls. No Chloe. Max felt her chest heave with a sob that didn't come and instead weakly pushed out one word.

"Chloe?"

It's echo was nothing more than a hollow reverberation as it sought out something that could not be found. Max turned back and let her body go limp sliding down to the floor her back against the cold stall wall. The tears came staining Max's cheeks. They pattered softly on the tile floor carrying with them the only hope she had.

She hasn't come back with me. It didn't work and stupid me for thinking she would. I don't even understand how this power works. How could I think I woul-

The restroom door opened. Max held her breath as time seemed to stand still until finally one word cut through the air. The only voice that could take all these fragmented pieces of chaos and put them back together.

"Max?"

Max's heart skipped a beat and pumped faster she scrambled up from the floor and turned the corner. Through her bleary eyes she only needed to make out the color blue as she let out a gasp. Chloe ran into Max sweeping up the weary girl into her arms and spinning her around hearing the brunette let out a tearful laugh, a mix of fear and relief.

"I thought you hadn't come, it hadn't worked, you didn't remember, that I would be mmphhghhhmmmm-"

Chloe concluded Max's stream of sorrow with a long passionate and desperate kiss holding the shorter girl tightly. Max surrendered herself to the moment as if setting down the burden of her power a moment. Her hand rose to Chloe's cheek to stroke it and hold their lips together. Their surroundings blurred like the edges of a photo, all that mattered was this moment. Chloe's embrace felt secure, her soft pink lips against her own felt perfect as if they had always belonged right where they were.

They broke for a moment, both of their eyes fluttering open. Max could feel Chloe's breath against hers as she gazed into the magnetic blue eyes that refused to release hers.

Max whispered "Wowz-"

The restroom door opened once again. Chloe turned towards the corner and held Max close against her with one arm as they hid from view. Max's turned her head up toward Chloe looking up at her as they came to the same realization together.

Nathan

The haze of love drained from the punk's eyes as they began to flare with rage. Max, with her arms around Chloe's waist, squeezed and held her back from assaulting an unsuspecting Nathan.

"You can't." Max whispered curtly against Chloe's chest. The taller girl looked back down at Max with shock and then slowly, understanding as she nodded her reply.

"Hey, is that you bitch? Who's there?" Nathan called out to the couples hiding place.

Max stepped carefully away from Chloe and revealed herself appearing around the stall holding her arm with her other hand awkwardly. "Um. It's just me. What are you doing here? It's uh...the girls bathroom." Max's eyes peered down at the floor hoping that Chloe would go along with the ruse.

"What? Uh. I was suppose to meet someone. You seen her? Blue hair? Ratty looking wannabe punk chick?" Nathan replied looking at her with wild uncertain eyes.

Chloe gritted her teeth almost banging on the stall supporting her as she pressed up against it. However, Max answered for her.

"Actually, yeah. Just saw her leave in a big hurry. You might could still catch her though."

"Figures. Bitch backed down." Nathan spat as he threw open the door and disappeared.

Max waited for a moment expecting him to come back her eyes boring into the door. She didn't know why. She felt that any moment Nathan would return and start trying her and Chloe for target practice. But he never did. Chloe stepped out approaching Max from behind.

"I don't know how you handle all of this so well." Chloe said putting her hand on the shorter girl's shoulder. She could hear the admiration in Chloe's voice with a touch of awe.

Max turned to face her and smiled. "Well you make it so much easier." Chloe saw a sudden realization dawn on Max's face as she began to hop up and down excitedly.

"It worked! You came with me and you remember everything. This is a hard reset like what happened to me the first time I was here."

"Oh shit! You're right. Holy shitballs...All I could think about was how much I wanted to rip Nathan's head off." The punk put her hands on her hips puffing her chest out. "Captain Price, sailing the timeways now."

Chloe gave her a sideways smirk. "If you don't say it I will."

Max gave her a quizzical look until finally, she rolled her eyes and smiled as she answered.

"Partners in crime?"

"Only if you're my partner in time." Chloe replied with an impish grin that slowly melted into an enticing smile that made Max's stomach flutter.

"But...seriously Chloe, we need to go into full sleuth mode to figure out this storm or come Friday nothing will change."

Chloe's expression sobered up as the weight of the events of the last timeline they were in filtered back into her mind.

"I know Max. I'm just so happy that this actually worked. I thought that back there was the last time I'd ever…" Chloe trailed off but Max didn't need her to finish to understand. Max had thought that it would be the last time she would ever see Chloe again too except to watch her die again. She resolved herself to never let that thought cross her mind again. Of abandoning Chloe. She stared into the blue eyes that seemed to want nothing but her and said softly.

"I'll take you through a hundred timelines if I have to. I'll relive this week for the rest of my life. I'll warp space and time until everything is as it should be. Because I'll never leave you Chloe. I won't make the same mistake twice and I'm not going to abandon you like the others."

A small tear slid it's way down the blue haired girl's cheek. "Max...I…" She said wiping her face.

Max kissed her cheek where the tear had made it's mark and hugged her. They both stood there holding onto the only thing that seemed timeless. The smaller girl finally whispered.

"I'll look out for you." Max suddenly noticed they were still in the bathroom and that any moment someone could come in on them. She blushed and looked around. "Um. We should go back to my room and come up with a plan. At least get out of here." They separated and Chloe nodded sniffling. She paused and grinned seeing the redness in Max's face.

"Just in case someone busts in here and catches us eating each others faces too."

"Ugh. Why do you have to say it like that?" Max again looked over her shoulder eyeing the door that remained close. "Uh yeah that too though…" she said sheepishly with a small smile.

Another thought crossed her mind that hadn't occurred to her but she was now in a situation where it might matter. Altering time sometimes had its effects. The most prevalent for Max was a nose bleed here or there if she overdid herself. She scanned Chloe up and down carefully but to Max she appeared just as perfect as before. Nothing out of place. She had to be cautious however, she wouldn't let anything like that hurt Chloe.

A cheeky smile tugged at Chloe's lips as she tilted her head and hip to the side. "I would say take a picture it would last longer buuuut…"

Max groaned, still smiling, and swatted Chloe in the arm. "You're sooooo bad. No, I was trying to see if you're alright. I've never taken anyone with me before and I don't know if there are side effects or something."

Chloe shifted uncomfortably and she glanced down at the floor away from Max as she replied. "Um well, there is something."

Max placed her hand on the taller girl's arm in concern and spoke softly with worry.

"What...is it?"

"I really have to go pee."

"...Chloe!"