Hi all you lovely people,
So, I haven't released a story in quite a while and took down my last 2 stories for loss of motivation. However this story for now will be a one-shot, but who knows I have lots of ideas to continue it and might very well do so :D
Anyway, leave a review telling me what you think of it and if you want me to continue it, hope you enjoy
"Max… It's time…"
"Chloe… I'm so, so sorry… I… I don't want to do this."
Chloe moves forward embracing her best friend, wishing they had more time together.
"I know, Max. But we have to. We have to save everyone, okay? And you'll make those fuckers pay for what they did to Rachel. Being together this week… It was the best farewell gift I could have hoped for. You're my hero Max."
The pair look into each other eyes, both tearing up before closing the distance and meeting for a passionate kiss. Everything they wanted to say to each other, was said through this kiss. Though this kiss, changed everything for Max, and Arcadia Bay. They pulled back and Chloe said.
"I'll always love you… Now, get out of here, please! Do it before I freak. And Max Caulfield? Don't you forget about me…"
"Never…" Max replied. 'because you're not going anywhere… I'm sorry Joyce and everyone...' She thought to herself.
As she turned around, looking apon the town and the tornado getting ever closer. She's changed her mind, nothing is taking away Chloe from her again, nothing. She felt a hand on her shoulder as she looked down at the butterfly photo, before either could react, it was torn into 2 halves and flew away with the wind.
The warmth on her shoulder dropped, only to take her hand not a second later. They stood as they watched everything they've had be destroyed, their friends and family possibly being killed.
"Max… I'll always be with you."
"Forever…"
The pair embraces, while Max is afraid to look knowing this is all her doing. Chloe watches, holding her best friend in her arms, as Arcadia Bay is annihilated in front of they're eyes.
Hours later the sun began to rise, the clouds began to fade.
They were clung together through the whole thing, never letting go until it was over. Max released her now weak grip from Chloe, though she took her hand in hers once again. Both stared in shock, fear and guilt.
"We have to go… We can't stay, Max." The blue haired woman said, turning around taking her friend with her.
Neither said a word after they entered the truck, driving through the destruction that has be caused. Max is staring out the window, consumed in her own world and bringing herself down. When they come to a stop, in a formilla driveway.
The pair looked at the wrecked house of the price family, it's in good condition considering what had accrued. The garage was half collapsed while the rest of the house had broken windows, and hole in the roof, though it's still standing.
"We need clean clothes Max. I also wanna see if anything is left."
Max leans over and kisses Chloe in the cheek, before pulling away and taking her hand.
"We'll do this together." Max's first words were.
They went out the same door, and heading towards the entrance. It was broken off, their front door was nowhere to be seen, at least they didn't need keys to get in.
Their chests tighten at the sight, everything has been thrown around and broken. Both heartbroken when thinking of the memories they've had here, along with pictures of Joyce, remembering she's probably laying in the diner right now, without a beating heart.
"I… I'll go get the clothes… You get whatever you need." Max said making her way to the stairs, looking back to Chloe she looks so weak, even 5 years ago she was strong, but now…
Max didn't want to leave her side just yet but she knew they had to leave, so she quickly sprinted up the stairs. Remembering where the suit cases are, from previously helping them pack just to spend time with them, she grabs all Chloe's clothes and the couple of outfits left by Rachel.
As she bought down the suitcases, having one spare for anything else they might need or want, she notices that her friend is no longer at the bottom of the stairs. Dropping the suitcases and running into the living room, only to see Chloe on her knees looking at a photo album that somehow survived.
The blue haired woman looks up, new tears forming in her eyes as she looked at Max.
"Why?... Why did you choose me Max? I'm not worth all this… I'm an ungrateful piece of shit!" Chloe yelled, more to herself than Max.
Max's only response was to run forward, taking the older woman in her arms. Chloe bursts into tears, not knowing what to do, or why her question has not been answered.
"For more reasons than you know." Max said softly, it seemed to calm down her friend a little bit, she also knew she had to carry on. "If you want to know what someone fears loosing most, look at what they photograph, very few of my photos aren't of you. I've seen you die god knows how many times, and every single time a part of me was taken away. I also know that Joyce wouldn't be able to live without you, I wouldn't be able to take care of her or anything."
Chloe had stopped crying by this time, trying to understand every word coming out her friend's mouth. Trying not to feel the guilt of a whole town being destroyed for her sake, and gives Max a signal to carry on, so she does.
"I also couldn't bare the fact of you dying in a bathroom, thinking that everyone abandoned you and that no one loved you. I wouldn't have forgotten you, but you would die feeling like you deserved it and I couldn't allow that to happen, I wouldn't." Tears were streaming down her cheeks but she wasn't stopping now, she had one more thing to say. "I also can't see my life without you, I was an asshole and lost you once, then lost you many other times. But god damn it, I am not letting that happen again, I love you too much! Way too fucking much to just let you die!"
Both froze for a second, or more like 5 minutes, they both knew of these feelings they had for each other but nothing was done about it before the lighthouse. As much as Chloe understood she still felt her heart pang with emotions, but mainly love. No one had ever loved her this much, it's was hella scary for her. She could only think of one thing to do, she looked Max in the eye and pressed their lips together again.
"How do we always find good things in terrible situations?" Max asked with a small smile on her lips.
"Cause terrible things cling onto us like Frank when he wants money, but there's always something hella good about it." Chloe replied.
