A/N: Bonus chapter! Also for those interested, I am currently writing a sequel!


Epilogue


One month later

Everything was normal. Or at least, it was supposed to be that way. Today was the last day of school before everyone would be let out on a month-long winter break. Some students left school early, while others ditched the last day entirely. But other than the lower attendance of the day, everything seemed normal.

Students at their lockers lined the hallways, teachers discussing make-up tests in doorways, and Max Caulfield stood in the middle of it all. In passing she recognized the various faces around school. Dana was at her locker, deep in conversation with Trevor. Victoria and her posse sauntered down the hall, drawing the gaze of many onlookers. As they passed by Max, Victoria nearly faltered to pause and say hello, but for the sake of her image continued down the hall without a second glance. Max nearly burst out laughing.

A voice behind her startled her. "What's so funny?"

Max spun around, not realizing she wore her amusement on her sleeve. It was Warren.

"Oh, nothing."

Warren shrugged. "Whatever you say. And by the way, the new car? Not bad. I mean, I told you to not worry about it, but still…" he grinned.

Max was taken aback. "What new car?"

Warren paused. He stammered, "Ah…uh, the one I drive around now after you crashed my first one?"

"I didn't…wait, you think I bought you a car?" Max asked stunned.

"No, no!" Warren laughed. "Not you. I just figured you talked to your lawyer friend to pull some strings or something."

"Warren…she's gone," Max said softly.

Warren's expression sank. "Oh. Ah, shit. I'm sorry, I totally…but if you didn't pull strings for my car, then who did?"

"What are you talking about?" Max asked confused.

"Here, just come and take a look," Warren said as he motioned for Max to follow him.

Outside in the parking lot Warren pulled out the keys to his new car. Gazing out at the sea of vehicles, Max was stunned when Warren pressed the unlock button his key fob and a shiny blue sports car responded. The sleek two-seater chirped as the door unlocked and Warren opened it to reveal an all-black leather interior with hardwood accents. Max was not a car person by far, but she knew that this machine must have cost at least twenty-five thousand dollars, if not more. Warren seemed to almost salivate at the sight of the car, which confirmed to Max that this must have happened recently.

"What…how-?" Max couldn't find the right question to ask.

Warren nodded in agreement emphatically. "That's exactly what I said. Imagine waking up to this monster sitting in the driveway!"

"You don't know how it got there? Or who bought it for you?"

"Well it did come with a note. It just said, 'Thanks for your help'."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

Max didn't know what to say. Of course she was glad that Warren had a new car to replace the one she wrecked. But this grand demonstration of a gift wasn't something she should take lightly. Someone out there had seen fit to drop a $25,000 gift with seemingly little effort at all. Someone like that must be powerful.

"The note said you helped. Helped with what?"

Warren shrugged. "I dunno. The case?"

Max thought about the implications of someone involved with the case lending a favor to Warren. Given that the media barely approached her, it was clear that her involvement with the case was largely unknown. By extension, even fewer people could have possibly found out about Warren's involvement as well, though the note made it seem like someone out there knew. It had to be someone close. The fact that she didn't know this person worried her.

Warren could see Max's thought process and her worry written out on her face. He offered consolation, "Hey, don't sweat it! There's a lot worse ways to threaten someone than buying them a car."

Max sighed but resigned her fears. "Alright," she said finally. "But any more weird gifts or thank-you notes, and you tell me right away, got it?"

Warren laughed. "If only I was so lucky."

Max sat through her last photography class before winter break, disappointed and distracted. With both Jefferson and Mr. Gale gone, Blackwell was starting to run out of photography teachers. Eventually they had settled for a taller blonde woman known to the students only as Ms. Alison. Little was known about her, except for the fact that she didn't specialize in photography. The class was being restructured into a more general art class, which drew backlash from students and their families alike. For many like Max, Mark Jefferson and his famed photography was the sole reason for enrolling in this expensive exclusive school. Now that the draw was lost, few saw any point in staying.

In the wake of the events surrounding Mark Jefferson, Max had nearly forgotten about her photo-centric aspirations. Without a mentor of some sort, she felt lost. What did the future have in store for her? Who would guide her as she attempted to make her mark on the world art and photography? With college applications looming on the horizon, these questions would have to be answered, and answered soon.

