"Is this your mother?"

"With my sister, yeah."

Max smiled. She regarded the photograph she was holding carefully. For whatever reason, Nathan held this photograph very dear to his heart, and as a result, kept it hidden until now. Max cursed in her head for somehow finding her way back to Nathan Prescott's bedroom. She shrugged. He had insisted, after all, and you never refuse a Prescott. Max rubbed her head.

"I took that photograph about 4 years ago. It was the first one I took outside of school, the day Mom bought me a new camera." Nathan smiled.

"I can see why this photo is so special to you."

"It is. I'd hate to lose it."

Max tried to give it back to him, but he shook his head.

"You can keep holding onto it, for now."

Max frowned slightly. Nathan was being way too trusting with her, considering what had happened only a few days ago. Max held it down by her side, tight enough to make sure it didn't fall, but loose enough so that she didn't damage it. It may have been framed, but Max figured she could never be too careful with a photograph. She knew that all too well. Max wasn't really paying attention to Nathan, and he wasn't paying attention to her. She liked that. She looked around. The couch had been shifted back into its original spot. Max wondered if Nathan wanted his second cellphone back. He hadn't asked yet, so she assumed he didn't care. If he had managed to stay away from Jefferson, then his father would be the only other person to use it, considering Frank Bowers was well out of the picture. Max was suddenly worried what would happen if Sean Prescott realised Nathan wasn't returning his calls or texts. Max shook her head. All this worrying was making her head hurt, and she needed it clear in case Nathan had an episode. Nathan seemed fine, rummaging around his portfolios, although he was uncharacteristically sweet. Max felt her blood run cold as she was reminded of Warren. The last thing she needed was two men romantically invested in her.

"Here!" Nathan said enthusiastically as he handed her a photo.

"It's… a dead bird." Max said matter-of-factly. "Fascinating."

"Do you like it?" Nathan asked eagerly, missing the sarcasm.

Not wanting to upset Nathan, she studied the photo more carefully. She noticed some shadows that were expertly placed. The photo was taken low to the ground, so Max realised he must have been lying on bare concrete. The slight upward angle highlighted the swarm of flies slowly approaching the bird's corpse. Max shuddered. Nathan had definitely put a lot of thought into this photograph. The flies looked huge from that angle. As did the bird, although that was because it was so close to the camera. Nathan clearly had an odd attraction to death. Not only did it seem to follow him, he seemed to follow it.

Max coughed. "It's really impressive, Nathan." She said as she handed it back to him. "I like the angles, and the shadows are really good too."

"Thank you." Nathan smiled, and promptly put the photograph back into his folder. Max felt her head start to burn. "It was kinda a spur of the moment thing. I saw the dead bird on the ground, and then the flies approaching… it called to me."

"I can see that." Max nodded. It was getting harder for her to follow along.

"Do you wanna know the most ironic thing?"

Max shuddered. "Okay…"

"I took this outside of the Two Whales."

Max's heart thumped in her chest. "Wow."

"A place so full of life inside, but the second you step out, it's the same-old deathpit that is Arcadia Bay."

For once, Max was in agreement. She had no idea he thought so highly of the Two Whales. Max winced as her head started protesting.

"You okay?" Nathan asked.

Max was confused by Nathan's concern, but she was worried he might seize the opportunity to drug her if she asked for painkillers. "I'm fine. Thank you, though." Nathan shrugged. Max could smell the disappointment reeking off him. Max shook her head. "He could actually just be trying to help, I should stop being so hard on him. Things have changed after all." Max sighed.

"Do you wanna see more of my-"

"SHIT!" Max cried. Her head start pounding visciously as her heartrate sped up. She felt the photo burn in her hand. "Oh crap." She whispered out loud. She looked around. Much to her horror, the walls were slowly starting to burn, white and red. "But I'm not in this photo! I wasn't even looking at it!" She yelled.

"Max? What the hell are you talking about?" Nathan asked, more curious than actually worried.

"No no no no no no!" Max screamed. The white and red walls slowly closed in around her. She saw Nathan's image being erased. The walls grew closer and closer. Closer. Closer still. Until everything was gone.

