* Sunday Morning, a few minutes before and after 9, After the Funeral *

'I can prove it.'

I have one shot at this. Sorta. If I'm going to convince Victoria the craziest crap ever is happening in front of her I need this to be right.

'Juliet is about to knock, to wake me. You tell her not now, she'll be confused why you're here and tell us to come see something.'

'Do-'

'Max! Wake up!'

Fear and confusion. 'Juliet, not now...' Dawning realization of what is happening.

'Victoria? What are you-? Nevermind. You both have got to come see this!'

'Hang on Juliet, we'll be there in a few.'

'Kay, but get in gear. This is sick.'

Without outside disturbances, the weight settling between the two girls is dense. A feather falling on satin would be deafening. Victoria is struggling to find her voice. I can't believe I'm doing this. But I need to take charge before she starts choking.

'Okay, I know you have a lot of questions and probably a few choice words. First, explanation. Last Monday I- I stopped time and rewound in the bathroom and- and saved C-chloe.' Keep it together Max. 'We solved the whole Jeffershit case with my powers. But everything went wrong. Peiple got hurt. Chloe died, a few times. Jefferson killed her. And-and you. And he had m-me. In the... the Room.' Max! Keep. It. Together. 'And I even fixed that. But. A storm came. Wiped out the town on Friday. I- I had to make a choice.'

Victoria is enraptured by Max. A tentative hand reaches out, only to pull back. Her whole demeanour says fear except that hand, and her eyes. Her hand shows bravery, Victoria Chase isn't ready to stop. Her eyes show wonder, and a desire to believe.

'I had dreams. starting Monday. We knew. Chloe and I. We knew the Storm was coming. But we thought we could stop it if we found Rachel. And stopped- stopped the Dark Room. But. But that didn't- Chloe had to-' Her voice breaks. She can't continue. Max covers her face. She can't be seen. Hide. Find shelter. But she can't hide from the fear. Her shelter from grief was buried two days prior

The embrace of warm arms startles her. In panic, she flails. But the grip only tightens. Leaning into Victoria, Max heard her speak in husky tones.

'Max. This can't be real. I can't believe it. My head won't. But you believe it. I... understand what you're saying. Just tell me. How? How can this be true?'

'I don't know.'

'How could you have time power?'

'I don't know!'

Victoria stops, not wanting to upset her more. Whether because she thinks Max crazy or the implied danger upsetting a time traveler, neither knows.

The pause deepens.

Come on Vicky.

Still silent.

Really?

'That's it?'

It's Victoria's turn to jump. 'What am I supposed to say?'

'I don't know! "Max, I'm having you committed". "Prove it". "I too am a Time Lord". Just say something so I know if I'm letting this timeline exist!'

The incredulous look on Victoria's face says enough. 'You really believe. Fine. Convince me.'

How?

'Okay, let's try... Write down a completely random list of things. Facts, numbers, quotes, I don't care. Don't even tell me how many. Do it wherever. Just make sure I cannot possibly see.'

Hesitating, she grabs a notebook off the desk. 'Wait, leave a page.' She heads into the hall, and Max hears Victoria's own door open and close. Several minutes later, she enters back in, gripping the notebook tightly.

'Okay, show me.'

The blonde nearly tears the book in half. 'Wait, why?'

'Because this is the first time line.' Like that makes complete sense.

Reluctantly, Victoria hands it over. Max eyes the list, smirking. Vicky really is clever. She reads the final item and eyes the other girl. 'Really?' The blush is like fire. Max hands the book back. 'Okay.'

Max re-enters her room, leaving a gaping mouth and mass of confusion and anger in her wake. Raising her hand, well aware of the consequences of what is about to happen, she rewinds.

To the moment just after Victoria leaves.

Okay, time to write.

Instead of rewriting the list, Max gets creative.

Furiously, she scribbles down her answers, like a half-completed test just before the bell rings. With thirty seconds to spare, she stands in front of Victoria's door, already presenting her work.

The other girl nearly walks into her. Mutely, she grabs the papers from Max, reading them over.

