Do something crazy|Do something crazy

08:59, Monday 11th, November 2013 - Dr Smith's Office:

For what must have been the hundredth time - not that much of an exaggeration unfortunately - Chloe decided to start counting the number of tiles in the ceiling of the waiting room.

The first twenty times, she'd counted 48.

Then she started to include the partial tiles and add them together to make full tiles.

She'd gotten to 52 and a quarter.

So she started dividing them into quarter tiles to get a bigger number. She made it through the first three tiles when the secretary looked up at them. About time, too. Any longer and she may have actually died of boredom.

"Miss Amber, Miss Price?" the young woman at the desk - she couldn't have been much older than the girls were - stood up, holding out a clipboard with pre-filled insurance paperwork. "Dr. Smith will see you now. It's the third door on the left down the hall. Just go ahead and knock, she'll let you in."

Unlike Chloe, Rachel had spent her time doing something a little more productive. Some might not agree, though. For the past half an hour, she'd been browsing through some articles and stories on her phone. When the secretary called out to them, she had been reading a particularly lewd section. While she knew there was no way anyone would know, she couldn't help but feel awkward about it.

Doing her best to shrug off the slight blush coloring her cheeks, the blonde coughed softly and stood, taking the clipboard from the other woman.

"Thank you." The model smiled charmingly as her fingers gripped the wooden board with such a death grip that her knuckles turned white.

Despite her smile, she was more than a little apprehensive about this. It was one thing planning to do this, another actually doing it. Did she really want someone poking around in their personal lives? Dragging up shit they'd both rather forget?

Too late to ask that now.

The blonde headed back to the space where Chloe had parked her wheelchair. She grabbed hold of the handles, beginning to push the daydreaming bluenette - who incidentally found herself rudely brought back to reality - towards the hallway they'd been directed down.

When they reached the door that the secretary had mentioned, the model froze for just a moment, unsure if she was ready to face their demons.

Then she felt a gloved hand take her own, holding on tightly.

"Babe, whatever happens, whatever you or I say in there, I love you, and that's not going to change. I am not leaving you behind, I promise." The punk who, months earlier wouldn't have said anything of this sort, had truly grown into a genuinely supportive and wholesome woman.

"I... I know... I love you too." The blonde paused just another moment. "Ready?"

Upon receiving a short nod and a squeeze to her hand, Rachel knocked on the door in front of them, then waited for a response.

And waited.

Casting a confused glance down to the girl beside her, the hazel-eyed blonde went to knock on the door again, wondering if she'd knocked too softly before. As her knuckles were about to meet the wood of the door it suddenly swung open, allowing Rachel's hand to find its mark on the shoulder of a woman.

She must have been in her late twenties to early thirties. Petite, brunette, with unforgettably blue eyes. A light smattering of freckles peppered her pale skin like constellations.

Rachel frowned, very confused by the woman. When she turned to Chloe, the poor girl was completely frozen to the spot. Like she'd seen a ghost.

The older woman smiled, warm and a little awkward glancing between them. "I'm guessing you must be Ms. Price and Ms. Amber. I'm Doctor Jacqueline Smith. Feel free to call me whatever you want. Well, within reason." She managed a soft chuckle, stepping aside to let them in. "Come in."

Breaking free of her daze, the bluenette pushed herself forward, into the room, with her girlfriend taking a seat beside the desk in the office.

The room itself wasn't anything to write home about. The desk in the middle of the room looked as if it'd been salvaged from an old school, and from half a century earlier. As for the walls, they were mostly covered in generic posters about self-harm and depression, with the exception of the set of four framed degrees on the wall.

When prompted, the blonde sat down and Chloe moved her wheelchair in front of the desk. Dr. Smith followed them, taking up position in her own chair. After shuffling a few papers to one side, she steepled her hands.

"So, what brings you here today?" the older woman asked with an almost familiar curiosity for the blue-haired punk.

Rachel glanced over at Chloe, noting the tension in her shoulders. "A friend recommended you."

Blue eyes widened slightly. "Oh? Guess I did a decent enough job then. I realize this can be quite… awkward. Telling a total stranger about all the messed up shit in your life. We can do this whichever way you like, pretend I'm not here if that's easier. Or imagine me as someone you trust."

Chloe swallowed hard, not sure what to do. Part of her wanted to run. Forget. Not that she could do either…

Noting her reluctance, Rachel took a deep breath. "A lot has happened in the past few months. Left a lot of scars. Some of them more visible than others."

