* Tuesday, Still Morning, After the Storm *

'I'm probably dead.'

No.

'There's no way I wouldn't be there with you.'

No no no no no

'It'll be just like the... the Room all over-'

NO!

Stop.

Stop the breeze. Stop the chill. Stop sound, sky, sticky sweat. Stop words and heartbeats and this moment of-

Eyelids painfully closed. The embrace more one-sided but stronger than ever. A fire in her shoulders and back from tension. Still not as tight as the fear gripping her.

Max forgets she's holding her breath. The expulsion of poisonous air slightly, ever so slightly, relaxes her.

Can't let go.

She grips her bluenette statue tighter still.

Won't.

The pain in her head starts to build. She's holding the moment for too long.

Won't. Give. Her. Up.

Too much.

The breeze kisses her wet cheeks and lips.

'-again.' Chloe leans back, trying to look at Max without letting go. 'We need to- what the fuck? Why are you..?'

What's wong?

'Max, your nose. Did you see something or- or did you travel?'

Oh. 'N-no. Just... just paused time. It was... It was reflex. I was just scared.'

'Dammit.' Reaching in her pocket Chloe pulls out a travel pack of tissues. 'You can't just use your powers.' A dab at Max's cheeks before aggressive administration to her mouth. 'What if we actually need you in an emergency?'

What's with the inquisition? 'Chlo, I know. I'm fine. I just needed a moment to collect myself.'

'Your power's too important to waste on little stuff.'

'I'm sorry. I freaked, it wasn't on purpose.'

'You have to protect yourself. When I'm not around-'

'I said I'm sorry!'

The sun continues to slowly burn away the unnatural fog surrounding Arcadia Bay.

'What more do you want Chloe? What more can I give?'

The light dims between the two young women.

'You can start by taking better care of yourself.'

'I've been too worried with you!'

'Stop worrying! Hell, I'm older than you!'

'Then act like it!'

Mud kicks up from the bluenette's pacing.

'Damn, Max! I know where this is going.'

'Fine, you tell me then.'

'You don't think I'm actually responsible enough to take care of myself.'

'I think you and responsibility are on opposite ends of the spectrum. You don't seem to understand there are repercussions for your actions.'

That stops Chloe mid step. 'Harsh. That's just mean. And I wouldn't be too high and mighty if I were you.'

'What?'

'You're hella flaky. Takes you forever to decide on anything. At least I commit.' A pause before a whisper. 'Maybe time travel is what you needed. Maybe the only way to get you to do something is when you have a one hundred percent chance of getting a do-over. Maybe that's the only way to get you to do anything.'

'Forget this. I cam be decisive. Shit, we're dating, for Dog's sake!'

'Because you can take it back.'

A person won't see it. Won't touch it. But a wall now stands between them. Some words aren't supposed to be said in anger. Some dark thoughts aren't supposed to be voiced.

'Max. You don't even realize it. You raised your right hand almost as soon as we started arguing. You want to undo all this, right? That's what you've always done. You run. You wait until things blow over. You never faced a problem head on until you got these powers because now you got this safety net.'

Chloe steps towards the younger girl. Her face is stern but her eyes... They just show pain. Not for herself, or for Max. A combination of both, and more thrown in besides.

'What happens when we get to be too much for you? You want my friendship, you need to deal with my ugliness. That's how a damn relationship works. You can't edit the bad out of life. And you can't keep us perfectly safe.'

Hands reach for arms, though the left hand first lowers Max's outstretched right. The brunette seems to vibrate between those palms.

'Sometimes I will get hurt. Someday I will die. Sometimes the person hurting me will be you. You can't keep fighting it. You can't keep burning the world for me.'

Mumbles answer accusations.

'What?'

'you are my world'

'Oh, God. I know. And you are mine. But there's more than us. We aren't the only people in our world.'

'i don't need anyone else'

'Yes, you do. You need more people and bad days and awkward conversations and loss. People need the darkness to see the good around them.'

'i won't lose you'

'I never want to leave you. But we're going to argue. We will not like each other from time to time. And we will get hurt and be hurt.'

Chloe is finally embracing the smaller girl, swaying slightly.

'What did you say the other night? The people you love the most hurt you the most. And it's killing me seeing you hurt yourself over me.'