The bell rung and the class skittered out of the room in clumps. Max was once again at her locker, putting away her books for the long winter break. As she opened her locker door, a small note fell out. She picked up the note and turned it over, where she found a phone number and a single printed line, 'Thanks for your help'.". Her heart raced as she pieced together what it was. This must be the same note that Warren got! But Warren never mentioned a phone number and there didn't seem to be a gift of any sort. She dug around her locker to make sure, and even looked over and under the lockers. She glanced around the hallway nervously, but saw only other students in their routine hustle and bustle. She pocketed the note and went back to her dorm to pack her bags.

A few minutes later and Chloe sat in her truck out in the parking lot, waiting anxiously for Max. Some of the students passing by ogled and gaped at the now-famously undead girl casually chilling in her car. To some of them, Chloe held up a single finger. She rolled her eyes as they scattered.

Max appeared at the entrance of the parking lot with her duffel slung over her shoulder. Chloe noticed instantly and shouted a greeting out the window. Max hurried down the stairs and threw her bag into the back, climbing into the seat next to her. They drove off.

"You got your snow gear, right?" Chloe asked.

Max grimaced. "If by snow gear you mean my heaviest jacket and my scarf, then yes. If you mean a giant snowboard I'm supposed to keep in my dorm room, then no."

"I already told you, we can rent snowboards when we get there. But we will have to get you boots," she added. "Excited?" she asked with a huge grin.

"Hella excited," Max agreed.

Chloe laughed. "You know you can't just throw in hella everywhere and expect it to work, right?"

Max frowned. "What do you mean? Am I not doing it right?"

Chloe smiled and turned her sights to the road ahead, giving no answer.

Max sat on Chloe's bed as Chloe moved around the room, packing various things to bring for their trip. She lay her heaviest jackets out next to Max as she rifled through her closet for the rest of her clothes. Max was fiddling with the gloves Chloe had dug out of her drawer, trying them on and adjusting the various parts.

"Hey, look!" she said, tearing open a pouch on the back of the glove. "What are these for?"

"Handwarmers," Chloe said after taking a quick glance and returning to her closet. Max returned a quiet, "Oh." She closed the velcro pouch.

"Shit…" Chloe muttered.

"What is it?"

Chloe left the closet and started digging through some boxes. "Scotch guard. It's good for waterproofing clothes and the like. I can't find it. It's probably in the garage…" she said to herself. "I'll ask David."

"Glad to see you're calling your stepdad by his first name," Max offered cheekily.

"Sergeant Step-douche has too many syllables," Chloe explained dryly with a smirk. "On a serious note though, we've been getting along a lot more. We even had a civilized conversation about the possibility of sending me to an automechanic school."

Max's eyes widened in surprise. "What?" she exclaimed.

Chloe looked almost embarrassed. "I know, right? I've never held a conversation with him for that long where it wasn't just him lecturing or me cussing him out."

"No, the part about the automechanic school," Max shook her head. "I know you mentioned it before, but you're actually considering it?"

Chloe shrugged casually. "David said I'm good with cars and I kinda enjoy it. I'm sure as hell not working at the Two Whales. I'd eat half the food I was supposed to serve," she scoffed. Quieter, she added, "Plus, I don't think I'm charming enough to be a waitress."

The corners of Max's mouth turned up as she fought to contain herself. Chloe noticed and clicked her tongue. "It was only a conversation. I'm still as lazy as they come, you remember?"

"I remember."

Chloe smirked, "But yes, I know that a second chance like this doesn't come around every day. I'll see if I can deal with more school. But what about you? Year's half over and then you'll be a 5th-year senior. Then you'll have to deal with college apps and all of that."

"I'm kinda lost, actually. The whole reason I came back to Arcadia Bay was for Blackwell and Mark Jefferson. And well…we know how that turned out," she said with a sour tone. "But the new substitute they got doesn't even specialize in photography. I knew that it would be hard enough to get a stable job as a photographer, but now I don't even have a teacher."

"You could always be a private investigator. Hell, you've already got the skills and experience to be a detective," Chloe said with a laugh.

