It was the 'Made in Taiwan' label on the back of the lighthouse that gave it away. And the fact it was not made of plastic. And the snow that was falling, wasn't falling very far. In fact, it was only falling in the immediate area around Max, the bench, and the plastic lighthouse. She looked around and the darkness slowly cleared on another familiar sight.
She was in Chloe's living room. She could see a young Chloe and William making pancakes in the kitchen.
"Ahem." William coughed and pointedly looked at the kitchen implements in front of him. "It's the hat, isn't it? I need a white hat."
"Ah yes. I meant, oui chef."
"That's more like it. I'll have to go buy a chef's hat, I think. Can't be having another identity crisis." Max looked around, trying to get her bearings, and she suddenly realised that she was on the fireplace, looking into the room, which meant…
… I'm in the snow dome!
"Now be careful, Chloe. Remember who the boss is, here."
"Mom?"
"Try again."
"Me?"
"Right. Me. Well, when your mother's not here, anyway."
The scene as she knew it began to pan out, but without young-Max there. The phone rang, and William agreed to go and pick Joyce up. His voice was strange and echoey through the glass of the snow dome. Then, as William began to look for the car keys, young-Max suddenly appeared right in front of the snow dome, looking into it with horribly sad, teary eyes. Max remembered that emotion all too well, she'd experienced it not two days ago. As William found the keys, young-Max looked totally despondent, turned and vanished. As she did so, Max felt her phone buzz. It was a text message.
[WILLIAM] Max, would you say hi to Chloe and Joyce? Don't forget to remind them how you chose to let me die. I'm sure they'd both be thrilled to learn that.
The world flashed white like stun grenade, blinding Max for several seconds. When she came to, she couldn't move. She was sat in the chair in the Dark Room once more, this time dressed in her sleepwear t-shirt and shorts. Her hands and feet were taped to the chair again, just as she remembered them.
Oh man, how long will this nightmare go on? Does it never end?
The world flashed white once more, but this time kept on regularly flashing, her location staying the same, but the participants now changing thick and fast.
…
"I think you'd be perfect for my new photo series on retro-grunge," said Jefferson, lining up a series of shots as Chloe posed for him in her t-shirt and jeans. She looked directly at Max, or was it through Max? "You have the same qualities that I loved in Rachel Amber," he continued, "but not Max."
"Yeah. Max is a fucking child," said Chloe, looking back at Jefferson.
"Christ, I know. And she never shuts up, does she?"
Chloe looked back at Max, directly into her eyes. "I'm so over her hipster bullshit," she said, smiling sweetly at Max.
"I think you're right. I think everyone at Blackwell is over her bullshit. Shall we prove it?"
"Hella yeah!"
…
"Holy shit, Warren," said Chloe, standing in front of the boy in her nightshirt and shorts. Warren looked as if his eyes were about to pop out of his head as he looked the attractive blue-haired girl up and down. "Max is trying to play us both!"
"I guess she's not as innocent as she acts," said Warren, unable to take his eyes off Chloe.
"No, especially not when she's trying to hook up with both of us."
"Chloe, I only wanna go ape with you. It's always been you. Come here…" He reached out for Chloe and she moved in, kissing him passionately, cupping his cheeks with her hand…
…
"Goddamn, you're a sexy bitch, Price!" said Nathan, moving closer to Chloe as they both sat on the couch facing Max. He stretched, moving his arm behind her in a classic move, but she didn't seem to mind at all. "Why did you hang out with Max, huh?"
"Boredom, really. Plus she was like my personal puppet," said Chloe, her eyes boring directly into Max.
"I hear that. Totally. Do you… uh… want to party? I got a drugstore in my dorm."
Chloe laughed and pointed at Max. "Oh shit! Look at Max spying on us over there! Come on, Max, just take a picture already. Or take a selfie, I don't care!"
…
"See, this is how you bust a move, Max!" called Chloe, dancing on the couch wearing only her underwear. "No mosh pit for you, shaka brah!"
