The next few minutes flew by in a confused, anxious blur. Max quietly sat at the edge of the bed, while Chloe tore apart her room, going through her photo collection, until she snagged the two pictures she'd been so desperately searching for: one of her and her Dad, when she started Junior year in high school. Back when she was still achieving high marks, back when her life actually meant something. Back before having to take time off for academic probation, and before David, and before fucking Blackhell, and asshole Frank, and crazy loser Nathan, and manipulative bitch Rachel.
She stuck on the last accusation: manipulative bitch.
Maybe that's the reason why you and I were ever together at all, huh Rache?
She stuck the first picture in Max's hand. "This is about a week before it happened. Dad picking me up at school, Mom took the picture. Just remember, November 7th, 1:35 PM. That's when it happens!"
Max narrowed her eyes as she dejectedly gazed at the photo: Chloe, with her dirty blonde hair, smiling face, vaguely preppy attire, although she was starting to pick up a little bit of attitude, soft flirtation with a more punk aesthetic. Looking vaguely embarrassed to be caught with her Dad but...she's still his little girl, and knows it. They're waving for the camera.
A minute. Maybe two, that's all it took for Max to give up.
"S-sorry." She whispered, barely loud enough for Chloe to make out. "I-I can't feel it. There's a thing. It's like a catch, a way of shifting my mind, I think. Only did it once, Chloe. Only did it..."
Chloe immediately swapped the newer picture out for the older one. It was a long shot. Max was somehow going to have to convince her that her father was going to die a little over a year from that day. She braced herself as she watched the other girl focus on the photo, then wondered what she should be bracing for.
This should be instantaneous, right? Maybe it takes time for the changes in the past to catch up?
She shifted nervously, pacing back and forth.
Shit! Is the fact that I'm still standing here, wondering what's going to happen mean that nothing worked? Or did it just create another timeline, and I'm still stuck here in mine?
She had to laugh at herself, as she began to seethe with jealousy at this other Chloe, the one with a still-living father. She had no idea exactly how time worked. Shit, she wouldn't even have taken it this far, except it was so obvious now that Max was truly able to control time to at least some extent. She'd proven that much to her in the last hour, beyond the shadow of a doubt.
But something was obviously not working; it'd been three minutes now, maybe longer. Nothing changed, at least nothing detectable.
Wait! What if everything changes but me!? I remember the old timeline, but no one else does. Well, no one else except for Max. Wait, no that doesn't make any sense, wouldn't I have remembered it, the last time she saved Dad? Ugh!
Further meditations on the nature of time would have to wait, as the still silence of the moment was shattered by Max.
It came on softly as first, like distant thunder. Chloe wasn't sure if she was gasping or crying. The tears streaming down Max's face told her the rest. Seeing how upset her friend was becoming quickly blunted the fire of self-righteous desperation that was raging in her heart minutes earlier.
Fuck. Nice going, Chloe! You pushed her too hella far and now she's freaking out. Made it so important she go back and try and save Dad, and she can't make it happen. Look at her, she's crying because she's afraid you're going to hate her forever. You suck so much!
She reached out, resting a hand on Max's, and murmured, "Hey...hey look. I'm sorry. Obviously, it's not working, and I'm a selfish bitch for pushing you that way. I promise, I'm not mad. Disappointed, yeah, but not.."
Disappointed didn't even come close to explaining how she felt. She wanted to howl with anger, beat her chest, throw shit around the room. How dare it not work! How dare the universe tease her like this! Put her in a position where she manipulates her best friend.
...and...and...FUCK!
Max looked up at her, eyes glistening, her face a burning mixture of sadness, anger - for her or her failure, Chloe wasn't sure. Maybe both things at once. But then something curious happened. She shifted instantly in position, that same sort of 'frame skip' like what happened yesterday when she warned her about David coming up to bust her.
She wasn't prepared when Max leapt forward, hugging her tightly.
"Chloe. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! Oh God...oh God, you're okay! Fuck yes, thank you Thank you for being okay. I don't...sorry. Shit. I am really messed up. I had to roll back another twelve hours at least, compensate for the shift. And how do I even...?" She rose up from the bed.
"Max! Take it easy! It's okay. Christ, I am so sorry! Please don't..." Chloe started to beg
Max didn't let her finish. "I had to take it back. I had to take it all back! I-I mean almost all of it back. I didn't.." she paused long enough to try and catch her breath, wipe her eyes, "I was too scared to see what would happen if I undid everything. But it was worse, Chloe. I made it worse!"
