"Girls"
James stood up warily as the three girls entered his office.
His friendly tone didn't match his stiff body language.
Chloe and Max spread out of on either side of Rachel locking gazes with James.
He moved forward carefully to embrace Rachel but she held up a hand and he paused with a frown.
He stared at Rachel's broken arm with a worried look.
"Rachel... what happened?"
Rachel crossed her arm across her brace and said nothing.
The three girls just stared at James.
James looked nervously between Max, Chloe, and his daughter,
"Rachel? What is this about?"
Rachel said nothing. She just stared.
"Rachel?" Asked James with a deeper frown.
Finally, Rachel hissed out a long held breath.
"Dad."
James crossed his arms. "Rachel, what is it?"
Rachel held her words for another long pause.
"We know what you tried to do to Sera."
Whispered quietly.
The words hung in the silence.
James' ceiling fan made a quiet sound on every rotation.
A bird made a distant call outside.
James licked his lips.
"Rachel... you must be confused... I would never do anything to hurt Sera. My only concern has been protecting you."
Rachel clenched her fists but said nothing.
She just stared.
James fidgeted nervously.
"Rachel? Honey?"
Rachel still said nothing.
James' glance flicked between Max and Chloe.
"You're a liar." Rachel whispered.
"What?" James' eyes darted back to Rachel at the sound of her voice.
"I said, you're a fucking lair!"
Louder.
James rocked back as if she had slapped him in the face and then his eyes narrowed.
"Honey I'm sure you're confused. I would never lie to you."
"We saw what you did to her Mr Amber."
Chloe's tone was firm and direct as she continued.
"We know you've been lying to Rachel.
Sera was sober and you paid Damon Merrick to give her a dose of fucking heroin.
Got her re-addicted."
James' face reddened and he turned himself to face Chloe with a dangerous look in his eye.
"That is an outrageous accusation I will not tolerate. Be careful of your words Ms Price."
Without any warning, Rachel took two firm steps forward and slapped James across the cheek using her unbroken right hand.
It wasn't a gentle slap either and James staggered a bit from the blow.
The color drained from his face.
With a soft sound of discomfort, he walked around his desk and gingerly sat down in his chair.
"Chloe?" He asked quietly. He was looking down. Not at any of them.
"Was that you who broke into my office?"
Chloe and Rachel exchanged a glance.
"Yes."
"You took my phone and the money? You burned the evidence?"
Chloe nodded and James sighed.
"You know that's breaking and entering right?"
Chloe faced him calmly.
"You've done worse."
James nodded slowly.
"What happened next?"
Chloe paused for a second.
"I saved Sera from Damon."
James looked surprised.
"Just like that? Was Rachel with you?"
Rachel shook her head.
"I was still in the hospital."
James sighed with a look of relief.
"What happened to Sera?"
"She's alive. No thanks to you. She's back on heroin though.
Your plan worked. She doesn't want to let Rachel see her like that.
She wanted me to lie to Rachel and pretend everything was ok and say I couldn't find her."
Chloe looked down in shame.
"I'm sorry Rach. Maybe I should have lied like she asked."
Rachel shook her head jerkily.
"No." She whispered. "I'm glad I know. Better to know than live with a lair."
She glared at her father.
James looked between them.
"And who is this?" He pointed at Max. "I'm assuming she was in on this scheme?"
"Dad...". Rachel said softly. "This is Max Caulfield."
James' eyes flew wide in recognition and his hand spasmed on his desk.
"Yes dad, that Caulfield." Rachel said quietly. "We helped her escape from her dad."
"Ryan." whispered James.
Rachel nodded.
"Rachel... I already lost one daughter to a monster. Your mother... you don't know what the drugs made her do. What she did to you. You don't remember but I do."
His voice was pleading.
"Dad. No." Rachel was shaking her head.
"I don't care what you thought you were doing. It was... wrong... and you're going to make it right."
James' eyes narrowed. "How?"
Chloe stepped forward and slapped a brochure down on James' desk.
James eyed it warily.
"A recovery clinic?" He asked.
"For Sera. You're going to pay for her treatment."
James tensed. "And what if she won't go?"
"She'll go for me." Rachel replied with a small smile.
"I'm sure of it."
James nodded thoughtfully.
Chloe braced herself.
"One more thing. You're going to pay to help Max move back to Arcadia bay."
James' gaze moved from Rachel to Max.