…
"Damn, Victoria, you're a real woman," said Chloe, cuddling up to the blonde girl on the couch as Victoria crossed one of her legs over Chloe's, "not a little girl like Max."
"I fucking love your tats, Chloe," replied Victoria, her hands roaming all over Chloe's upper body. "You're so fucking hot, you know. I can't believe it took us so long to hook up."
"Blame Max," said Chloe, leaning in. Victoria reciprocated and they began to kiss passionately, their hands caressing each other's bodies and legs…
…
"Why did you get rewind powers, Max?" said Chloe, sat in front of Max in her wheelchair. "You don't even know how to use them. Let's see. Rachel's dead and you're still alive. Oh yeah, and you killed me. Life is… so not fair."
…
"I wish you'd never come back to Arcadia," said Chloe, standing in front of Max in her regular t-shirt and jeans, taking photos of the younger girl. "You're the real storm, Max." She pointed the camera directly at Max and the flash went off, blinding Max completely.
…
She was in a bathroom that she didn't quite recognise. It might have been the one from the diner, but she wasn't sure. It was clean and tidy, so if it was the one from the diner, her nightmare certainly wasn't going for accuracy. She turned and walked over to the door, only to find it locked with a digital keypad next to it.
Great. Fucking great. Another digipad. But what's the code?
She tried 1234, which didn't work, but it achieved something at least, in that suddenly the walls were filled with 4-digit codes. Filled was an understatement, actually. Every possible wall and door space was covered in codes, some large, some small. There must have been thousands of them.
What the fuck? I mean, how am I supposed to find which code is correct? Is it even possible? Surely I don't have to go through all of them!
She looked around for a clue, but all she saw, everywhere, were 4-digit codes. She tried entering a few of them, but without seriously expecting any luck, and she was right. After a few attempts, she felt her face burning up and walked over to the sink to splash some water on it. She shook the water off her hands and wiped her eyes and face, when something caught her attention. More accurately, the lack of something.
The walls in the mirrors were totally clear. While the walls were covered in codes, none of them translated into the backwards world of the mirror.
Except for one!
With a growing excitement, she noticed that one of the codes was mirrored, but only one. She peered into the mirror, smiling when she made out the 4 numbers on the mirrored wall. 1130. She quickly entered the code, frowning when it didn't work.
What? It must be the code, it's the only one mirrored in the… mirrored… wait a sec.
She attempted one more code. The same one, but this time, backwards. 0311 and let out a little yelp of delight when the door unlocked. She pushed it open and walked into the diner, which was full of people that Max recognised. She walked through, unable to ignore all the quiet comments aimed at her as she passed her friends.
"Don't kill us, Max!"
"I guess I'll never dance again," said Dana, leaning against the wall.
"Just when I was about to move away, start a new life in California," said another voice.
"Shit Max, I thought we were on the same page," said Frank.
"You were going to kiss me. Now you're going to kill me?" said Warren, standing on his own near Brooke, who just ignored Max.
"Please Max," said Juliet, sat in a booth with her arm around Zach, "save us."
"Yeah," said Zach, "save us. Save the Bigfoots."
"Honey, I always thought of you as a daughter," said Joyce, her arms around her husband, "but now you're going to take away my family? Why would you do that?"
"Max," said David, "you're exactly the kind of soldier I'd want by my side in war."
"Max," said Samuel, "I hope you can live with yourself after this."
"You always had my back. Were you lying, Max?" asked Kate, sitting with Daniel and Stella at the far end of the diner. "Please, don't kill me. We can go out for tea if you keep me alive."
"Max, I want you to know how much confidence you gave me," said Daniel. "Nobody else ever took the time for me."
"I escaped poverty, and an abusive family," said Stella, not looking at Max, "just so I could end up here, for you to kill me."
There was one person who Max was looking for that was missing. There was no sign of Chloe, but there was one other person, sat alone at their usual booth. Someone Max really didn't expect to see. Herself.
"Hi Max," other-Max said.
"You!" she said, in confusion. "Who are you?"