Max gasped as she awoke.

"Kristine, are you okay?" A woman standing above her said.

"Sorry. The flash scared me." Max said, acutely aware about how natural it felt to lie. That worried her. She looked forward and saw Nathan smiling with his camera, very satisfied. He looked to be about 14 or 15 years old, and the camera looked brand new, and very expensive. Max looked around. She was clearly at the Prescott estate, and they were standing in front of a large fountain. "How gaudy. Very Prescott." She looked down. She was certainly a lot taller and… curvier… than her normal self. She realised her consciousness had been transferred into the body of Kristine Prescott.

This happened for a reason.

"Come on. Show us the photograph, Nathan." The woman, who Max assumed must have been Nathan and Kristine's mother, smiled to Nathan. Nathan happily ran over and gave the camera to his mother, taking the strap off from around his neck. "Wow! This is amazing, Nathan!"

Max was genuinely eager to see the photograph. "Let me see, Mom!" It felt incredibly weird to call another woman 'Mom', especially one she hadn't met before. Max was aware that Kristine was older than Nathan, but she wasn't sure how much older. She guessed a few years.

"Aren't you eager!" Mrs. Prescott smiled. After looking briefly for a little bit longer at the camera, she handed it Max.

"It's beautiful." Max smiled. She looked closely at the image of Nathan's sister. "She's beautiful." She thought. Max guessed she was around 18 at least in the photo. In the distance, she thought she saw a blue butterfly resting above them on top of the garden fountain. She handed the camera back to Nathan, who promptly put it back around his neck. Max considered Nathan carefully. He was… happy. Genuinely happy. That he could share a moment as precious as a photograph with his family. The thought of that being a rare occurrence for Nathan made Max cry.

"Kristine? Are you okay?" Mrs. Prescott asked, very concerned.

"Yeah I'm fine. It's just a very beautiful photo. I'm proud of you, little bro." She said, remembering how Kristine, the real Kristine, phrased her email to Nathan.

"Thanks, sis." Nathan smiled. He looked a little awkward, but he seemed like he appreciated the compliment greatly. It was clear Nathan looked up to his sister.

Mrs. Prescott's face turned white. "Quick! Put the camera away!" She shouted.

Nathan whipped his head around, and Max could hear a car approaching them, its tires crunching on the gravel. Nathan took the camera off from around his neck and ran inside. Mrs. Prescott ran to the car to greet the driver. A chauffeur stepped out of the now parked car and opened the backseat door. Out came Sean Prescott, who barely acknowledged his wife, instead deciding to storm angrily towards the house.

"Oh, leave it, Sean!" Mrs. Prescott tried to say, but Mr. Prescott wasn't having any of it.

"Dad- wait!" Max tried, but if he paid little attention to his wife, Mr. Prescott paid even less to his daughter. Max stamped her foot angrily. Mrs. Prescott shook her head sadly.

"I just hope he got the camera away in time."

"Well can't we do something!?" Max cried. She was shocked that not only Mrs. Prescott knew what was going on, but that she was aware her daughter was too, and still they did nothing to stop it.

"And what? Risk getting hurt ourselves?" Mrs. Prescott said, defeated. "We both still have a chance."

"He's a kid. He didn't ask for this." Max protested, finally starting to feel weird speaking in another girl's voice.

Mrs. Prescott said nothing. Max turned around and ran towards the house before Mrs. Prescott could protest. Max had no idea where Nathan's room was, and the sheer size of the estate was massive. Max's head began to spin. Luckily for her, Sean Prescott's footsteps angrily banged somewhere in the distance. Max ran up the stairs towards the noise.

"What the hell are you doing in my room, Dad?" Nathan asked, loudly with an expertly false air of confusion. He was clearly used to this by now.

"You better not be fucking around with that damn camera again!" Mr. Prescott growled angrily. Max cursed as she moved from room to room, hallway to hallway, searching for the source of the noise.

"Of course not! I was in my room when I heard the car!"

