Episode 31 - Chosen
"I still don't know how I…" Max hesitated and frowned, glancing back at her friends. "Wait… another Chosen?"
Out of the two, Dana was understandably the more confused – wide eyed and open-mouthed. When she could finally speak, her voice was hesitant. "Sorry, but… where are we exactly?"
As much as Max wanted to answer her question right now, she had more pressing concerns. "Err, it's difficult to explain. Hold on a minute, Dana." Feeling a little sorry for her, the brunette turned back to Nona. "Another Chosen?"
Practically ignoring her repeated question, Nona passed a meaningful smile the short blonde's way. "And hello, Kate. It's good to see you brighter than ever."
It didn't take a genius to put two and two together from the 'subtle' hint. "Kate… wait, do you mean?"
The… demi-god?... taking Rachel's form gave Max an 'I told you so' look. "I did say you'd be drawn towards others."
"Sorry, but can someone PLEASE tell me what is going on," Dana pleaded while trying not to freak out. "And how can you be so calm about this," she asked Kate accusingly.
"Umm..." Kate shuffled uncomfortably, looking very guilty.
"Wait… this is it, isn't it? What you wouldn't... couldn't tell me before," Dana concluded gradually, not really sure how to take that.
With a sigh, Kate nodded. "Kinda not my secret to tell... are you mad?"
After her face cycled through a range – mostly confusion and concern – she ran her finger through her hair. "No… no not mad, confused... maybe a little scared."
"Understandable, Dana," Nona smiled reassuringly before turning to the time traveling brunette. "I'm guessing you have some questions."
Max didn't even know where to start. "A few have sprung to mind... Like how are we here… am I doing this... and then there's…"
To ease her mild panic, Nona placed a firm hand on the brunette's shoulder, her other hand motioning towards the other two girls. "I think we might need some tea and a more comfortable setting for this."
With that, Kate and Dana watched wide eyes as a large patch of lush green grass appeared. Two brown leather armchairs and a double seater couch materialized, alongside a small dark wooden table. Resting atop it was a large blue and white flower pattern teapot and cups.
Motioning for the girls to follow, Nona led them over. Pouring herself a cup of tea, she sat on one of the armchairs. Max took the other chair, noticing her friends hadn't moved an inch – bewildered.
"It's okay, guys. Nothing bad will happen here... and you're not crazy." Max wished someone had been around to tell her that… well, someone other than Nona. Someone she knew without a doubt was real.
Kate moved first, taking her girlfriend's hand. Fingers gently interlocking, she gave her arm a gentle tug. "Come on, babe. I could use some tea."
Still dumbfounded, Dana eyed up the two-seater skeptically. She probably expected to pass right through it on sitting. When she didn't, the tension in her shoulders eased up. Once everyone was settled and had tea, Nona took a sip of her steaming drink.
"So, where would you like to start?" she prompted, ready for the barrage of questions.
Trying to get everything prioritized in her head, Max hesitantly began. "Okay, I guess… this." She gestured around them. "How did I… we…?"
"Get here?" Nona finished with a small smile. Receiving a nod, she rested her cup on the arm of the chair. "Let's see… the first time you came here, you were unconscious. In reality, I mean."
"I passed out at the lighthouse... Chloe was talking to me and I… just couldn't stay awake." These blackouts had a way of taking her out at inopportune times.
"Well, you did push yourself as usual. But if I had to guess… in that state, you were more susceptible to hearing us and thus homed in. The second time, that was me," she explained, counting them off on her fingers.
"And this time?" Max pressed, needing some answers.
Nona shrugged. "Well, you're not unconscious and I didn't bring you here. So, I'm guessing that maybe you have a few questions to ask me."
"So... willpower," the brunette concluded.
Thinking up a simple way to explain it, Nona tapped her cheek. "Hmm, more like subconsciously. Kind of like how you walk. You just do it, no real thinking involved."