His eyes were full of hurt and rage.
"I don't want the Caulfields anywhere near Arcadia Bay." He whispered.
"It's not the Caulfields... just Max."
Max nodded without saying anything.
"Max didn't do anything. It was all her dad and he's probably going to jail soon."
"What about her mother?" James asked.
Max looked down at the floor and said nothing.
"Her mom said she wanted to stay." Chloe's tone was clipped.
James this is none of your business.
Please don't ask.
James steepled his fingers on his desk.
"So you want me to give away a bunch of money to help people I detest?
What if I refuse?"
I knew he'd say that. Fucker.
"Then we go to the cops and tell them what you did." Rachel said flatly.
"Blackmail." James said it slowly with a small sneer in his voice.
Chloe wanted to punch him.
"You did this dad. You need to make it right."
Rachel met James' sneering tone with her best take no shit voice.
"You don't get to keep hurting people. You make this right and then you never talk to Sera again."
James sighed and seemed to deflate a little.
Seem of the arrogant politician left his voice.
"I don't suppose I have much choice. Very well. I'll do as you ask but let this be the end of this and never bring it up again.
Rachel shook her head.
"It doesn't work like that dad. I won't ever forget what you did. You may be my dad but your always going to be a horrible human being to me."
James nodded sadly and for once his tone sounded almost human.
"I suppose I've earned that."
The waves of Arcadia Bay washed gently ashore and tickled the tips of Chloe's feet.
She and Rachel sat together feet in the sand.
"So what the hell happens now?" Asked Rachel.
Chloe looked out across the bay.
"Max is gathering her things back home.
She'll move out here in a few weeks.
James gave her enough to cover a small apartment until she can find something better.
She told me she's already looking at school options.
She promised she'll apply to Blackwell though she's not sure she can get in."
Rachel nodded.
"How's her mom?"
Chloe had a brief flashback to the crumpled form of Max's mother at the feet of Ryan.
She shuddered.
"She's going to be ok.
Mild concussion but nothing serious. She wants to stay though.
She wants to try and help Ryan."
Rachel's brow furrowed.
"Help him? What the hell?"
Chloe shook her head.
"I don't understand it either. I don't think she's thinking clearly still.
I think all that time with Ryan made her crazy."
"What's Max going to do about it?"
"I think Max is still too freaked out by either of her parents to worry about them.
Don't talk about them in front of her it sends her into a panic attack."
Rachel winced.
"Poor thing. I'd invite her to stay with me if my dad wasn't so crazy."
Chloe snorted.
"Yeah no shit. Except we've got him by the balls now.
If he tries anything we can go to the cops and then he's totally fucked."
Rachel grinned briefly but it was replaced by a thoughtful look.
"Chloe... were you and Max ever a thing? Like did you guys ever get together?"
Chloe shook her head.
"We were pretty young when she left. She was my best friend and like a sister to me.
I don't know if she's even into girls."
Chloe shrugged sheepishly.
"She's really special to me but she's been through a hell of a lot. I don't know if she's even the same person I knew as a kid. So much happened to her."
Rachel nodded.
"Sorry I didn't mean to be nosy.
I know we never really talked about... you know... but I saw you looking at her and I started to wonder."
Chloe shook her head.
"I don't know Rach... maybe let's take this one day at a time ok? All this has me pretty shook and I guess I just really need my best friends Max and Rachel without worrying about any of that other stuff. Is that ok or do you need something more definite?"
Rachel squeezed Chloe's hand.
"I totally understand. I really need you guys too right now without all the extra pressure."
They sat together and watched the waves roll in.
Suddenly, Rachel rolled on her side and gave Chloe a devilish grin.
"Can we maybe sorta be best friends with a little extra benefits on the side though?"
Chloe barked out a laugh of unexpected delight.
She looked down to see Rachel grinning up at her with a sly smile.
Chloe made a show of thinking carefully.
"Maaaybeee" She said with her own devilish grin.
The End.
The End! Wow I felt like this story would never get done! I'm such a slow writer :?
I might go back and write an epilogue talking more about Max's new life in Arcadia Bay. Let me know if I should!
If you're interested here's some notes I made as I was coming up with the story as well as the outline:
(My dark side)
Rachel breaks Chloe's heart.
She texts ppls - and no one responds
She texts max - who texts back
Chloe flies to Cali where Rachel has relatives and has passed out.