"Bullshit!" Nathan's father growled. "Don't fucking lie to me. I hate liars! Did you, or did you not, use that camera your mother bought you!?"

"What are you talking about?" Nathan asked, his voice faltering.

"I SAID DON'T LIE TO ME!" Mr. Prescott yelled and slammed the door. Max found him. "Give it to me right now, or I will find it, and I will destroy it myself."

Nathan started crying.

"Shut up! You're so pathetic!"

Max could barely handle it, but she wasn't brave enough to intervene. Downstairs, she could hear Mrs. Prescott calling their names.

"Why are you doing this, Dad?" Nathan whimpered.

"Because life is tough, boy. And you need to be taught that, one way or another. Taking shitty photographs won't run the estate! You want to keep the Prescott title, don't you?"

"But I-"

"BUTTS ARE FOR ASHTRAYS!" Sean Prescott yelled, stomping towards Nathan. "Don't you talk back to me, ever! Got that?"

Max saw Nathan nod solemnly.

"Good. Now show me the camera."

Nathan slowly took his brand new camera out from a hidden shelf in his walk-in wardrobe and handed it to his father.

"Good." Sean said calmly, before promptly smacking Nathan in the head with it, causing him to collapse on the floor.

Finally, Max had had enough. "STOP IT!" She yelled in Kristine Prescott's voice, trying her hardest to keep her voice steady. "For once in your life leave him alone!"

"Stay out of this, Kristine! You know the man of the house needs to be tough. My job ain't for silly little women."

Max was shocked. Nathan's father was not only abusive, but a misogynistic prick. Sean dropped the camera and took off his belt. He wrapped part of it around his hand and used the loose end to strike Nathan again, who just lay on the floor in the fetal position, hands covering his face.

Max did the only thing she thought was right. She ran up to Sean and grabbed him from behind, heaving him away from Nathan. "Stay the fuck away from my brother!|

"Kristine…" Nathan whimpered.

"Get out of the way, Kristine! I won't hesitate in hurting you too, you know!" He grinned evilly.

Max scowled. She grabbed one of Nathan's trophies off the shelf. It felt heavy in her hand. "Then come get me, coward." She paced towards him slowly.

Sean Prescott, suddenly very scared at the threat, backed off slightly.

"I don't want you anywhere near Nathan, or me, or Mom ever again." Max growled. "Stay the fuck away from my family." She spoke each word slowly and firmly.

Sean Prescott scowled, but Max figured he didn't fancy a fight with a large golden trophy, so he backed off, putting his belt on and leaving the bedroom. Nathan lay whimpering on the bedroom floor. Max turned around and knelt down next to Nathan. Considering the adult he becomes, Max felt vastly uncomfortable being this close to him, but wanting to play the part of the sister, Max hugged him.

He seemed like he needed it.

"It'll be fine, Nathan. I'm here. He won't hurt you again. Ever. That's a promise."

Nathan could only whimper. Max looked up, and saw the red and white walls closing in. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mrs. Prescott standing at the door, crying.

Max awoke. Her eyes burned as did her head. She rubbed her eyes, slowly processing what just happened.

"My powers… sent me into a photograph I was never in… And I woke up in Kristine Prescott's body… What the fuck is happening to me…" Max felt her thoughts swirl around her head. She sat up, and realised she was in a strange bed, and a strange room. Instantly she was on alert. Next to her, a glass of water and some paracetamol sat on a small bedside table. Max blinked. Clearly, wherever she was, the host knew her well. She drank the water and swallowed the pills, before getting out of bed. She suddenly felt very cold.

"Oh my God…" Max said, disgusted. She was naked. She had never slept naked. She felt gross. She put on some clothes that were lying on the floor and opened the curtains. She looked out over a part of Arcadia Bay she hadn't seen before. "I'm in… an apartment?" She said aloud. She blinked several times before opening the window. A gust of warm air blew in, and a blue bird flew past the window. She shrugged. She opened the door and stepped out into the living room.