"That… kinda makes sense. Would be nice to know how, though." Just when she thought she was caught up on the answers…
Nona allowed herself to chuckle. "I'm sure you will figure it out. At any rate, it seems you've somehow connected it with your time stop."
"Time stop?!" Dana asked, confused as her eyes flicked between them.
Giving Dana a sympathetic glance, Kate sighed. "Umm, Max can kinda stop and rewind time... It's a long story I'll fill you in later."
"No real reason to hold out on her now, is there?" the brunette added. More people knew about her power than she would like… but at least she trusted them. Dana included.
"I guess not," Kate agreed, wondering just how she was going to explain it all.
"I'm gonna hold you to that," Dana shot playfully, the sentence laced with suggestion causing the short blonde to blush.
Chuckling at Kate's embarrassment, Nona continued, "So, Max, what did you want to talk about?"
"I… somehow managed to photo jump with Chloe. Back to when… the day William died." Her voice cut out at the end, too painful.
Kate gasped, while Dana exclaimed, "She can DO that?!"
Nodding hesitantly, Kate confirmed, "She saved me, Dana. She saved everyone. From the tornado... and ourselves. It's a long story."
Realizing she wasn't going to get any more answers now, Dana took a swig of her tea. "I look forward to hearing it."
Nona got to her feet, approaching the thick rope-like structure a few feet away. Hundreds of multi-colored intertwined threads glowed. "Well, I haven't seen any changes."
"Wow. What... is that?" Dana asked, examining the beautiful and slightly terrifying spectacle.
"It's the timeline," Nona stated. "More specifically it's Max's timeline. Every thread signifies someone whose life she has influenced in some way."
"It's pretty," Kate announced, eyes roaming over the intermingled crisscross.
Walking over to the rope like structure, Nona touched a vibrant pink thread.
"What's she doing?" the taller girl muttered.
"I think she's looking over my timeline," Max replied. Seeing Dana's continued look of confusion, she continued, "Last time I was here, I touched my timeline. I saw my past in like picture book slideshow thing in fast forward. Even some things I'd forgotten… some I wish I could forget."
"You sneaky little..." Nona announced, releasing the thread. She turned to the girls, offering Max an appraising smile. "I look away for one second and you manage that. And you didn't change a thing, yet you made such a difference to Chloe."
Max managed a small shrug. "I still don't know how I did it."
That made Nona chuckle. "I told you already, Max. You've pushed yourself harder than any of the others. In fact, I think you're actually further ahead than your predecessors... Looked like it hurt though."
Whatever she had to suffer at the time had been worth it. "It did, well not hurt so much. Draining would be a better word... I slept like a rock after that."
"So I saw. Give a girl a second in time and she can change everything." Nona smiled softly.
"I didn't change anything, though," Max reminded her. If only she could…
The hazel-eyed blonde shook her head. "You did, Max. You gave Chloe the one thing no one else could: closure."
"Well, yeah... even if I don't know how I do half of it." Learning to control her powers was like trying to tame a wolf. It had teeth.
"I think a lot of it is that you think with your heart Max, but you also tread cautiously," Nona theorized.
"Chloe's my…" Words failed to express what the bluenette meant to her. "…everything. She completes me, makes me stronger... I wouldn't be able to do anything without her."
Seeming to understand, Nona nodded. "I don't think anyone can argue that point."
"Clearly the others don't agree," Max pointed out.
"They are still being boneheaded and stubborn..." Nona mumbled, annoyed. "Don't worry, Max. We WILL find a way."
"Being stubborn about what?!" Dana enquired, tired of being shut out of the loop.
Letting out a sigh, Max poured herself another cup of tea. "The other watchers, they want to... separate me and Chloe."
"What... why?!" Dana demanded angrily.
A bitter half-laugh, half-scoff left Max's lips. "They think it will make me stronger."
"Bullshit!" Dana all but shouted before looking to Nona. "That's crazy. Look, I'm not going to pretend I know what's going on but… The first time I met Max, she was quiet and self-conscious. After she got back with Chloe… and her rewind thing… she's so much stronger. Anyone can see that."
