* Tuesday, 2:44 P.M., After the Storm *

'When did she..?'

'Sunday, but with all the paperwork backups, her lack of I.D., the chaos going on, they only just updated the roll call last night with her name.'

'And she is...'

'Medical induced coma.' That sends both of their gazes to the bed, and the respirator nearby. 'They said Court woke up for a few minutes yesterday. It's how they I.D.'ed her. But she's hurt pretty bad.'

In spite of the smile, Max can see behind the facade. Something not possible two weeks ago.

Victoria is screaming inside.

'EMS found her flipped in her car. Down by the beach, edge of town. I think... she must have been with Frank. Someone probably found something illegal on her but was nice enough to hide it. Or smoke it, whatever. But...'

The scream overwhelms a bit. Victoria hesitates, turning silent.

Kate, stoic, picks up. 'Three broken ribs. No internal bleeding, thank God. But her legs are a mess. Lacerations and fractures. A concussion. And her heart... The doctor said she bruised it.'

No inflection.

'All that, the dehydration, the concussion... They did an MRI but didn't tell us a results. We haven't looked at the charts because, you know, that'd be just wrong. But they're flying her out to Seattle tonight.'

Taylor speaks up. 'I'm going with her.'

Drama much?

The blonde girl isn't done. 'I know where my priorities are. I know where I'm needed.'

Max knows when she needs to get out of the way.

'Taylor, please-'

'Please what, Tori?'

'Please stop.'

'Stop what? Having opinions? Am I upsetting you? Fine, don't worry. I'll be out of your hair soon enough.' She looks to the bed. 'I know who my friends are.'

'Tay-tay...'

'Don't you dare!' And quieter. 'Don't you dare, Tori.' She leaves, a breeze in her wake.

What did I miss?

'Um, she's upset... because you're staying?'

Nodding.

'Then, that's it?'

Shaking.

Then what?

Kate, from bedside, explains. Or tries to. 'Vicky may have also said she's staying for us. She, uh, specifically mentioned staying for you.'

Crap. My fault again.

'It's not Max's fault. Since Thursday, with N-nathan... She doesn't, I don't know, respect me anymore.'

She doesn't fear you.

A stark thought, but one Max knows is true. That was Victoria's power. Supreme bitch of Blackwell. Between losing her mentor, her partner, her backer, and her queendom, Victoria lost... everything.

Everything that was 'Tori'. Not Vicky. Not Victoria.

But before these words can comfort there is an interruption in the form of gangling arms and a warm embrace.

'Hey Maximus, where you been?'

I can just stay here for a moment...

'Earth to Max.'

'Sorry.' Blush. 'Lost in the moment.'

Two sharp gazes.

'Figuratively, gals.'

A snicker from above.

'Be nice Chlo.'

'I'm always nice.'

'Not even close.'

A shifted chin atop Max's head. 'What's wrong Vicky?'

'Nothing.'

Totally not true.

Faking a bad Brooklyn accent, Chloe readies a pair of fists around Max, boxer style. 'Ya want I should break some heads?'

A little giggle, a smirk.

Small victories.

'Don't worry about it.'

'Courtney will be okay.'

The matter-of-fact nature, off the cuff and with conviction surprises them all.

'She'll be back on her feet and running errands for you in no time.'

Max doesn't get to literally face-palm too often.

She means well.

'Then you can be rid of us.'

'I don't want to be rid of you.'

'You sure? Because I'm not doing your homework.'

Please, Chlo, stop trying to help.

Finally turning to her tormentor. 'Listen Price, I don't know-' But stops.

It's like she trying to strangle Chloe with her eyes.

A sneaky suspicion sets Max to turning her eyes up and around.

The Cheshire Cat never grinned so wide.

'There's the Vicky we love to tolerate.'

Max and Kate both break out in quiet laughter.

'Fine Price, you win.'

'So what's eating Vicky Chase?'

The childish pout, knowing she has been soundly bested, is more for show. 'Taylor is being a total bi-'

'Selfish child.' The motherly look from Kate speaks volumes. 'She's being a selfish child.'

'I like my word better.'

No beats missed. 'She's going up with Courtney to Seattle. Though I don't think it's going to be in the helicopter.'

'No, with Court's parents. They're driving up, though her dad might be allowed to fly.'

Shifting movement in her hair tells Max that Chloe is panning back and forth between the pair.

'And?'

'And she's getting all high and mighty with me for not going.' Victoria turns to the bed, lightly stroking an uncovered hand. 'It's not like I can do anything more there than I can do here.'

