Protector

Disclaimer: I do not own any parts of Life is Strange. Please excuse any spelling mistakes/errors. I try my best. I'm always open to ideas and comments, so if you have an idea of where you think the story should do shoot me a PM or write it in a review. It just might find its way into the story.

General Trigger Warning: Max talks about her rape this chapter as well as her self-harm a bit and it goes a little into her head on that part. As always, if you need an alternate chapter I can do that. I can also post two versions if it's wanted. One for people who aren't triggered and one for people who may have issues. This will be one of the last mentions of these topics until we reach Thanksgiving.


Chapter 11: Truth
Monday November 11, 2013

Max took in a shaky breath as she watched Chloe's eyes move back and forth, reading all the messages from her uncle. All of them made reference to what happened the night before she left Seattle, and she saw the realization cross her lover's face the farther she got down in the messages before the blunette looked up at her.

"What the fuck? This better not mean what I think it means, Max, or he's gonna die when they come down for Thanksgiving. A rapist is not staying at my house. And you didn't tell your parents? Or the police? Why?" Chloe asked, handing Max's phone back to her. She figured that Chloe would ask a landslide of questions, and it never really felt like it would be as difficult as it was for her to answer them.

"It means exactly that, Che... That's why I've been acting weird. That last one. It's really unnerving for me to really admit that he's going to be here again and that it might happen... That he'll..." She took in a deep breath to calm herself. "I didn't tell anyone, because I don't think they'll listen... I'm the kid with Asperger's who doesn't fully understand everything. That's the way I sometimes come off to people, y'know? It's stupid because I'm not even that bad, and haven't been that bad since I was a kid, but it's still hard. Plus, what if I do tell them and then they don't believe me? What then? I deal with the fact that I have to have my abuser around and that what happened got pushed aside... I can't do that... I can't..."

She could see the rage building behind Chloe's eyes, and it honestly scared her a little. She knew that the rage wasn't geared toward her and it was more toward her uncle than anyone else, but it still unnerved her to see Chloe that angry and yet calm. You would have to really know Chloe to be able to tell the subtle difference in her face hiding that she was boiling beneath the surface, but it was as obvious as the fact that the grass is green.

"I just don't know what to do, Che... I'm so scared of him, because I know that those aren't idle threats... He isn't just making them to sound tough and to scare me... He's saying that because that's what he plans to do... He's planning it, and that terrifies me... I don't even want to see my parents, because it means being around and seeing him and I just can't... I don't know what to do..." The stronger front that she'd put up was starting to crumble, and she could feel it rising. All the pressure of everything was beginning to get to be too much again... That's why she'd hurt herself in the first place because it helped to relieve some of the pressure was feeling.

Chloe started pacing which caused Max even more anxiety. She knew that Chloe was angry at her uncle for what he did, but did that mean that she didn't see her as damaged? One of the many things that had been drilled into her thoughts and mind was that if any potential love interest found out about what happened, they'd just toss her to the side because that means she isn't as good as others. It was one of the many reasons she didn't tell Chloe in the beginning. She didn't want her to see her in a bad light. In a way that would make her leave her...

"We need to come up with a plan to get him caught, Max. Some way so that he'll get put behind bars and away from you. It's just gonna take a lot of planning and time, which we don't really have. Thanksgiving is in two weeks. That means we have two weeks to come up with a plan to get that asshole behind bars or something. But we can do it, Max. And I'll protect you from him, don't you worry. If it helps, I can camp out in your dorm room. After I got expelled, Rachel always helped me to sneak in, so there's no issue there. I know how to get in and keep it secret. Plus, David works here and maybe he'll help if I mention it's something for you and I'm extra nice the next couple weeks. But no matter what, Max, I promise that I'll stay by your side the whole time that they're visiting. I won't leave you even for a second, and yes that means you're coming to the bathroom with me and I with you. We can turn around for each other if you're not comfortable," Chloe said then sat next to Max and hugged her tightly, kissing the top of her head.

Just being there in Chloe's arms brought her more comfort than she had felt in such a long time. Hearing Chloe talk about a plan to get her uncle caught and having told her about everything, it brought a relief through her that she hadn't even imagined when she first steeled herself to tell Chloe about everything. There was comfort and safety in knowing that her lover was going to be there for her and take care of her and do everything in her power to help her put the man who wronged her behind bars. As all these emotions washed through her, she buried her face in Chloe's shoulder and just let everything out. All her pent up feelings that she'd been hiding for so long and her fears that had given quite a few nightmares.

Chloe sat there silently holding her girlfriend, rubbing her back and softly shushing her and whispering sweet things in her ear to calm her. Just sitting there letting everything out and having Chloe be there really helped Max a lot. People talk about feeling like there's a huge weight off their shoulder and this was definitely that kind of moment for her.

"Classes are over for the day, so why don't we get you cleaned up a bit and go grab a bite to eat at the Two Whales. My treat. And I think it'll be good for you anyway to get outta here for awhile and just forget things. Plus it's something fun that the two of us can do together and we don't have to worry about everyone else here. Oh, and you can sleep over at my house if you want. I'm sure Mom won't mind and if David minds he can suck it," Chloe said, making Max smile for a brief moment.

Max weighed the idea in her head and after short consideration nodded. She really needed to just get out for a bit and maybe it'd help bring the two even closer than they were now. It was stupid to think about the future for them right now with their relationship so brand new, but Max hoped that they would be married with kids one day, and that hope for a future like that kept her going a bit. Even if it didn't end up being with Chloe, though she really hoped it did, that's what she wanted for herself. Even though now really sucked, she held tight to the fact that the future wouldn't be as bad as this.

