TW: Rape
Max and Maxine woke up still in the Dark Room. They stared back at each other. Fucking hell what did they do to come back to this dark part of them. Maxine might not have ever been in her but the feeling of this place was so Goddamn creepy she is so glad that Rachel never ended up down here.
Maxine groaned. "Hey…Max…are you okay?"
Max nodded. "Y-Yeah…how do we get out of here!? Is this even real?"
Maxine shook her head. "Seen as I've never been here before I think it's all in our head. However, it feels so real that I think something is trapping us here."
Max nodded. "I can get that what do we need to do to get out of here," she asked. Maxine shrugged she glanced around the room before her jaw clenched. Seeing Chloe, Rachel and Nathan dead on the floor like that real or not pissed her off. If this was a real depiction of how Max imagines Jefferson she was so glad that she didn't take his class this year.
Maxine and Max broke free of their restraints. The two of them had to keep reminding themselves that the dark room wasn't real. Max opened the door leave the bunker to only be stopped by Jefferson. Max froze the look on his face was the same look she saw when he shot Chloe in the head. Max started to panic.
Maxine took hold of Max's hand. "Maxi, this isn't real it's all in our mind. Don't let him win!"
Jefferson glared at Max. "Awww how cute you actually thought you'd be able to escape from here. That look on her face….it's the exact one you had when I shot your dear Chloe in the head. If only I had my camera I would've framed her expression when she realized how fucked she was. But believe me, Max. I will enjoy this Rachel was….how do I put this she was too much of a wildcard. But you Max, oh you are just perfect I will enjoy that look on your face." said Jefferson.
Max still didn't move. Jefferson dragged her back towards the photo area. Maxine tried to pull him off of her but she too could not move. Jefferson used a zip tie around Max's wrists he licked his lips as he unbuckled his belt.
Maxine gritted her teeth. "Max! This isn't real!"
Max shook her head. "No, please don't…"
Jefferson chuckled. "You're going to be so much more fun than Rachel. Shame how she had to go. But she hurt me in a way that was….unforgivable. You will be a good little girl Max and just laid there and take it." he said as he undid Max's pants.
Maxine could feel the fear and terror that Max was feeling it did not help that she too could feel Jefferson inside her. "Max, please! You got to wake up! This isn't real."
Max folded. "No….stop it! I was saving myself for Chloe! Stop it!"
Outside, Max and Maxine didn't look any better than they already were. They were still burning up it was started to scare the others. They had finally made it to Nathan's uncle's place in London. Nathan had to explain to his uncle that Max/Maxine were the same person but from different timelines, his uncle didn't understand it but he just went with it (no reason to ask more question that Nathan didn't have the answers to). They placed Max and Maxine on the bed of one of the guest rooms. Nathan left Rachel and Chloe to tend to them, honestly, he didn't know how much help he could be. He got a text back from Warren saying he was on his way to London with the ticket that Nate sent him.
Chloe paced around the room. "Priceless can you please stop pacing you're making me nervous," said Rachel.
Chloe sighed. "I'm sorry it's just…..what if they don't wake up? I can't lose Max it would feel like losing my dad all over again…."
Rachel placed her hands on Chloe's shoulders. "That won't happen. Whatever is happening to them. They'll get through it we just have to believe in them. In the meantime help get them undressed maybe that could help cool them down."
Chloe nodded. Rachel undressed Maxine while Chloe did Max. Sweat started to drip down Max's forehead as her breathing has become more erratic. Chloe placed a wet washcloth on her forehead. "I hope they figure out this shit quick. I don't know how long Max can handle whatever nightmare she's in."
Rachel nodded. "Yeah….she looks so terrified."
Chloe placed her hand on their hand. "Come back to us."
Maxine groaned as she could feel the pain that Max was feeling. She still couldn't move. Maxine took a deep breath as she reminded herself this isn't real. She slowly regained her will to move. She glanced back Max who was still being tormented by Jefferson. She gritted her teeth she didn't want to leave Max but at this point, she has to in order to get them both out.
Maxine ran away from the Dark Room she found herself walking through Max's memories of each and every timeline she's been through she honed in on one memory, the night she woke up in Maxine's timeline she hoped that it will let her escape this nightmare. If she can't get Max out while in here she'll do it in the physical world.
Maxine slow regained consciousness she was met with the sight of Rachel's hand tightly gripping hers. She glances over to find Chloe who was passed out in the chair next to Max. She squeezed Rachel's hand causing Rachel to bolt up. "Oh thank God! Maxine, you're awake what happened why isn't Max awake."