"Holy shit, are you cereal?" said other-Max in contempt. "I'm you, dumbass. Or maybe I'm one of many Maxes you've left behind. Or maybe I'm an amalgamation of all the Maxes you've carelessly dumped in your past." She shrugged. "Take your pick."
"I... don't understand."
"Of course you don't," she said. "You don't have the capacity to grasp even the simplest concepts like time-travel. Shit, I should have had the power, not you. At least I'd have used it properly."
"Can… you help me get out of here?"
Other-Max laughed. It wasn't a nice laugh. "Oh, so you want help? Bullshit! You just want to control everybody and everything around you!"
"That's not true!"
"Really?" Other-Max spread her arms. "Look around you, Max! Look at all the people who are here just… for… you. They've come here because you've managed to twist time around your fingers."
"That's not true, uh, Max, and you know it! I tried to help people. Look at all the people I've helped this week. I tried to do the right thing."
"And you haven't abused your powers?"
"No."
"Not even once? Are you absolutely sure about that, Max?"
"I'm sure."
"So each time you've used your powers it's been to help someone else."
"I've tried to do the right thing."
"You sat here and told Chloe what was in her pockets. Predicted the future."
"I needed her to believe me."
"You helped her shoot bottles with a gun. And what about when you kissed her? Are you absolutely sure you didn't abuse that moment?"
"Uh…"
"Exactly. You fucked around with time and when it came to you actually needing it, up on the roof, you couldn't use it! That's what I mean, dumbass!"
"Hey!"
"You just wanted to be popular. You see, I'd have used the power for good. Real good. Not a fucking popularity contest. I know you, Max. As soon as you got these amazing powers, your big plan was to trick people into thinking you give a shit."
"I do care! That's why I was trying to make friends."
"Shut up! You weren't trying to make friends. You were trying to trick people. That's a shortcut. That's tantamount to bullying someone into being your friend! It's despicable! Tell people what they want to hear and trick them into caring about you. Just proves you can't make friends on your own."
"I don't believe you. I have great friends, and I'm making new ones. And I've used my powers for good. Okay, I may have played around with them a bit, but I'm eighteen for fuck's sake!"
"Oh puh-lease. Stop playing the innocent maiden. You're a fucking hypocrite, that's what you are. Can't you see? You've left a trail of death, misery and suffering behind you."
"That was not my fault!"
"Oh really? What about the crap that was your fault, then?" She grinned and threw her arms in the air. "No, don't tell me! Let me guess. Um, I know! You fucked up time and space for your precious punk Chloe! You think she's worth all that?"
"Don't you?"
"How could I? She's dead. You killed her. Now I'll never get to know her. You bitch!"
Max looked at her doppelganger with a new interest. "Oh, I get it. You're bitter. You miss her just as much as I do."
"You ignored your best friend for five years while she went through hell." She humphed. "Some friend you are."
"So did you! At least I apologised." She took a step forward. "At least Chloe does a better job of guilt-tripping me than you do. I… thought she'd be here." She looked around. "But I can't see her."
"Exactly. She's not here, because she's immune to your bullshit. She doesn't care about you. Face it, Max, you're alone now. And she's no friend of yours! You don't care about her!"
"Not true!"
"You let her bully you. It's called Stockholm Syndrome, but I guess you were sleeping through that lecture as well. So you'll have to learn the hard way. Like Rachel did… Max, do you really think she's our friend? That she respects us in any way at all? Man, you are so stupid! I'm embarrassed to have the same name." Other-Max nodded, looking pleased with herself, but a lightbulb lit up in Max's head and smiled at the sudden clarity of reason.
