AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello. This is my first LIS story, and I am extremely excited to be making it! Just a disclaimer: As I would like to stick mostly to the originality of the story, I feel it is good creative practice to explore other possibilities as to how the storyline could go, and how things could have happened. We don't have all the answered as to how the story progressed, or how we figured out how Rachel went missing, and why no one searched for her, etc. So, I feel that gives a lot of wiggle room for creativity. I am very passionate about AmberPrice, and everything I do in this story is truly from the bottom of a fan's heart. Hope you enjoy!


CHAPTER 1

What if Chloe had found Rachel, and she found her way before Max even came back to Arcadia Bay? Would that mean that Mr. Jefferson and Nathan Prescott had been exposed early on, and therefore Max never had come back to Arcadia Bay because her favorite photography professor was no longer teaching at Blackwell Academy? That would leave a lot of room for Chloe and Rachel to live their life together, am I right? I think so. What would their life had looked like? Would they have made it to Los Angeles? Shall we find out?

The hospital bed my arms and head were resting on rustled beneath me, so much that it disrupted my sleep. I was almost angry at the fact that I was being woken up, but then quickly remembered where I was. I looked up from my arms where my head had been nestled in all night, and I wiped the morning dew off my face. My eyes met the groggy hazel eyes of my angel, Rachel Amber. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and smiled at Rachel, who smiled right back at me and reached for my hand. I grabbed her wandering hand with both of mine, and I sat myself on the bed.

"Hey. H-how are you feeling?" I spoke gently; I gently reached over and tucked a strand of Rachel's hair behind her ear.

Still quite groggy, Rachel replied, "I'm fine. W-what happened?"

"Do you remember anything? Anything at all?" I rubbed my thumb on the back of her hand as I looked her in the eyes, hoping she remembered something about the past events that led up to her being in the hospital.

She concentrated within herself for a second. Her gaze left mine and she focused it on the window. "I-I really don't remember much." She returned her gaze to me. "Chloe? What happened?"

I took a deep breath, and then slowly released it from my lungs. I bit my bottom lip, and then began explaining to her, "Nathan Prescott drugged you, and posed you in disturbing ways and was photographing you."

Her face was hard. I couldn't make out what she possibly could be thinking, or feeling. I squeezed her hand, "Rachel? A-are you okay? M-maybe I shouldn't have said any—"

"No, no I-I'm fine. Thank you for telling me. But how did you find me?" She slowly began to sit up and I could see her trying to process everything in her head.

I looked down at our hands; she had also tightened her grip on my hand. "When I lost you at the Vortex Club party, I went into a slight panic. I knew it was a bad idea to go to one of those." She continued to listen attentively. "So, once my little panic episode decided to give me a breakthrough, I gathered my thoughts, and thought to check the parking lot. I don't know why I thought to look there, but that's what I did. So, I got to the parking lot, and I saw Nathan holding someone upright. The person he was with seemed to be struggling to walk. Then, the wind kicked up a bit, and the blue feather from your earring was interrupted by it. That's how I knew it was you. I wanted to run up to him and ask for an explanation, but obviously for safety's sake, I decided to quietly follow. So, I followed, and he led me to this hella creepy barn. I saw him lead you through a side door. I waited a few minutes, and then finally crept up to the side door, hoping to find you, but it was empty."

I paused; she had started biting her lip. I reached over and placed my thumb on her lip, "Should I stop?"

She released her lip from the grip of her teeth, and shook her head, "No. I want to hear the rest. Please, go on."

I sighed, "Okay, but if you want me to stop, just tell me."

She nodded. I proceeded.