Glad someone else could see it too – the other Watchers made her doubt herself constantly - Nona sighed. "You really don't have to tell me that Dana, I've been watching Max since… well, forever."
"It's okay, Dana. Nona's on my side." Passing a glance to Kate, Max bit her lip before facing the hazel-eyed blonde again. "So, elephant in the room. Is Kate… a Chosen?"
Sitting back down, Nona smiled and rested her fingers on her chin. "Why don't you take a guess? Although I'm pretty sure you already know."
Max's eyes went wide with realization. "Rachel... she has Rachel's gift."
Thoroughly lost now, Dana intervened. "Wait a minute. Rachel was a... chosen, and now Kate?"
"I… don't have any powers. I'm not special," Kate said nervously, earning a scowl from her girlfriend.
"You special to me, Kate…" Dana stated firmly, "…and it seems like there are other reasons to think that, too."
Tucking some hair behind her ear, Nona began her very quick lesson. "Every Chosen has a power. Some are active – like Max's rewind – others are subtle, like Rachel's was and Kate's is. More like an aura; radiating positivity. The happier she is, the stronger the effect. Downside is, the reverse is also true. It can very easily shift to an aura of negativity. We've seen where that leads."
"So, you're like a walking Kate sized bottle of serotonin. I am SOO keeping you!" Dana exclaimed, grabbing the blonde in a hug.
"Keeping me?" the blonde squeaked.
"Yup, and you don't get a choice either." Dana smiled, placing a kiss on her cheek, inspiring a broad beam.
"Umm, there was one other thing, Nona." All eyes turned to the brunette, making her feel a little nervous. I… had a dream, well more like a nightmare. There was another me, older… sad… angry at me for killing her Chloe. But… she was also running from something."
"It sounds like an echo." Noting the confusion, Nona elaborated, "One of your predecessors mentioned it, fairly adamant it was real, was the last time I ever spoke to him… Our best guess, the shadowfiends got to him. While they can't harm you physically, they can do untold damage psychologically. As a Timewalker, you are most at risk."
"So, you think it's these shadowfiends messing with my head?" Max summarized, not sure how to feel about that.
"Possibly. Or the way you deal with this." Nona motioned towards the multi-colored timeline. "The way your brain overcomes obstacles, this could just be something else you're doing subconsciously. Throw in everything else that's happened over the short space of time, is it any wonder your mind is pulling a few crazy stunts?"
"Great, I'm starting to go batshit insane," Max muttered under her breath.
The pretty blonde sighed heavily. "Already told you, Max. You're not going cra-"
"KATE!" Dana gasped, rushing to the short blonde's side.
Max and Nona turned to see Kate stood next to the multi-colored timeline, visibly shaking as tears rolled down her cheeks. In her hand… a single brilliant white thread.
"Kate…" Max whispered making her way over.
Not getting any response, Dana placed her hand on the blonde's shoulder. That made Kate jump, dropping the white thread. Her head swiveled, eyes red and blotchy from crying. "Max… I'm so sorry. You tried so hard and I… you cared so much."
"Of course I care, Kate. You're my best friend, besides it turned out okay in the end," Max replied putting her arms around the teary blonde.
"What is she... what did she see?" Dana asked, very worried.
"Her timeline, she was back on that roof," Max replied solemnly.
"I… felt it. The… impact." Kate shuddered, the snapshots of another timeline where she… actually hit the ground lingering.
The color drained from Max's face as she realized what her friend meant. "Oh god…"
Nona gave Kate a sympathetic look. "She would have experienced… everything, Max. Including what you changed."
"See what? Max, what did she see?" Dana cut in, demanding answers.
Heart sinking, the brunette swallowed hard. "Dana. That… wasn't the first time I was up on the roof with Kate. The first time, I… I couldn't…"
Dana's face fell. "Max… Kate…"
That was all she could say, scooping the two girls into a tight hug. Soon, it had devolved into a total cry fest. So much had happened in such a short space of time, thrown in at the deep end. After some time, they broke the hug and wiped away tears. There may have been a kiss as well.