'And?'

Narrowing features. 'And... I need to help here. I can do good here.' A bit of hand waving.

'Well, maybe.' Palms up for defense. 'I mean, we don't really know what we're in for. Max's visions aren't known for their precision or clarity. But, sure, you should be able to help-'

A mutter about being at the lighthouse makes Chloe almost lose her place.

'-but this is one of your best friends. So, make it up to her.' Stepping around Max, the bluenette takes a seat at the foot of the bed. 'It seems like you got three options. Stay quiet and let your friendship fall apart. I don't recommend that one.' Her eyes find Max's, but there is no accusation in them. Only understanding. And a wink, besides. 'Option numero dos. Lie to her. Make it a good one, though. You'll think of something. Or option the third. Tell her the truth.'

Three jaws would hit the floor if life worked like cartoons.

'I don't mean Max's powers. Tell her the truth, lower-case tee. You are sticking around to help out us and the town get through this.' She pulls off her beanie and picks at some nonexistent lint for a moment. 'Can I be a bit of a bi- a meanie for a minute.'

'Didn't know you had another setting.'

'Har-har.' Fixing her hat and re-armoring herself, the older girl continues. 'Yesterday, when we were toking up. You said the whole thing with... with Nathan and Jefferson really fu- uh, frigged you up.'

Crap, don't want to be here-

'You don't have any reason to be, but I'm guessing you're feeling a little guilty about it. You know, maybe you should have seen something.' Chloe can't make eye contact with any of them. 'Maybe you could have stopped it sooner. Maybe... I don't know. I just do know that when someone- someone you know, someone you care about, hurts you for no reason, you... I just know you look for excuses about why. Reason's you deserved it. Reason's it's your fault.'

Max hears a sniffle, finally able to turn away from her girlfriend. Two sets of eyes greet her, just as wet as her own. One pair has tension and sadness. The other has anger and denial.

'I mean, you did nothing wrong. You couldn't have known. Hell, my last girlfriend was stepping out on me with the local drug kingpin and I didn't have a clue.' The chuckle that emits is painful to hear. 'It's not your job to come up with excuses for their behavior. That isn't on you. The only thing you control is your own actions and have your own reasons for doing stuff.' Chloe seems to snap back to herself, finally looking up and wiping her face, though her cheeks are dry. 'Oh, sorry. I, uh. I kinda forgot where I was going with this.'

She never really got to process Rachel's death yet. It was only fives days ago, and we went straight through the eye of one Storm right into another. Hell, we haven't even had a funeral yet.

Going to be going to a few of those.

Max reverses roles, going behind Chloe's chair and draping her with arms. Planting a kiss atop her beanie and whispering. 'you okay?'

'right now i am.'

Victoria is ignoring the pair, focusing on the form lying in bed next to her. Kate stands next to her, mimicking Max with her own low words. Finally, something seems to penetrate and Victoria's eyes clear.

'Yeah, you're right. Um, Chloe?'

Tensing and bracing.

'Thanks.'

Not expecting that.

'I'm going to find Taylor and talk to her.'

Three faces follow her departure, though Max keeps Kate in her sidelong view.

'What did you say to her Katie?'

'Well, just that Taylor is going through all the same things as the rest of us. But without what Vicky knows about Max and the Storm and everything.'

Not everything. Only Chloe and I know who's name was on the next binder.

'Hey Kate, I'm going to borrow Max for a private girlfriend talk.'

A flair of anger.

What did I do now?

You kinda ditched everyone for hours.

oh. right.

Chloe pulls her to a hallway, one as empty as a person could hope for in a hospital during a crisis.

A stronger hello than before, face to face with a tight hug.

'You okay Max?'

'Yeah.'

'Where'd you go? I was freaking when I couldn't find you.'

'I uh...' Honesty. No more lies or half-truths. That's where all this drama comes from. 'I had a little freak out. I, uh, found out the new number.'

'Number?'

'Four sixty four.'

'Oh.' A deer in headlights. 'That number.'

'Y-yeah.' Push through. 'Ended up running around the hospital until I got to the roof. Needed some air, you know. Met a doctor up there having a bad day too. We talked.'

'That's it?'

'No.' Get it done with. 'Talked with FM and Victoria too. Helped get my head on straighter.'

A kiss on her forehead. 'Not too straight, right?'

She has no right acting so cute. 'Nope. Not that far.'

'Good.' Another kiss, brief across the lip. Their first since the earlier argument.

Max lowers her head and leans into Chloe's closeness. 'You're in a much better mood now.'