Max gave an amused glance at Chloe. "Yeah, because I really want my wardrobe to be entirely made of trenchcoats and fedoras."

Chloe sized her up before replying, "I think you could pull off the look."

Max made a face as she disagreed. "That's a no on the trenchcoat, but if it's mystery you want, I think I've got my first case."

"Oh?"

Max produced the note and gave it to Chloe, who studied it.

"'Thanks for your help'? What's this?" she asked.

Max proceeded. "I found that in my locker after school. Warren got one just like it, except the phone number was replaced by car keys."

Chloe looked at Max in astonishment. "Car keys?" she repeated.

Max nodded, "I saw the car myself. It didn't look cheap."

"Holy shit. You're saying that someone bought Warren a car and…and you just got a phone number? Did you try calling it? Wait, scratch that. Here," she said digging through her desk and producing the flip phone she had purchased earlier. "This is the burner I bought. It's still got some minutes on it."

She tossed it to Max, who opened it hesitantly. "I have no idea who it could be," she said.

"The easiest way is to find out," Chloe stated the obvious. "And besides, if Warren got a car from his note, I could only imagine who would be on the line for you."

Max sighed as she agreed, punching in the number. Worst case scenario, it was a weird prank and all the other person got was the number of a burner phone. She dialed and pressed call.

The phone rang for a few moments before a male voice picked up on the other end.

"Hello, Max. I see you got my card."

His voice was smooth and calm and bore no hints of malintent. Though, villains were usually the smooth ones anyway.

Max exchanged nervous glances with Chloe. She swallowed before shakily replying, "H-hello? Who is this?"

"Alex Rogers," came the quick reply. The private investigator! Before Max could react, he continued, "I was wondering if you were free to meet tomorrow. I have a business proposition I think you'll be very interested in."

"I…" Max faltered. "I don't know. I mean, what's this about? Can you just tell me over the phone?"

There was a chuckle on the other end. "You saw the car I got Warren, right? Trust me, you're going to want to meet in person."

Max balked. "Don't tell me you got me a car," she said in disbelief.

"What? Sorry, I only got Warren the car because you crashed it. If you crashed your own car, I would've done the same for you."

"So what did you do?"

"Come to my office tomorrow and you'll see," he said before hanging up.

As the line clicked, Chloe looked at Max expectantly. Max looked at the card in her hands, unsure of what to do next.

"Well?" Chloe asked, breaking the silence.

"I've got to talk to him," she said.

"What?" Chloe said in disbelief. "He was totally dodging your question! And what if he just bought Warren the car to get to you?"

"Maybe he did," Max agreed solemnly. "But…Tamara. I have to talk to him for her sake. I need to…I don't know. I need to say something. I don't know…" she trailed off. "Can we stop there before we leave tomorrow?"

Chloe's expression softened as she nodded.

The office building was in the middle of a business park. Alex's rented space was on the 5th floor of the 12-story building. The building looked quite new and had a modern minimalistic design in the simple way the outside was marked by alternating windows and walls. They stretched far up into the sky, reflecting the sun at its highest point. Max and Chloe walked through the large lobby to the elevator, taking note of the directory. The fifth floor contained several other businesses, including a small law firm, a startup entrepreneurial business, and the management office of some travel agency. They took the elevator up.

Max drummed her thigh nervously as she waited for the car to reach the 5th floor. Chloe could sense her anxiety and held her hand, stopping her from her nervous tick. Max returned a weak smile but was still unsure of this meeting.

They reached Alex's office, where the door was already cracked open. Max pushed it in slowly, looking around for signs of anyone else. When they found none, Max began to worry even more. There was a desk facing the door that looked like it belonged to a secretary of some sort, but it was empty. Several chairs were lined up against the wall as a sort of waiting area, though they too were empty. Chloe was about to tell Max to leave when the one other door in the room swung open.

Alex stood in the doorway casually. "Max! And you must be Chloe. Come on in," he welcomed.

He pushed the door open more and went back to his seat. Max and Chloe were still out in the waiting room when he called to them again, "Max, I'd like to introduce you to my new secretary."