With one hand, she wiped away some of the make up on her face, exposing one of the marks. Her other clamped onto the wheelchair frame.

"You probably heard about the incident in Arcadia Bay earlier this year... where a teacher and student were caught... attacking two other students..." Rachel paused, watching the doctor for a reaction.

To her credit, the brunette across the desk didn't flinch or gasp, in fact, her eyes didn't even widen. Instead, she nodded softly. "Am I to presume, then, that you would be Miss Rachel Amber and Miss Chloe Price, the students who were attacked?"

The wheelchair-bound punk raised an eyebrow, somewhat stunned at the directness and lack of outward reaction from the woman before them. "Uh... yes. That would be us. How much do you know about the whole... the whole thing?" Chloe gulped softly, feeling unexpectedly comfortable with the stunningly calm demeanor they'd been met with.

Jacqueline leaned forward, resting her elbows on her desk while supporting her chin. "Miss Price, Miss Amber, or may I call you Chloe and Rachel?" the girls nodded, "If I may, perhaps it might do more good if you told me from your side what I should know."

Both girls glanced at each other, and smiled awkwardly before turning back to the doctor.

"Uhm... That's kinda why we're here... We've come to find that neither of us is all that great at opening up about what happened that night..." the model spoke up, beginning to elaborate. "At this point, we've both got so much to think about, between the memories and the nightmares... It's sometimes hard to tell what's what..."

From behind the desk, the freckled woman nodded, bringing her hands away from her face. "I can only imagine what those nightmares might encompass." She took a deep breath. "I suppose, perhaps, the best place to start would be to ask which of you would feel more comfortable trying to start. There are no failures, there is no shame in not being able to open up right now. It can take a very long time to even want to open up about trauma, and what the two of you went through... I'm frankly impressed that you're here so soon after the fact. It shows me that you both have hope, hope that one day you'll be able to move past the horrid events of your past."

The bluenette decided to speak up. "I think... part of the problem is that there's been so much more since then to just add onto the crap..." A lone tear seemed to form in the corner of Chloe's eye. "Since that night... we've found that Rachel developed aneurysms, I can't walk and we found out that my..." She stumbled over her words, not sure if she could manage to say the last bit of their troubles.

Resting a hand on the shoulder of the woman that meant the world to her, Rachel took over. "Her childhood best friend, a girl named Max, died the day after everything happened... as she was driving to come see Chloe..."

Finally, the slightest bit of a shift came from Jacqueline's demeanor.

Or it had seemed so.

Maybe Rachel was seeing things.

After a few moments, the brunette nodded somberly. "What you've been through, it may as well be hell. But you're both here. You've both survived that hell and as far as I can tell, you're on the road to recovery." She paused, looking at each of her patients in turn, as if evaluating which of them to start on.

Turning to Rachel, she nodded.

"Rachel, I feel as though you might be the one who has opened up some already. Would you, perhaps, be willing to start? To help Chloe feel comfortable enough to share her story in time? We don't need to go through everything today - we have time - and I'd like to meet weekly if that's okay with the both of you, but just go to the point that you feel you can handle."

The blonde could feel the familiar sensation of fear creep up her spine. Her throat went dry, memories she tried so desperately to suppress oozing from their mental prison. It was insane how something that happened months ago, people who were long since gone could still have such a hold over her. Honestly, she hated it. But it just wasn't as easy as flipping a switch and moving on.

Would telling someone even help? What could anyone do for her at this stage?

Then, she felt a warmth on her hand. Only after did she realize how tightly she had been gripping onto Chloe's wheelchair and the obvious shake. Maybe it would be pointless in the end. But if she never tried…

Taking a deep breath, Rachel closed her eyes and let the nightmarish blurred mental images filter through. Slowly but surely, they started to take form. A swirling mass of… pain. Terror.

"I don't remember all of it. Honestly, some parts are… blurry," she began, already noticing the tremble in her own voice.

It made her feel so pathetic.

Not once did the older woman interrupt. She sat there quietly, patient. No barrage of intrusive questions. Letting Rachel lead the conversation, controlling and dictating what she was comfortable with.

"I remember… going to the party with Chloe. Just to unwind, you know." Her words quivered, not even close to the traumatizing part of her story. "Nothing unusual. And then… I started to feel dizzy. Next thing I knew…" She hesitated, the words so difficult to speak aloud.

Chloe's hand tightened around her girlfriend's, both for support and her own reassurance. This would be tough for both of them.

