A/N

Hi guys,

This is my first LIS fic that I have published. Without giving too much away, this is going to be a Walking Dead and Life Is Strange crossover of sorts. All criticism is welcome, but i hope you enjoy the story :)

December 2013 – Arcadia Bay Oregon

Chloe Price POV

It's been two months now since all that crazy shit went down during that fateful week in October. It still surprises me that Max and I ended up coming away from it unscathed. I'm still not sure about all the details, except Super Max managed to somehow stop the tornado in its tracks before I got the chance to bite the proverbial bullet. I'm not sure if I'll ever fully understand what happened out there but Max won't talk about it. Like she literally just shuts down and crumbles when i bring it up, so I've just managed to accept that there are some things I will never fully understand about the mystery of Max Caulfield.

Don't get me wrong, I was more than ready to die for my mom and all of Arcadia Bay. Hell it would be the only selfless thing I've ever done in my useless piece of shit life but Max saved me. She saved us all and nobody will ever know but me.

It was the start of November when I finally plucked up the courage to finally ask Max out on our first date. Although if you ask me, we should have already been well into the dating stage of our relationship before that but well, I wanted to make it official.

It wasn't as if Max was used to the dating side of life so I thought if I asked her out it would make my intentions crystal clear to her. Christ, a blind man could see how I felt about her.

Anyway, I definitely hit it out of the park on our first date.

I took her to that drive-in that Waldo or whatever his name is, had been trying to drag her to for ages. Followed by some take out from Two Whales (prepared by mother dearest of course), which we then took out to the tree house we spent so much time in as kids.

The look on Max's face was priceless (pun intended) when she realized where we were.

We had been so busy with all the madness in October that we hadn't even thought of coming here before. I'm glad I kept it to myself until now though because the look in her eyes when she laid her eyes on our childhood sanctuary was enough to make me want to kiss her right then and there.

Not that I hadn't thought about kissing her before that. Of course I had!

After the kiss we shared at the lighthouse, it was pretty much all I could think about when I was near her. Constantly wanting to hold her and make her feel loved like she deserved but at the same time not wanting to cross that invisible barrier that had developed between us.

I had managed to control my hormones around her, up until now that is. I just couldn't do it anymore. I loved her so damn much it hurt. I needed her to know it even if it would break us.

I hopped out of the truck and ran around to open the passenger door for her, because I'm chivalrous and all that shit.

Taking my hand in hers she moved to the base of the tree, absolutely entranced by the sight in front of her. Little did she know, the only sight I was interested in, was the way the lights reflected in her eyes when she smiled up at me.

"Chloe this is just amazing, it must have taken ages to organize this."

She was greeted by the ambient glowing lanterns i had placed all around the trunk of the tree and reaching up to the lower hanging branches of the tree.

"Hey, it was nothing. I had some help from step- David, to hook the lights up to an old battery so they could go out at any minute. Hopefully not though"

Giving her a playful smirk, I pulled her towards the base of the tree and gave her a leg up so she could reach the ladder. I always had to do that when we were younger, it seems like she hasn't grown much since then.

After that the rest is pretty much history.

We shared our technically third (but felt like first) magical kiss and we've been inseparable since. That is until now. A few weeks after our first of many dates.

Max is on a field trip to the Grand Canyon with her photography class for the next four days.

This has been the first time I have actually felt really alone since before she came back into my life.

I did the clingy girlfriend thing and begged her not to go of course because I'm selfish like that. But I gave in eventually because I didn't want to spend any time pretending to huff with her when we could be spending time on much more intimate activities.

So this is where I'm at now, sitting in the Two Whales after leaving Max off at Blackwell to embark on her fascinating trip to the see a massive crack in the ground. I'm still not impressed to say least.

A plate of eggs with extra bacon gets slapped down on the table in front of me.

"Chloe now don't tell me that you're going to be moping round here making the place look untidy, just because Max isn't here to keep you entertained"

"Mom, I can't help it! I'm mentally listing all the things I can do to pass the time until Max is home again and I have literally just left her off thirty minutes ago"

Joyce's face softened.

"I know you're gonna miss her darlin' but there's plenty of constructive things you could be doing to keep your mind off things, like make yourself useful and help David with that old muscle car of his or even take a shift here at the diner"

"Mom, are you offering me a job? Right now? Like here at the diner?"

I gestured around myself; I couldn't really see myself in a place like this. I don't think I could rock an apron like my mom.

