Finally, thank Dog, things seemed to calm down around Arcadia Bay. The animal life was back to normal, the students were getting into their routines once more, a series of guest photographers were brought in to teach Jefferson's class. Max was finally starting to feel a little normal. Despite how weird Kate had been for a little while there, she remained a steady friend, and they were getting into a lovely routine of getting tea together every Friday. Chloe was weirdly okay with letting her girlfriend hang out with another female for a few hours a week, and there was no denying that Max might have maybe felt just a tiny bit guilty about that.

Speaking of weird, her best friend had also seemed to be spending quite a lot of time with Victoria lately. Hell, even Max had been allowed to crash with her out on the front lawn of Blackwell once in a while, and it had been kind of okay.

Max was actually getting into a nice pattern, even with some of the odder elements. She was happy.

And yet...

And yet there were troubles too. The more tea dates she went on, the more she felt this niggling sensation that she had jumped on the Chloe Train too soon. Had she chosen wrong? She loved Chloe so much, but she also loved her dear friend Kate. And there were times where she couldn't tell exactly what kind of love she felt for her. Only that she loved their afternoons together, sitting together, sipping tea, talking about anything and everything. It made her warm and happy. That meant something, right?

There was always drama, wasn't there? Even as things changed, they stayed the same.

It was late November, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Max got a call from Chloe while she was attempting to sleep in, enjoying her miniature vacation. Groaning and groggy, she fumbled for her phone and pulled it into her little cocoon. "Chluu...? Wha's do? Nee' help?"

There was an amused chuckle on the other end of the line. "Dude, it's almost one in the afternoon. I know I'm not exactly one to talk, but please tell me you're not gonna get angry at me for calling you past 12:00."

"Nah. Jus' tired. What's going on?" Had it been earlier in the morning, perhaps she would have gotten frustrated. But her bluenette ladyfriend had a good point. "Is everything okay?"

"Things are a little tense at Casa de Price-Madsen. Would you be okay just doing like... a totally not at all Thanksgiving type thing? Besides, something something Native Americans something colonial imperialism something hipster nerd bullshit."

Even dead-tired, Chloe had a way of being simultaneously sweet and disaffected that hit all the right notes. She giggled sleepily and finally managed to at least get to a seated position. "So what's the call, Chinese food and crappy movies?"

"It's like you read my mind, Super Max." Max beamed, impressed with herself for being able to see what she was getting at while barely awake.

She had various things to take care of that evening, but she was looking forward to the next day. It wasn't the most impressive of dates, but it was some time just for themselves, and that was exciting. Max loved Thanksgiving, but not enough to trek all the way back to Seattle to spend barely two days with her family. Christmas was coming soon and that would be more than enough time to catch up. She would need a few days to work up the courage to tell them about Chloe. No doubt they would be thrilled. Her father seemed like exactly the kind of person that would try to claim that he had 'called it'.

She spent Thursday morning trying to straighten up her dorm a little bit, though she knew it was pointless since Chloe lived in such a disaster zone herself. Regardless, her room was more bearable now, Lisa was fed, and she just had to wait for Chloe to turn up. Around three, her door opened without so much as a knock, and there stood the blue-haired girl with plastic bag and cheeky smile. "Rude, much. You can't knock before striding in here?"

"Oh, yeah, because you have so many secrets to keep from me Maxine..." Ugh, that name. She didn't even give Chloe the satisfaction of responding.

"What if I was working on a surprise for you?" Max was reaching here, not so much to continue their playful banter as to hide the fact that she kinda did have a secret or two to hide. But she was really trying hard to avoid drama these days. Things were quiet, and she loved that.

"There is no hiding from me, Caulfield. The Amazing Chloe knows all..." She settled herself onto the floor and leaned back against Max's bed, starting to unpack all the food she'd brought with her. It was no turkey and stuffing, but she'd apparently splurged and brought quite the feast with her. "Dig in, Mad Max!"

The day went as planned and it was utterly perfect. With full bellies they settled in to watch a few movies. But rather than their normal dates where they inevitably passed out in the early evening, both girls found they were feeling a little restless and decided to bundle up and take a little walk around Blackwell. With winter well on its way, there was a real chill in the air, crisp and lovely, and they watched as their breath came out, visible, mingling together. Silent and thoughtful, their footsteps brought them out to the football field where they lay together, looking up at the stars.

Chloe was the first to pipe up. "You know, I still dream about getting the hell out of here. But I guess, sometimes, it's not so bad. But you can never tell a soul I said that."

"Mmm, it has its perks." Their hands were gently linked together between them, just a few fingers really. Max's free hand was resting against her stomach and she moved it in a slow circle to still the fullness in her belly. "Chlo?"