1 - ...our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation

2 - Pi is 3.14159, not 157 (thank warren)

3 - close but i dont think indigo should be in the rainbow

4 - no, you go fuck yourselfie

5 - Brittany 4 life

6 - im gay why would i care if your bi?

All the color drains from Victoria's face. She backs into the room, sitting on her bed. Max enters, closing the door behind her.

Barely keeping a straight face, Max prompts. 'So?'

Victoria's mouth opens and closes, but no sound emerges. She looks like a goldfish. Maybe a prod...

'Vicky Chase, speechless.'

That causes a response. Narrowing eyes and the start of a smile. 'Your grammar is atrocious.'

'I like you better speechless.'

The words start flowing.

'I can't believe this.'

'I know.'

'But it's true.'

'Yup.'

'You can control time.'

'...sorta.'

Eyes snap up. 'Sorta?'

'I can go backwards. Only a few minutes at a time. I can even bring very small objects and change my location. Slightly.'

'Uh. Okay? But what about..?'

'...the bathroom. Right. I can go through pictures. One's I've taken. Or one's I'm in. Just my consciousness, and only until I change the timeline.' Max scratches one arm, crossing the other. 'I, uh, also don't get to remember what happens in between those times as well.' Why do I feel like apologizing?

'That is... bullshit.' Victoria laughs. 'I mean, the whole thing is bullshit. But arbitrary rules? You can only use a picture?' She mutters, frowning. 'Then again, time control is utter bullshit too.'

'Yeah, but true. I got powers. I used them. I broke stuff.'

'Wait! What about now?' Real terror flows off the blonde.

'I, uh, I have a picture to come back to. I took one of Kate this morning. I can use it to travel back and do none of this if I need to.'

'Seriously Max, if this crap is as dangerous as you makes it out to be, you should have never told me in the first place.'

Max knows that. It doesn't stop her, just like it didn't stop her earlier. She right, though. Why tell her? And Vicky, of all people.

'I...'

'If you thought this through you would have never endangered the lives of those around you...'

How do I explain?

'I mean, come on. I know you are smarter than that. Really, what could be so important that...'

'...I need you.'

Victoria shuts up.

'In the other time line, we became... not friends. But we had each other's respect. I learned a lot about you. Your fears. Insecurities. I saw your work. I understood your discipline and your skill. You listened to me. When I warned you, even though you didn't want or need to believe me, you listened. Because you respected me. And I respected you.' The world blurs. 'And here, in this world, instead of me reaching for you, you came to me. You- you tried to help.' A hiccup escapes. Max tries to continue. 'You came and tried so hard to be who you wanted to be in the other time. I- I didn't have to break through to you. You let me in.'

Victoria has a hand over her mouth, flushing. There is a slight tremble.

'Victoria, I saved... everyone. Except the one person who matters most. Chlo is d-dead. I don't want to... replace her. I can't. You can't. But. I need someone. I need to tell someone this. All of it. A friend.'

There is difficulty getting out the next few words.

'I can't carry this on my own any more.'

Inhale.

'It's only been two days for me.'

Deeper.

'But I'm coming apart.'

The words are barely leaving her lips.

'I'm fine one minute. And I break apart the next. I always know I can change it. I can go back. And save her.'

'And kill everyone.'

Good. You said it aloud.

'I...'

Now tell her the rest.

'I can take this all back. The burden. I can take this away from you.'

Almost there.

'You'll never know. Ever. You have the choice.'

But...

'But...'

BUT... Just say it!

'But I need you. I need someone. It can be someone else. Warren will believe me. Kate could... could do it. But I need someone who can stop me.'

'In case I do try to change all this.'

You got her!

Stop.

Don't be rude. Again. You backed her into a corner. SHE'S YOURS!

Stop it.

Expertly done. She can't say no! You shift the blame if you "relapse" to Victoria. "I couldn't stop myself, I needed Vicky to tell me no". Perfect. If Vicky backs out, you could be with Chloe by lunch.

I SAID STOP IT!

And all the voices stop.

Victoria stares.

'Max, I don't know how to respond to that.'

No one really should.

'But I'll stay. I'll commit to this timeline.'