"Well hon, we're a bit short staffed since Valerie left and I know you could use the cash, it's up to you but the offer is there. Since you spend most of your time here anyway at least we should pay you to be here. Think of all the nice places you could afford to take Max with all that extra cash"

"Well when you put it like that. I'll think about it mom, it would keep me occupied if nothing else. Maybe I could help David as well, maybe build some bridges between us"

My mom beamed at me, I don't think I've seen her happy like that in ages. Maybe it was just because I didn't call David step dick.

The ring of the diner doorbell made Joyce turn on her heels before she could reply, greeting the new customer with as much zest as she can muster.

I haven't seen the man before. Obviously a trucker from his flannel shirt and dirty old cap he is wearing.

I get stuck into my breakfast and am about two pieces of bacon down when I hear Joyce raising her voice in alarm to the trucker.

"Sir, are you all right? Do you need a doctor?"

Joyce approached the man from the side as if to aide him. He looked like he was going to collapse from the stool. Just as Joyce reached his side, he sat up straight and pushed her back.

"I don't need your help woman, just make my damn food, I'm starving here"

This really got my riled up. I jumped up from the booth, nearly knocking over my coffee.

"Hey, asshole, that's no way to talk to her, there's no need to be hella rude, she's just trying to help!"

The guy turned round on his stool and if looks could kill, I'd be six feet under. I stared right back at him, mostly because I was afraid if I broke eye contact he would see it as a weakness and perhaps take a stand against me, like any predator would.

Thankfully he ignored me and turned back towards the counter. My mom shooting me an apologetic glance. On closer inspection of the trucker, I could see that he definitely looked like he needed a doctor, like right now. I could over hear him rambling on to no one in particular about trying to get out of there as quick as he could and maybe that someone was badly hurt. I don't know, I can't make it all out. He seems disturbed though.

He starts coughing and spluttering all over the counter as he falls from the stool and then all of a sudden his body starts convulsing like he's having a seizure. Blood starts gushing out of his nose and mouth, it reminds me of Max's nose bleeds but times ten.

My mom makes it to his side this time, as I get up to help as well.

But before I can get to him, he's grabbed my mom's arm and is pulling her towards him, with a ferocious strength I didn't think he could possess.

I see my mom curl her arm in towards herself, holding her arm as if wounded. I can see a trickle of blood leaking slowly from her wrist. Holy shit he bit her!

I can feel the fury building up inside of me like I'm about to explode, seeing red for the first time in months since Max came back in my life. Nobody hurts my mom!

I run over and kick him as hard as i can with my steel toe capped boots, on the cheek, and I don't care how much damage it causes. I just need to get him away from my mom. He falls back onto the diner floor and when I see his face, it no longer seems human. It's as if he has rabies, eyes wide open and bloodshot. His face contorted, covered in so much blood, I can't tell were his ends and my moms begins.

I kick him again, this time harder. I push Joyce to the back door whilst grabbing a cloth to cover her arm. I can't see how deep the bite is but I know it's bleeding more than it should be, for a non critical flesh wound.

"Shit, mom are you ok? We need to get you to a hospital, fuck that guy."

Joyce looks very weak, like she's about to pass out. I slide my arm underneath her as I try to drag her to my truck. Shes heavier than i expected and I'm not sure i can make it without sagging under her weight. Hoping the trucker doesn't make his way outside.

"Mom? Mom! You have to try and walk ok? I can't carry you by myself"

"I'm sorry Chloe I think I'm gonna…"

Joyce fainted.

I used all my strength to haul her dead weight to my truck at the other side of the parking lot. I could hear sirens in the distance. Strange, nobody else would have seen what happened so why was there an ambulance coming?

Out of nowhere I can see a bus roaring out of control, heading down the hill way faster than it should have been, just a little while ahead. It crashes head on into a set of traffic signals, sending sparks and lights everywhere. People are running around screaming even though the crash looks worse than it probably was.

That's when i saw it.

They were running away from more infected people like the trucker. There were at least three figures staggering about attacking the people fleeing from the bus.

I reach the truck and use all my strength to try and hoist my mom into the passenger side. Starting up the truck, I catch a glimpse in the rear view mirror of a woman being pinned to the ground by a few of the infected people. They're not normal, leering over here with demonic expressions on their faces. Chunks of clothing, blood and flesh are flying everywhere. It looks like they're ripping her apart.

I can feel the bile rising in the back of my throat, this can't be right. This is some zombie apocalypse piece of shit.

I step on the gas and the truck surges forward. I need to get Joyce out of here.

If this is the beginning of the end, I hope Max is far away from here…