Nona passed them a gentle smile, glancing back at the mesh of timeline ropes. "I believe I have kept you long enough. It was nice meeting you all. And I wish you the best of luck. Max, maybe I'll see you again some time soon."
"With the way my life has been going, definitely," the brunette managed as the space around her faded.
When they returned to reality, time was still frozen. The truck that had nearly crashed into them was dangerously close, a mere few inches from impact. Before time decided to resume, Max pulled Kate out of the way to safety. Hearts beated loudly at the close call, brains still hazy from information overload.
"I don't know about you guys but… I want to go back to Blackwell and just… not think for a few hours," Dana finally managed.
Max and Kate exchanged a glance, nodding in agreement. They got back on the bus, their journey back silent. All the while, Dana and Kate clung onto one another tightly. Understandably, the trip to see Nona had shaken them. It was both sweet and… heart-breaking. Eventually, they made it back to the safety of their dorm.
Before they parted way, the freckled brunette turned to them with an apologetic smile. "I'm… sorry you guys had to learn all that the hard way."
"At least I did. Otherwise… I wouldn't have a single clue." The taller girl glanced at the blonde clamped to her side. "I, uh… me and Kate have a few things to discuss. If you need us, drop a text."
"Yes, please do, Max. You're not alone," Kate insisted, reaching out to take her hand. "We're here for you. And so is Chloe."
That made her smile. "Thanks, the same goes for you guys."
Sharing one final group hug, Max headed back to her dorm room and flopped onto her bed. Yet another long day.
Silent darkness enveloped her, claustrophobic. She could feel it pressing down on her mind and soul. Negative energy seeping through. It threatened to crush her into dust.
A voice echoed through the void, menacingly familiar. "You won't get away with this."
Max tried to speak, no words leaving her lips. All she wanted to do was ask what the hell was going on. Where she was and why.
"You ruined my life. I'm coming for you," the voice threatened… her own voice but more bitter and jaded.
Fear gripped at her heart, panic clouding her mind. Her older counterpart did not sound like she was messing around.
"I will NOT allow it to happen. Not to her. Not this time," the other Max hissed angrily. "If you think I'll let you do this, fuck everything up more than you already have, you are mistaken."
The pure hatred made Max shudder, feeling the hostile wave rock her to the very core. She knew she had fucked up but… did she really deserve to be despised that much? Blinding light pierced her vision, eyes clamping shut.
"You'll regret ever having fucked with me…"
Max awoke with a start, brow damp with a thin layer of sweat as her older counterpart's words echoed. Running fingers through her hair, she checked the time. She'd woke up about ten minutes before her alarm. Feeling kinda gross, she grabbed her supplies and headed for the shower room.
Yet another weird… dream nightmare.
Sighing, she shut the water off and headed back to her dorm room. After getting dressed, she grabbed her bag. Normally, Kate was already knocking on her door to leave. In fact… she hadn't heard from the blonde at all since yesterday. Unusual.
She supposed her and Dana had a lot of things to talk through. Ready to go, Max left her room and approached Kate's. Giving a firm knock, she waited. What was taking her so long? 'Come on, Kate… we'll be late at this rate.'
After a second or two, a reply filtered through the door. "I'm com… I'm on my way."
Hanging around, she heard shuffling from behind the door. "Guess you can't tease me for being unorganized now," she quipped playfully.
"Oh, ha ha." The door swung open, the blonde stepping out with a beaming smile plastered on her face. "Look, I'm ready."
It wasn't unusual for Kate to be cheerful but this… "You look… happy."
"I am." Kate nodded grabbing the brunette's hand dragging her down the hall. "common we don't want to be late."
They rushed off to Blackwell's main building towards the lockers to grab their books. Max watched Kate closely, growing suspicious. "Okay, what happened to make you so happy?"