What? Really?

In her excitement, she almost misses the fingers the blonde is holding up. 'Wait, before anything else. Three rules. First, you take selfies at least twice a day. You need points to go back to.' She smiles, a bit of teeth showing. 'Shouldn't be too out of character for you.'

'Second.' The middle finger joins the index. 'The first indication anything, and I mean anything, like the storm you experienced, you stop all this. You come back and... and erase me. This me, this world.' Victoria cracks half way through. 'I don't know how it feels. I don't want to not know this. This is... big. I don't even know how you can trust anyone let alone me with this.' A chuckle, the stress starting to get to her. 'I'm the biggest gossip I know. And a week ago we were at each other's throats.'

Max needs to interrupt this tirade. 'Stop it. That was then. This now is now. Between just what you've done for me and Kate, the effort. I know you can do this. Otherwise I wouldn't...'

'Have shared the secrets of the universe? Fine, no doubt. But the rules still stand.'

'What's number three?'

'You tell me everything that happened to you. Everything. Including my d-death. I really would like that not to happen.'

'Well, the reason for it is in custody now. The asshole should rot for a good long time.'

There is a definite lack of surprise on Victoria's face. 'Yeah, figures it was Jefferson. God, I was throwing myself at a serial killer.' A huff. 'But we're getting side tracked. Start, now.' The bitchy stance, hands on hips and death-stare, is not nearly as effective as it once was.

Max smiles, glad to see the attitude returning. Don't change too much, Vicky. 'Okay, but let's do it while we walk. Juliet has probably texted me half a dozen times by now.'

True to her prediction, her phone has a handful of texts and missed calls. Juliet wants me at the beach? What, are they partying or something? Meeting in the hall and heading to Victoria's car, Max starts the tale. 'Do you remember the "Daguerre Process" in class? Well, I woke up from the first Storm dream then...'

The drive to the beach is quick, barely enough time to get through Monday's events. Max explains the snowfall as they park. 'It was, like, eighty degrees. And that was just the first time nature got all fucked up. Solar eclipse, double moon. The whales, oh Dog it was horrible. The poor animals beached themselves.' Exiting, they walk over to where a few classmates we watching the ocean, Warren, Dana, and Juliet included. 'The birds too started acting all weird...' As the panorama starts to filter into the sight of the two girls, their movements slow. Max's words die on her lips.

Warren, noticing the pair, walks over and stands stoic next to them. He soaks in the view, though by every indication it isn't his first time. 'Yeah, I've been staring at it for about an hour. Can't get used to it.'

Victoria finds when voice first. 'When?' She is intent on the horizon, like Max, unable to tear her eyes from it. 'How?'

Warren, in unusually numb delivery. 'The police and park rangers were here earlier. Said they were alerted this morning. A few of the fishermen said it started when they came in last night.'

A hand, slender, holds Max's shoulder, turning her and breaking the revelry. She and Victoria share a conversation in a moment. It wasn't me. This was way before I used my powers again. Something else is happening. Turning back, Max can still only half-understand the sight.

There's no movement in the Bay. The water is just... stuck. No movement. As if it froze in an instance of calm seas. Not perfectly flat, like a true mirror, it still is creating the same effect. Mild bumps and flows can be seen along the edge, but no whitecaps or waves exist, stilled or otherwise. And, as far as an eye can see, no clouds reflect down on the ocean. The sky is a clear blue you rarely see outside the driest deserts.

Max moves forward, followed by the other two, and strides directly for the closest edge of the water. Warren pipes in. 'Some scientists came by, took some samples and left. The cops freaked a bit, told everyone to stay out of the water, or whatever it is, until they can set up barriers. Though how do you barrier the ocean?' He shakes his head, continuing. 'The "water" isn't really that. Sure, looks and smells like it. You can still see the little particles in it. But it's something like, like gritty jello? It's sticky, and holds form. But it crumbles apart if you poke it. Offers no resistance.'

But Max isn't looking at the closer shore. Something about the view catches her eye. 'Victoria, something's... off. More than just the water not... moving.'

