The smell of Joyce's amazing pancakes wafted deliciously from downstairs causing Max to stir first.

Stomach rumbling. Check.
Pancakes good. Check.
Pthooo. Blue hair in my mouth. Chloe hair smells (and tastes) like sunlight and hair dye.

Max stretched and wiggled out of Chloe's bed where they had fallen asleep together and surveyed the pile of blue hair and blankets.

Chloe asleep is… very underwhelming. If we're like officially dating, I suspect this is the only time I'll have a quiet moment around her.

What an awesome problem to have.

Max threw on some of Chloe's sweatpants and snuck quietly downstairs and into the kitchen. "Morning Joyce, that smells amazing."

Joyce chuckled. "I figured you would want some after the week you two have had. You two sleep alright?" "Yup." Max yawned.
"I got a call from Blackwell this morning. Wells wanted to check in on you two. Did you know the school is going to be shut for another two weeks?"
"Wow really?" Max hadn't even thought about school. Waaayy to normal a topic.

"That's… really great actually. Means I didn't miss any of my classes."
Joyce smiled.
"I wish Chloe had your study habits hon."
Joyce turned back to the pan. "These are just about ready. Grab a plate for me will you?"
Max grabbed a pair of plates (she already knew where to look) and they loaded them up with pancakes and syrup.

Fuckin yum. Food is the best.

Max snuck back upstairs all sneaky like but Chloe stirred as she opened the door. "Dude, pancakes?" She sounded a little fuzzy but thoroughly excited.
"Yup!" Max bubbled.
I think I've found the way to your heart Ms Price.

They sat together and dug into the delicious pancakes.
"What do you want to do today partner in time?" Asked Chloe.
Max grinned at the nickname and gestured at Chloe's ribs.
"How mobile are you?"
Chloe winced. "Not very. I think I can make it to the bathroom and back on my own but that's about it."

Max snuggled close to Chloe in sympathy. "Don't worry about it super-Chlo, any day with you is the best."
"Word. I'm pretty great."

They spent most of the day snuggling and relaxing. Max's mom and dad popped in to say hello.
Towards the end of the evening, there was a knock on the door and Joyce entered. She didn't say a word, just set a softly wrapped package at the foot of the bed and then retreated.

Chloe grabbed the package and held it awkwardly.
"What's that?" Asked Max.

God Max. You are so cluelessly adorable sometimes.
I hope you like this…

"I got you something… you know… for saving my life five zillion times."
Max's face lit up. "You did?"
"You bet I did. Now shut up and open it already!" Chloe stuck her tongue out.

Max grabbed the wrapped bundle and slowly peeled back the paper.
It was… Max froze in shock and a few tears traced their way down her cheeks.
She pulled back the last of the paper to reveal the brand new polaroid camera.
Her polaroid camera… or at least the exact same model.

"Chloe I… um… wow…".
"I asked David but he couldn't find your camera in the bathroom so I thought that you'd like it".
Chloe reached out to stroke Max's cheek. Max snuggled close to Chloe and buried her face in Chloe's shoulder.

Max was silent for a very long moment. She shook slightly.

"Chloe…"
"Yeah?"
Max raised her head. Her eyes were all puffy.

"Do you know why I kept that old camera?" Max asked.
Chloe shook her head.
"It reminded me of you. When we moved, I didn't have anything to remind me of you but that old camera. I took so many pictures of us with it."

My poor Max… Grrr I will protect you from all harm forever.

"I missed you so much. Whenever I took a picture, I pretended that you were there to see it and make fun of me. I thought the last picture I ever took with it was going to be the one that killed you…"

Wow she really missed me that much?

Chloe gave Max's fingers an extra squeeze.
"I'm here now Max. You didn't kill me. You saved me. Over and over and over again."

Did I do good?

"Do you like it? Did I get the right one?"

