Sorry it took so long, Life in general and the weather has been... non-co-operative, but it's finally here. see you at the bottom.

Chapter 37 - The Death of Maxine Caulfield

A long silence passed between them all, everyone confused by the unexpected turn of events. The Watcher, Nona, Chloe, a passed out Max and then… this older Max.

Nona couldn't believe her eyes, blinking a few times. "You… but how?"

"You can not be here," the Watcher's voice thundered as it approached the newcomer, sounding almost panicked.

"I'll deal with you later," the older Max growled, voice laced with steel. Raising her hand as she spoke, the blue glow surrounding her intensifying. The Watcher froze mid step. "First, I have to take care of something."

Her eyes flickered to the two women cradling Max, approaching them with purposeful strides.

"Max?" Chloe frowned, wiping her eyes as she glanced between the two Maxes, the one passed out beside her and the doppelganger approaching them. The older girl's step faltered, her gaze falling on the punk.

"C-Chloe…" she choked, a watery smile appearing on her lips.

"Can someone tell me what's-?" Chloe didn't get a chance to finish.

The other Max launched herself at the punk, enveloping her in a bone-crushing hug. An uncontrollable sob erupted from her small frame, clinging on tight. On instinct, Chloe hugged her back. A reflex action bypassing thought. It felt familiar and yet… strange.

"Uh, Nona…"

"Max mentioned her. I thought it was just an echo. If she's here, that means… he didn't imagine it," she muttered that last part to herself.

"Who?" Chloe asked, even more confused than before.

"Max's predecessor had visions about a doppelganger," Nona paused momentarily. "I thought that was all they were. It seems there are things even I don't know."

Blue eyes flickered to the girl clinging to her, uncertain what to call her. "Uh, I kinda need to breathe…."

Arms released her, the girl wiping her cheeks with the sleeve of her hoodie. "Sorry. It's just… been so long. Too long." Giving a watery smile, she ran her fingers through Chloe's hair. "I knew blue hair would suit you. Think I prefer it long, though."

"Max?" Nona called out, hesitant.

"I think Maxine would be best, considering the circumstances" the older girl corrected.

"But you…"Chloe stopped mid-sentence. "Max hates her full name."

Maxine shrugged. "It'll save any confusion."

"Okay Maxine, how… what are you doing here?" Nona questioned.

"What needs to be done," she replied, stepping towards her doppelganger.

"Maxine please, She didn't know. I didn't even know," Nona pleaded, putting herself between the two Maxes.

"Don't!" Chloe practically shouted, grabbing her arm.

Maxine let out a deep sigh. "I know neither of you has any reason to trust me, but if you don't let me help she's going to die," her expression turned dead serious, "and I will NOT allow that to happen… not again."

"You… can save her?" The bluenette's question was more hopeful than doubtful.

"I can," she replied confidently, offering Chloe a reassuring smile, "but in order to do that, you're going to have to let me go."

Blue and hazel eyes met, followed by a hesitant yet approving nod. Reluctantly, Chloe let go of her arm. "I want to trust you, it's just…"

Shifting to one side, Nona watched Maxine kneel down beside her doppelganger. "Max got the impression that you were angry with her, hated her even."

That earned a half sigh, half laugh. "Can't say I'm surprised."

She sat down, placing a hand on the unconscious girl. A dull blue glow slowly engulfed Max, moving along with Maxine's touch, receding and intensifying as her fingertips glided over clothes and skin. A low groan echoed, blue eyes fluttering open.

"You," Max gasped as she came to, recoiling.

Mildly annoyed but also visibly relieved, Maxine used her free hand to hold her still. "This would be a lot easier if you stayed still."

Not in any position to fight back, she complied. Seeing Chloe and Nona out of the corner of her eye eased her worries a little. "What are you doing?"

"Rewinding your injuries," she replied curtly, eyes focused on her work. "Tricky at the best of times, even with help." Pausing, she glanced at Max. "You're lucky. Another few minutes and… that would be it for another Maxine Caulfield."