Squeezing back, Rachel steadied her resolve and continued in a much softer voice. "I woke up and saw Chloe. And… Nathan."

That name shook her to the very core, recalling his twisted expression of glee as he…

"Rachel?" The gentle sound of her name brought her back.

Hazel eyes met blue, calm and reassuring. It was the first time Doctor Smith had spoken since she started explaining the events of that night.

"I…" As much as she wanted to say she was okay, she wasn't. "Sorry, got lost in thought."

"No need to be sorry." Giving a gentle smile, the older woman leaned back in her chair. "I can see this is… difficult for you. My advice, don't force it. That helps nobody. Least of all yourself."

Taking a shaking breath, the blonde nodded. "Yeah… I might have to stop now."

Doctor Smith simply nodded, shifting her attention over to Chloe. The wheelchair-bound girl tensed, not sure whether she was ready for this. Rachel had tried. So the very least she could do was that.

"I, uh… probably remember a little more than Rach. Of the start, at least," the blue-haired punk managed. "As she already said, we went to the party. Rachel suddenly started acting really… strange. Before I could help her, I felt so drowsy."

At first, she thought they had just drunk and smoke a little too much. Unfortunately… not the case.

"I… woke up a little before her in… that place." Starting to lose the strength in her voice, Chloe exhaled shakily. "I can't remember much about the details, but… white walls, bright flashes, taunting voices…"

Instinctively, she curled in on herself as she recalled the pain and fear. Wondering just what would happen to Rachel once she lost consciousness. The thought still terrified her. Made her sick to the stomach.

However, it wasn't so much that she didn't remember what had happened... Truly, she simply didn't want to remember. The memories hurt, she knew that. But at the same time, for all the times that she had woken in the middle of the night, a scream on her lips and sweat drenching her sheets, she knew that the memories wouldn't go away. Not soon, at the very least.

The bluenette paused, realizing that her free hand was shaking and tears were threatening to spill down her cheeks. She felt a squeeze from the blonde angel who sat next to her and felt herself begin to relax. However, she knew well that she couldn't handle going into more details.

"I... I don't think that I can go on right now..." she sniffed loudly, taking a deep breath and looking up at the brunette sitting across the desk from her.

The older woman simply nodded, not pressing for more information. "You both did well today. I've had sessions where people don't say a word. Or get… aggressively defensive about it. Not that they can be blamed. It won't change overnight. Things like this need work. Lots of it. Most of it is coming to terms with the past and learning to manage the feelings attached to the memories, which isn't easy."

"You're telling me," Chloe muttered, worried about Rachel.

The blonde hadn't said a single word yet. Unusual. She was normally the more chatty of them. Chloe was certain that Rachel had been neglecting her own pain. It was easier to do that. While the punk appreciated the support… her girlfriend needed just as much. Rachel was used to hiding her real feelings away, pretending everything was okay. Keeping up appearances.

That shit got tiring. Quickly. Even she could only take so much.

Also picking up on Rachel's behavior, Dr. Smith's expression softened. "One day, we'll get the balance right. Not forgetting but… not remembering constantly."

"You sound so… confident," Rachel finally managed. "Why? How can you sound so convinced?"

To that, Dr. Smith answered with a sad smile. "Honestly, I don't know either. Sometimes, those gut instincts don't need reasons." She moved to sit back into her chair before continuing. "Experience... has taught me to trust them, however. Sometimes, it's the difference in saving someone's life."

The blonde's gaze met the brunette's, and held it. Something in the tone the doctor had used resonated deeply with her. "I suppose I hadn't thought of it that way. I can't necessarily speak for Chloe in this, but I haven't gotten to the point where I've wanted to do anything... rash... but I can only imagine that some might, given their circumstances."

Not wanting to answer for herself right now, Chloe changed the subject. "So, I guess this is the time we get kicked out, huh?"

An amused smile tugged at Dr. Smith's lips. "Well, if you want to stay here, feel free. I'm not stopping you. I'm sure you'd like to get as far away from here and me as possible, though. Don't worry, I don't take it personally." She paused, the smile never wavering. "Or maybe I should…"

"You haven't done anything to piss me off yet, so you're good," Chloe replied.

Dr. Smith was nice and all, but she really wanted to get home.

The blonde let out a soft chuckle at her girlfriend's response. "Take it from me, Doc, if she was really upset, you'd know, I'd know, the whole office would know."