Max entered the room and was now face to face with a familiar blonde woman whose cold steely eyes she had grown to both hate, fear, and admire all at once.

"... who also happens to be my fiance," Alex finished with a lopsided grin.

Before her very eyes stood Tamara Nelson right next to Alex, beaming at Max, who froze in shock. Chloe's jaw dropped at once.

"Tamara?" Max said shakily.

"Hey, Max."

Max couldn't form a coherent sentence. "But you're...but the car! I saw it! I was there!"

Tamara chuckled. "Didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you? No, I have the state department to thank for this. They figured that the Foundation was going to try to kill me, so they did it first."

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Max said with elation.

"So am I, Max. So am I," Tamara agreed with a radiant smile.

"Told ya you would want to come here in person," Alex said with a wink. "Now, can we get started?"

Alex took a breath before settling into his seat, prompting Max to take the seat opposite him. He had his hands pressed together on top of his desk as he began to outline his proposition.

"So according to Tammy here-"

"Tamara," his fiance corrected hastily. Alex laughed as he begun again.

"So according to Tamara," he paused for emphasis, "You have quite the eye for detail, and given how you singlehandedly took down Sean Prescott's entire Foundation, you've also got a load of experience that shows you don't back down from a challenge. You're what, a senior now? And then you have an extra year at Blackwell where they're just starting to restructure their art program. That doesn't seem terribly promising."

"All that to say what, exactly?" Chloe pressed.

"How would you like to work as a private investigator?"

The question left Max speechless. Sure, school seemed almost meaningless when put in perspective of what she had just done over the past few weeks. And yes, her future at Blackwell didn't seem promising now that there was no longer the draw of a renowned photographer who could mentor and guide her into a steady career in the arts. But to abandon the dream completely and work as an investigator?

"I…I don't know," Max paused.

Alex continued, "I need a crime scene photographer. I need someone who can not only capture the fine details, but see them in connection to the big picture. You would still go to school, of course. Think of this more as a part time job, or an internship even. Now I know it's not artsy or anything, but it can provide valuable photography experience for someone trying to build a resume."

"You're being serious?" Max stated skeptically, as more of a question.

Alex frowned. "Yes…?" he replied slowly. "Why wouldn't I be serious? I've seen what you can do and I think you've got the chops to be a real detective. This is a job offer, Max."

Max took a deep breath. "And how long does the offer stand?"

Alex shrugged. "As long as I want it to. But that doesn't mean forever," he added with caution.

"This is all really sudden…" Max began.

"Take your time. Think this one over," Tamara encouraged from the side.

"And I'm thankful for the offer," Max continued, "But this is a huge decision and I don't think I can make up my mind right now," she said with a sigh.

Next to her, Chloe poked her shoulder as she looked at the time. "Max, we gotta leave soon if we want to get to the cabin before sundown. It's still a long drive."

Alex waved his hand. "No worries. I didn't expect you to make up your mind anyway. Like I said, this is just an offer. Think about it over your break, but get back to me before the school year is up, alright?"

Max let out a deep sigh as she leaned against the truck. On the other side, Chloe had already opened her door but stopped when she saw Max hesitate to get in. She too leaned on the truck, mirroring Max.

"That was unexpected," she said with a chuckle in an attempt at getting Max to talk.

It worked, and Max returned, "Unexpected is an understatement."

Chloe moved to cross her arms on the hood of the truck and rest her chin on her forearms. "So, whatcha think? Ready to become Detective Max?"

"I've already made up my mind, if that's what you're wondering," she replied, trying to picture what Detective Max would look like.

Chloe gestured towards Max with her hand expectantly. "And…?"

Max sucked her teeth as she opened the door and got in the car. "And…I'll tell you when we get to the cabin," she said with a smirk.

Chloe looked disappointed as she slapped the truck with her hand. "You haven't really made up your mind that fast. You're just stalling," she accused playfully.

Max's reply was sheepish. "Maybe."

Chloe laughed and got into the car. Next to her, Max had an ear to ear grin, though whether it was from being found out as she played for time or from the ensuing snow trip they were about to embark on, Chloe couldn't tell. For now, the excitement of spending a weekend together in the snow was enough. For now, her smile was all that mattered.