"I want to shoot photos again!"

In the first few seconds Chloe was surprised by that statement but then she quickly got a grip of herself again. She then sighed a "Finally."

"I can't be scared because of some asshole for the rest of my life. Can't let him win, you know what I mean?"

"Exactly! If you let them control you with fear then you give those bastards what they want." The punk was happy. She always knew that Max was a strong one but now there was even more proof of her it. She would break through every struggle... unlike Chloe herself...

Stop it already! The punk interrupted her own thoughts. I know that I'm not perfect, but trying to improve myself doesn't mean that I have to beat myself down! Instead she stood up and while looking down on her still sitting girlfriend she said, "Hell, it's about time."

"Really? Didn't even know you played Starcraft."

"Naaaa, but they make pretty awesome cinematic animations. Anyways, be right back." She turned around and started jogging towards the truck she parked just a few meters from them away.

"H-Hey, where you going?" Max decided to go after her. What is she up to now?

As the freckled girl reached the truck Chloe was rummaging her glove box.

She's looking for something?

Max stepped behind her to see if she could get a glimpse at what her girlfriend was looking for.

"Still nosy as always, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't be if you just told-"

"Ahh, there it is!" The punk interrupted her as she turned around. "Here, it's yours." The hands reaching out for Max where holding William's old camera.

"Chlo..."

"Don't say you can't take it. Technically you already did."

"But won't you feel, uhm... I don't know, bad? You said it yourself, you don't want to copy the you from the other timeline more than necessary."

"This is necessary. Maxine Caulfield without a camera is not Maxine Caulfield. I thought about giving it to you since you broke yours when you fell unconscious on Friday. It really bugged me how you didn't give any hint of wanting a new one at all."

"Well..."

"Now I get it as well, don't get me wrong. After reading your those parts of the journal and seeing you breaking down afterwards I must be an idiot to not get it. But still, I always assumed you wouldn't stop forever. Just a little creative pause one could say, right?"

Max couldn't hide her happiness on her face. A big smile ran from ear to ear. Not because she would get William's awesome camera again, but because Chloe was trying to deal with the whole time travel stuff. "... Chloe Price, how can you be so god damn... perfect! You mushy punk!"

"Everything for the booty." The bigger girl winked at her.

Instead of retorting something Max went on her tiptoes and gave her a peck full of love on Chloe's lips and then said "Thank you."

"Everything for the booty." The punk repeated with a grin on her face. "Wanna test it out?" Then her eye quirked upwards and she corrected herself. "Well, you already did so it's not really testing, is it?"

"Let's just call it inaugurating, okay? You dork. By the way, you know if there's a film inside?"

"Who do you take me for?" The punk said loudly while putting her hands on her hips. "I even bought a few extra films for ya!"

"You're seriously the best, you know that?"

Chloe let out an "Hehe.", and then looked around to inspect the surrounding. "What's it gonna be? A shot of the romantic sea? Or maybe the mysterious forest behind us?"

"I already have a perfect motive, but thanks." Max answered while still looking at the bigger girl.

"You're first photo is gonna be a selfie with me?"

"I think it's pretty fitting, don't ya?" But before Chloe could answer the freckled girl stepped closer to her and pulled her down a bit, so that their heads were on the same height. Cheeks preshed againt each other, while both of them were grinning. "I guess I do... but wouldn't it be better like this?" As she said that she gave Max a peck on the cheek right as the click of the camera went off.

Both girls watched with anticipation as the photo came out of the camera. Slowly the white unfolded a picture of two girls standing behind a rusty old truck. Max had one of her eyes closed. The one on the side that Chloe was kissing. Still there was a bright smile on her lips and her white teeth were showing. The green behind the truck that was part of a blurry forest was melting with the blue of Chloe's hair. The punk herself was not looking at the camera at all, her whole being was focused on the smaller girl in front of her, giving her a kiss while smiling.

"... You still got it Max!"

"N-no... The photo just turned good because you were in it." The brunette was downplaying again, while a her cheeks slightly blushed.

"Still shy about your talent." The blue haired girl let out a sigh. "Some things won't ever change will they?"

"Like you and your cocky mouth!" Max retorted. But the truth was that the freckled girl could feel it as well. The loath she felt towards photography was fading away as Chloe's smile was getting more and more developed on the photo.

"If you don't like it, can I snatch it from you? I think this is my new Max-Caulfield-favorite."

"I could make you a copy."

"So you do like it! You were so angling for compliments, are you not?"

The smaller girl gave a sarcastic, "Sure." while putting the photo into her bag but before doing so she glimpsed once more at it. You won't come at my wall, don't worry. I'll treasure you.