Just for reassurance, she squeezed the bluenette's hand again, this time holding tight. In part to remind herself that Chloe was there, was alive, and wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

The doctor's smile widened a fraction, as she looked at the walls. "Good thing I had the walls soundproofed then." Looking directly at Chloe, she nodded, "You wouldn't be the first person to be let's say, explosive, in their expression of their pain. But don't let me hold you up. I'm never going to pressure you into anything you're uncomfortable with, and I'm certainly not going to hold you against your will."

She ran her fingers through mid-length brown hair, seeming deeply pensive. Both Chloe and Rachel wondered what she was thinking. Maybe a little paranoid. After spending so long hiding it all - from other people and themselves - they couldn't help that way of thinking.

"If you feel like you've reached a point that you can't go past today, then there's no point in us all sitting here in silence and staring at each other awkwardly. I think you've both shown that you're willing to push to heal, but you shouldn't push too far or too fast. It can lead to... disagreeable outcomes." The brunette pushed back her chair, and stood up, walking around the desk towards the girls.

Both of them relaxed a little, out of the spotlight. While it hadn't been as awful as expected, they were glad it was over for today. There was only so much they could handle in one go. It would only get harder from here. But it would also be easier. In time, they both knew that the more they opened up and got off of their chests, the less things might haunt them in the night.

"Chloe, Rachel, it's been a true pleasure meeting the both of you. I hope that with time we can make some serious progress, for the both of you to rest easier. Would you feel comfortable with doing this once a week?"

The model glanced over to the wheelchair-bound punk, and raised a questioning eyebrow. She felt it could be better to let Chloe make the decisions when it came to these things.

Seeing the invitation to make the choice in the matter, the bluenette fixed her gaze on the set of blue eyes that felt so incredibly familiar, yet so different.

"I think we could do Wednesday next week, if that works with you, doc."

"Wednesday at two would work perfectly for me," Jacqueline countered warmly, apparently certain of her calendar without even looking at it. "If that's all then, I'll see you next week." She smiled, walking to the door and opening it for the girls.

Rachel stood up, keeping hold of the chair for just a few moments to be sure she'd stand firmly, given how shaky she herself had felt earlier. Once she was sure, she moved behind her girlfriend, taking hold of the wheelchair handles and moving towards the door. Both girls smiled politely, saying their goodbyes as they left the room, hearing the brunette close the door behind them.

All the way back to the SUV they were mostly quiet, making only a few comments about how nice the day was or how unseasonably warm it was for the beginning of November. It wasn't until they got into the vehicle that Chloe decided to speak up about something on her mind that kept bugging her.

"I swear to god... if I didn't know any better, and you know I'm not saying this lightly, but I honestly thought I'd come face to face with Max..." the bluenette huffed loudly.

"Fuck..."


19:25, Tuesday 24th, December 2013 - The Apartment:

Rachel looked over their apartment from the hallway, her hazel gaze resting on the tree that stood behind their couch. It wasn't the most ornate nor the most well decorated and it certainly wasn't huge, but it was theirs. To the model, that meant so much more than some super-fancy tree.

Next, her eyes drifted over to the tall box sat beside it. She'd worked hard to keep its content hidden, a difficult task around Chloe Price. Wrapping it was even less fun, moving it the cherry on top of an altogether awkward yet worthwhile endeavor. Hopefully, this particular present would change that.

"Beep beep!" Her girlfriend's voice came from behind, startling the blonde from her pensiveness. "Penny for your thoughts, babe?" the bluenette asked, a wide smile on her lips.

On her lap was a stack of smaller boxes, ranging from the size of a shoebox to something not much larger than a fist.

Rachel raised an intrigued eyebrow, plucking the smallest box from her lover's lap. "How about a penny for yours?" She brought the box to her eye level, squinting. "Something you wanna ask?"

The wheelchair-bound girl grumbled under her breath, snatching the box away and carrying everything to the tree, setting it all down for the next morning.

"If you must know, you'll just have to wait til tomorrow," she replied, sticking out her tongue.

Giggling softly, Rachel approached her and crouched down. "Good thing I like surprises, huh?" No hesitation, she planted a kiss on Chloe's lips. Soft and sweet. "And that I love you enough to not pester you about it too much."

The punk sighed contently, recalling the past two months. Every week - with the exception of Thanksgiving - they'd visited the enigmatic Dr. Smith in a bid to banish their numerous and relentless demons.

