Disclosure:
This is a total Pricefield story, as well as my first FanFic. The game left the ending a little to open for my taste with the "Sacrifice Arcadia Bay" option. I know there are a lot of Pricefield stories, but I wanted to try one of my own :) As stated this is Pricefield, so if you have an issue with that, please move on. This is rated T, with mostly cutesy stuff and the struggles I think the girls would face, with getting a bit deeper into the romantic detail. Some of you may have noticed I cut the NSFW parts out. I am sorry if you wanted those to stay, but I felt like my writing style was not suited for this form of story. Again, I apologize but this will be a rated T story from here on out
Chapter 1: Choice and Consequence
"It's time Max, you have to decide, you're the only one who can." Chloe can feel her tears starting to swell under her eyes. She has to be strong, strong for her Mom, strong for Rachel's memory, and strong for Max. If giving up her life means everyone will be safe, then that's the best answer...right? Chloe didn't know, she didn't know anything at this point. The past week with Max has opened a whole new universe of emotions for her. Emotions she didn't know she could feel again, and new emotions she was still trying to understand.
Max glanced at the photo in her hand, the blue butterfly photo from that afternoon in the bathroom. The day she saved Chloe's life and started this whole hellish week. As terrible as it had been though, Max was stuck in place. Logically, sacrificing one person to save dozens if not hundreds seems to make the most sense. Tears started to pour down Max's face as she battled with the demon within. Chloe, her Chloe, the girl she had cried over leaving for months when Max's family moved to Seattle, the girl who had brought such light and confidence back into her life during this past week. The girl she was feeling emotions she had never felt about someone else. She wanted to know her more, learn everything there was about her and go on adventures like they did when they were kids. Chloe Price. The punk, broken, and loyal girl Max spent so long trying to save.
She couldn't do it. Not then, and not now.
Max dropped the photo, letting it fall to the rain soaked ground and distorting the image with mud and water.
Chloe watched it fall in disbelief. What was Max doing? She knew she had to go back. Chloe felt soft hands cup her cheeks and turn her face. Her eye's met with the bright blue eyes of the smaller brunette. A shiver went down Chloe's back when she realized why Max was choosing her. Her face inched closer to Chloe's, lips slightly parted. Should she back out? I mean it is Max, her best friend! And a girl! That's wrong isn't it? But it didn't feel wrong.
Max was inches from Chloe's face, they could feel each other's warm breath in the cold rain. They could smell their scent on their clothes. A mix of flower body wash from Max and cigarettes from Chloe. Chloe didn't care anymore. Max was all that mattered. Similar thoughts ran through Max's mind as their lips met. It was like nothing Max had felt before. This was her first kiss and fireworks were blowing up in her brain. Chloe didn't pull away, but instead snaked her hands around Max to the small of her back, pulling her closer and deeper into the kiss. One of Max's hands found Chloe's arm to steady herself, while the other laced through the punk girl's electric blue hair. The kiss seemed to last an eternity, Max could had stayed in that moment forever.
A huge gust up wind pushed them both, almost toppling Max and bringing Chloe along with her. Their lips and body separated to catch themselves before they fell onto the damp earth. Max caught Chloe's eye and saw she was just as out of breath as Max.
That's good right? Max thought to herself. Lightning flashed and the thunder shook the ground around them, breaking Max out of her thoughts. Chloe wasn't looking at Max anymore. She was looking behind her. Max turned to face the tornado that she had caused, she gasped in horror as it touched base with the beach, pulling up the whales that had washed ashore and adding to the destructive force.
Chloe grabbed Max's hand to pull her away. "Max come on, we need to go into the lighthouse. You don't need to see this." But Max stayed where she was. Rooted. She did need to see this. Her power, her tornado, her fault. She needed to accept the consequences.
"Max?" Chloe was watching the small girl. Tears were pouring down Max's face, and right then she seemed even smaller than usual. Chloe wrapped one of her arms around Max's shoulder and pulled her close. They stood watching Arcadia Bay being ripped apart, praying that everyone would be safe. The wind howled as Max laid her head on Chloe's shoulder, wrapping her arms around the taller girl's thin frame, sharing their warmth. It was going to be a long night.
...
The storm raged until dawn. Just as the sun was rising, the wind started to die down and the clouds started to part. The moon was still visible in the sky, but no longer was there a mirror image next to the original.
Chloe and Max pushed open the lighthouse door where they had slept last night. Nearing the cliff-side they got a better view of the destruction the storm had wrought. The shore was torn apart, whales, cars, and pieces of houses and buildings strewed across the sandy beach. There was too much debris to know if the diner was okay, but they had to believe it was. They didn't linger long, they needed to go see if anyone needed help.
Thankfully, the truck survived the storm. It may have been covered in branches, and Max was sure she saw a few fresh dents, but it fired up right away when Chloe hopped in the driver's seat and turned the key. Starting of with a bit of luck, Max thought, Hopefully it continues.
The road into the town was littered with trees and wood, but nothing that obstructed their route much. They drove through the wreckage, surveying for anyone that could need help as they headed to the Two Whales Diner. They parked outside as close as they could to the diner due to the debris that littered the once (semi)-populated town. The first thing Max noticed when they got out was the air. Everything was silent, no wind, not trees, nothing but the sound of their feet crunching over branches as they ran to the front of the diner. A semi-truck had been tossed on top of the diner and crushed the front entrance, so they had to run around back. The side door was clear of any obstruction and still opened when Chloe turned the handle. The girls rushed inside. The air was cold and musty, but nothing seemed broken or damaged. More good luck.
"MOM!" Chloe shouted, her voice was filled with panic. "MOM ARE YOU IN HERE!? MOM!" Chloe's voice reverberated off the small kitchen walls. After a second of silence they heard a voice.
"CHLOE!" It came from inside the walk in freezer. It was Joyce's voice! The freezer door flew open and Joyce came flying past Max and embraced Chloe in a tight hug. Tears streamed down both women's eyes as they cried with joy that they were both unharmed! Max smiled weakly, then peared into the freezer. Inside was a man that Max didn't know and Frank, they were both sitting on the floor, Frank with his head in his hands. Pompidou wasn't with him.
"Where is Warren?" Max said quietly to herself. In the other timeline Warren was here, helping Joyce gather what supplies they could find. Could things be different now that she had gone back? Max pondered.
"Max? Max, honey are you okay?" Joyce's voice snapped Max out of her thought process and turned to face the middle aged woman. She looked worn, probably from not sleeping during the storm and staying in a freezing cold makeshift bunker. But she was alive! Max thought to herself.
"Yeah Joyce, I was just thinking about a friend who I think might have been here. Have you seen Warren anywhere by chance?" Max asked.
What happiness on Joyce's face disappeared. "Oh Max, I am so sorry," Fresh tears started to flow from Joyce's eyes, "The storm was getting worse, so I urged everyone to get inside the walk-in freezer. Pompidou was so scared and was hiding under a table. Frank didn't notice he wasn't following him and Warren went to go and grab him from under the table, when...when...i'm sorry" Joyce broke into heavy sobs as Chloe wrapped her arms around her mother.
Warren...