They both smiled, it only lasted a few seconds but this was the first time they felt truly happy, though also felt as if something dark was trying to suck them in. Both of them got up soon after and began collecting stuff they never wanted to forget about, photo albums and other stuff, before saying one last goodbye. Though Max quickly collected something from the garage, while Chloe wrote a note, who knows her mom might find it or David.
They're now changed and ready to go, there's nothing left for them here anymore, only good memories turned bad. The suit cases were thrown in the back of the pick-up as the pair jumped in the front of the truck, taking the quickest way out of the city, though Max needs to ask.
"Chloe… do… do you want to go to the diner… someone might have survived." She asked, looking out at the window, as she heard a sigh.
"I can't… I highly doubt anyone survived, so doing that will only bring me grief…" She replied, not taking her eyes of the road.
Max reaches over and places a hand on top of Chloe's, they drive hand in hand not looking back but looking ahead. With $2000 still in this truck.
Hours of silence passed, hands never leaving their other half. They glance at each other repeatedly, eyes connecting having the conversation that should be said by words. Max turned away first, only to see a sign for a motel up ahead.
"Chloe, let's go to the motel. You need your rest."
Chloe opened her mouth to protest only to close it again as her hand was given a little squeeze, she knew she needed rest but she first wanted to run away from all her problems. Unfortunately, Max wouldn't let her, she'll have to face it all soon enough and if her best friend, or is it girlfriend now? Could see her die over and over and still have the strength to go on, she can as well.
As they turn into the motel, it seems more lively than they expected, there's an ambulance, couple of police cars and a few camera men/ paparazzi. The worst part was when they pulled in, everything single pair of eyes were on them and the paramedics came rushing towards them.
"Are you two alright? We heard about the storm in Arcadia Bay!" The first said as the other was getting the medical kit ready.
"We're fine, we just wanna rest." Chloe said not wanting all this attention, seeing the police keeping back everyone else from pestering them.
"Please allow us to check, you never know what you could have." They both nodded and made their way towards the ambulance.
The paramedics did the usually, checked to make sure nothing was hurting, eye sight was fine and made sure they didn't catch anything from the storm. They seemed surprised they both woman were basically unharmed.
"We were in a safe place when the storm hit, that's why we're not physically hurt." Max said softly.
Max and Chloe were still holding onto each other's hands, much to the paramedics' dismay but they allowed it.
"Very well, we'll rent you a room here for a week or so. You both have been through a-."
He was quickly cut off when one member of the paparazzi broke through the police, and began taking pictures of the pair in front of him. The flash was on, the clicking was repetitive, you'd think it wouldn't be that bad for both of them. Though for Max it was hell, she was back in the dark room.
"NO! GET AWAY FROM ME! GET AWAY!" She screamed, her legs thrashing and her arms shooting all over the place.
"Oh Christ… That stare. HOLD STILL!" Click, click, click was all she could hear.
"Mr. Jefferson… Why are you doing this?"
"Because you're the winner Max, I choose you to be my muse… But it's a shame you're going to die soon." He said calmly, taking more pictures.
"Please… don't do this!" She cried out.
"MAX! snap out of it!"
Max turned her head to see her friend, staring at her and gripping her shoulders. They were in the back of the ambulance; she must have run here when having her flashback. She wrapped her arms around Chloe, bringing her into a bone breaking hug, though she didn't mind in the slightest.
"You're safe Maxi-pad." she whispered into her ear.
"I was back there… Back with him…" she gasped between cries.
People were watching them and still taking fucking pictures, as much as the police tried to prevent it, Chloe walked Max to her feet still holding onto her. She then walked them both out the ambulance, ignoring everyone around them. Max was staring down at the floor and saw a destroyed camera, along with drops of blood on the floor, she stops to examine.
"I took the fuckers camera and threw it on the ground, but the dipshit took out his phone instead, so I punched him square on the nose." Max looked up at it, not sure what to say. "Hey, he fucking deserved it, no one's hurting you super Max, no one."
Max smiled slightly hearing those words, as they made their way into the motel people were still attempting photos, though most moved back when they saw the result of the first who tried. There was a man at the front desk, already with a key in hand and seemed to be the only one who actually cared about what they've been through.
"Hello. I can see where you're from and just to say sorry for anything you might have lost, or have lost. I want to give you this room for free, I'm sorry about what you've both been through and now having to deal with those pricks. My name is Jack and I'm here if you need anything." He smiled sadly at them, giving them the room key.
"Thank you, Jack." Chloe said, still holding her friend in her arms.
Night was beginning to fall now and the pair were settled in their room, gotten all their stuff out of the truck. The room was small, but you couldn't really expect much from a motel, it had two double beds, though both knew they'd only be using one. At the moment nothing was separating them, it would be almost impossible.
They are now just lying in the bed, in each other's arms trying to shut out the world, Max could sense that her friend wanted to say something but neither knew how to start it. That's the moment they looked into each other's eyes, and closed to distance between them and having their third kiss, sending butterfly in their stomachs.
"Max… do you regret your decision?"
"Honestly… No I don't… I feel bad for everyone and feel guilty, but I would do it again in a heartbeat…" A moment of silence passed between the two. "… Does that make me a bad person?"
"No… Cause I think I'd do the same… we just got back into one an others life's… surely it wasn't meant to end like that… But I guess destiny is a cruel bitch…"
"You can say that again… What're we gonna do Chloe?"
"Get away from here…"