Chloe was afraid to ask. "How the hell could it be any worse?"
Max held up a hand, then paused to check something on the fancy wristwatch she never seemed to take off. Taped a few buttons on it, and then lit up. "Shut. The Fuck. Up. Jesus, it actually worked! Yeah. Yeah, it...Chloe. Laptop, I need to put some shit on it, like right now!"
She waved towards it, while flopping down onto the bed. A sick feeling building up in her stomach.
Max, you aren't fucking with me, right? You better not be playing with me. You don't have to lie and tell me you went back and had to take it back, you can just tell me it didn't work. You would, right? You wouldn't manipulate...well shit, I can't talk right now.
Max worked at the laptop, and Chloe rose up, trying to catch a peek over her shoulder. She noticed her doing something with a few files, and Bluetooth. Something about transferring some data?
The other girl rose up, and held out a hand, pointing to the chair at the desk. "You need to see this, Chloe. You need to see what happened."
Chloe, for the life of her, had no clue what Max was currently feeling. Scary pissed off or just scared? Hurt? Relieved? There was an intensity, like she was trying desperately to hold back All The Feels, keep them from overwhelming her.
"The files. I numbered them all so..." Max intoned. "Look at them in order. I...I need to rest. God. I think I might have...kinda broken something. Sprained myself, like inside, you know?"
With that, she slumped off, calling out in a tired, warbling voice, "I'm crashing on the couch."
Chloe sat there alone for a minute, blinking. Confused as shit. Her head was spinning and she felt like she wanted to cry, vomit and laugh all at the same time.
There were six files: two videos and four JPEGs. Chloe double clicked on the icon for the first video.
It was a recording made on a digital camera, or maybe a phone? There was a scratchy graininess to it, some sort of underlying roar and metallic tinniness in the audio portion, glitches and artifacts in the video. Not bad enough to keep the file from being viewable, but enough to suggest it got corrupted somehow, or was taken at super-low quality.
It resolved itself into her living room. And sitting at the dining room table...
...was her Dad.
Chloe was struck stupid. Her mind refused to understand what she was seeing. She literally could not remember watching the past minute of video, and it caught her by surprise when it ended. She rewound, ran it again, forced her mind to accept what it was she witnessing.
It's Dad! It's a video of him. The file timestamp says it was taken...three hours from now? The hell?
He looked older. More than four years would account for. And sad. He was smiling for the camera, but there was a weariness in his eyes..
No, worse than that. Exhaustion. Like a man whose inner light was on the brink of being snuffed out, but still struggled to fight on as valiantly as he could, without anger or hatred in his soul. Chloe's heart was on the razor's edge of splitting in half at the sight.
"H-hey William." Max's voice called out. "I'm just - I'm taking a video to show my parents."
He was surrounded by paperwork. A lot of it. Bills? Whatever it was, it was clearly something he was quietly agonizing over.
He put on his bravest smile, and spoke in a soft voice. "Max. Hey. Hi Vanessa, Ryan. Just want to say that it's been really wonderful having your daughter here. Chloe's real...it's made her real happy to see her again."
He swallowed.
"I really missed her." Max continued. "I'm so sorry I couldn't - that I didn't write, afterwards..." She was undergoing her own struggle, trying to keep her voice from cracking completely.
Chloe watched, completely transfixed, while an ancient, primitive part of her brain kept screaming at her, over and over again: this wasn't the sort of thing anyone was ever meant to watch. That she should stop, delete the file, not look at the others.
She needed to stop.
She couldn't.
"But you're here now, Max. That's all that matters. It means a lot to me and Joyce. And I know it means the world to Chloe."
"...she means the world to me as well." Max murmured, sniffling back hard. "And uh...she loves you. A lot. You're her favorite Dad of all." She laughed dolefully, and he joined in. It only lasted for a second or two.
He shrugged, smiled painfully again, and then glanced down at the paperwork on the table. "Well. I do try...I do try. My little girl is worth it. Always will be. Anyhow, thank you. I appreciate you getting my mind off these bills, if just for a few minutes."
The video suddenly cut out.
Chloe had to make herself remember there were still the other image files to look through. As she brought them up on the screen, a heavy, dark, sick feeling continued to boil inside her stomach.
"This letter is to notify you that you are in default of your payment obligations on your home loan, account #783..."
"The...they're gonna lose the house? Why? What the hell's going on?"
"Wish I could have sent you a bigger check, but you know the story. Money is nobody's favorite thing."