'Yup. Saw the parental figures. They're doing good, especially Mom. Except David was eyeballing me again, but all smiles about it.' Chloe starts to shake with unreleased laughter. 'I think he thinks we did it last night.'

Ohmydogwhy

'I may have made a "morning after glow" comment to him when no one else could hear.'

'Chlo, why would you?'

The laughter finally starts to break free. 'What? I got to keep him on his toes.'

Ugh. How am I supposed to face him now? Or Joyce and my dad?

'I'm going to kill you.'

'Consider this revenge.'

'What did I do to deserve this?'

'For making sure everyone knew without informing me. Come on, I spent like half an hour with my mom going on and on. I need to do this. I need to do that. Don't go too fast. Make sure I treat you like a lady. Et cetera ad nauseam.'

Smirking. 'I wouldn't mind being treated like a lady.'

'Yeah, well, I don't think that's me. How about instead we find a new pirate fort for some private snogging.'

'Me likes.' I opened up. Her turn. 'Chlo, what you said earlier. About Rachel. We never really talked about her. About it.' And if this whole relationship is...

You aren't just some kind of rebound.

Stop helping.

Just listen.

'Well, um. I. Uh.' Chloe's face turns crimson. 'Yeah, we never really did.'

I'm putting her on the spot. 'We don't have to. If you don't want.'

'I, uh, yeah. Later. Tonight, maybe.' The bluenette starts leading them back but pivots. 'What brought this on? I mean, I know what, just, why now?'

Be honest Max. 'It was the first time you called Rachel your girlfriend. And we never really talked about that, either.'

A hmmm escapes the taller girl. 'Guess I haven't. I mean, it was hella casual. Not like I was seeing anyone else but, well, we didn't really have a label for it.'

'Oh wow, the teen anarchist eschewing labels.' A playful hip bump.

'Careful Caulfield.' A warning with no venom. 'I don't know. We were a "thing" for a while. And then...'

I'm picking at a scab. 'Then she went missing.'

'And she was gone. And in the months... I guess I realized we weren't a "thing" anymore after all this time. But I didn't want her back because she was my girlfriend.' Chloe pauses at the door. 'I wanted her back because she's- she was my friend. I didn't want her to just disappear.'

Like I did.

'Like I did.'

'Max, we talked about this. Different circumstances. I forgave you for that.'

'But-'

'Max.' Serious tone for a serious face. 'Talk later. Check on Kate and Courtney now. Besides I don't have it in me to get all emotional right now.'

'okay'

'Hey.' Another peck on the lips. 'I don't want to be with anyone but you. It's always been you, Maxine.'

Totally not fair. 'Ugh, I'mma barf if you keep this up.' Never stop! 'And never Maxine.'

The grin is one part malicious, two parts devious, and three parts love.

Once again, Kate and Taylor sit huddled next to the hospital bed, quietly carrying out their conversation. Victoria stands at the foot, pointedly paying no attention to them while alternating between starting at Courtney and looking around. Quick hand gestures to Max makes the brunette beeline for her.

'Sup?'

Too casual. Stop trying to play cool.

Whispered response.

'we talked.'

Waiting.

'and?'

'it's better. taylor's still pissed but i think it's okay now.'

'good.' And with false bravado. 'So, anyone up for lunch?'

You're a natural.

You know, as my future, you're really just making fun of yourself.

...

Ooh, I won this round.

'Max, you do know noon was, like, hours ago?'

'Then how about an early dinner? Taylor, I've had like two cups of coffee all day. I'll start noming on people soon.'

'We really don't want to know what you and your girlfriend get up to.' A smirk appears. A real one. 'Gotta say, Max. I didn't know...'

What? '...that I'm gay? Me neither.'

'No, that your standards were so low.' She half-sprints away as a tall blur quickly makes her way around the bed. 'I'm kidding Price!'

Max sighs. 'Make sure my girlfriend doesn't do anything I need to rewind. And tell her I'm going to see the parents. Still haven't gone today.'

'Can I come?'

'Sure Kate. I might need help fending them off.'

'What happened?'

Red cheeks. 'Chloe kinda insinuated that we... you know... did it.'

'Did what?'

'Sex.' Victoria has a triumphant look. 'Max is afraid of getting the "talk".'

Kate looks confused. 'But they didn't, um, "do it". And like, that talk doesn't really apply. They're both girls.'

Kate, you're going to make me explode.

Victoria's laughter is loud, if a little brief. But it doesn't stop Max from noticing something still behind those eyes, that keep getting dragged back to the bed they are leaving behind.