A click, familiar to her ears, answers Max. Turning, she sees the blonde holding her expensive digital camera, peering intently at it. Stepping over, they both study the image, using their seaview for comparison.

Victoria gets it first. 'It bowls. It's concave. See, look at the lensing effect of the sun. It's subtle, really really subtle, but you can see elongation going on.' She looks around, placing herself, and starts hustling herself back to her car. 'I need height. We need to go to the lighthouse.'

No...

Not sure if she says it aloud, Victoria turns around, an apology on her face. 'I know, Max. Stay, if you need. But without an aerial view, I can't be sure.'

'N-no, I'm coming.'

'Me too.' Warren butts in.

Victoria does not look pleased. Come on Vicky, he's the smartest person here. 'Fine, but you get back seat.'

Half an hour, and the three are at the bench, just outside the lighthouse. Can't be here long. Storm. Tragedy. Death, Chloe. Just, a few minutes. Keep it together. Focus on Warren and Victoria. Be clinical, be the observer.

The others are already pouring over the pictures on the digital camera. 'I can't be too accurate. My scale is off, I'd really need to try and line it up on a map. But it looks like the bottom might be two, maybe three miles out? If that's true, that makes this... depression... in the ocean like, halfway to the horizon from up here? Six miles across? That's... that's unfathomable. That's just nuts.'

'And look, Warren. There's a circle. Or a spiraling effect going on. There's slight lines of... of disturbance, or a flow or something. Counterclockwise from edge to in.' She zooms the photo. 'And something..? A bulge? It's far, right edge.' She waves over at the brunette, trying to get attention. With no response, she walks over. 'Max!' Jump scare. 'Max, look at this.' Waving the screen in front of unseeing eyes.

It takes Max a moment to focus. No! I didn't do this. I didn't do... What? The photo starts to make sense. She can see the spiraling effect in the "water", alternating shades of dark and light blue. It's difficult to see, especially at their angle, but yes. The thickest of the darker bands has a bump in it, a definite protrusion, about a tenth of the way through the spiral inward. Max recognizes it.

'I know that symbol.'

'What? What do you mean?'

'I visualize that exact shape when I...'

'Wait, really?'

'Yes. And it wasn't something thought up. I mean, I think of it. But it wasn't something I thought up on my own. If that makes sense.'

'Like- like something that was provided for you?'

'Exactly.'

Warren, his head rapidly bouncing back and forth between the two, literally steps into the discussion. 'What the hell are the two of you two talking about?'

The girls share a look.

'I want to tell him.'

I need to, really.

'You sure, Max?'

Yes I am.

'He believed me before.'

'Okay.' Victoria turns to the shorter boy, giving him the most sincere look she can muster. 'Warren, you know me right?'

'Right...'

'You know Max and I have never been on good terms.'

'Right...'

'So believe the next thing I say. What Max is about to tell you, tell us, is one hundred percent true. I trust her. I trust everything about to come out her mouth as the absolute truth. Don't interrupt, don't ask questions until the end.' She shivers, nothing to do with the chill in the air. 'This is life-and-death, end-of-world shit. Believe her and she'll prove it.'

The gravity pulls Warren down, sitting him on the bench. He looks expectantly at his friend.

Max pauses in her pacing, turning to Warren. Standing straight, her voice is meek at first, gaining strength as the first sentence wraps up. 'So, it began last Monday. I woke up in photography from a nightmare about a Storm. In fact, I was standing right here in the dream. Anyway...'

For hours she talks there, occasionally walking a bit, or leaning on the park map. After the first ninety minutes, she just sits on the ground in front of the bench, alternating between the two expectant faces completely contained in her experiences.

Some events are glossed over. The pool, the morning kiss... For obvious reasons, Max doesn't go into details. Others, like the roof with Kate, finding Rachel. Or the alternate timeline with William, or the last time in American Rust... Max becomes robotic. No inflection. The basic facts. Three times she has to stop herself. To recover and recharge the emotional wrangling she's enduring. Respectfully, her audience remains silent. And, after two hundred and fifty three difficult minutes, she finishes.