"Holy shit." Chloe breathed out. "That's Uncle Aaron's handwriting!"
The next one was from her Great Aunt Dorothy, apparently telling her mom that she couldn't loan her any money, because she had medical bills of her own to pay.
Medical bills? Just what the hell is going on? What happened to me!?
The answer reared up, like an iron serpent, striking at last and crashing into her with full force after she opened the fifth file. The contents left her numb.
ARCADIA BAY SPINAL CENTER
Dear Mr. And Mrs. Price,
As we discussed last week, Chloe's respiratory system is showing signs of rapid weakening. This account for her recent anemia and loss of breath. As a doctor, I am committed to her well-being, but I want you to understand the reality that respiratory failure is common in people with severe spinal injuries. Your daughter is one of the bravest, strongest patients I've ever had and I'm proud to be working with her. I just want you as parents to prepare for any and all possibilities. I believe Chloe should also be made aware of her changing condition. If you would like to discuss this further, you have my contact information.
Best,
Dr. Anton Phibes
"Sp-spinal...what?!" Chloe quaked out. She couldn't believe what she was reading. Someone else's life, someone else's tragedy.
Did I get crippled? How?! Just because Max saved my Dad?!
The sum of all Chloe's fears were confirmed as the last file, the second video, resolved into an image of herself. Stuck in a bed. The camera panned around from her, to look around - well, it was originally the garage, but it had been turned into a hospital room, from the looks of it. Fancy, and obviously expensive, according to the letters she just saw.
Oh shit...am...am I a vegetable?
She - rather, this other Chloe, the one in the video - was obviously trapped in the bed. Unable to move. But there was awareness in the eyes. Emotion. So much of it.
The camera was placed down on a little table right in front of her.
"This, uh, this good, Che?" Max asked.
Chloe couldn't believe what she was seeing. This other version of herself. The one with longer hair, still blonde. But there were tubes coming out of her, literally out of her neck, like she couldn't breathe without the machines next to her. Other Chloe narrowed her eyes; she was trying her best to hold it together emotionally. Steel herself up for something.
"Great, Max. I need to be alone for this though. Could you go right outside? I'll call out when I'm done."
"Sure..."
After a few seconds, Other Chloe glanced back, only with her eyes, towards the camera.
"Hi. This is weird, you know? Max doesn't know if this is going to work or not, but I told her it was worth a try. It's really important for you to understand what...". Her voice wavered, splintering for a moment, before she regained composure. "What you did."
She choked a laugh back. "Still can't believe I'm doing this. Part of me still says none of this is real, but Max showed me some shit. More than just magic tricks. Like she's suddenly some kind of crazy, time-controlling ninja. But it all makes sense, y'know? Why she suddenly left town, why her parents went weird. Anyhow, look, I don't have a lot of time, I don't think I can do what I need to for long. Not without fucking losing it, so let me get through this as quick as I can...Chloe."
Chloe's thought were wheeling wildly now. If she had trouble fully gazing upon the video of her own father-who-never-was, what she was watching now felt like it was corroding her sanity to an irreversible fragility.
No. No no no! This can't be...this isn't happening! What am I watching?! This is so wrong!
And yet, she couldn't look away.
"So Max Caulfield came back to visit. Five years later. Five years of total radio silence, and then she comes knocking on the door yesterday. With a really lame-ass story about time travel, and the government and..."
She coughed, then continued. "Ah God...I mean..she didn't tell me all of it at first. No, first we took a walk down the beach. And by that, I mean she walked, I sat in my wheelchair. But it was nice, actually. Yeah? I should have been so fucking mad at her, but when she managed to explain...when she actually showed me some of the shit she could do. Predicting the future. Practically reading my mind, when I told her to tell me what I was thinking...I gotta believe. I gotta believe because she says she can fix how I...yeah. Yeah, I'll jump to how I joined the ranks of the quadriplegic in a moment."
Chloe couldn't watch the computer screen any longer. She spent the next few seconds, her eyes covered up with a desperate hand, as she endured listening
"Couple weeks before she disappeared," Other Chloe continued. "Max shoves this letter into my hand, day my Dad goes to pick up Mom at work. Had to take the bus, his keys went missing, weird as shit. So she gives me this letter, and tells me it's like the most important thing ever, but that if she ever disappears in the next month, if the last thing she ever did was text me, saying she was leaving for a new school, that it was because someone managed to kidnap her. Take her away. And if this happened, I had to read her letter and take it seriously. I, ah, I thought it was a fucked up game. Almost tossed the stupid thing out. Especially when Max acted like she had no idea what I was talking about, two days later. But a couple weeks after, she up and totally disappears. Just like she said she would, one last shitty text message, and bam. She's off to some Zion Academy place."