Progress had been slow for the most part. The events of that night had remained vague at best. Too soon to recount in any considerable detail. Instead, they had focused on keeping the nightmares at bay and dealing with the stress accompanying their hellish past.

If Chloe was honest, the burden on her mind, heart and soul had lessened. Her world so much brighter and alive. Not dull and distant like the first few months. Smiles and laughter came easier to them both, replacing the stagnant state of depression. Her outlook on life was generally more positive, the negatives pushed to the background.

But most of all, she noticed Rachel.

Despite her flaws, the beautiful blonde woman was the only reason Chloe didn't just give up. Her encouragement to get out of bed in the morning and fight to live another day. Now, that reason held new meaning. A bridge to future hopes, not a shackle to past fears. The one thing that truly caught her off guard was a small change. So subtle, it'd taken her a while to realize it.

The day she stopped comparing Rachel to Max.

Max had occupied her thoughts for years, ever since she left for Seattle. Even on the day Chloe met the stunning and magnificent blonde who would change her life forever. Inevitable. A few weeks ago, she noticed that the only comparison she made now were of others based on Rachel.

Initially, that realization had depressed the fuck out of her. Worried that she was starting to forget Max. Just like with her dad. After years without him, she had to piece together the scraps of her memory to recall what he looked and sounded like without relying on pictures or videos. Whenever she forgot even the smallest detail even for a second - the way his face crinkled when he smiled; which shade of blue his eyes were, similar but not identical to her own; his infectious laughter - she felt guilty.

When she worked up the courage to bring it up in therapy, Jacqueline had offered a different perspective. Rather than forgetting, she was learning to accept the loss. To live with reality, not just surviving until she couldn't take the pain anymore.

Not that it had all been doom and gloom. The highlight of the season so far had been the small Thanksgiving gathering hosted in their apartment. Joyce and David had come up from Arcadia. Neither Chloe nor Rachel could stomach returning to the sleepy town.

Not yet.

For whatever reason - her time away from David or the incident itself - Chloe and her step father seemed to have reached a mutual understanding. The once hostile environment evaporated in favor of civil conversation. They would never see eye to eye on a lot of things, but there was no need or desire to be at each other's throats.

Embracing the phrase 'the more the merrier', they had invited Kate and Victoria to their family gathering. The two blondes had jumped at the prospect of good food and company, offering to bring several dishes themselves.

Joyce had really outdone herself with the meal. It had been a while since she had cooked for a larger group of people like this and took it all in her stride. Everyone pitched in with the preparation, even Chloe who before would've skillfully dodged any of the hard work. Between them, they made light work and soon had a table laden with food.

Compared to past Thanksgiving meals hosted at the Price house, this year had been fairly uneventful, aka not ending in total chaos. At most, there had been some playful jabs at others' expense. Nearly all instigated by Chloe and aimed at either Victoria or David. Unlike before, her two main antagonists for years didn't take it personally.

Honestly, they were all just glad to see the blue-haired punk joke around. Almost back to her old self, but not quite. Less bitter and jaded.

To everyone's surprise, Kate had gotten more than a little drunk that evening. No doubt feeling comfortable with them all. David seemed the most shocked by the transformation - she had always been so quiet and reserved at school - not commenting. His days of excessive policing were behind him.

When Kate started stating all the rather embarrassing reasons why she loved Victoria, the taller blonde practically dragged her to bed. They had made a cozy nest beforehand, ready for another sleepover.

Chloe and Rachel had stayed up a little longer. After seeing Joyce and David to the guest room - aka Chloe's old room - they found themselves in each other's arms, discussing the events of the day and gossiping. Mostly about the budding relationship Kate and Victoria. The norm these days.

To say Thanksgiving had gone well was an understatement.

Fading back to the present, the bluenette reciprocated Rachel's affection. Her hand tangled in a golden mane, deepening the kiss. To her surprise, she was met with more passion than expected.

When they finally broke apart for air, both girls were flushed. Their cheeks had taken on a shade of bright pink. Kind and loving hazel orbs met adoring blue ones, fixated. Neither set faltered. Seconds passed, then minutes. Silent until Chloe finally spoke up, slightly diffusing the intensity.

"Rachel. I'm not going to push you for anything you're not ready for, much less something I'm not really ready for myself, but I want you to know..." A chuckle slipped from her lips, replaced soon with a grin as her hand slowly came back down to her chair, allowing Rachel to stand up. "That I definitely want you - all of you - when we're both ready."

