A/N: Elizabeth Mitchell's version of the song "You Are My Sunshine" really brings out the emotion of it for me, try listening to it.
Fair warning that there is a slight spoiler of Ep3 in this story. Hope you guys like it.
Her lifeless body lay in her heads, tears stream down her face. "Max, no, please. You can't leave me. You said you wouldn't leave me like Rachel, like dad. Please Max, wake up. Wake up damn it."
She buries her face in her chest hoping somehow she'd be able to breathe life back into her.
A year later, the blue haired punk thrash pirate was sitting on her roof with a worn out guitar, decorated with white butterfly stickers, in her hands. Staring off into the distant night sky.
God dammit Price you're such a fucking coward. If only you could rewind time, but you can't you're not Max dumb-ass. You can't turn back the clock.
She slowly strums as flashes of images fill her thoughts.
You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
The sun was setting as they arrived at the light-house. The familiar scent of the trees and cool breeze, the chirping of the birds and a beautiful sunset framed the scene.
Their fingers trace the carvings on a tree stump 'Max + Chloe BFF Pirates 2008'.
"Max and Chloe the dynamic duo, saving Arcadia Bay one problem at a time. You should turn a selfie in for the Everyday Heroes contest, after all, you're saving my life every day." Chloe says, pulling out a cigarette.
"What would I be if I wasn't looking out for your accident prone ass?" Max replied, her eyes fixated on the text on the tree stump.
"Oh so you WERE checking out my ass." Chloe's voice was all excited.
"Shuddup" Max walks up to her, giving her a smack on the shoulder.
You make me happy
When skies are gray
A beam of light shoots from Max's phone, '18:58'.
"Come on Chloe, the movie starts in 30 minutes. We'll miss the movie if you don't move your lazy ass." She says tugging on Chloe's arm, forcing her to get up from the bench.
"Why are you so fixated on my ass?" she reluctantly stood up, allowing the smaller girl to drag her down the hill. "We could always torrent the movie once it's available like the pirates we are, Arrr" she says forming a hook with her finger.
You'll never know, dear
How much I love you
She was taking in the moment, the scenery of the freckled girl, how cute she looked with her face shaped by the moonlight as her hair floated with the wind. An unexpected guest awaited them at the bottom of the hill.
"Frank?" asked a startled Chloe.
"You bitch, where the fuck is my money?" he demanded, pulling out his knife.
"Damn Frank, I said I'd pay you back." She took Max by the arm and pulled her behind her.
"You're way past due. I need my money, NOW!" It was clear that he was not messing around. "I was too lenient with you, you fucking punk-ass bitch. You need to be taught a lesson." He steps forward, wielding his knife.
It happened all too fast.
His hand came down and the blades seeps in deep. A fountain of blood spill out as he withdraws his blade.
"Max! No!"
Please don't take
My sunshine away
"You psycho, look what you did!" she cries. "Max! Max!" She shook the lifeless body, praying she'd return. "You're gunna pay for this!"
"I-I didn't mean to, I was just supposed to scare you, this bitch got in my way." He started backing up, trembling in shock.
"Don't you fucking call her a bitch!" She draws her gun and shoots but her vision was too blurry from her tears that she misses.
"To hell with this!" He retreats back into his van and drives off. The sound of the engine fades in the distance.
Her lifeless body lay in her hands and tears stream down her face. "Max, no, please. You can't leave me. You said you wouldn't leave me like Rachel, like dad. Please Max, wake up. Wake up damn it."
The other night dear
As I lay sleeping
I dreamed I held
You in my arms
She wakes up the next day. "Max!" her hand darts towards her vibrating phone, she received a few dozen messages all containing the word 'Condolences'. "Fuck this shit!" She throws her phone at the wall, breaking it into pieces.
But when I woke dear
I was mistaken
And I hung my head
and I cried
She was standing in front of the crowd her voice was shaky, dark bags formed under her eyes. "Max Caulfield" her voice trembled. "Simply put, she was my hero." She shrugs, her eyes fell to the floor.
"We haven't seen each other in 5 years but it was as if no time had passed at all. She'd tell me about how excited she was being in Mr. Jefferson's class, how much she missed my mom's food, how she wished she could have been cooler before we met again." She was starting to choke on her words, Joyce walked up to her, her hands fell on her shoulders ready to escort her off stage before Chloe ended her speech with a sentence "She was the best dang pirate any friend could have."
You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
She locked herself in her room, lying in bed staring blankly at her ceiling.
'Knock, knock'
"Go away." She says, her voice tired and mellow.
"The Caulfield's wanted you to have a few things, I'll just leave it outside your door honey." Joyce was trying her best to keep a positive tone in her voice. She too was affected greatly by her death. Max was like a second daughter to her.
The sound of footsteps faded going down the stairs. Chloe decided to open her door and what lay before her were a bunch of photos, a journal and a guitar.
You make me happy
When skies are gray
She reads through the journal and laughs at how goofy Max's entries were "Such a hella nerd." She says wiping her tears with her hand. She turns to the journal entry on October 9.
You'll never know dear
How much I love you
It read; 'Speaking of experiments, Chloe dared me to kiss her...So I did. She probably thought I'd wuss out. Why? It wasn't that big a deal. Though it was cute the way she was kind of embarrassed after and said she would tell Warren. Besides, I think Chloe sees Rachel Amber in her future... '
She couldn't fight the tears back any longer, attached to the page of the entry was the photo of the two of them that morning. She could remember how it all played out like it was just yesterday;
"Photo-bomb!"
"Photo-hog."
'Snap'
Please don't take
My sunshine away
The strumming stops, instead the sound of faint sobs filled the night sky. The time on her phone read 23:11. "Eleven-eleven, make a wish."
"I wish you were still here, my sunshine."