Maxine groaned. "We were trapped in one of Max's nightmares. I couldn't get her to listen to me so I escaped her mind to help out here. Why am I naked?" she asked.
Rachel chuckled. "You two were burning up your clothes were drenched in sweat."
Maxine nodded. "I feel bad leaving her like that. She keeps going back to the Dark Room."
Rachel nodded. "Maybe we need to take her back to that memory."
Maxine tilted her head. "How are we doing to do that? The Dark Room is back in Arcadia Bay," asked Maxine.
Rachel smiled. "Nathan says his uncle has a dark room here too but it's nothing like what Jefferson had."
Maxine gasped. "Yes! That's it she hasn't accepted what happened to her in the dark room. Shit what didn't I realize it earlier?" she said.
Maxine got off the bed as she got dressed in clothes that Rachel laid out for her. She walked over to Chloe waking up the sleeping punk. "Maxine, holy shit you're awake wha-what about Max?" said Chloe.
Maxine sighed. "Stuck in her own nightmare. Rachel thought of an idea that might help her get through her PTSD but we need to carry her," said Maxine.
Chloe nodded. "Sure, what do you have in mind."
Rachel bit her lip. "We need to….recreate the dark room. Have her accept what happened in the dark room and hopefully that will get her to move on."
Chloe glanced over at Max. "You think that's a good idea?"
Maxine shook her head. "Honestly, no but it's the only thing that makes sense. We should let Max show us what happened. I mean they had me do something like that in rehab."
Chloe looked at Max. Max was really suffering the sweat dripping down her face and the obvious pain. Chloe sighed as she couldn't come up with a better idea. She grabbed some clothes that Rachel thought Max would have liked to wear as she dressed unconscious girl. She picked up Max as they walked out of the room. "Holy shit, Maxine you're awake! What about Max she okay?" asked Nathan.
Maxine nodded. "Nate, I'm going to ask you to do something really stupid for me," explained Maxine.
Nathan sighed. "Whatever it is I'll do. So long as I don't get arrested." chuckled Nathan nervously.
Maxine smiled. "Rach said that your uncle has a dark room is there any way you can make it look like….he's dark room?" asked Maxine.
Nathan slowly nodded. "Y-Yeah I can do that but why would I want to?"
Maxine gestured towards Max. "Because it's for Max. She's still trapped in her mind of Jefferson's Dark Room. That's the only reason why I'm awake and she's not. I've never been in the Dark Room so I had nothing that was keeping me there she needs to accept what happened."
Nathan nodded. "A-Alright I'll do it. Just give me a second."
Nathan left the living room for a while. Max wasn't getting better at all. She kept muttering to herself "I deserve this." among other things.
Max kept staring at her dead friend and girlfriends. As everything kept repeating itself. She'd escape and get caught being shown Chloe and Rachel dead right in front of her while Jefferson tossed a dead Nathan to her feet. She couldn't take much more of this.
Max could feel tears falling down her face. "I want to get out of this fucking nightmare!"
Just as she was starting to lose hope she could hear voices.
Max, c'mon you got to wake up. Max please we need you to wake up. Max! I really need you right now. Max, whatever you're seeing it isn't real! You can get out of this just think about a happy moment in your life and we'll get you out of there.
Max scoffed. "A happy moment…..do I even have any of those….well now that I think about it….when Chloe and I were searching for Rachel was really nice. I know she really wanted to find her because she was in love with her but I couldn't stop my feelings for her…."
Max slowly started to wake up. She glanced around the room when all color in her face drained when she saw she was in the dark room. Of course, it wouldn't be that easy for her. She could never get over her nightmare. "I knew it was too good to be true."
Maxine flicked her forehead. "Hey, I'd like to think that my timeline is rather enjoyable."
Max gasped. "W-Wait….I….I thought."
Maxine nodded. "I know what you thought and no this isn't Jefferson's Dark Room. We're in London this is Nathan's uncle's dark room. I asked him to make it look like Jefferson's Dark Room for a while."
Max shook her head. "Why would you do that."
Maxine sighed. "There was this thing they had me do during rehab. They blindfolded me and took me back to when Scorpion said all those terrible things to me they took me back to when I tried to kill myself….I didn't want to relive that but when they got me to see that I was still alive I felt different….I felt whole again. When I accepted that I moved on. You need to do the same." explained Maxine.
Max slowly nodded. "W-Where are Chloe and Rachel? C-Can I see them and Nathan too?" asked Max.
Maxine shook her head. "Not at the moment okay. We need to put you back at the point in your mind. I'm going to strap you to the chair okay." said Maxine.