"Stop it! You're not scaring me anymore," she said. "I can see through your bullshit." Max jabbed her finger towards other-Max. "You're just a bitter, underappreciated version of me. When I went to the alternate reality, I didn't like the person I'd become. And you are that person. You're just a self-centred bitch." Another thought fought its way through her consciousness. "Actually, I'm glad I killed Chloe there. You know why? Because I would have been ashamed to let her get to know you. And on the flip-side, you don't fucking deserve a friend like her. She's the best friend I've ever had, and ever will have. She listens to me, she talks to me, she doesn't judge me like you do, and she certainly wants to spend time with me, just as much as I want to spend time with her. I miss her every single second I'm not with her." Suddenly, everything became clear in Max's mind. In a single moment, she realised exactly what it was she'd been denying herself all week. And she was no longer afraid to admit it to herself. "In fact, you want to know the truth? The truth is: I love her. And I don't mean in that family/best friend way, I mean love with a capital L. I. Love. Chloe. I would do anything for her. Would you?"
"Oh puh-lease."
"Yeah. I'm not afraid to admit it to myself anymore. I love her, and there's nothing you can do about it. You're just a bitter, self-centred girl I never knew and I'm glad I never got to know."
"You don't understand, Max," said other-Max, looking a little punch-drunk. "Chloe will destroy you, she'll destroy everything around her. It's her destiny. She'll…" Other-Max stopped talking as the diner door banged open. "Ah, speak of the devil," she said with a knowing grin as Chloe bounced into the diner. She looked around and walked up to the booth, jumping into the seat opposite other-Max.
"Dude, don't you dare fuck with her head!" she yelled at other-Max, who just smiled knowingly and played with her camera. "She knows what we went through together this week, and you don't! There's no way you can break up our team. Team Max. This is reality. You don't know dick!"
"Oh really?" said other-Max, looking even closer at her camera. "I don't know what you've been through. I was there!"
"No, you weren't," said Max, smiling at Chloe, who grinned back. "I'm Max. You're just a shadow of a sad Max who never really existed. I know what we've been through this week. Chloe knows. You don't. So unfortunately for you, you don't get a vote."
"Oh, it's a democracy now, is it?" She turned to Max and hissed in a low voice. "Can't you see, Max? I'm just trying to help you. Chloe is bad news. She'll destroy us all."
"I don't believe that for one second."
Other-Max sighed. "No, I can see you don't. Well, maybe this'll help. Just take a wander through the week. Look at the so-called defining moments. And just remember," she hissed through clenched teeth. "Your love for Chloe will destroy us all!"
…
"After five years, you're still Max Caulfield," said Chloe, her right arm resting on the wheel of the truck while her left arm propped her head up, looking across at Max, who was turning her camera over in her hands.
"Chloe, I am seriously glad to see you," replied Max.
"Welcome home, Max," said Chloe. "Fasten your seatbelt."
Max looked down on the lit truck from the path. It was weird. It was like she was seeing little snippets of time, but seeing them from outside the time they were in. Ahead of her, she could see the lighthouse, once again beaming it's light like a beacon, and she could feel it was closer than ever. She began to walk along the winding path; as she walked, other little snippets of time lit up and began to play out, like a chronicle of Chloe and Max.
…
"Look," said Chloe, slowly, "I know that you were eighteen two weeks ago, and I know, obviously, I missed it." She was pressing the camera into Max's hands. "I want you to have the camera, Max."
"What? No, I couldn't. I mean, it's sweet you remembered my birthday, but I couldn't take this, Chloe. It was William's."
"Please, Max, I know Dad would have been seriously pissed off if I never used it. And I can't take photos for shit. You can. Now I know it will be used awesomely, and in memory of him."
"Chloe, I'd be honoured. I loved William like a father too." Max suddenly giggled. "Although awesomely? Is that even a word?"
…
"Yep yep, I'm fuckin' insane in the brain! Let's dance! Shake that bony white ass!" She began dancing on the bed, the spectacle just serving to make Max laugh more. "Or," added Chloe, "you could take my picture with the spanky new camera of yours!" Max stood in front of Chloe, taking her photo as she danced on the bed.
"This song fucking rules! Can't dance hipster-Max? Come on! Rawk out, girl!" Max laughed and felt the need to join her friend.
…
"You need to hide, Max. Now! Step-ass will kill me if he finds you here."
"No Chloe, I won't hide."
"What? Seriously Max, you need to hide. Now."
"No way. I won't abandon you again Chloe. I made that mistake once and no fucking way am I doing it again. We stay together from now on."