'i'm not'

'Yes you are. Just now. Last night with Victoria. You're numb and in pain at the same time. You want to be punished. You want to hurt. Why?'

'because...'

An expectant look.

'because i deserve it'

'No you-'

'Yes I do. I let... so many die. For you. For us. Mostly for me.

'Uh, explain.'

'I was so selfish. You were standing there, asking me to... to kill you. To let you go. Save everyone and let you go. I couldn't. I still won't. Even now, knowing all the destruction, I won't. I can't let you go. I can't let you get hurt.'

'Max, you can't always stop that.'

'I know! It's driving me insane knowing that! All this, all this death! And I can still lose you. I might lose you tomorrow, or Friday, or next week. Why? Why did I kill everyone if you're just going to die? Why did I stain my hand with so much blood for nothing?'

Finally the dam breaks. Finally the emotions surface. But the reason for it is still... elusive.

'Chloe, I still can't cry for them. I still can't cry for Warren! I still don't... care. It... bothers me. Not even that I don't care. I know, in my heart, it should. It bothers me that I don't care about not being... sad. Not being broken up or regretful or just friggin terrified that I'm so numb about everything. Except you. All I have is you.'

'That's- that's not all you have.'

'Yeah, what else?'

'Your parents. Your friends. Kate, Juliet, Dana, Vic-'

'I'm pretty sure Victoria doesn't think we're friends.'

'Fine. My mom, even David. You have a whole bunch of other people in your life. People who love you.'

'People who will disappoint me. Only you never do that. I can only count on you. You taught me that. Rachel, Will-'

'You better fucking stop right there.'

So Max stops everything.

It's getting easier to do so.

Why is she so pissed? The only time I ever saw her like this before was when we were after Nathan.

Because you have refused to listen to yourself for the last few minutes.

The directness and breadth of her own response startles her.

'Was that you, FM?'

Yup.

'It's so fucking weird thinking answers to my own questions.'

Keep it verbal, it helps me.

'Sure.'

The stress of the pause is much less. Even the one just earlier was easier. No staggering or falling. No pain until her stamina wore off.

As you use your power, it gets easier. Like a muscle.

'So I should train?'

That was part of our problem. We did too much. Grew too much. It hurts those near us.

'Fine, go cryptic again. And what did you mean, refusing to listen? I'm the one talking.'

You hear and don't listen.

'More choose and decide bullshit?'

Nope. Now listen to yourself.

You don't seem to understand there are repercussions. Because you, Max, only believe you know what to do.

I don't need anyone else. Because you are blinding yourself to those around you.

I deserve it. Because you think you should be punished.

I can't cry for Warren. Because you don't feel the guilt.

I still don't care. Because you think only you and Chloe matter.

'Sure, it looks bad out of context-'

It's exactly the same.

'-but there isn't anything wrong with me.'

Are you sure?

'What? What the fuck are you implying?'

Who are you sounding like?

'Wh-what?'

Nathan.

And the moment breaks.

'I can't believe you brought up- Shit, really? Again? You rewind, pause, or what? What is so damn-'

Finally the scene on Max's face catches her eye.

'What's wrong? Max, tell me what's wrong? Are- are you hurt?' Chloe examines the brunette for injury. Finding none does not decrease her worry. 'Max, say something. I'm here. We're safe. Come on Max, come back to me. I'm here for you.'

The vacancy in Max's face softens as her mind refocus's on the outside.

'Chlo.'

'Dammit. What happened? You scared the shit out of me.'

'Chlo. I'm not.'

'Not what?'

'I'm not him.'

The confusion is physical.

'Who, Max? Not who?'

'I'm not him.' And again. 'I'm not him.' And again. 'I'm not him.' A plead or prayer. No longer to Chloe. 'I'm not him. I don't hurt for fun or pleasure. I'm not obsessive. I'm not crazy. I'm not him.'

Yes you are.

'I'm not psychotic. I don't hurt people.'

Actually you're winning by a couple hundred on that front.

'I don't take pleasure from pain. I don't want that pain or control.'

You wanted pain last night. You crave it. Makes you feel. And don't even pretend you don't want control.

'I'm not him. I don't want to be in control.'

Want, maybe. But you really need it now. Your whole life is about it.

'I don't need approval.'

You need it from her. From them. Even Vicky. Think about that. She knew Nathan best. Maybe she doesn't trust you because you remind her of him. Maybe she can use you to replace him.