Max nodded again allowing Maxine to tape her wrist and ankles to the chair. "Make the tape on my right ankle loose I was able to kick that free to drag the cart over to look at my diary," she said.
Maxine nodded. "Alright, I'm going to give you a mild dose of LSD just to give you the feel okay. If you don't feel safe just say Captain okay," said Maxine.
Max took a deep breath before she nodded at her punk counterpart. Maxine stood there as she waited for the drug to kick in. When she saw life slowly disappear from her eyes Maxine began the experiment. She picked up the camera as she turned on the flash. Maxine could feel her heart began to race. Well, at least I know I'm getting somewhere. I just hope I don't do more good than harm doing this. Max….you've been through so much I promise you we'll get Jefferson. Heh, jail's too good for him he needs to pay for what he did to you, Nathan and especially Rachel. Razor Blade, you've done a lot of dumb shit before I can't imagine this one dumb decision you did was what caused your death in Max's timeline.
Maxine sighed. "Alright, Max I need you to talk me through what happened."
Max's breathing started to become labored. "J-Jefferson was talking about how cute I was when I saw him shoot Chloe. I was pissed….he kept saying how I was better than Rachel….because I wasn't….fuck," said Max.
Maxine nodded. "Hey don't worry you can say it. This will help with accepting it," explained Maxine.
Max let out a strained breath. "Jefferson said I was better than Rachel because I was innocent that I didn't….whore myself around to get what I wanted."
Maxine bit her lip. I am going to fucking kill him! How dare he refer to my Razer Blade that way! Fuck….calm yourself Maxine….this isn't about you this is about Max. We will get to that later.
Maxine took another picture. "What else happened?"
Max tried to steady her breathing but she was failing at it. "I had jumped back in time to warn Chloe about what was going to happen but I ended back in the Dark Room again….I kept going back to stop Chloe from dying….that I slowly broke my mind. Jefferson in my nightmare kept talking about Rachel in a very sick and twisted way. He called Rachel his blood-spattered angel….he was talking about how he….fucked her corpse I….fuck….fuck…."
Maxine nodded. "Alright, then what happened?"
Max smiled for a second. "David came to save me he knocked Jefferson out….I drove out to the dinner to get a picture Warren that got me to the end of the world party….I just….I wanted to save Chloe. I changed so much for her….I just….wanted to her to be safe and alive….I didn't mean to hurt so many people."
Maxine sighed. "But you didn't kill anyone, Max. I gave you my timeline where Chloe alive….where Rachel's still alive no storm because we didn't need to use our powers in the same way. Just look." said Maxine.
Max looked up to see Chloe, Rachel, and Nathan standing in front of her. She choked back tears as they smiled at her. Maxine cut the tape around her wrist and ankles. "You're okay. Arcadia Bay is there. You and I didn't kill anyone however that doesn't mean we can't give Jefferfuck what he deserves." said Maxine.
Max nodded. "Y-Yeah….you're right….thanks, Maxine."
Maxine grinned. "No problem. I know there a lot more healing you've got to go through but at least you're not going to come back to this nightmare," said Maxine.
Nathan nodded. "So, what does this mean? Are we going to go back to Arcadia?"
Max slowly stood. "We can't run forever. Let's be honest we can't keep doing this. We're hurting so many people. Chloe, I know you and David don't get along that well but you also have a little sister as well. Nate….you're dad's an ass but clearing out his bank could screw over other people as well. Rachel, I know your dad doesn't care about you but at least Sera does."
Rachel chuckled at that. "Yeah, you're right about that oh yeah while you and Maxine were out cold I met my stepmother."
Max and Maxine's jaw dropped. "Wait….stepmother!?"
Rachel nodded. "Yup mom seems to realize that guys are shit. No offense Nathan."
Nathan chuckled. "Hey, I'd say the same thing if I went through the same shit she did if I were a female," said Nathan.
Maxine and Max glanced at each other. "So, are we going to go back to Arcadia Bay?" asked Max.
Nathan smiled. "We'll stay here for a bit when Warren lands. I don't want to be rude to him and just have him come here to have us go back. Besides, we need to explain to him our powers." explained Nathan.
Chloe placed her arms around the Maxs. "Besides, we need to come up with a plan on how to get him. We need to make him feel what he's done to you," said Chloe.
Maxine grinned. "Ooo….so we get our own little army. Sounds exciting," said Maxine.
Max glanced over at Maxine. You'd really want to kill him?
Maxine winked at Max. Fuck yeah, I do. He needs to pay for what he did to you, Rachel, Kate and his other victims. I want him to suffer.
Max smiled. That makes both of us. I can't wait to see his face when he sees that there are two of us now.