…
"Then I'll be there to catch you, Super-Max. Look, I need to get high. It's been a hella insane fucking day, and I am totally trippin' on you coming back and saving my life. Maybe you were right earlier. Maybe it is destiny that you were supposed to save me in that bathroom. You've given me a second chance at life, Max. I don't intend to waste it."
Chloe and Max were sat on the bench by the lighthouse, bathed in a warm amber glow of the setting sun. Chloe was slumped forward and Max had placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort.
"So you're going to get high?"
"Fuck, I can't give everything up at once! I'm not going to be a fucking nun or something. Now come on, it's getting cold."
…
"I pledge allegiance to my friend Max, and the power for which she stands…"
"Get up, Chloe," hissed Max, in between laughs. "You're making a scene."
"And?"
"I'm trying to keep this quiet, ok?"
Chloe jumped up and hoisted herself back into her seat. She continued eating for a while, then stabbed the last bit of bacon with her fork and waved it around in front of Max.
"Max, that was hella awesome. Man, I got fucking chills from that. And the cockroach. Fucking icing on the cake!"
"One is glad to be of service," said Max. She finished her coffee and stretched hard.
"Bicentennial Man!"
"Yup. Fifty points!"
…
"Welcome to American Rust. My home away from hell."
"Raw and rough. It suits you."
…
"Did you rewind?" asked Chloe, but Max was too distraught to answer, and Chloe suspected she knew the answer. "Don't tell me, Max," she said, holding Max close and rubbing her back, "I don't want to know." She couldn't help herself, she pressed her lips to Max's neck and continued to rub her back. "You're the best friend I've ever had and will ever have, Max," she whispered, "we're now bonded for life," and the two friends stayed like that, at the side of the railway tracks, for some time.
…
"Well, since you're the mysterious superhero, I shall accept the role of faithful companion and chauffeur."
"My powers might not last, Chloe."
"Maybe not. But we will… forever."
…
"We will. I promise. Like you said, let's do some snooping and find the clues." Max smiled. "I'm so glad you're my partner in crime."
"As long as you're my partner in time," grinned Chloe.
"Insert groan here," Max said, but she couldn't help but giggle. "Ok, let me get sorted out and we'll go."
…
"Yeah, it's just some crazy drawing," said Chloe, but Max shook her head. "That's not a drawing, Chloe. Look what it says. Over and over. 'Rachel in the dark room. Rachel in the dark room.'"
"Rachel in the dark room? What does that mean?"
"No idea."
"That is fucked up. What… Nathan is truly psychotic. I know he has something to do with Rachel missing, I fucking know it!"
…
"Cowabunga!" she shouted as she hit the water, bobbing to the surface a moment later and treading water near Chloe, who was laughing hysterically.
"Cowa…" she wheezed. "Oh, totally priceless!"
"Hey, don't diss the battle-cry," protested Max, good-naturedly.
"Why look," said Chloe, swimming closer to Max, "an otter in my water."
…
"Gross," she said, sniffing her hoodie, "I feel like we just went swimming in Chlorine Bay."
"You look cute with your hair soaked in chemicals."
"Thanks," laughed Max, "I guess you'd know."
…
Propping herself up on her elbow, she prepared for a particularly sentimental selfie (one for the private collection), but just as she pressed the shutter, she felt movement behind her and a quick loud whisper of "photobomb!". The camera ejected the photo and it grew into existence, showing Chloe, with a grin as wide as her face behind Max.
"Dork!" said Max. "I was going to take one with you anyway!" She laughed and exhaled comfortably. "Y'know, I'd like to do something for my school and Arcadia Bay, but I can't even submit a photo… I guess I'm scared of being rejected."
"Dude, everyone gets rejected before they're famous," said Chloe. "So you have to submit a photo. Anyway, I wouldn't reject you."
…
"Well, take a chance now. I dare you to kiss me!"
"What?"
"Go on. Right here. Right now. Kiss me, Maxi-pad!"