"Babe you did amazing…" Max snuggled extra hard against Chloe's side.
"Babe huh?" Chloe mulled the word over enjoying how it felt to say.
Max blushed.
"uh…"
Chloe laughed. "Babe! I like it. I would probably kill anyone else who called me that though." She stuck her tongue out at Max.
Max giggled through her tears. Then she grabbed Chloe and started kissing her. Hard. Tongue. Sparks. Hands on her back and flying through her hair.

Drinking Max in. Let me keep you here next to me forever.
Max smells like strawberries and tastes like…

Please stay. I love you.

Stay. The word beat in time to Chloe's heart.

I need you. You make my world melt away.
My life only makes sense when you're here.

Falling…

They eventually broke apart starting into each other's eyes.
Chloe's mouth felt very dry. She traced a finger through Max's hair loving the way it curled slightly at her touch.

"Max…" Chloe said softly "love you…"

I need you.

"Chloe… " Max rested her forehead gently against the older girl's. "Love you to. So much. I would…" she paused.
"I would do anything for you… I mean it…"

I know. You mean the world to me.

They stayed like that for what felt like hours. Moonlight spilled onto the pillows.
Chloe watched in awe as Max's face became something angelic in the moonlight. A goddess traced in a paintbrush of silver and shadow.

Long moments and held breath. Staring…

She's beautiful.

"Tell me about Rachel." Max said.
Chloe thought for a while… the void Rachel had left in her heart felt further away than usual. Made less sharp by Max'x warmth but still very present.
In the dark and the moonlight, it felt like Rachel was almost there with them.

"Rachel was… amazing. She was so full of fire and life. She could take on the whole world and never blink twice. I don't think she was scared of anything."
"I know how to be crazy but Rachel… she knew how to love everything. She was wild and carefree and she was there for me so many times."

Frank.

"I always suspected she had someone else but I didn't dare say anything. There was always some parts of her life she kept hidden. Even when we were so close. She just followed her wild heart. I think thats why we all loved her so much. She was free of everything that we weren't."

Chloe smiled sadly.
(I wish I could wake up with amnesia…)

"She actually reminds me of you Max. You're free too. You don't care what other people think. You just follow your heart."

My beautiful silver goddess Max.

"Losing her was like losing a piece of my soul. Rachel could turn anything into an adventure. She was…" Chloe's voice trailed off.
"She was everything."

(The way it felt to fall asleep next to you…)
Max traced Chloe's eyelashes with her fingertip.

"She will be missed my angel."

Missed so badly. "You were there when I needed you Rach. But trying to hold onto you was like trying to catch fire in a bottle."

Goodbye.

Max brushed her fingertips against Chloe's.

I love this Max so much. Rachel was my spirit of air and flame but Max is an ocean of care and shyness.

I think Max stole the biggest piece of me when she left…
I think I found it again.

It feels like… home.
Moonlight and kisses. Fire and beauty.
Warmth.
Feeling loved.
They drifted off to sleep snuggled together. Chloe for once, was the little spoon.

Chloe peeked one eye open and then the other and a spike of panic shot through her when she couldn't find Max anywhere in the room.

Did she… leave?

Don't assume anything yet… wait to check…

She tried to get out of bed as best she could and shambled to the door.
She opened the door and stopped as she surveyed Max curled up with her laptop in the hallway.

Relief. She's not gone. Now just have to wait for my heart to stop flipping out.
"Hey." Max said quietly. She turned around and stood up to hug Chloe.

Wow that's a really great hug. Girlfriend Max hugs are just the best.
Chloe bent her head down and kissed the shorter girl.

Long and slow. Fireworks and rain. Lighters and candy. Oceans and laughter.

They broke apart both breathing a little to quickly. Max flashed Chloe a shy grin.
She turned around and grabbed her laptop. "Chloe… I've got something to show you…"

She flipped through a few tabs on her computer and then…

Oh my god…

"Max this is beautiful… I… I had no idea you could draw like this…"

It was a beautiful portrait of Rachel. Her hair streaming out behind her as she struck a defiant pose. Her Blackwell friends were arrayed behind her, Chloe foremost among them.
The words "She will be missed…" played along the bottom in a large silvery font. In one hand, she held a wooden staff and in the other, a shakespearian mask.
A small knowing smirk played across her strong features.