Cheeks turning red, Kate glanced down at her shoes. To delay the embarrassment, she checked her phone. "Um, Max. Could you… I can't say it," she whispered, motioning to nearby students.
Understanding the gesture, Max smiled. Gently, she took hold of Kate's hand and lead her to a quieter section of the corridor. "There, more private. Now, will you tell me?"
Exhaling deeply, Kate began fiddling with her cross necklace. "After we parted ways, Dana and I… talked about… a lot of things. Well, talked and…" The blush intensified, voice caught in her throat.
Offering a reassuring smile, Max took over. "Kate. Whatever it is you're about to say, don't worry. I won't laugh or judge you."
Relaxing a little, the blonde returned the smile, shakier. "I… know, Max. That's why I wanted to tell you."
It took her a few minutes to gather up the courage to tell her friend what she wanted. Honestly, she was super nervous for probably no reason. She knew Max out of everyone would support her. Others would definitely tease, especially given her beliefs.
"We, um… did a little more than, uh… talking," she hesitantly muttered.
One of Max's eyebrows raised, curious. "Oh?"
Kate shuffled her feet, looking everywhere but at her brunette friend as cheeks heated. "Well… a lot more than… talking… We, uh…" She cleared her throat, mentally kicking herself for being such a wimp about this.
It took a second for the young time traveler to put two and two together. "You and… Dana!" she stopped herself from shouting so loud. "Sorry, you guys slept together."
All the poor blonde could do was nod while her face went cherry red. "We just… after meeting Nona… we both realized that… we shouldn't wait to do something we… both wanted to do. Life is… too short to keep putting things off."
"Damn, Kate. I think you've learned more than I have from like only a fraction of the experience." The brunette wished she could have even half of Kate Marsh's bravery – in the face of something terrifying, doing it anyway because you knew it was what you wanted.
"Oh, I don't know about that Max but… I appreciate your support." The blonde beamed, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders. "And you know… if you ever need to talk about… you and Chloe… I mean, you might have already…"
"Thanks, Kate. You can talk to me whenever, too." Max didn't want to admit how many times she'd chickened out so shifted the conversation back to class. "A-anyway, shall we get to class?"
Her blonde friend noticed the eagerness to change the subject but didn't call her out on it. "Good idea."
Just as they were about to head inside, Kate's phone went off with a message. Immediately, she gave it a check. It was from Dana.
Dana: Katie
Dana: bunbun
Dana: marshmallow
Dana: why you leave so early?
Dana: didn't even give me a proper morning kiss :(
Dana: come back
Dana: plz
Dana: I'll cry otherwise
Dana: :'(
The blonde hesitated. She hadn't wanted to leave this morning; it was why she had taken so long getting ready. Normally, she was up and about way before she needed to. With Dana there… it had been nice to just be held.
Max noted the hesitation. "Kate?"
"Dana… wants me to go back," the shy girl explained sheepishly. "I… kind of do but…"
Before either girl could move, their new photography teacher rounded the corner and ushered them inside. Down heartened, the blonde trudged to her seat. She glanced at her phone wistfully, clearly wishing she could return to Dana's side.
That's when it hit Max… she could help.
Just before class was about to start, the brunette leaned over to her friend. "Do you want to go see her?"
After a second of thought, the blonde nodded with the broadest grin she had ever seen. Smiling back, Max stood and walked out of the room. Before anyone could call after her, she rewound until Kate had returned to the hallway. Before the phone could go off or their teacher could return, the brunette gave her a soft shove.
"Go back to your room. Don't even hesitate. I know you want to." She added extra emphasis, hoping Kate would understand.
Kate seemed confused for a second but didn't question. For whatever reason, Max seemed to have rewound and was sending her back. There had to be a good reason. When she got about a quarter of the way back, her phone went off with texts from Dana… and she understood.
Max really was looking out for her. In so many ways.
Notes:
We promised cute.
Did deliver.
Till next time
Peace out