The blonde tutted playfully, deciding to put on a little act inspired by some of the period pieces they'd been watching on Netflix recently. "Chloe! How could you say such a thing to an innocent young maiden such as myself?!" She raised her hand to her mouth with a mock gasp of indignant shock. "Surely you must know such things are talk of sinners!"

Her voice had shifted to the best british accent she could muster but soon broke into a fit of giggles, unable to keep up the charade in the face of Chloe's faux-serious expression.

"Let me bed you then, wench. I'll make a woman out of you!" came a pirate-themed reply, earning more laughter - a truly magical sound coming from the true actress - as the two girls made their way to their room for the night.

The morning couldn't come soon enough.


09:07, Wednesday 25th, December 2013 - The Apartment:

Both girls woke to the sound of their phone ringtones. Rachel's played an upbeat pop song, Chloe's a darker rock tune - one that had helped her through tough times. Grumbling loudly at the interruption from once peaceful sleep, they fumbled around and grabbed their phones.

The bluenette's call came from her mom.

The blonde's from her dad.

"Hey Mom. Merry Christmas," Chloe answered, still groggy.

"Hi Dad!" Rachel put the phone up to her ear, unnaturally cheery for having just woken up. "Merry Christmas to you too!"

Both girls slowly turned themselves, joints popping and bed creaking as they sat up, reaching around to find shirts and pants.

"How's Mom? I definitely am missing her Christmas dinners." The model turned to look at her girlfriend, rolling her eyes dramatically.

Rachel's relationship with her father never improved since she found out about Sera all those years ago. They simply got better at faking it for Rose's sake.

"Is David doing okay?" Chloe's concern for her stepfather garnered a raised eyebrow.

In the months since the incident, she'd seen the bluenette grow increasingly more accepting of the man that her mother had married. It seemed that having come so close to death, combined with the fact that David had been the one to save them in the end, had made an impression that couldn't be ignored.

"I meant to say thank you, by the way, for the presents you sent," Rachel mentioned, quickly following up, "We haven't opened them yet. We actually just woke up."

Both girls made their way - once Chloe was in her chair - towards the kitchen, still on their phones.

"Yes mom, we're up. We actually just woke up when you called, actually."

The wheelchair-bound girl opened the fridge, pulling out the orange juice and the milk, while the model - angelic even in this just awoken state - reached into a higher cabinet and pulled out the cereal boxes each girl liked best.

"Yes Mom... I promise, Mom. I promise I'll call you next week."

"Yes Dad. Tell Mom I said I love her."

"Love you too, Mom. Tell David I said Hi."

"Bye Dad."

"Bye Mom."

Both girls finally put their phones down, hanging up on the calls. Their separate gazes met, a slight twinkle in their eyes.

Then they both broke into laughter.

"I can't believe..." the punk gasped for breath between fits of laughter, "that they both called at the same time!"

"Well, good morning to you too, love," the blonde giggled, reaching out across the table to take her girlfriend's hand. "Did you sleep well?"

Finally sitting up straight, a grin still on her face. "I slept pretty decently. Though someone..." The bluenette put a mock angry face on, glaring playfully. "Someone kept hogging the blankets."

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Hazel eyes glinted mischievously, hinting at a playfulness that was refreshing to see.

The punk leveled an accusing finger at her partner. "That's what they all say… won't hold up in court."

"Good luck trying to find a judge willing to try that case. Seems like more of a Jerry Springer episode to me." Taking her hands back and crossing her arms, the model looked away, pretending to be offended.

"Because either of us are actually trashy enough to go on Jerry Springer." Chloe rolled her eyes, remembering when some plebian of Arcadia had managed to get on the reality show, only to find it to be scripted. Realizing that there was no winning the discussion with her counterpart, the wheelchair-bound girl huffed, picking up a box of cereal and pouring it into the bowl in front of her. "Fine... You win..."

After both girls had gone through their breakfast, with minimal conversation taking place as they were still mostly asleep. When they finally finished their meals, the blonde took their dishes and set them in the sink, turning back to the punk.

"So, I think we can leave the presents for next year, don't you think?" The joking tone the model had used appeared to go entirely over her partner's head, as she was met with a much more legitimate glare - one that could've killed under other circumstances.

"Or maybe we can do them now."

The girls made their way to the living room. Chloe opted to stay in her chair to move around and bring presents up, letting Rachel relax on the couch.

"So, who should start? And do you want to start with stuff from family first?" the punk questioned.

