Ryan and Vanessa Caulfield were busy stuffing a few belongings into a large red suitcase. Neither of them were thinking clearly and what ended up being packed wouldn't have been of much help to anyone. Five of Ryan's shirts were there. No pants. No underwear. Four pairs of their daughter's jeans were in there too, but nothing else of hers. Oh Max. My sweet angel Max. Please be ok. The only dialogue that pulsed through Ryan's mind, ever since he and Vanessa had heard the news of the freak tornado that seemed to come from nowhere to devour Arcadia Bay. Please be ok!

Vanessa looked into the suitcase. 'What the hell are we packing?' She thought to herself and with that, reached out to grab Ryan's fumbling hand. "Honey?" Ryan looked up at her, still distracted. "Let's just take a breath, ok?" she said to her husband. He gave her a knowing smile, his loving wife of more than twenty years, and walked around the corner of the bed so that he could wrap her in his arms.

They were preparing for the long drive to Arcadia Bay, or what remained of it. The police said that the entire town had been cordoned off to allow the rescue teams to get in do whatever they could. Nobody else was allowed in, but as had been said numerous times in the reports, there was hardly a way in at all any more. The town had been razed. There were reports of a few survivors, but the death count would be high. Many buildings were built above storm shelters since tornadoes weren't entirely uncommon in the area. This storm however bore far more force than the storms that came before it and many of the structures which had previous withstood the tempest, also found themselves scattered to the winds. Ryan and Vanessa weren't sure how they were expecting to get past the police cordon, or even what they'd see on the other side if they got there, but somehow they had to find their daughter. It was all they could do. They'd tried to call her phone at least a hundred times. The number you are calling is not available. It was hard not to think the worst.

~oOo~

Max had tried to check her phone when they were about an hour from her parents' house, to let them know she and Chloe were alright and on their way. Unfortunately her phone died with Arcadia Bay. In the pocket of Max's muddy jeans, soaked by the driving rain. "Shitballs! It's dead" she cursed. Chloe reached into her own pocket. She hadn't once thought about her phone once since the storm. She had no real reason to since there was nobody left to call her.

"Same here." Chloe said, lacking the same frustration Max had felt. And she drove on.

"It's that one, on the left" Max pointed the house out to Chloe as they pulled into her street. She'd been giving directions most of the way through Seattle. Often though her mind would wander and she'd completely forget where she was, where they were going. She didn't seem to notice that Chloe would still take all the right turns, regardless of her side-kick's directions, or lack thereof. Chloe knew the way. Chloe knew every turn that would take her to Max's house. She'd driven this road countless times before in her mind. This is all I need to do to find my best friend. This is where I need to go. Of course she never actually made the journey. Not unless you count the one time, her 18th birthday, when she drove for almost an hour before turning around again, lonely, furious. Don't be such a clingy bitch! She's moved on. She doesn't give a shit. Max doesn't want your sad bullshit any more Chloe, you're a fucking loser! Now, driving through Seattle, it brought up every one of those feelings again. As raw as the first time she'd felt them. You're still the same fucking loser Chloe. Probably worse now than before. She'll move on again. Once she's fixed. Once she's got the love of her parents around her again and you've got nothing. Max won't want your sad bullshit any more. Nobody could see the thoughts swirling inside her, not even Max. Her face was like stone. She was Chloe the rebel. The punk. The fucking ass-kicker. For Max. Somehow. She worked up another smile for her friend.

"Home sweet home, kiddo." Chloe chirped as she turned off the engine.

~oOo~

Max grabbed Chloe's hand. It ended up being an awkward, fumbling advance thanks to Chloe's keys, and that panda key chain. And the fact that most of her advances came out awkward and fumbling around Chloe. They stared into each other's eyes. Neither of them spoke. But the moment gave them both some much needed strength. We've got each other's backs. And with a fleeting smile they turned and got out of the truck. Not a moment too soon as it turned out. Vanessa was barrelling through the front door and down the driveway, arms flailing, somewhat resembling a one-person stampede. Max barely had time to get her arm out and close the door before she found herself swept up in her mother's arms, being squeezed, a bit too hard in fact. "Mom!" Max half-grunted. Vanessa stepped back and grab Max by the shoulders, squeezing them, again a bit too hard. Beaming and crying at once she looked at her daughter's face, so grateful just to have the chance again.