There was a pause, and Other Chloe grumbled. "Wish I could blow my fucking nose right now. God, feel so gross." She continued. "So I opened the letter, of course. It said that on November 7th, 2009, I couldn't let Dad out of the house. That I needed to convince him to stay with me, and he shouldn't be anywhere near the streets at 1:35 PM. It was damn freaky, because it was so specific. I held onto that letter though: it was all I had left of Max. But I almost chickened out. A year came and went, and I just about lost my nerve to go through with it. Still, the day arrived, and so...I faked being sick. Begged Dad to stay and keep me company." She paused, her eyes rheumy now, as she recalled. "He read to me like he used to when I was a little girl, after I had a bad dream. He totally stayed and indulged me. Because of course he would, he loves me, so much! But ah...Alyssa Anderson died. Hit and run. 1:35 PM on the dot. Didn't find out until the next day. I always...always wondered if that car was meant for Dad, and someone else took the hit instead. I tried not to think about it, what it cost to keep him. I was scared, and freaking out, because my old best friend, who was gone now, managed to warn me about the future. She gave me back my Dad! And for a while, I was really happy. I promised to make every sacrifice worth it! Hers. Alyssa's. You...you don't just..."
She paused, coughing weakly, trying to get back on track. The noise caused Chloe to uncover her eyes and start watching the video feed again.
"And uh...uh so my Dad. When I got my driver's license, he bought me a car. Life was going great. Until the day some prick in an SUV cut me off and I flew into a ditch. I felt my back snap. That was it. After that, I've never felt anything else in my body. Woke up in the hospital, and I couldn't move a muscle. I didn't never see Max again...your Max? Shit, this is so complicated. Until she showed up at my door again."
Other Chloe gave a smile, a brief, fleeting thing, before settling her face back into a grim countenance.
"So. Now you know. It...it explains so much now. Why it happened. I mean, it's like a punishment, don't you think? Max acted out of kindness, sympathy, from what she told me. Even love, you know? The first time she saved Dad. She got snatched up by the Feds, but you got another year with him. Wasn't enough for you, was it?" Other Chloe grit her teeth, fury in her eyes, that suddenly gave way to bemusement. "Shit. Can't blame you. We're a headstrong bitch, right? I probably would've done it too, if what Max told me is true. That Dad died, Mom married some military nut. S'fucked up. But Chloe? This shit is wrong. This is my punishment. Because I...because you couldn't accept that Dad was fated to die. I know it sounds crazy, but how else can I see it?! Max told me that Dad died saving Alyssa. I mean, Christ, I almost lost it right then and there, when she explained it."
Tears started to run down Other Chloe's face; clearly she was powerless to wipe them, and it made it difficult for her to keep her eyes open as she talked.
"You pushed Max to go back and save Dad again, and hooray! You won! But look at what it cost us! Max still ends up in some sort of government lab, Alyssa Anderson dies when she was meant to live, and you're right where you fucking belong!" Other Chloe was trying to keep from yelling now. Only her head was trembling, her voice quavery and cracking. "Right where you fucking belong, bitch. And guess what...ha ha...you're dying. I'm dying. My folks, the Docs...they don't know I figured it out. They thought I was zonked out on the morphine when they were talking about it but...my respiratory system is failing. Too much damage from the accident."
She paused, biting down on her bottom lip. "Okay, look, Max says she can fix this, and I believe her. That she can take away all of this hell! She can go back, and undo what she did, what you told her to do, but...I can't take that chance. I can't risk it not working. Seeing Max, my poor, precious angel, and the time we've spent over the past twelve hours? It's as good as my life is gonna get, with what little time I have left. She doesn't know it yet, but I'm gonna ask her to bump up the morphine drip, when she comes back. All the way to the top." Her voice started to calm, as she reached a point of acceptance. "I go to sleep, dreaming of her, of this other Chloe, who can still walk, and breathe without a machine, shit without a nurse having to wipe her ass. Who still has a whole life ahead of her, if she can just go out and live it!"
Another pause, before she said, "God, Max...sorry to do this to you. Please say yes."