"Morning, sleepyhead." Chloe giggled from the kitchen. She seemed to frying something on the stove. Rachel was sitting at a table, drinking a cup of some hot beverage.

"Good… morning…" Max said slowly. She was confused. "Since when was I living with Chloe and Rachel? What happened to the dorm?" Max felt her heart stop. "Oh shit! Sean Prescott! What the hell did I do to him?" She cursed herself for acting on impulse again. She sighed. " Good things can still come from this, though. I just don't have the fucking photograph this time."

"Woah! You look like you've woken from a pretty bad nightmare!" Rachel said. "Come, sit down. I'll make you coffee."

"Coffee?" Max said aloud. She shrugged. "I guess I do need it."

"Yeah you look really out of it." Chloe said, turning to face Max as she put the fried bacon and eggs onto plates. "You sure you're okay?"

Max shook her head. "A nightmare is one to way to put what I just went through."

Rachel and Chloe's eyes widened as they stared at each other. Immediately Chloe threw the pan down and sat down at the table, ignoring the food. Max slowly sat down in a chair opposite Chloe and Rachel.

"So. What happened?" Chloe promptly asked.

"I don't know, it was really bizarre…" Max sighed. "First, I was in Nathan's room at the Blackwell dorm…"

"Blackwell dorm?" Rachel asked. "Blackwell's never had a dorm."

"What?" Max asked. "But Sean Prescott donated a bunch of money to-"

"Sean Prescott? You mean that rich guy?" Chloe asked. "Max, Sean Prescott died in a car crash three years ago."

"Yeah. Apparently he was driving with his wife, then all of a sudden he swerved and bam! Drive straight into a truck." Rachel added.

"Both of them were killed instantly."

Max sat back in her chair and eyed them both. "Holy shit."

"Ok. So what happened? What was Blackwell and Arcadia like before you… jumped?" Chloe asked.

"Well, Blackwell Academy had a dorm, and Nathan Prescott was an entitled shitbag going through some severe mental issues."

"Well glad to see he's not too different." Rachel mumbled.

"He was being abused by Sean Prescott, and Mark Jefferson was grooming him into becoming his accomplice."

Chloe and Rachel stared at her.

"You know, for drugging and kidnapping women to photograph them?"

"Ah. Right. Yes." Chloe said. "Shit."

"What happened to Nathan and Kristine?"

"Is Kristine the girl?"

Max nodded. "His sister."

"Well after their parents died so suddenly they inherited the estate." Rachel said. "As Kristine was old enough, she become Nathan's legal guardian."

Chloe nodded. "She was only like, what, 19?"

"Something like that, yeah." Rachel replied. "Nathan was admitted to a psych ward for his trauma from his asshole dad, and after a while he was released, as long as he had someone nearby to help him during psychotic episodes."

"When Victoria Chase came along, she clung to him like a puppy. He was rich and vulnerable, exactly what she needed." Chloe said.

"Don't be so catty. She legit cares for him and is there for him. Plus she's actually nice now."

"I know, I know. She was still an asshole to me, though."

"Actually she was more an asshole to me, you just took it more personally." Rachel smiled.

Chloe pursed her lips and said nothing.

"Holy shit. Okay." Max sighed. "This is where it gets intense."

"Sick! I've been waiting to hear this." Chloe leaned forward.

"Don't look so eager!" Rachel admonished her. "She looks fucking traumatised!"

"Right. Sorry."

"Ok. So when we moved to the Blackwell dorm, that is no longer, I tasked myself to try and help Nathan so he didn't go nuts and kill Rachel."

"Right. Can't forget that so easily." Rachel said, sipping her coffee.

"For whatever reason, he became infatuated with me, and was constantly trying to show me his photo portfolio."

"Ah yes, as all the bleeding hearts tend to do. How romantic." Chloe said sarcastically.

"Didn't Eliot try and write you poems?" Rachel laughed.

"Let's not talk about him." Chloe said suddenly.

"Anyway, he handed me a photo of his mother and his sister, standing outside their house."

"Okay…"

"And I felt the same sensation I felt when I…" Max gulped.