Max didn't waste a second. Standing up on her tip-toes to reach Chloe, she took a quick step forward, placed her hands on Chloe's shoulders and pressed her lips to her friend's mouth. Chloe stepped back in surprise.
"Damn, you're hardcore, Max!" she said.
…
She headed to the front and sat down behind the steering wheel, gripping it tightly with a huge smile on her face. "We could cruise anywhere in this bad boy," she whooped. "Can you see us heading down the cost to Big Sur and beyond?"
"Yes," said Max, grinning at her friend's obvious delight, "we'd be tearing up the highway. And you'd probably want me to kiss you again…"
…
"Not until I see it first," shouted young Chloe, jumping up and down in excitement and grabbing the photo from her father. "You know the rules, Dad!"
…
"It's weird hanging out with you again," said wheelchair-Chloe, hesitantly.
"I know," said Max. "I'm glad we are, though."
"It's nice you sent me actual letters, Max, it's more than any of my other friends have done. And you even wrote on that cool parchment paper. Just a little personal touch, but it meant so much to me. Look Max, the worst thing you can do is treat me like a baby, ok? My body is pretty much useless, but there's nothing wrong with my mind. And my heart. I still have emotions. I still know when people are talking about me. Or… avoiding talking to me."
"I know, Chloe. I'm sorry."
"And stop with the apologies. You're still my best friend, right?"
"Never doubt that, Chloe."
"Then I still want to laugh and talk shit with you. Let's stop a moment."
…
"Whoa, awesome," said Chloe. "We look so badass in our pirate gear."
"Yeah, we should totally have taken over Arrrrrcadia Bay when we had the chance," said Max.
…
"Chloe!" She bounced across the room and flung her arms around her friend, resplendent in blue hair and sporting several tattoos. "You're back!"
"Of course I'm… dude, one kiss and you're all over me?"
"I'm just… I'm… you're here! I'm so glad you're here!"
"You sound high, but thanks for the morning grope."
…
"What is it, Max?" Chloe frowned as she saw the three files on the table, then she looked around to the cabinet to see the collection of binders, and her mouth just dropped open. "What. The. Fuck." She turned back to the files. What are they, Max?"
"This one's empty," said Max, opening the one labelled 'Victoria'. "Shit, does that means she's next? Nathan must be planning to dose her tonight at the Vortex Club Party." She put that to one side and opened up the next folder. Kate's folder. "Fuck. Kate…"
"Oh my god," said Chloe as Max quickly leafed through the folder.
…
"Rachel, no, no, no!" she cried, each word piercing Max's heart with its raw emotion. "Please, not her!" She crawled away, anywhere, not knowing where she was going, struggling to breath, ending up near a pile of junk, on her knees, each sob punctuated by a wheezing breath as she struggled for air. Max immediately crawled over to her best friend as she sobbed her heart out, taking her friend in her arms, giving whatever comfort she could. "Rachel, why?" cried Chloe.
Max helped Chloe to a sitting position, her arms clamped around her knees, her knees tight to her chest. "I'm sorry, Chloe. I'm so sorry…" She crawled behind Chloe and supported her, both hands and her head on Chloe's back, rubbing it gently.
…
As Max reached the lighthouse, she saw a final image, one she didn't recognise. Chloe and Max were walking up to the lighthouse, Chloe had Max's arm around her shoulder and looked to be supporting her totally.
"Come on, Max, we're nearly there!" shouted Chloe, as she struggled with Max, who seemed to be totally non-responsive. "Max, come on, please wake up! Come on!" She helped the girl the last few steps to the lighthouse. "We're there, Max. We've found our way there. You can come on back now. We'll be okay."
And Max stumbled as the thunder crashed overhead. She felt Chloe's arm around her shoulder, holding her up.
"Chloe?" she said, weakly, and the blue-haired girl stopped and looked at Max.
"Max?"
"Yeah?"
"You're back?"
"Uh… yeah, I had the weirdest…" Max fell to her knees and pulled Chloe down with her. She coughed and tried to get her bearings.
Ok. I'm back. At the lighthouse. With Chloe.