Max had captured her perfectly. All of her passion and fierce joy at the person she was.

I'll never get to see you grow up Rach… but I promise I'll never forget you.

"Max… I don't know what to say… this is so beautiful…"

My amazing goddess Max. You mean the world to me.

Max reached up to brush a tear from Chloe's cheek.
"I'm glad you like it so much Chlo. I got up early just so I could finish it."
Max grinned.
"Now how about some breakfast? I've been waiting until you got up."
Chloe's emotional gears were still spinning.
"Uh… sure!"

Max babbled happily about photoshop and drawing tools as they made their way downstairs making sure to walk Chloe through each of the steps she had taken to make her art piece.
Apparently Max was a super digital artist and not just a photographer.

Which is way fucking cool…

Joyce wasn't around so they scrounged together in the kitchen for leftovers. Chloe was moving better on her own now needing less of Max's help.

This… feels amazing. It's like when we were younger and just doing our own thing… but also she's my girlfriend.
Wow I… never thought I'd have a girlfriend again. After Rachel, I thought I would just be… alone.
My myself, and my awesome (not) thoughts.

But with Max I'm so safe…

There was the sound of a key being inserted into the lock and then the front door opened.
David walked in and Chloe froze as she saw…
the pair of cops walking in behind him.

Oh shit… Little purple dude in my head freaking the fuck out right now…

She felt a small, warm hand squeeze hers. She glanced with wide eyes over at Max who gave her an encouraging smile.

"They must be here to talk about Nathan. We got this Chlo. Partners in crime remember?" Max whispered.
Chloe smiled despite herself.
"Don't say that around the cops." She whispered back.

We're just two pirates taking on the world.

David gestured at the two officers.
"Girls these are my friends on the force. Officer Kelly and Officer Lee."
Kelly was a large redheaded man. Lee was wiry with short black hair and looked like he could outrun a car.

"They just want to talk to you about what happened in the bathroom. I've already given them all I can and we've worked out a lot but they need to hear it from you."

"Sure." Max said bravely.

Both officers had been standing stiffly near the door but they eased up and smiled at Max's voice.
"Do you mind if we sit?" Lee gestured at the dining room table.
"Please do." Said David.

They all gathered around the table, pulling up chairs. The chair creaked as Kelly dropped into it.

That's one dude who could arm wrestle a dump truck.

"Normally, we'd have called you into the station for something like this." said Lee resting his hands on the table.
"But we talked about it with David and we thought it might be easier if we all could talk together like this."
He smiled at Chloe.

"We can come back later though if this is a bad time. We know this hasn't been an easy week for any of you."

Cops being… nice to me? What?
Max squeezed her hand again. "We got this" she whispered. Chloe nodded.
"Let's do this."

We can do anything.

"I was pretty shocked to hear about what happened." Lee gestured at Chloe's ribs. "I hope your side is feeling better."
"It's ok I guess. Hurts a bit."

Lee smiled.
"On the mend then… good."

I actually kind of like his smile… He seems like he might be here just to try and help.
"So we need to know as much as you can tell us about what happened." Lee continued. "Nathan and Jefferson will both be standing trail and we need your help." Lee's dark eyes glittered and suddenly he didn't look so nice. He looked like the kind of man you really wouldn't want to run into after shooting an innocent girl.

"How about you start by telling us what happened in the minutes before Nathan shot you."

Could a cop ever actually be someone I could trust?
Maybe… just… maybe…

Chloe began her story. Both cops asked a lot of questions and Chloe and Max tried to recall as much as they could. They were mostly honest though they left out certain details that might have done more harm than good. They were sure to go to great lengths to talk about how much they didn't like Jefferson and how he had creeped them out. Nathan too. Though they also pointed out how unstable he had seemed. The cops asked some questions about Jefferson and his dark room plot but Max and Chloe were careful to only reveal details they might have learned through normal means. No telling what damage could be done by revealing time secrets.

