Note: Finally started this. This story takes place after the stories Life Is Hard, and Losing Hope. I would highly recommend you read those first, but beware, they were some of my first, and are kind of shitty, but I'm too lazy to rewrite so you're stuck with what you got. Revival is an alternate ending to Losing Hope, and therefore, is not a required read, however you can always choose to read it anyways. That one is different from most of my stories too, as it is told in first person, from Max's perspective, so I'd like criticism on that. A good portion of this story will take place before the Epilogue shown in Losing Hope. Consider this the sequel to Chapter 8 of that story, and the prequel to the Epilogue, at least for now.
It's the same every night for Chloe and Rachel. Two months after the death of Max Caulfield (Chloe's former best friend, and Rachel's girlfriend from another timeline, not like she knew that), the two had gotten back together, but not in the way that they had once loved. Chloe was there for her as a friend, a therapist for her. Rachel still had memories, visions of that sick place and that perv Jefferson. Six months. She was there for six months, without any sense of time, and just with Jefferson to take pictures of her. She remembered enough of it, despite normally being drugged, too.
Tonight was the same nightmare as before. The one she had every night. She wakes up in a room, it's completely white, but no light comes inside. Normally, she's on the floor however, today, she is in a chair. The oh so familiar sound of a camera whizzing is heard as it takes another picture, and then she hears his voice. The godforsaken voice that she keeps hearing every single night.
"Hold that pose Rachel… Yes, good." Her head swayed to the side a little, most likely due to the drugs, "I said hold it you fucking bitch!" He straightened her head, snapping another picture, "Yes, there. That's good enough."
She was slowly coming to her senses, and she glared at him, "Fuck off, Mark. Let me out of here."
Mark Jefferson smiled, but it wasn't a friendly smile, "Why? So you can tell everyone about me?" He laughed a little, "You wanted to be a model, Rachel. You are. You're my model. Isn't this what you wanted?"
"I wanted to be a model, but not this kind. I didn't want to be trapped in here with you taking pictures. I didn't want my photographer to be a fucking pervert! I thought you were going to fucking help me you piece of shit!"
"Now now, Rachel, that isn't the way to talk to your teacher," Jefferson replied, bringing his face down to Rachel's, kissing her forehead. While there had been something between them, it hadn't gotten to sex like the rumors had said, and nor did that exist anymore. Rachel looked at Jefferson with disgust,
"I'm not your girlfriend anymore, and I never was. Do not touch me, or I swear to God..."
Jefferson let out a chuckle, "Or what, Rachel? That punk slut of yours, Chrissy… Wait, hold on… Not Chrissy, Chloe, is going to burst in? No one knows where we are, Rachel. It's just me and you. You to be my eternal model. I know you've wanted this."
"I never wanted you to do this! I wanted to make it big in Los Angeles, and I thought you were going to help me, not hurt me! Chloe is looking for me, and she will fucking find me!"
Jefferson went back into the nearby storage room, "She's looking for you for certain, that bitch is putting up missing person posters all around for you. But, she won't find you. I can be certain of this."
Rachel grits her teeth, trying to free herself of her binds, but they're too strong, "How can you be certain, you insane bitch!?"
Jefferson let out another chuckle, "Rachel, I'm completely sane. In fact, I'm so sane, that everyone thinks that you've left for L.A. Except Chloe, of course. But I'll deal with her later. For now," Jefferson walks over to her with a syringe, "You go back to being quiet." He reached over to inject her.
"Eat shit and die, Mark." She snapped, before the needle entered her neck.
Rachel woke up gasping for air, before fresh tears start to run down her face. She needed Chloe… Where was she?
The blue haired punk had so happened to hear Rachel's cries, having been up during this time. She entered Rachel's room, and knelt next to her bedside, running her hands over Rachel's back.
"Shh… It's okay Rachel. He's not here. Jefferson isn't here, he won't hurt you ever again. I promise."
Rachel cried into Chloe's chest, sinking into the other girl's embrace. The blonde's PTSD was starting to get the best of her, and she couldn't count the times Chloe had been there. Nightmares were starting to become more frequent it seemed.
"Do you want to talk about the nightmare Rachel? It might help," Chloe offered. Rachel just shook her head, "Why not?"
"I-It's… I don't want to… It always feels so real, like I'm back in that godforsaken room…" Rachel sobbed more. She just wanted this to be over… She already tried suicide once.
"I understand, Rachel." She reaches over, pulling out a joint, "Want to share some?" Rachel nods, and Chloe puts the joint to her mouth, lighting it up, sighing as she took some in, before passing to Rachel, who in turn also took the weed in. This was exactly what she needed…
"Chloe..." Rachel had started to calm down, "I haven't been completely honest with you, though you could have probably guessed that."
Chloe nods, "Yeah, I was guessing after long nights of waiting for you to come back. You're eight months overdue girl, so what was it?"
"During our time together… I never really had the same feelings towards you as you did to me… I was more in love with Frank. I'm sorry I never let you know, I just… Didn't want you to feel hurt." She sighed, another tear dripping from her face, which Chloe wiped away.
"Rachel, thank you for telling me this. Had I discovered it on my own, things would be a lot worse. Really, for the both of us. It means a lot."
Rachel nods, before sighing, "Though… Recently Chloe, I think… I think I've been falling in love with you. As in, actually in love."
"Really, Rachel? Do you..."
"Yes, now come here and kiss me, so I don't feel so lonely."
Chloe didn't need to be told twice, leaning down to kiss Rachel on the lips. Rachel took a bit to respond, but she did after a few seconds, her lips against Chloe's returning the favor softly. Chloe pulled away, before climbing into the bed with her.
"Do you want me to sleep with you tonight Rachel? I don't want you having more nightmares, sweetheart."
Rachel smiled, the calming effects of the weed setting in, "Sure, Chloe. I'd appreciate it if you joined me for my therapy session tomorrow too."
"Sure, Rachel. If you want me there with you, I'll be there with you. You don't have to ask me twice."
Rachel nods, leaning over to kiss Chloe, softly on the lips, the bluenette in turn, kissing her back. The two pulled away, Chloe reaching over to embrace Rachel with one arm, who pulled away slightly, but relaxed, knowing it was her lover's. She shut her eyes, more confident than ever, and fell back into a dreamless sleep.