"I think family first would be good. We can save the best ones for last then," the blonde smiled, watching the bluenette roll over to the pile of presents that had been labeled as from their respective parents.

From her own, Rachel had received a few books on Shakespeare and guides to launching an acting career. From Joyce and David she'd received a sweater that had printed across it "World's best daughter." Raising a curious eyebrow, the blonde held up the sweater to show Chloe, who turned a bright pink all of a sudden.

"Am I missing some crucial piece of information here?" she asked, wondering if perhaps Chloe's parents had accidentally labeled the presents incorrectly.

Chloe went on to open her own presents, ignoring the pointed question to find a set of Sherry glasses from Rachel's parents. That elicited a snort and laugh all at once as she recalled the insane night that she'd first met the blonde's eccentric family. Her mom had sent something somewhat larger, which left her confused. Upon opening it, the confusion only increased as she found herself staring at what could only be cat care supplies, accompanied by a note.

Dear Chloe and Rachel,

When we were last at your place, we absolutely loved the

atmosphere of it, but felt that it might be missing just a little

bit more life. So, here's a little inspiration on what might bring

you both immense amounts of happiness.

Love,

Joyce and David

The girls looked at each other, then back at the supplies, and back at each other again.

"Well, I guess we're getting a cat then..."

It had been a long time since Chloe had a pet. Ever since Bongo died, run over by a car, she hadn't really wanted any more. Especially after the rest of that year's tragedies. Still, she did miss it. A lot.

"I… guess so," she replied, allowing a slight smile to tug at her lips. "Shit, it's been a while."

"Well, I've never actually had a pet," the blonde admitted. "So, I'll be relying on you at first."

"Relying on me to take care of something…" Chloe's mind wandered back to three years ago. The poor plant in her room. One she had poured soda on in a pathetic attempt to revive it. "Right, because that's gonna work out well."

Rachel shook her head. "It'll work out fine, Price. Trust me."

The bluenette did trust her… enough to suspend her own belief for now. "Okay, okay. You've twisted my arm. But my only condition: we get one from a pet shelter."

"Well duh," Rachel smiled cheekily. "That's the only kind of pet that would fit in here."

"I feel like that's a subtle dig at me somehow…" Chloe narrowed her eyes.

"It wasn't meant as a bad thing." The blonde took a deep breath. "We've both had it… rough so it only makes sense to give whatever pet we choose another chance. A better chance. And besides, I rely on you, and you do a fantastic job of taking care of me. I'm sure I'm more work than a cat."

Glancing back up at the hazel-eyed angel, the punk sighed, accepting her fate. "You do have a point. And you are a pain in the ass to take care of." She finished her statement by sticking out her tongue, which prompted the blonde to lean forward and kiss her.

When they stopped, the girls looked back at the small pile of remaining unopened presents. Standing up, Rachel moved over to the massive box she'd had to lug around the apartment in secret. She pulled it out far enough to give the wheelchair-bound bluenette access to all sides.

Once moved, she stood back, giving a small bow and giggling. "You first."

The punk raised an intrigued eyebrow, not at all sure of what the gift could possibly be. Maybe her mom had suggested the whole cat thing to Rachel in private and this was a cat tree? She began to tear at the wrapping paper, finding instead a wooden crate beneath. All of the shipping labels appeared to have been ripped off, giving her no indication of the contents. The crate did however present one problem.

"Hey babe, it's great you got me a box and all but... how exactly am I supposed to open i-" Her sentence was interrupted by a crowbar being set in her lap and the blonde stepping back away. "Oh, well, that works."

Wedging the edge of the bar into the space between the front and the rest of the crate, she shoved using her full weight and her months' worth of highly developed upper body strength.

As the front swung open, a distinct gasp escaped the lips of the handicapped girl.

"Rach... I thought... I thought this thing wasn't ready for another couple of months!"

Inside the crate was the mechanism that Ryan had detailed months prior, when the prospect of walking again had been brought up. It would reach up to her waist and would encase her legs, allowing more autonomy than she had garnered on her own in the last nine months.

Rolling aside, she let Rachel slide the device out of the crate so that they might get it onto the punk.

"I talked to Ryan and he said that it was ready ahead of time. I figured there probably wasn't much better of a gift that I could give you than the chance to walk as normally as possible again."

The blonde turned away, hiding her tears of joy. It was all too much, knowing that in moments she would witness a true miracle. Chloe Price - the woman who meant the most to her in all the world - able to walk again.