"I stepped into the barn; the floor creaked. The whole thing was sort of like it came out of a horror film. I walked around, hoping to find any sort of clue. I found no exit. Honestly, I found nothing, until suddenly I heard metal beneath my feet. It was silly because it was in plain sight, but due to it being completely dark, it was hard to see that a massive metal door was in the flooring. Luckily, it was left unlocked, so I swung it open. I was greeted by white walls, and a white staircase. I didn't think about anything, I just started walking down them, and then I was met with another huge metal door with a padlock. I spent a good five minutes trying to figure out the combination, and the only thing that was there to help me was that three numbers were worn out. Finally, I got it unlocked, so I slowly opened it and walked inside. I heard Nathan talking, and there was another man with him, but I couldn't tell who it was. There was this hallway, or foyer, or whatever after the door, so I walked it until I came to an archway. I carefully peeked through and saw you on the floor in a pose, and Nathan was photographing you. You were out of it. I'm sure you had no idea what was happening. You don't remember that, do you?"

Rachel swallowed, and shook her head. I decided to skip the details and go straight to wrapping up my story.

"I didn't know what to do. I stepped out again to recollect my thoughts, trying to come up with ideas as to how to get you out of there, because from obvious experiences, charging in there with the knife I had in my pocket was not the brightest idea." I paused, remembering the time Rachel was stabbed, and that time Damon Merrick beat the shit out of me. "The only two people I thought about calling was my step-douche, and your dad. So, I called David. Minutes later, police showed up just before Nathan was about to pierce a needle through your neck. Nathan was handcuffed, and so was the other asshole who apparently was the photography professor at Blackwell."

"Mr. Jefferson?" Rachel's eyes were wide, and her jaw had dropped.

"You know him?" I listened for her response.

"Yeah. Victoria Chase was always talking about him. I think she took some of his classes." Rachel furrowed her brows in deep concentration. "I can't believe I don't remember any of that. All I remember is that Nathan handed me a drink, and suddenly I wasn't feeling well, and he said he'd take me somewhere to lie down. We started walking, and then after that I don't remember a thing." She tilts her head back and falls quiet.

I look down at our hands again. I find myself fiddling with her bracelet. "Do you need anything or have any questions?"

"Does my dad know I am here?" Rachel closes her eyes.

"Yes. He was involved in the whole thing. He showed up to the scene and made sure Nathan and Jefferson were handcuffed. He also made sure you were safe in a hospital."

Rachel rubbed her eyes with the hand I wasn't holding. "Thank you, Chloe. You saved my life."

"You know you don't need to thank me. I'd do anything for you." I looked up at her, hoping she'd look back at me.

Rachel brought her gaze down to meet my eyes, and she smiled. "Don't be silly, Price. You deserve all the thanks. If it wasn't for you, I probably wouldn't be alive right now. You're my savior. You're my an—"

"Your angel?" I smiled, cutting her off at the right moment.

She smiled back, "Yes. You are my angel, Chloe Price, and I am forever in debt to you."

I chuckle, "Nah." I turn my head away and look out the window. I can feel the blood warm my cheeks. "I think we're now even."

Rachel tilts her head, "What do you mean?"

I turn back to face her and fixate my eyes into her. I can almost see her soul. "You are also my angel, Rachel. You saved my life years ago."

"You mean at the Fire Walk concert? That was nothing." She playfully rolled her eyes.

"Shut up, that's not what I mean." I chuckle again and roll my eyes.

"Then what do you mean?" She waits for my response.

"You've changed my life, and as sappy and gross as this is going to sound, you found me when I was lost, and I have been found ever since." I sheepishly smiled.

Rachel stared at me expressionless. "You're right, that is gross." She then started to laugh.

I laughed, too, as gravity started to pull me closer to her. Before we both knew it, our lips met, and we kissed each other gently. It was just as it felt that night on her street under the streetlights.

I pulled away, and she reached over to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear as I did the same for her. "You should get some more rest, Rachel. We can talk again later."

"Will you stay with me?" She whispered back at me, and pleaded with her eyes.

"There is no way I am leaving your side. Not again." I placed my hand on her face and nuzzled her cheek with her thumb. "Get some rest."

Rachel smiled, and slowly laid back down and made herself comfortable. She fell asleep, and I carefully sat myself back in my chair. I tilted my head up to look at the ceiling, and after seconds of just staring, I closed my eyes, and I, too, fell asleep.