After getting cleaned up and putting on her jacket, the two headed out of her dorm room to be greeted to Victoria and her two lackeys. And it was pretty obvious by the look she was giving the two of them that she was not in a good mood at all.

"Oh look," Victoria sneered, jabbing a thumb at the two. "Punk bitch and selfie whore, together again.

Max looked away down the hallway, trying to ignore her and drag Chloe along, but Victoria had ignited the blunette's rage, and there was no saving her from that.

"Listen here, Chase," Chloe spat, getting up in the slightly shorter girl's face and glaring at her. "You talk to either of us that way again, and you're gonna need your face reconstructed. I don't care who you think you are to be being such a bitch, but back the fuck off and step away."

"You stepped up to me, Price. So why don't you back off? And take your daddy issues somewhere else. It isn't cute," Victoria bit back, the two almost forehead to forehead. It slipped Max's mind a lot that Chloe had gone to school here before she'd arrived. And of course she'd have just as much issues with Victoria as Max did presently.

What she wasn't expecting, though, was Chloe backing up a bit and slamming Victoria in the face with her fist. That was a pretty big surprise. Max pulled Chloe back before she could get another hit in and took the glare from Victoria. She pulled the blunette away quickly before anything else could go wrong and left out the doors.

"Why'd you do that, Che? She's gonna complain to the principal and you're gonna get banned from campus or something," Max asked as they walked away, past all the other people.

"Yeah, well bitch hella deserved it. She was horrible when I went here and she's obviously not changed much from then. I had to be nice to her back when I was with Rachel, because they're friends. But now? I don't have anything holding me back from popping a bitch in the face. So that's what happened. And you can't even imagine how incredibly good that felt. And you know as well as I do that she deserved it. So don't even try and lie and say you didn't," Chloe said with a grin, getting to her truck.

"Yeah, yeah, Che. I still don't agree with you punching her in the face, though. She deserved it, but I still don't think it was the right thing to do. She wanted to get a rise out of us, and you just gave her what she wanted. Kill 'em with kindness, Che. Kill 'em with kindness." Max chuckled a little as Chloe groaned.

"Okaaaaaaay, Mooooooom," Chloe smirked, kissing Max's cheek and starting her truck up. "Gosh, Mom would love having you around and probably wishes you were around when I was in school at Blackwell. You would've kept my ass in line, and she'd have loved it."

"If I'd still been around, you might not even be the awesome Chloe that you are today, Che. I mean, let's say I'd stayed instead of moving. Lived with you guys in that guest room or in your room. You probably wouldn't have gone all punk princess, and you wouldn't have made friends with Rachel. You would still be at school at Blackwell, because I definitely would've kept you in line. You probably wouldn't have your hella amazing arm tattoo. I mean, just think about all the things that would be different if you and I had stayed friends. Even if I'd moved, I still would've tried to keep you in line from Seattle. And I would've visited on weekends when I could. And on holidays. You wouldn't be who you are today if we'd stayed friends for those five years. So really, I think we should be grateful a bit. Because I know you love who you are now, and I do too. Even if you are different, it doesn't mean that you're a bad different. And I'm sure your mom, when you're not being a belligerent teenager, feels the same way," Max said, looking at the amazement on Chloe's face at her little speech.

"I guess you're right, but at least I would have been able to protect you from your uncle. Get you to see that what he was doing was wrong before it lead up to what he did. I just, I dunno. I wanted to be there for you, y'know? I love you to death, Max. Always have. You're my best friend, my first mate, and hopefully my soulmate. And I don't want to lose you," Chloe said, looking over quickly to give her a small smile. "You're my rock."

"Aww, Che. Look at you getting all sentimental. I was expecting a bit of yin to your yang, though. Cuz we kinda are, if you really look. We're opposites to each other that kind of just fit together perfectly. And I love it. And I love you. No matter what, Chloe, I'm not gonna let anything separate us ever again. If I'm feeling down and depressed, I'm calling you first thing. Especially now that I can be honest about everything that's going on in my life. Oh, and when I tell Kate and Dana, I want you there... I don't know if I'll ever tell Warren, but I know I'm telling those two," Max said, scooting over and resting her head on Chloe's shoulder.

"Well ya know, Maxaroon, I've always got your back just like I know you've always got mine," Chloe said, resting her head on Max's for a second with a smile. "I never thought in a million years that I'd get to be here with you like this. But here we are. And you're mine now, which means I'm protecting you with everything I've got. Even from icky Vicky. Which totally absolves me from any wrongdoing by punching her in the face," Chloe grinned impishly, pulling into the Two Whales.

"Wow, Che. Absolved. You used a big kid word," Max giggled as she got a light smack on the arm with a laugh from Chloe.

"I don't always talk like a kid, y'know," she said getting out of her truck and getting the door for Max. "And just so you know, tomorrow you're getting hella spoiled."


A/N: So this took me longer than I expected due to spring break this week for my siblings. I was hoping to get two chapters out this week, but my siblings were home which means that I didn't get much peace and quiet time. Lolz My plan for total chapters for this is 22 or so. So we're about halfway there. :)Unless I can come up with more ideas, which if I'm being honest I'm kinda running dry a bit on. That's another reason that chapters have been a bit slower. I'm bad at idea planning... But! There are going to be epilogue chapters that will detail their lives after the story. :) So you can look forward to that. ^-^

Anywho! Don't forget to leave a review! They're what keeps me going. :)