The Other Chloe managed to force her eyes open, drowning as they were with tears, snot running down her face. "Chloe Price. You take this precious gift I'm giving back to you, and you LIVE. I don't care that Dad is gone where you are, you know damn well he'd be happy to lay down his life, if it meant that Alyssa Anderson wasn't dead anymore, and you weren't about to end it all either! He was wonderful, and we loved him, but you have to let...him...go! You have to accept it. It can't...it can't be like this. Live, fuck it! Live! Deal with whatever you think is so wrong and fucked up in your life - Max told me so little, but it doesn't matter - and you live! For both of us!"
The girl in the video broke down into soft sobs. It went on for almost a minute, before she finally concluded, her throat tight.
"One last thing, okay? I've had a lot of time to just sit on my ass since the accident, and think. Because of course I have. And seeing Max again, listening to everything she told me? It made me realize something. How I feel about her. What I've always felt, ever since that first day I saw her, as kids. I mean, you what she means to me. How special she is and...and maybe you feel the same way I do, Chloe. Fuck, what do I know? Maybe you don't! Maybe you're so blind, you can't even see it. But you take good care of my angel, Chloe Price. Don't you ever fucking hurt her again, or I swear I'll...I'll come back as a ghost...haunt you!"
Other Chloe dissolved into sobs and laughter, before suddenly calling out. "Max! Max I'm done!"
Another fifteen seconds passed, Other Chloe refusing to look into the camera until the video suddenly cut out.
What have I done?
Chloe, the one here and now, with her blue hair and tattoos, her nihilistic punk mindset and her shitty, yet wonderful life, barely made it to the bathroom before vomiting breakfast back into the toilet. It went on that way until she had nothing left but dry heaves; and when they finally subsided, l she was left drained and shaking.
Pulling herself up from the cool tile floor, she wiped her mouth off with the back of her hand and stared hard into the mirror.
Stupid...stupid! Holy fuck that...that was totally shit no one's ever meant to see. Staring into the abyss and everything. And Jesus Christ! Is this what it's like to be Max, now? Day in and day out, she goes down a bunch of different paths, rewinds it back, remembers shit that no one else ever does? She has to constantly witness time the way normal people aren't supposed to! She said she saw me shot dead, and she changed time to save me, yesterday in the bathroom? That's gotta stick with her! And then I beg her to steal some weed from me, and then I make her perform for me like some fucking lab monkey. And after she tells me something that's been clearly eating her up for years, my only response was to push her to...
She frowned, a vicious, hateful expression, staring back at her from the mirror.
"You are the absolute fucking worst, Chloe Price." she murmured, more mouthing the words than giving them actual voice. "She saves Dad, gives the two of you an extra year, but it means the government comes and takes her away. Soon as she comes back in your life, coming to you because she thinks you're her best friend and you're gonna help keep her safe and shit, you exploit her. Use her."
I didn't want to see it. Didn't want to believe it, but here's the proof: I'm just as bad as everyone else in this shit world...
No.
Not as bad. Not anymore.
She could change. Go down a different path.
Apologize. Beg for forgiveness. Promise Max that she's going to spend the rest of her life being the friend she deserves.
"Starting right now." she swore.
Chloe made her way down the stairs, and couldn't help but smile when she saw Max curled up on the couch, completely passed out. Kneeling down on the ground, she reached out, playing with a few errant strands of black hair.
You're hella-mazing, Max. You're strong, probably had to be too strong, for too many years. I don't know if you're gonna have to leave today, or tomorrow but...I've got your back. Forever.
"But...but you take good care of my angel, Chloe Price"
"I promise." Chloe whispered, to that Other self. The one she hoped no longer existed. Or at least found peace in the end, if she did.
Her hand was trembling again, as she reached tentatively out, placing it on Max's shoulder, and gently pushing.
"Max? Hey, Max. I just...I wanna say...are you up? Can we talk?"
The other girl roused slowly, cracking open one eye, then the other. Her initial expression was just a touch on the frowny side of neutral, but it softened slightly as she woke, then gave a warbling, "Hey."
"So...I just...I looked through everything, Max. Okay, look...no wait..please. Just let me finish..." she held up a finger, against Max's lips as her friend tried to speak. "I haven't been a friend, Max. I've been an asshole bitch. You came back into my life, and I glommed onto you, because you were the only person I had left in the world. I've been really selfish, and I am so..." she reached up, wiping at her eyes, barely keeping herself together. "...sorry. I did the absolute worst thing to you. But I saw the reasons why...I mean. You were right Max. You were right."
