Max and Chloe joined the younger girl's parents in the kitchen for breakfast, for the first time since they'd returned over a week earlier. Ryan and Vanessa hadn't seen much of the girls since they got back. They'd kept to themselves for the most part. Max would come down to collect some supplies every now and again, or they'd watch her drag her begrudging friend outside for a walk to get some fresh air. Or smoke, as it was in Chloe's case. She'd taken to climbing out Max's window and sitting on the garage roof, but Max knew the walks and the change of scenery would help her friend. "How are you girls doing?" Vanessa asked handing two big plates of bacon and eggs to the hungry girls. It was apparent in their faces that they were slowly coming to terms with whatever it was that they'd seen together. Those poor girl's have taken the storm really hard, Vanessa thought as she looked at her daughter. She looks so much older now. Still her delicate little daughter, but now more sagacious and mature. Beyond her years.
"We're doing ok. Getting there." It was the first time that Max felt as though she could answer a question like that with any semblance of truth. Thankfully, after the initial bluster of emotion at their homecoming, Max's parents had known well enough that asking them would only bring back too many bad memories. They'd wanted to, constantly, of course. It was such a relief to them both to be able to finally get to spend some time with their daughter and it was the little bit of comfort that they themselves had both needed throughout the whole ordeal. The physical effects of the tornado were atypically small and localised, but the emotional ones had far greater reach. The two girls, unbeknownst to anyone but them, had survived it's very epicentre and they found it awkward at times, only being able to tell a part of the story. A relatively small part, compared to all the events of that traumatic week. They would catch themselves before starting to mention one of the numerous life-or-death, time-travelling moments which would be beyond any reasonable explanation.
~oOo~
When breakfast was finished, Max broached what she knew was going to be an uncomfortable subject. "Mom, dad. Chloe and I are going to Portland." It wasn't totally unexpected, of course. Max had told her parents about Joyce's condition and that she was being moved there the night before. They couldn't help but be a little disappointed to lose Max again so soon, but they could tell that she and her friend had become inseparable since the storm. To be honest, they had always felt guilty for taking Max to Seattle five years ago, but it was a move necessitated by work. The two had seemed bound to each other even then and taking Max away right when William died, well that only made them feel all that much worse. They would often ask Max how Chloe was doing and when she was unable to tell them, they'd always urge her to call, or write. It surprised them when Max never did. They knew it came down mostly to their daughter's own insecurities, but they always expected she would get over it and eventually the two would be close again. Nobody had a clue how many crazy events would have to transpire for that seemingly simple event to occur. And now they truly were inseparable.
"Of course, darling. We understand." Ryan said smiling at both of them.
"You know that you're both welcome here for as long as you want...whenever you want," Vanessa added, looking more specifically at Chloe.
The blue-haired girl smiled back warmly, "Thank you...for everything, both of you." Her eyes glazed over a little and her voice lacked some of it's usual strength, but there was a levity behind her words. "Thanks for giving me a home. Before...and now. You guys totally rock. And I'll take good care of Max, I promise."
Ryan grinned before ceremoniously announcing, "Well in that case, whilst we're going to hate see Max leave...Chloe Price, you have my blessing to take our daughter." A flush of embarrassment washed over Chloe, which happily for her she'd managed to keep to herself, as she read something totally unintended into Ryan's usual corniness.
Mustering more and more of her brash self again, Chloe uttered a cheesy "Thanks...Dad!" Ryan laughed heartily at the continuation of his joke. Chloe laughed for a slightly different reason. Max's laugh fell somewhere awkwardly in-between.
~oOo~
The girls went upstairs to pack their things for the road ahead. Chloe's job was easy. Everything she had bought in the last week, nothing more and nothing less. She grabbed it all in a few bunched handfuls, stuffing her clothes roughly into one of the suitcases that Vanessa had grabbed for them. She wasn't the sort of person to separate and fold. She was the polar opposite. Throw everything in until nothing else fits and leave the rest behind.
Max was folding a shirt as Chloe zipped her suitcase closed. She had barely started to pack. "Well shit Barbie, come on!" Chloe teased.
"Piss off!" Max gave her a hurt look, "Just because I never learnt the famous Chloe-Price-method of packing stuff,"
The older girl sprung over to her friend and grabbed one of her T-shirts, "Here, I'll teach you if you like." she said scrunching the shirt in her hands.
"I've survived this long without it." Max said, playfully snatching the shirt from her friend before proceeding to fold it again. Chloe spryly ran over to Max's wardrobe and the next thing Max felt was a T-shirt hitting her in the face. "Chloe! Shit!" she said as she dropped the shirt that she was still trying in vain to fold. Max removed the shroud from where it hung over her face. Purple.
"Don't forget to take that old fav'" Chloe smirked as Max looked down at her old 'No Fucks Given' shirt.
"Seriously, Chloe? Again?"
Her friend laughed quickly and added "Just do it, pirate!" Well done, Max! She's never going to let you live this one down, she thought to herself as she scrunched her old shirt before conspicuously throwing it into her bag. "Now you're getting the hang of it!" Chloe was obviously enjoying the merciless teasing of her best friend. She had more confidence to do it now than she'd dared allow herself before.
~oOo~
With their belongings packed in two large, matching suitcases, the girls headed downstairs. Max's parents were both there ready to see them off and Ryan smiled as he opened the door for Chloe and his daughter who was closely behind. Vanessa followed the girls out to the car, tears in her eyes but happy to see them together. "Your father and I...wanted to help you two out," she said to Max, but addressing them both equally, "so I hope you don't mind, but we thought we'd find an apartment near the hospital for you." Neither Max nor Chloe knew quite what to say. "It's small, but we paid a deposit and if you want to stay there, we said we'd rent it for a month." The girls hadn't quite planned ahead as far as their accommodation was concerned. They were going to Portland to see Joyce, probably to rent a room in the cheapest, dingiest motel they could find. Now they'd have a temporary little place to call home.
"No, I couldn't...we couldn't-" Chloe began before being abruptly shut down by Ryan's booming voice.
"Don't you even think of protesting, Ms. Price! Either of you." Max ran over and hugged her father. Chloe grabbed both of them. Vanessa, not missing an opportunity for a Caulfield bear-hug, raced over and threw her arms over the group, making the whole thing appear melodramatic.
Once the four had said their goodbyes, the two girls once again jumped into Chloe's truck and looked across at each. It didn't feel like any time at all had passed since they were hopping into the cabin amidst a cataclysm of destruction. At the same time it felt like a lifetime had been shared by the two since the events of that fateful week. They both shared a smile, warm and reassuring, before turning that smile to Ryan and Vanessa. Max waved and Chloe flashed them a peace sign before starting the engine, which rattled dutifully to life once again. Reversing out of the driveway and onto the street, they yelled goodbye through the truck's opened windows and were on the road again.