'I, I go back. With the butterfly photo. Right here, she tells me not to forget her. I. I... I wanted to tell her I love her. I wanted to tear up the photo a-and stay there. But she couldn't let me do that. She couldn't let me stay. So I go back to the bathroom. And I do nothing and sit there and cry and hear... the gun.' Her face is wet, her spine is rigid, her voice is hoarse. 'And I wake up back at the f-funeral. And that's it.' Stone still she waits.

'Warren?'

Yes, Max?'

'do you believe me?'

'I don't... wait. Just, just wait.' He stands, moving a few feet away. Turning, he avoids eye contact, staring at the still waters below. 'I want to say no. My mind says no. Science says no. Even including that.' He gestures to the unnatural sight below. 'That doesn't convince me. But two things are telling me otherwise. First is you. Your details. No one is that good of an actress. Especially not you, Max. You wear your emotions on your face. You can't lie. Not well, at least, and not that whole story. Not that much information at once. And second.' He points at Victoria. 'Your biggest enemy. The one person I know would never vouch for you in her life. Who would certainly never even entertain a lie like this, she tells me it's true.' He barks out a laugh, easing the tension. 'You're more likely to get every American to agree on the next Idol in the first round.' He finally looks at her squarely. 'Yes, I believe you.'

Max envelopes him in a hug. 'thank you.'

And Max colapses in his arms.

'Max?'

'Victoria, I think she passed out.'

'Max!'

'She's breathing...'

...

Max stands atop the cliff face. The day is late, the sky dark. Cloudless, late afternoon. The sun has not yet set. But it doesn't seem to fully reach the shore. The sky is... peculiar.

It's bluish. Not blue, not an evening red. A bruised blue. A deeper blue. The trees look blue. My skin! I look like I have frostbite.

She looks around, taking in her surroundings. A pull of something, a pressure at her back, leans her towards the cliff edge. At her feet, a few pebbles roll up to the edge of the cliff, tumbling over it. Flashing lights illuminate the beach and town below. A siren is the only noise she hears, very distant but distinct.

Not a Storm. What is..?

The waters of the Bay draw her eyes. In the middle of the depression, a hole appeared. Near it's center the pimple in the water, which had been on it's edge only a moment ago, is about to complete its journey and plunge into the depth below. As she watches, it finally reaches the breaking point, and plummets in an instance.

It's a timer. A countdo-

A shockwave tumbles her, fracturing the train of thought. A shockwave inward. Before she can stand, another wave shakes her back down. The pulses hit with only a few seconds between, then a few moments. There is a crack, as the whole world seems to break. Abruptly, Max feels her stomach in her mouth. Freefalling, the cliff drops away, the lighthouse tumbling after her...

Snap.

She's on her back. Something soft under her head. A pair of eyes directly in front of her. Green? Chloe has blue eyes, not green.

'Max? You awake?' The full features of the blonde form around her eyes. Six inches away. Then twelve. Then the sky comes into view, framing Victoria's face. There's the blue. Max tries to sit but a dizziness informs her of the terribleness of that idea.

Warren enters frame. 'Max are you okay?'

'yes...'

The blonde pushes forward. 'You saw something.'

'yes...'

Terror shapes the next words from her lips. 'What is it? What's coming?'

Max replies in kind.

'...the end...'

* Author's note (that's me) *

Here we go. I couldn't in good conscious keep this story as a pure "What came after" story. I never intended to make this just a closure fanfic. Those elements are there, and are going to be progressing forward. I hope by the end I find both Max's at a good enough state that they can face the problem I'm building for them. But a defining characteristic of the original game is Max overcoming messed-up stuff, little and big things alike. You just decide how to lead Max through the fires, I'm just expanding my own blaze.

I also included a bit of hints at Chasefield. I never really intended to bring Max and Victoria together, definitely not so quickly. I've read a few well-done stories where the author does integrate the two characters into a couple, and it might be in the cards. We'll see. For now I don't have enough written in their characters to make that decision.

Back on track, we'll be leaving the Funeral world for the Storm world (it's how I named them; very imaginative, I know) to catch up on Chloe and the other Max.