'I'm not him.'

'Who!'

'Not Nathan. Never him.'

Max finally talks to Chloe, directly.

'I'm not like him, Che. I'm not crazy. I'm not sadistic. I'm not bad.'

'Max, please calm. No one said that.'

Emphatic denial. 'I thought that. Future me thought that.'

'Fuck that! You're tripping if you think that's true.'

'It's me, Chlo! It's me talking to me. What did I- what will I do that makes her think that? What could I do to hate myself so much?'

'Forget that vengeful bitch. The you right now can change that. The you right now can do better.'

'How? I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know what I did to even create her.'

A voice from the front door enters into the conversation. 'You are not him. You could never be like him.'

'Chase, please be-'

'Quiet Chloe.' Stepping carefully through the muddy yard, Victoria approaches the two girls. 'Max, you can't be like him. There may be similarities between you two but they are at best superficial.' A lean inward with a wagging of eyebrows, so unlike Victoria as to be comical, takes a few hits against the tension. 'And I know superficial things.'

'You cheeky little bit-'

'Be nice, Price.' She grabs Max's sleeve, both parting them and ushering them inside. 'Come in. Arcadia Bay might be a little bit of a ghost town but it's still too early to be arguing outside.'

The hallway is mostly clear, a couple of Victoria's shoe boxes by the front door. Movement sounds from upstairs. 'Katie's getting ready. Chloe, can you, um, give her a hand?'

'Sure.' Combat boots make a racket as she ascends. 'Katie-bug, Alice better be ready for all the petting!'

'So, Max. We'll, uh, we'll clean the kitchen.'

Nearly two minutes go by before Max broach's what's on both their minds. 'So, terrible subtlety aside, what do you want to talk about?'

'Wh-what do you-'

'Vicky, that was pretty obvious just now. You know it, I know it, Chlo knows it. So, want to go another round or what?'

'Max, I don't want to fight anymore.'

'I'm joking. Sorry, poor taste.'

The blonde puts down the single mug she's spent the whole time cleaning.

'I ment it. You're nothing like him.'

Sure. Just trying to appease you.

'Everything he did was for approval. From his dad, from Jeffershit, from even myself. You do what your heart tells you to do.'

'Cause I'm selfish.'

'Everyone's selfish. It's a survival trait. People who harm others to get what they want are the problem.'

Max rocks back on her heals. She hears an accusation in those words. 'Then I'm a problem. I did all this for Chloe.'

'Well, sorta. And sorta not. Max, I need to ask you something you need to be fully honest about. Not with me, with yourself, and don't rush.'

A steady breath for fortification. 'If you knew, exactly knew, who would die when you saved Chloe, would you still do it?'

Pause.

Not in time. Just the conversation.

'I... I don't know.'

'Then why did you do it before.'

'Because... Because it's Chloe. I knew some people could get hurt. And- and die. I just- I wasn't sure Chlo's death would stop it. I wasn't sure if I could catch Jefferson or if I could save Kate. I only knew I had Chlo, that I spent the last week saving her over and over and we could finally have a chance to end it. That's it. A chance at ending it.'

'So why the problem now?'

'Because I know who gets hurt. And that it's not over. It was pointless.'

'Maybe not. Maybe the whirlpool comes anyway. Maybe the storm does too. Maybe something worse. And it's only now it looks pointless. Still, that's why you can't bee like Nathan. You have morals.'

Max feels, what? Sick?

'Max, you are a moral person. Nathan... it's not exactly that he was amoral. For him, social norms were at best suggestions. Morals were for the weak. Just like his father. He really selfish or greedy. He just did what he could to gain prestige, be safe, and be left alone.'

Eye contact to hammer home.

'He never regretted an action because someone else got hurt. He didn't have that humanity.'

The brunette is touched. From hatred to... this. Understanding, maybe. Maybe forgiveness too.

'Why? I thought you didn't trust me. I thought you hated me.'

Feet and laughter slowly descending the stairs.

'Kate asked me what I would do if everything was reversed. I know I would have saved Nathan. And regretted it. I also know as numb as you act, you regret it too. I know a part of you wants to go back.'

A pair of smiling voices sounds from the front door.

Victoria whispers one last thought as she passes Max.

'And I know Nathan wouldn't give a flying fuck about anyone else getting hurt.'