Chloe shifted herself out of her chair and onto the couch, making it easier to slide the mechanism on, while Rachel brought it over, sitting it down onto the couch beside the bluenette. She then reached over, taking hold of her girlfriend's upper body, and lifting her up, while Chloe held onto her legs to keep them from snagging. Between both of their efforts, the punk found herself sitting in the contraption, while she tightened down some of the straps to keep herself from sliding out of it.

When they were both sure that everything was as tight as safely possible - which had included a quick check of the included manual - the blonde stepped back, giving Chloe the space she needed to attempt to stand up.

"Well, here goes nothing." The bluenette put her hands out to either side of herself and pushed up, not having expected the system to spring forward somewhat to assist with standing up.

"Oh, fuck!"

The cry was less of alarm, more of excitement as she balanced herself out, standing mostly of her own power for the first time since that night. Chloe took a tentative step, reaching out with her left leg. As she moved forward, the frame provided a decent bit of support and balance.

Looking back with tears of her own in her eyes at the blonde, she decided to make use of her regained abilities. Wasting little time, she closed the gap herself, lunging into her girlfriend and embracing her as tightly as she could while they melted into a long, passionate kiss.

When they finally broke for air, the bluenette left one more kiss on the blonde's forehead, whispering softly. "I love you, Rachel. More than I can ever put into words. I can never thank you enough for what you've given me. It's not just the mechanism, but it's been the support and love that has never faltered. Not once since this whole mess started. I have never needed you more, and you've never been there for me more." The girls separated slightly and Chloe glanced over at the pile of presents. "Can you do me one favor? Go grab that little box off the top of your pile."

The way Chloe said that coupled with the box her eyes were currently fixed on made her freeze. When she finally shook herself back to reality, her body moved of its own accord towards the pile. Picking up the small box, she walked back over to Chloe and handed it over. The punk took it, making light work of the wrapping paper.

"Chloe what are you…?" Her question was cut short.

As the bluenette dropped suddenly to one knee.

"Rachel Dawn Amber. You have stood by my side since the day I met you. You have walked through hell and back with me, and you make my every waking moment worth living. I know that we haven't been dating for very long, but I feel like our friendship transcends what's normal. Goes beyond just friendship. I have loved you since the day I met you... and I don't think it's possible for me to ever stop loving you. So, I will ask you this one question."

Rachel's hands went to cover her mouth. She was utterly speechless. Stuck somewhere between wanting to cry and to laugh or just to scream in joy. Tears streamed freely down her face, such a raw flow of emotion running through her.

"Will you marry me, Rachel?" Chloe finished, opening the small box to reveal a ring.

The white gold band was modest, yet perfect. It held the central light-blue diamond firmly between a set of vibrant rubies, with what looked like olive branches etched into the metal.

"Yes. Yes! Oh Chloe, absolutely yes!" The once actress wasn't giving a show this time. This was real. This was as true as could possibly be. "I love you too, Chloe Elizabeth Price, and I never, ever want to lose you. I would like nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you."

She kneeled down as well, wrapping her arms around the bluenette, lips crashing together over and over. When she finally stood up, Chloe took her hand. Having removed the ring from the box, she slid the ring onto her finger, letting it settle perfectly in place.

Which made the sudden sound of the door buzzer that much more of a shock to the both of them.

"Oh come on! Who interrupts Christmas morning?!" the bluenette grumbled, going to stand up and finding a slight problem. It seemed that something had locked into place when she'd gone to kneel, keeping her stuck. "Uh, babe? A hand please?"

Rachel got back down to look for a latch of some sort, but the buzzer went off again. Impatient.

Looking back towards the doorway, she sighed loudly. "Hang on babe, let me get the door real quick, I'll be back to help in just a second."

Standing up, the blonde kept looking back towards the living room, chuckling softly at the curses coming from the punk still trying to unlock whatever had gotten stuck. She glanced down at her ring as she opened the door, not bothering for a moment to look at who it was.

"Yes? What can I possibly do for…?" Her words caught in her throat as she finally looked up, immediately recognizing the person standing on the other side of the door.

From behind her in the living room Chloe called out, still unable to move. "Babe, who is it? Someone we know?"

The question however wasn't answered, in favor of a different question being asked of the newcomer.

"Mom?"


Author's Notes:

*Dun dun dunnnnn*

-TjwCroft/Tom

*And got there, phew. Next one should be an interesting one...*

-NYCP