"But don't forget Budō-Max, talent is something you polish." Chloe reminded the brunette. And the bigger girl was right. After those last few grim yet beautiful days, shooting a photo again... It felt like she hadn't done that in years. She could feel the nostalgic itching of her fingers. She wanted to take photos. Of Chloe. Herself. The run down truck. The sea. Chloe again. And just everything. But this had to wait. in a few days she would be able to fully get back into photography.

Then it shattered. One simple thought blew her good mode away like nothing. I could use this if something goes south again. The same moment the idea popped in her head she immediately was angry at herself. I can't expect to solve everything with-

"Max? Everything cool up there?" The punk asked as she flicked against Max's forehead.

"H-Hey!"

"Maxine dot exe just stopped working for a moment." Chloe said these words like they were meant as a joke but her face was not showing any amusement at all anymore. She knew that something was bugging her girlfriend.

The freckled girl closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath in. There was no need to lie to Chloe, not that there was the slightest chance that the punk wouldn't notice if she did. So Max decided that she would try to be honest with her. "I had a... pretty fucked thought just now. I thought that I could... use this photo as some kind of checkpoint of anything goes wrong. You know, like the one that let me get back to Wil-... W-When we where kids." She quickly corrected herself. There was no need to open yet another bottle of emotions. Right now at least.

The blue haired girl started massaging her eyes while letting out an "Hmmm." But then her gaze returned to Max's face and with a firm voice she said, "To be fair, this is a good idea."

Chloe... You did not just say that... You don't know what you're talking about. And as if Chloe could read her mind she explained, "I know, Max. But just think about it. Even if everything works as we planned it, nobody has said that it'll be enough to help us against Sean Prescott. What if... if it's not enough?"

"D-don't say that, Chlo... I always... always used my power only after something went wrong. I always ran from own decisions and their consequences. I need to stand up for myself, if I always relay on the rewind then I won't archive anything in a honest way."

"Your powers leaded you to me though. So that's not too bad." The punk shrugged.

The smaller girl wasn't pleased by that response, but couldn't disagree either. She's right, everything that brings us together, automatically has a plus point on my 'The-most-awesome-things'-spectrum. "But even if that's true, I still should try to stand on my own, after all I don't even know if I still got my powers. I never used them once since I came back, and I sure as hell won't try without a good reason for it."

"Okay, that's understandable, but we should take the possibility of not making it in account at least, shouldn't we?" Max could clearly tell that Chloe wasn't sulking over anything, rather she was trying to figure out what their best option was at the moment. The freckled girl herself couldn't even disagree with the punk's reasoning, even if the idea was eating away all the confidence she managed to build up in the last few days. "But for now, uhm... We should focus on convincing Step-ass. Let's not waste to much energy thinking about what could happen, getting lost in future and past isn't my job after all." She said while winking at the smaller girl. "I just wanted to say that we shouldn't forget it, okay?" The punk explained further.

Slowly the little girl was getting back some composure. "Yes. David. How're we gonna do this? First of all what about his gun?"

"Hmm, yeah well..."

"Don't tell me you held on to it."

"N-No! I really tried to put it back, but as soon as he noticed that something was missing he switched the locks and now I can't get in anymore..." This didn't sound good in Max's ears.

"Does he know that it was you?"

"Let's be real Maxipasti, who else would know where he stores his firearms and at the same time knows where he has the keys?"

Max let out a sigh. Now we have to deal with convincing him while explaining that Chloe stole his gun?... "This won't be easy."

The blue haired girl scratched her head, as she weighted the odds of either lying to David or just not mentioning the gun at all, but then she shook her head in denial of both options. As much as she hated to admit it, he had a right to be angry and she had to apologize for it. "I'll be straight with him. I'll explain that I stole the gun to protect you from criminals."

For a moment the brunette was silent. She looked like she was thinking deeply about something, and then she said, "Never thought I would hear the word straight come out of your mouth like ever."

A loud snort came out of Chloe's nose. "Really?! Perfect timing Maxipad. Ten out of ten definitely."

"Sorry, couldn't help myself there."

"To be honest I'm quiet relived that you're able to joke like that. For a moment I thought you would shut yourself away again."

"Yea... I'm trying I guess..." for a moment Max's blue eyes fell on the floor, while suddenly being full of sadness, but before Chloe could react to it they jumped back and she went on saying, "A-Anyways now we need to convince him and explain why we had his gun. Things juts got even harder..." And then she added in a low voice, "Wouldn't have happened if you didn't steal the gun."

"Max, we talked about it." The punk pouted.

"I know. I know. Just saying."

For a few moments the two of them were silent once more. Both of them didn't want to start a fight again, knowing that even with all the reasoning the other one had they would still disagree with each other on this topic. Then the punk pulled out her smartphone and started tipping on it until Max asked, "What are you doing?"