"Oh Max! My baby!" she blurted "I'm so glad you're ok!" and grabbed her close again. "Ryan!" she called at the top of her lungs, turning back towards the house. She was startled when she saw him already standing behind her, smiling his customary wide and toothy grin, even wider and toothier than she'd seen before. He was leaning over to hug the two most important people in his life. Thankful to be able to do so again.

"Welcome home, my Angel" he gushed, arms around them both, and lent in to kiss Max on the forehead.

She was finally home. After everything she'd gone through, one week, crazier than a thousand lifetimes, she finally made it home. She smiled at her mom and dad. She wished she could be happier to see them. At least seem happier. That she could mirror their reactions to seeing her. But how could she? Chloe, my poor Chloe. Her thoughts never left her best friend and the smile slipped quickly away again. She stepped back from the crazy Caulfield bear-hug and looked past the truck to Chloe, who was leaning against the truck staring towards the house. Max could tell that she was on the verge of breaking down. Tears had welled in her blue eyes, and whilst she looked like she was fighting them with everything she could, they seemed to be winning.

The conflicting emotions felt like they were tearing Chloe apart. She was so happy that Max could have something like this, yet so crushed that she had nothing left herself. She had another chance to see the people who were essentially her surrogate family growing up, but she couldn't help but remember how long ago that was and how she'd been left behind by them when she needed them most. It had been a long five years for Chloe. Here she was staring at her best friend's house, the place she'd dreamt of running away to all through her teenage years. Whenever things seemed at their worst. Now she was here and things really were at their worst. She felt alone. "Chloe." she heard the soft whisper from Max and it seemed to catch her. She looked across at her best friend with cloudy eyes, trying desperately to find another smile, but falling just short. Max found the lilting glance she was greeted with one of the most heart-breaking yet beautiful things she'd ever seen. It would have made such a perfect photo, the centrepiece to her whole collection, in another universe.

Ryan and Vanessa watched Max step back and followed her gaze across the truck. Oh no! We've just ignored the person who got Max back home! We have to thank her! They both realised in the same moment. It seemed Max's parents didn't even process the fact that someone else was there right away. "Chloe." came Max's hushed tone. Wait, what? Who? That slender face from the past, now shrouded in bright blue.

"Oh my God, Chloe?" Vanessa exclaimed loudly and both she and Ryan seemed to scramble over each other to run to the other side of the truck, both grabbing Chloe at once. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Chloe! Thank you!" and finally after an awkward amount of thanks "We've missed you!" and "We are so glad you're here!" Caulfield bear-hug part 2, Max smiled inwardly. She saw it break Chloe though. She was quickly becoming overcome and Max could tell. The strength was being sapped from Chloe's slender legs.

"Mom, dad, we're both a total wreck right now. Sorry. I think we need to shower and maybe try and get some sleep. Can we go in?" Max's parents both saw the fatigue in the two girls and they understood.

"Max why don't you take Chloe up to your room and find some clean clothes. I'll bring up a couple of fresh towels in a minute" Vanessa offered before hurrying Ryan inside the house.

Chloe watched Max hurry towards her and fought so hard not to break down under the flood of emotions she was feeling. It was dizzying and she had to steady herself against the truck. Then Max's arms wrapped around her and for a moment she worried she would collapse into her friend. Delicate little Max. I'd probably break her. She gathered herself yet again. "Thanks for that. With your folks, I mean. They're great, of course, shit...but I think I was about to pass out."

Max squeezed a bit tighter. "I've always got your back." A short while later they turned and walked, hand-in-hand up the path to Max's house.