Chloe bowed her head and sobbed. "I miss him, Max. Oh God. Every day, in every way, it still hurts. But you let me see him, one last time. And he was just like I remembered, still as kind and loving...but he's gone now. He's dead, and I can't bring him back. Fuck, you tried, and you suffered for it, gone through torture and shit I can't imagine. Then I made you try again, and I suffered for it! The Other Chloe. I know I'm not gonna be perfect every day, that there won't be times that I forget what I'm about to say but: Thank you. Thank for...for helping me see that I need to start letting my Dad go. That holding on too tight has been dragging me down."
Max smiled softly at her, and Chloe felt her heart leap at the sight. She knew there was gonna be work to do, trust to be regained, but just from that one moment, she knew that as long as she kept at it, they'd be good. Better than good.
You've saved my life, over and over again: literally, metaphorically. I'm gonna make it worth the price you've paid. Ha. Ha ha...yeah. No pun intended.
Max started to open up her mouth to speak, and then shifted. In a literal split second, she was sitting up on the couch.
Chloe gasped in shock, falling back onto her bottom. "Gah! The hell...Max?!"
The other girl blushed. "Sorry, Chloe! Sorry. I just had to rewind back against my own timeline from the future in a hurry, and sometimes I forget to be careful about it. Believe me, I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't totes important. Anyhow, sorry to cut into our bonding time, because believe me, I totally forgave you, and you were all sweet and grovelly. And then we made a cake, and smoked some of that weed I got and Jesus Christ! Was that...I overdid it, I think." She laughed brightly, giving a lopsided smile before she continued.
"Honestly, I'm still a tiny bit stoned. But I promise you, we talked and had all kinds of awesome, girly feelings about you and your Dad, and what you and I saw in that alternate timeline, and I'm sure when we have time, we'll do it all again in a different way, but right now? There's this girl. Kate Marsh? And in thirty minutes, she's gonna fucking die, if we don't go to Blackwell. Right now! Please, Chloe. I need your help!"
Chloe rose to her feet. Gave Max a hug, tossed off a knowing smirk. Later on, with the benefit of time, she'd appreciate, even have a bit of pride, in how quickly, easily she rolled with the punches. Never questioned what the hell was happening or why.
I don't have to, Max. Not with you. You had me at 'please help'. And you always will.
Chloe reached out, grabbing Max's hand, and then turned for the door.
"C'mon, BatMax. Let's burn some rubber!"
As they ran off, Chloe glanced over her shoulder briefly and smiled to herself. All she could do was stand - or in this case, run - in awe of the woman behind her. How all she ever cared about was being the hero, the real hero. The one who tries to help, and to do as much good as she can. Five years of God knows what kind of shit Max suffered at the hands of those fucking Spooks...
...and they never broke that shining soul of yours.
"Whoa. That...that was weird." Villanova murmured. Mostly to herself, but loud enough to be overheard.
Chen glanced over to her in the Zion monitoring room. "What, you mean weirder than what we've got now? PAN-Opticon is still going nuts here."
"It's just...I thought I saw something. A definite chronotonal spike over the Pacific Northwest. And then again, but..."
Chen smiled patiently. "Kimmy, just kick back and relax. Davies herself said we were getting nothing but ghosts and echos ever since system tried to convince me half of Kansas City suddenly Emerged earlier this morning. Until she figures out how to cut through the static or this crap finally calms down fully, we just have to accept it for what it is: nothing important." He paused, stroked his chin, and then turned to her fully. "So I was thinking, maybe I could finally convince you to have that cup of coffee with me? I mean, it's not like you have the excuse of work to fall back on this time."
Villanova looked over towards Chen, then back down at her terminal, blushing furiously.
This time though, she found the courage to say, "Okay."
A/N: Hey kids, It's Black Swan Saturday! A Lyta Halifax - Corentin IV Joint, as Spike Lee used to say.
So, did you guess right? Obviously, we figured that AltChloe would end up a quadriplegic, but did you guess anything beyond that? Reader xvector correctly deduced that the fixed temporal data drive that Davies installed in Max's lifeclock waaaaay back in chapter 11 would come into play somehow. So whenever you see something that seems like a throwaway development...just keep that in mind ;-)
I was actually forced to take this week off from writing, but hope to get back into the swing of things next week so I can have the Tuesday arc FINALLY wrapped up. It will probably be, by and far, the longest of the "day" plot arcs in the story...talk about an eventful day!
Have a wonderful rest of the weekend!