"When you what?" Chloe prompted.

"When I went back and saw your dad."

Chloe's face went white. "But I thought you could only travel through photos you were in?"

Max threw up her hands. "I know! That's what I thought too. So let's just say when I woke up in Kristine Prescott's body, I had the shock of my life."

"So that whole… standing up to Sean Prescott, practically kicking him out of his own house… that was you!?" Chloe cried.

"I kicked him out?"

"Well, that was an exaggeration, but yeah."

Max shook her head. "Christ. How are they now? Kristine and Nathan?"

"Well Nathan is doing exceptionally well at Blackwell." Rachel sighed. "His photography skills are so expert. Mark Jefferson holds him in high regard."

"Oh shit! So that fucker is still teaching?"

"Yes, but the good news is, Kristine won't let Nathan go anywhere without someone he doesn't immediately trust, such as hired caregivers, Victoria, or Kristine herself."

Max breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally, some good news."

"So, I think you just saved Nathan Prescott." Chloe smiled.

"And by extension, me and Victoria." Rachel grimaced.

"And me." Chloe sucked the air through her teeth.

Max stared at the table and said nothing.

"Anyway!" Chloe slapped her hand on the table. "You must be starving, after all that. Rachel, get our lovely girlfriend a coffee."

"Sure thing, love." Rachel smiled and got up.

Max stared at them. "I'm really… dating these two?" Max smiled. She wanted to experience the moment herself, but she was happy she finally seemed like she was getting what she wanted. Nathan Prescott was finally in a better space, both physically and mentally, and Max was not only dating but living with the two people she loved the most.

"How're Joyce and David?" Max asked.

Chloe smiled. "They're good. They actually had dinner with Rachel's parents the other night."

"It wasn't the first time they met, but it was the first time they actually did something together." Rachel smiled.

"That's good. Are they happy?"

Chloe looked at Max. "Yeah. That reminds me- you should call your parents at some point. Just because you ignored me for several months doesn't mean you can do that to your parents."

Max frowned. "I did that for a reason!"

"Yeah, and I love you for it." Chloe grabbed Rachel by the hip and dragged her closer to her than kissed her. Rachel yelped.

"I could have spilled hot coffee all over myself, you bitch!" Rachel laughed, holding the coffee expertely in one hand, and Max's mug in the other.

"But you didn't." Chloe smirked. "Chalk it up to my great skills."

"I hate you so fucking much."

"Then why did you kiss me?"

"You two are such dorks." Max said.

"Don't think you're out of the woods yet, missy." Chloe said, carrying two plates of food over to her. She put one plate down in front of Rachel's seat and one in front of Max. She gripped Max's shoulders tightly. "Eat up, love."

Max decided to play long. "I can't. My arms are too sore."

"Oh, well!" Chloe giggled. "That's what I'm here for!" Chloe picked up Max's knife and fork and started cutting Max's food for her. "Open wide, bubba!"

Max laughed and opened her mouth, and Chloe shoved the fork full of scrambled eggs and bacon into it. Food flung everywhere as Max started laughing.

"Disgusting!" Chloe tutted. "Naughty baby! Food stays in your mouth!"

Max couldn't handle it. She started howling with laughter, and Chloe joined in.

"Day drinking already are we, kids?" Rachel said, carrying over a mug of coffee for Max. "Drink up, buttercup." She said soothingly, kissing the top of Max's head.

Using both hands, Max reached up and grabbed Chloe and Rachel's heads and held them. "I love you both so much."

"And we love you too, Max." Chloe said. "Now eat up. We only have this one day to spend together before tomorrow."

Max almost choked on her food. "Wait, what's the date today?"

"Sunday, September 1st." Chloe said as she sat down to eat. "The day Billie Joe Armstrong's dad died." She turned to Rachel.

"Oh my God, you know how much I love that song." Rachel said, her hands over her heart.

Max tuned out as Chloe and Rachel started singing Wake Me Up When September Ends, and started thinking of her plan.

Tomorrow was the big day. Her first day of classes at Blackwell Academy.