"Yeah?"

Despite clearly needing to get something off of her mind, Max was hesitant to speak again. She felt Chloe grip her hand tighter, and she did her best to focus her mind on all the things they'd been through together since they were kids. Chloe would always be her captain, but just maybe...

"You know, we've sorta had this unspoken pact, to try and avoid drama as much as possible. And it's been going so fucking well, and I sorta feel like... I'm about to really ruin everything forever." The hand just tightened and both girls shifted slightly closer to one another.

Chloe just kept right on clinging to her, and she wasn't sure how it was that someone who was normally such a ball of fury could be so peaceful. "Well, if there's anything I've learned, it's that bottling stuff up is a lot more likely to ruin everything. So drop the nuke, because it doesn't matter. I'm not going anywhere. Speak your mind and we'll sort out the wreckage together." The other girl's strength never failed to impress.

"I like Kate..."

"I know you do." How the hell was she managing to say that so calmly? Wasn't Chloe terrified of being pushed aside? Max sat up, with a mix of complex emotions all over her. Distressed, scared, anxious, worried, all balled up into one.

"No, I like Kate."

"I said I know, Max. I'm not blind." Okay, now Max was starting to feel an overwhelming sense of anger. She flipped over so that she was now straddling her, hardly thinking of the implications at a time like this.

"I love you. And I love Kate. At the same time. Doesn't that worry you? Why aren't you freaking out!" Max could feel herself crying and she'd actually begun pounding at Chloe's chest uselessly. And fucking Chloe just lay there, looking at her with this smug face. "What the fuck!"

With one fluid motion, Chloe brought her tumbling back down to the ground, her head pulled against the bluenette's chest, fingers running soothingly through her hair. She let out her stress, finally, weeping openly, vaguely aware that she was getting her gross tears and snot all over Chloe's cool shirt. But she just rolled with it, ever the badass. "You done?"

"I dunno, are you done... being a... jerk?" That was lame, but her energy was nearly gone now. It would have to do. Was this a fight? It didn't feel like one. It felt like a tantrum. Max never imagined there'd be a day that she'd be the one having a fit while Chloe just took it.

"I'm letting the attitude slide because I know this is probably tough for you and you feel racked with guilt. But if I may sum it up in so many words... You're Max Fucking Caulfield. If I thought for a minute you were going to ditch me and hook up with her, I'd murder you. Straight up manslaughter. But you wouldn't. You won't." While it was pretty nice to hear Chloe say that stuff, she still didn't understand what was happening here. It was like they were having two entirely different conversations. The confusion must have been pretty plain on her face, because Chloe continued talking. "What I mean... What I'm trying to say is that... If anyone should get to know you the way I've gotten to know you, it's her. I won't let you leave me, Max. Not ever again. But if you feel like you've gotta... fuck, I don't know, bring someone else along for the ride... Well, there's plenty of room on our ship."

"Cereal...?" Jesus christ, Max, stop being such a weirdo and get real! "Sorry... But. Yeah, you're really serious about this."

"I'm also serious about not letting it screw up what we've got either. Look at it this way, this is your payback for feeling like you had to compete with Rachel Amber even though I was fucking in love with you since we were little kids. It's not the most normal reaction, but you're right, I'm sick and tired of letting drama get in the way of a good thing. It's stupid and I don't have the energy for it. Besides, I saw Kate at that Halloween party. Once you unwind that chick, she's alright. If you're not careful, I might have to have my own tea date with her, if you catch my drift~" Chloe winked at Max and she gave her a playful shove.

"I don't know how, but you've managed to turn the words 'tea date' into the grossest innuendo ever. Besides, she's captain of the no-sex club and devout as hell. What would you two even do together?"

"Who knows, maybe I'll go to church with her sometime?"

"Chloe Price, in church? In a dress? You'd never make it. You'd probably end up cursing out the pastor!" Max giggled brightly and climbed to her feet, pulling Chloe along with her. She fluidly hopped up and wrapped around her shoulders, and Chloe reflexively wrapped around her legs to hold her up.

"Ugh, now I know why we haven't done this since we were kids... You're heavier than you look, Max..."

"Shut up, I am a tiny pixie, a precious waif. A stiff breeze could knock me over..."

She could see with some amusement that Chloe was trying very hard not to make a 'stiff' pun. "Guess you carry all your weight in your amazing ass" she said, delivering a swift smack with a nice, resounding slapping sound.

"Happy Colonial Oppression Day, Chloe..." Max whispered and kissed Chloe on the cheek as her steed began marching them back across campus. Tomorrow was Friday, and she had a lot to think about.