She eventually breaks up with Rachel and ends up with Max.
I think I want Rachel to cold shoulder Chloe for a while - and then travel somewhere - come back and make up
So do I want Chloe to end up with Max or Rachel?
I want lots of texting! And I really do want Max and Chloe to end up together!
So then what should Chloe and Rachel's
relationship be?
Well I think Max should wingwoman Chloe and then eventually Chloe and Rachel break up as Rachel goes off the deep end?
There needs to be a new Frank storyline
As well as a reason for Chloe to go back to Blackwell and run into Rachel
Rachel had a younger half-sister named Emma Amber who was killed by Max's dad. Max's dad was dealing with Frank she saw him stab Frank. She threatened to tell the police so he shot her and buried the body. Frank saw the whole thing and tried to stop him but he couldn't.
There was a witness though- Frank , he didn't want to go in court - but he told Rachel's dad who got angry and tried to prosecute - it didn't go through because Frank was to scared to testify in court but Max's dad came under investigation.
He was fired and fled with his family because Rachel's dad was still after him.
Max saw her dad toss the body off the edge of the cliff - over by the lighthouse.
Also Max's mom is trying to get away from her dad - but it's hard. He has a lot of fincanciel control and she's in deep denial / acting disfunctuonal.
Should Max visit Chloe?
What should happen next?
And here's the outline for the final story. I followed it pretty closely:
My dark side outline 2:
Day 1 5/21/10
-Rachel ditches Chloe
-Chloe goes home and texts max
Day 2 5/22/10
-max responds
-Chloe argues with her mom
-Chloe visits Rachel to say goodbye
-texts with Max
-Chloe sneaks into Blackwell to grab her emergency escape stash that she started building with Rachel.
It contains Frank's money and everything else. Clothes, weed, cigs, money, Rachel's spare credit card, fake ID, and some candy bars. As well as the photo album.
Wells spots her
Switch out for Mom waking her up?
Day 3:
-she's at Blackwell because of Wells
-they take her car keys
-she begs her mom - but she sides with David
Chloe shoves him and Frank drops his wallet... which shows a picture of Emma.
Frank threatens to kill her and screams at her to never ask about Emma. but Rachel intervenes... then she walks out on Chloe
"Chloe I can't... I'm so sorry... you should just forget about me..."
Day 4:
Chloe gets up and googles Emma Amber... and finds out... some things
She texts Max...
-max texts Chloe saying: you should forget all about me (after giving away that she knows about the girl)
Chloe sneaks into Frank's trailer... and finds a letter from Frank to Rachel apologizing that he can't go through with testifying
Frank Catches her... and tries to kill her but Rachel's dad intervenes
"I appreciate everything you've done for me Bowers but I'm not letting you hurt the girl.
Rachel is missing and we need to find her
Day 5:
Chloe gets a call from Rachel at 7:23 in the morning... it's fuzzy and confused
Rachel has drugged herself and she tells Chloe where she's staying.
They rush her to the hospital.
Chloe demands the Rachel's dad tell everything... and he does...
Chloe learns that Max was involved in the crash.
James is called back into the hospital room. "Mr Amber... we need to talk."
Chloe texts Max - "I know it's not your fault."
Rachel wakes up -
Chloe and Rachel hug.
They both apologize.
How do I go from Rachel is fragile to Rachel talking to Chloe about Emma
Max calls back and tells her everything.
"Chloe I need your help... my mom is going to meet with him tonight."
Rachel has stolen her dad's keys - and they drive to Seattle together.
Rachel also has her credit card.
Chloe reunites with Max in her hotel room.
Her mom is out meeting with her dad. Then her mom doesn't come back.
Max knows where her mom is going ... she begged her for the info.
What should happen here?
Chloe and Max hug.
Rachel "sizes down" for Max
They're in Rachel's car and they drive to the hotel.
The events in the hotel room happen...
Max is to scared to go back up into the hotel room. But they face Max's dad together.
and they save Max's mom.
Day 7:
They all go back to Arcadia Bay to confront Rachel's dad.
On the drive back, the talk and heal.
They blackmail him into agreeing to pay for Sera's rehab.
Aaand that's it! I hope you really liked the story! I've super enjoyed all the great comments and feedback ^^
Thanks so much guys!
Not sure if I'll do another one any time soon. Maybe if enough people ask for a what happens next kind of story ;)