"I just thought that the best thing we could do would be calling him, so that we can meet up as soon as possible. Just the three of us." The punk explained while emphasizing once more that she didn't want Joyce to know of their situation.

"Uhm... okay? Didn't even know you had his number."

"Mom gave it to me at some point. If something bad ever happens, she said... Like I would call him first then, yeah right. But even with everything I put her through she's still worried about me."

"Yeah... Joyce is a strong person."

The blue haired girl could feel how emotions started boiling up inside of her. Pride, love, guilt and a betrayal. She quickly wanted to change the direction this conversation was heading. "A-Anyways, we just gonna ask him if we could meet up soon?"

"Pretty much."

"... I really don't want to though..." Chloe put on a grimace of displeasure.

"Che, c'mon. Woman up!"

"But... But..." Chloe pouted while giving Max puppy eyes.

The freckled girl blinked a few times and then understood what the bigger girl was trying. "Ohhhh, are you cereal? You want me to call him, don't you?

"Well... I wouldn't mind if you did." The punk said rather suggestive, but then she let out a sigh after seeing the denying expression of her girlfriend. "Okay, okay. You won, I get it."

The punk touched her smartphone to start the phone-call. Max could faintly hear the beep-sounds then there was a click and, "Chloe! Stay calm, just tell me where you are and I'll be there!" The stepdad screamed through the phone.

"Uhm... Everything's fine?"

"Everything is... Jesus Christ and here I thought something bad happened to you."

"N-No. Not worse than usually at least." Chloe didn't know what to answer, or how she should start the conversation. This is hella weird! He was worried? Because of me? Well, I guess I wouldn't normally call him but... Sergeant Pepper wouldn't worry about me like that, would he? "W-We need to, ehm, talk." It blurted out of Chloe, not knowing how to phrase it any better.

"Talk? What's going on? You really are in some kind of mess again, right? What is it this time? Did the cops found you with some kind of drug again?"

"I wish that it would be so simple, but no, this time I'm in it up to my chin. Me and Max to be precise."

"Max? Maxine Caulfield?"

"Who else could I mean?"

There was no answer, just silence on the other side of the phone. After a few moments Chloe realized that he was waiting for her reason to call.

"I don't want mom to get involved, and we really need your help. Would it be okay if we talk over everything in private?"

"... When?"

"As soon as possible to be honest. Today would be perfect, but tomorrow would be okay as well, I guess."

"If this is one of your pranks, soldier..."

"My god, can't you trust me just once in your life?"

Another moment of silence and the punk was already thinking that she maybe did mess up their plan, but then David said, "Okay. Today is probably better if it's so urging. You two know a spot where we can talk in private?"

"Uhm... Ah, yes! The docks are pretty much deserted since Prescott took over the fishing business."

"Yeah you're right. All the ships go to Astoria nowadays. I heard that there is some kind of HQ. Well anyways, I'll be at the docks at ten." Click. He hang up without waiting for an answer.

The brunette looked surprised and somewhat worried as she realized that David had ended the call. "Did he just hung up on you? Don't tell me..."

"No, no. Everything's fine... I think?" Chloe went on to explain what David had said.

"I hope you don't mind probably being late for school tomorrow." The punk said afterwards.

"You are so more important than one more day I miss school, trust me Che." Max answered. But at the same time she could already feel her gut cramping together. So not tomorrow but today, huh... Well the faster the better but I still want this to be over with as soon as possible. The freckled girl thought.

"Sooo, we just gonna wait now? Still got like half a day left before it's time to meet him." The punk said. "Wanna watch some movies in the luxurious penthouse, some call my home?"

"Hmm, sounds tempting to be honest, but I got homework to do..." Of course cuddling and chilling with Chloe was something she would be ecstatic about, but she knew that the algebra homework wouldn't solve itself.

"Ahh, there it begins! They try to separate us! They know what a due like we could do!"

"They?"

"It's a long running conspiracy against the girl that went back in time. It all started with the first school Aristotle created. Those long bearded nudists knew from the very beginning!"

The freckled girl shook her head but at the same time couldn't stop a small snicker. "Yeah right. You're such a dork sometimes." The truth was though that she was thankful for it . Both of them knew that the punk was acting like that to distract Max from all this headache creating shit they were in right now.

"You love it."

You don't even know how much. Click. The punk was dazzled for a moment when the flash hit her face. Just moments later Max was holding a new photo in her hand.

That's it for now. ^^

I know the story progression is rather slow right now, but I kind of wanted some more time for Chloe and Max to sort things out. The next chapters will be faster again. (I think) :P