Chloe explained what had happened with Nathan and how she had been threatening him in the bathroom when he pulled the gun.

The two officers nodded. "This is starting to come together for me." Said Lee. "You wanted money from Nathan and you knew about his drug dealing but you didn't know about his involvement with Jefferson?".
"We knew something was going on with Nathan but no… we didn't know about Jefferson" Max agreed.

Chloe told the cops about her history with Nathan. More trying to get money out of him.
Thank god he didn't actually do anything worse than take some creepy pictures.

When she was done with her story. Both cops sighed heavy sighs. "That's a hell of thing girls. Thanks for trusting us with all of this." Lee offered a tired smile.
Chloe nodded.
"Do you need anything else?" Asked David.
"No." Lee looked over his notes. It was becoming obvious to Chloe that he was the senior of the two officers. "I think we have everything we need for now."

"Thank you girls. I'll owe you one." David smiled.

Both officers stood up to go but Lee turned back and looked at Chloe. That dangerous glitter was back in his eyes. "Chloe, I want you to know that I have a daughter of my own. Just starting high school. If anything like that were to happen to her… I don't know what I'd do."

He seems like a dad type… Very… protective.

"I promise I'll do my best to see justice brought against those two. You have my word."

Wow. Lee's not exactly what I would expect from a cop…
I would expect less … humanness.

Chloe nodded… a firm note of fierce… pride? glowed in her chest.
I guess I haven't felt proud of myself in a long damn time…

When David and the cops were gone, Chloe exhaled all the air she had held in over the past hour or so in a huge sigh.

"Thank god that's over."
Max smiled wearily at her best friend and traced her fingertips through Chloe's hair.
"You were so brave my angel. You shared a lot."

My wonderful Max. I never would have been so brave alone. I used to not give a fuck but now… I have too many things that suddenly seem to matter.

Max leaned in to snuggle next to Chloe and place a kiss in her hair. They sat like that for a while. Just snuggling together.
"We're safe." Max whispered quietly. "We made it."

Max is so protective. I love that…

"You are so brave." Max's breath ticked Chloe's cheek.
Chloe's stomach rumbled. Even Max snuggles can't make my stomach shut up.

They broke apart long enough to dig out some frozen pizzas from the freezer and set them up to bake.

Hmm… Max's art inspired me. I feel my own artistic nibble coming on. Plus I need to blow off steam after that cop visit.

Chloe grabbed her spare sketch pad and she sat drawing while Max snuggled up next to her working on her computer.

I love how her hair catches the light. She's got tiny flecks of red and gold. I wonder if I can convince her to get her nose pierced… That would look awesome.

Chloe started sketching. Wispy lines became strong angles as her hand danced over the page. She carves mountains and valleys with her pencil and time seemed to melt.
Peace. Flow.

*break for pizza*

More peace n flow…

And then she was done.
Chloe stretched and looked around.
The light in the room had changed from the thin gold of early morning to the reddish amber of late afternoon.
Max had been snuggled up next to her and was snoring quietly. At Chloe's movement, the smaller girl murmured and stirred awake.

Sleeping Max has to be just about the most comforting thing on the planet…

Max looked around and then down at Chloe's sketch.
"Chloe… this is amazing." Max murmured.

It was a picture of Max. Her hand thrust outward in a commanding gesture, her hair whipping around her. She was surrounded by an army of phantoms who recoiled in obvious fear at the crackling power in her fingertips. Picture Max looked older, her face more angular, her shoulders set with confidence.

Chloe smiled. With a flick of her wrist, she signed the bottom of the page "For my favorite superhero…"
Max laughed in pure joy and gently pounced on Chloe. Giving her a huge hug.
"Chlo I love it!"

They broke apart and Chloe felt a huge bubble of warmth at the sight of Max's excitement. Max had her own unique kind of joy that only she could radiate. One part innocence, one part childlike wonder.

"I had no idea you could draw like that!"
"I learned on the most elitist canvas ever. Blackwell wasn't going to tag itself."

Max poked Chloe's side. "Punk."
"Nerd."
"Weirdo."
"Geek."
"Sexy mcsugarmuffin."

Chloe coughed and doubled over laughing.
"I'm pretty sure calling me that gives me the right to kill you."
"Does not!"
"Does to!"

Max you are my favorite person to be stupid with.

Chloe grabbed a pillow from the couch and swatted Max with it almost knocking her laptop off the table.
Max danced out of reach and stuck her tongue out. Chloe returned the favor.

Sp Max grabbed a handful of pillows and lobbed them at Chloe.
An epic pillow fight ensued. Or as epic as they could get with Chloe's injury. Two girls just being young kids for a while after having to be adults for so long.

Healing.

They wound up sprawled on the floor together smiling happily.
Pillows everywhere is an afternoon well spend

A while later, Max's phone buzzed.
"bringing dinner. Chinese or Italian?" It was mom.

She showed the text to Chloe who… of course… grabbed the phone and started texting back.
Chloe stuck her tongue between her teeth.
"Hi.. mom… Chloe… and… I… would like… Chinese!"

Chinese. Yum.
Chloe's drawing was amazing…
I wonder if she realizes how cute she looks when she focuses on something…
This whole girlfriend thing kinda rocks… hope I don't mess it up.

"Hey Chloe…"
"mmHmmm?"
"You're pretty great…"
Chloe grinned.
"Oh yeah?"
Chloe was very close…

Why is that my fingertips tingle whenever Chloe get's within inches of me?
Built in Chloe radar. Ping. Ping. Ping. I bet she's thinking… how much she'd like to kiss me right now.

Chloe leaned close…
Kissing. Lightning. I'm always so nervous and scared and happy. She tastes like sadness and joy and rain and pizza.
Chloe is so beautiful.

5 hours later… (15 minutes actually)
Knock. Knock.
Parental intrusion. Not again. Why do doors need to exist?

Max grumbled and got up to answer the door. She opened it and the smell of Chinese take out assaulted her empty stomach. Yum! Ok intrusion excused…

Max, Chloe, Vanessa, and Ryan all ended up seated around TV. On the sofa for the Caulfields and snuggled together on the bean bag chair for Max and Chloe.
"You guys realize how insanely cute you are together right?" Vanessa asked with a grin.
Chloe stuck her tongue out at her. "Never thought I'd ever hear an adult describe me as cute."

I love how quickly Chloe is comfortable around my parents. I guess they're kind of her parents too.

Vanessa laughed and put a hand on her hip. "I can see right through you Ms Price. You're just like me when I was younger."
Ryan grinned. "I remember. You were a wild one weren't you. Didn't you set the school on fire?"
Vanessa teeth flashed wolfishly. "Twice. They only expelled me about 50 times."

I guess I've never really heard about mom's wild youth.

"How do you get expelled 50 times?" Asked Chloe. "I only managed once."
Ryan snickered. "She was really good at sweet talking. She had those idiots wrapped around her finger… well at least until the gym burned down."

"You burned down a gym?" Chloe coughed.
"It was a small gym. They had plenty of money to replace it." Vanessa's grin was contemptuous.

Whoa.

She shrugged. "One of the more interesting moments in my youth."
Chloe was silent with a thoughtful look on her face. Max gave her a peck on the cheek.

"What are y'all interesting in watching?" asked Ryan.
"I'm feeling… the Matrix." said Vanessa. "I like watching Keanu Reeves process one emotion for two hours."
"Matrix sounds good." Said Max.
"Sure" said Chloe.

She's still being extra quiet… Was it something my mom said?

They sat down to watch the Matrix and Ryan made some popcorn. "I know Max fu." said Chloe grabbing Max by the waste. Max giggled and kissed Chloe then paused and looked over at Vanessa who laughed and shielded her eyes.
Ryan noticed nothing.

Once the movie was over, they pulled out some card games. Ryan had brought a western style game with hidden roles. It ended up being Chloe and Ryan against Max and Vanessa.
Soon Vanessa and Chloe were eliminated leaving Ryan and Max to duel it out.

"I'm going to step outside real quick. Be right back." Chloe said. Max smiled and nodded.

Damn it's freezing outside. Chloe huddled in on herself clutching her thin jacket close.
She hadn't had many chances to smoke around Max and she was starting to feel pretty embarrassed about it but she felt like she really needed one.

Some intense feels kicking around in there…

She flicked her lighter in her old practiced motion enjoying the first soothing breath of nicotine.

Say what you will about smoking… it feels damn comforting.

"Mind if I join you?". Vanessa's warm voice.
"Sure." Replied Chloe.

She thought about trying to hide the cigarette but it was to late at this point. To hell with it.

Vanessa came over and stood next to Chloe breathing in the night air. Chloe was struck again by how peaceful and confident the woman was. Vanessa was so thoroughly filled with a calm joy. Chloe had never met an adult like her.

"Sorry about…" Chloe waved her cigarette awkwardly.
"Don't worry about it. I remember how those are." Vanessa smiled.
"You do?"
"Oh yeah. It took me a while to kick those." Vanessa's eyes were far away.

I feel… safe around her. Like I could tell her anything and she wouldn't judge me.

"So you were pretty crazy when you were my age huh?" Asked Chloe.
"Oh my god yes." Vanessa replied with a grin.
"Burning down that gym was only the last straw. I got caught doing… all kinds of things." She winked. "Never mind all the stuff I didn't get caught doing."
"Like what?"

"Oh kiddo." Vanessa laughed. "I'm sure you can guess. Let's just say that school was very happy to be rid of me… and the feeling was mutual."
"What did you do after that?" Chloe asked.

"I moved in with a crazy boyfriend. Ryan and I went to the same school but we didn't get together until much later. I had a lot of growing up to do first."
Vanessa smiled in memory.
"It took me a while to figure out my place in the world. It's easy for people who have their whole life handed to them. I had to figure it out the hard way."

"Yeah I can get that."
Vanessa nodded.
"What do you do now?" Chloe asked.

I actually don't remember what Vanessa did when she lived here…

"I'm a therapist. I train other therapists to work with teenagers. You guys are a rough bunch." Vanessa winked again.
"Wow thats… really cool… I guess I probably could use some of that…" Chloe slid one foot over the other shyly.
"Only if it feels like the right thing for you. It helped me a lot when I needed it." Vanessa smiled kindly.

I think she really means that…

Chloe was quiet for a while…
"Mrs Caulfield…"
"Yeah?" "Do you think… Max and I will turn out ok together?"
Vanessa's eyes were very gentle.
"What do you mean?"
"Max is so… pure… and she's so smart. She has an amazing future ahead of her. I'm kind of… a wreck." Chloe gestured at her cigarette.

"Oh honey" Vanessa turned to look Chloe in the eye. "Nobody is perfect. I think Max needs you a lot more than you're giving her credit for."
"You're both so young. You have all the time the world to figure out what you want to do with your lives. Don't be to hard on yourself because your life is messy."
Chloe nodded holding her breath.
"But I'm kind of a mess right now…".
Vanessa eyed Chloe sternly.
"Everyone is a mess sometimes. With everything you went through as a kid, I wouldn't expect anything else."

Vanessa reached out to put a hand on Chloe's shoulder. "I'm so sorry we moved away when you needed us so badly. I thought of you so many times."
"Yeah it was… really hard." Chloe started crying.
Vanessa pulled Chloe into a hug and Chloe cried quietly.
When they pulled apart, Chloe saw that Vanessa's eyes were shining with tears as well.

"I lost my other daughter that night." Vanessa stroked Chloe's cheek. "You were part of our family. There will always be a home for you here."
"R… Really?" Chloe sniffled.
"Absolutely." Vanessa's voice was as firm as stone.

"Wh.. when can I move in?" Chloe asked in a joking sniffly tone. Vanessa laughed.
"No guest house at the hotel unfortunately but please call me any time you need it."
"I will mrs C."

The sound of the front door made them both look around. Max stepped out into the cold shivering. She walked up next to Chloe and slung both her arms around her giving her a kiss on the cheek. "I totally won." Max grinned. "Yessss." Vanessa pumped her fist.

She's like a giant kid. Both of them.
How can an adult be more kid than me? Crazy.

Chloe tried to move inside but Max had taken it upon herself to stand on Chloe's shoes. "Ugh… Max I can barely move as is!" Chloe complained.
"Too bad." Max said snuggling up against Chloe's side. "You're warm."
"Inside is warmer…"
"Lies…"
Vanessa poked Max's side.

"Ouch! Ok fiiine." Max slunk up the stairs holding Chloe's hand the whole time. Vanessa followed with a grin.

I'm outnumbered by crazy Caulfields.

The three women made their way into the kitchen laughing together to find Ryan cutting apples. "Thought I'd make you girls some after dinner dessert." Ryan grinned.
"He's a hell of a cook." Vanessa sidled over to stand near her husband. "I'm a lucky woman." She bumped Ryan with her hip.

Ryan laughed and kissed his wife on the head.
"Ugh" Max made a gagging sound. "To much parental affection for me. Chloe wanna escape into our fort upstairs?"
"Uhhh… you bet!"

They fled the warm kitchen retreating into Chloe's safely angsty bedroom.
The parental wholesomeness could not be long escaped however and the smell of baking apples was soon wafting through the entire house.

This is… absolutely the best. Wait… is this what a family feels like? A real one?

Chloe was lying on her bed while Max working on her laptop on the floor. "Your parents are the coolest. You're so lucky."
Max smiled. "Yeah they get on my nerves a lot but they're pretty great. They can always be your parents too."
Chloe froze. "Max did you… just sideways ask me to marry you?" Max froze too.
"Uh… you know what I meant Chlo…" "Not that I don't want to I mean just… ya'know…" Why is it that Max can make me sound like such an idiot? That's an unfair superpower.

Max giggled and got up… and knelt on one knee.
Wtf…

"Chloe mcsexypants, will you please be my most amazing girlfriend for all eternity and please cover me in your amazing kisses?"
Max held out an honest to god ring… made of… is that a gummy worm?
"Did you seriously make me a gummy worm ring?"
"Damn right. Only the finest grade gummy worm." Max winked. "I even spent three months salary and everything…"
"Max you are such a dork." Chloe couldn't hide her smile.
"So is that a yes?" Max held the gummy worm ring out hopefully.
"Fine… Yes… but I kinda hate gummy worms." Max pouted for a second then popped the ring into her mouth. "Your loss."
Chloe laughed and Max jumped in bed so they could snuggle.

It feels so good to just be… with Max.

"Girls!" Ryan called. "Crisp is ready!".
"My dad makes the best apple crisp. We better go get some before mom eats it all." Max said.

They sidled downstairs and happily stuffed themselves on Ryan's crisp.
So this is what having a true family feels like…


This was both really fun and really hard to write. As soon as I had Vanessa show up, I knew I wanted her to be an extra mom for Chloe. I really like this version of Vanessa who's edgy and kind of like a kid in some ways. I've had some really amazing older mentors in my life who were like this and it's super special. I also really wanted to show how creative Max and Chloe are and how they just constantly want to do some form of art. That's one of my favorite parts about the two.

I also really enjoyed getting to write about Rachel. After Before the Storm, I'm pretty sure all of us had a Rachel sized hole in our hearts. This story will have lots of Rachel in it. I promise.

In terms of the difficult part - writing that cop scene. I must have re-written it at least twice but I don't know how I could have made the story convincing if I just skipped over it. Once I realized it was about Chloe building a relationship and finding another person she could trust, that's when it clicked for me. I think Chloe's story is all about her finding out that the world isn't as horrible as she thinks it is and that's including finding authority figurers who take her and her life seriously.

Hope you guys enjoy!