Chloe crouched down, careful not to interfere. "You are such an asshole for making me worry so much."

The vaguely playful comment helped to ease the tension a little. "Could say the same about you."

"I think we're even on that," Chloe pointed out.

"You might be right," Max agreed, feeling strange as the blue glow faded in and out.

That made Chloe scoff. "Of course I'm right. I always am, Caulfield."

Any other time, Max would argue. She didn't have the strength right now. Besides, Chloe would find a way to outmaneuver her anyway. Choose your battles.

When the conversation died down, Maxine spoke again. "To answer your question Nona, yes I was angry when I found out what she did. One moment I'm at Blackwell chilling with a few friends… admittedly finding any excuse not to go see Chloe." Guilt spread across her face. "I was selfish, didn't want to see her as anything but the mischievous goofball I knew."

Chloe didn't say a word, a shiver running down her spine at the thought of the alternate timeline Max had traveled to.

"When I came too… Chloe wasn't moving." Her voice cracked, struggling to continue. "Joyce just thought I'd made a mistake with the IV drip and William figured Chloe had tricked me into turning it up too high. They didn't blame me of course, but I couldn't deal with the guilt of killing my best friend after avoiding her for five years. Worst of all, not being able to remember."

Max winced. At the time, she hadn't even really thought about another Max having to deal with the consequences of her actions. How would she feel if someone had decided that for her?

Composing herself, Maxine continued. "I went back to Seattle and that Friday, Arcadia was devastated by a tornado. William, Joyce, Victoria… hundreds dead. Cue survivor's guilt and several psychiatrists, not that they helped much" A deep sigh escaped her. "When I turned thirty, I was involved in a car crash. Got cut up pretty bad and was rushed to hospital. A few days passed before I could walk around. Saw a young mother with her newborn slip down some stairs. I tried to catch her. That was when Nona activated my powers."

While not quite as dramatic and terrifying as Max's experience with power awakening, it was a similar concept: saving someone from injury… or death.

After a slight pause, she continued, "After a few days, I figured out how to go back further. The first thing I tried to do was stop Chloe's accident. Didn't work." She faltered, hands shaking slightly. "That's when I first met Nona and we figured out why I couldn't. Because of the choice you made, Max."

Feeling even worse now, Max looked away. She had blindly stumbled through time, trying to fix everything for herself. Not once did she seriously consider the consequences for others. Beyond the point of caring.

"I was furious. I… wanted you to suffer like I had," Maxine admitted sheepishly, clearly not proud of that thought. "While I couldn't jump into your reality, I did find a way into your head. It was childish, but I didn't think you deserved to have Chloe in your life. You took away my last chance to say goodbye." The tension faded slightly, lips quirking into a slight smile. "Then Chloe stormed into that diner in her typical barge in approach, and I realized why you did it. Didn't make me any less angry. I stayed mad for a long time, practically ignored Nona until it was almost too late."

Max wondered how she would react in Maxine's situation. If someone took Chloe away from her. Even the thought made her ill.

"The other Watchers wanted to merge with Nona," Maxine explained, voice flickering with anger. "After the pain they caused me, there was only one answer. She merged with me and we just ran. Eventually, I figured out how to jump between realities and stay." Her passive mask cracked. "Only downside, my counterpart had to be dying or dead."

"In Seattle," Max stated, her mind wandering back to the weird vision dream she had experienced. "That… car crash involving, well us."

"They were trying different ways of breaking each reality's Nona. We figured out what the Watchers were after… and most importantly why." Maxine withdrew her hand from Max's lower back, getting to her feet and offering to help her counterpart up. "There, good as new."

Accepting the help, she gave herself a few experimental stretches. No pain. "Thanks."

"Good to see you back on your feet, girl." Nona enveloped Max in a tight hug.

Realizing just how close to death she had come, the brunette clung onto her. After all this time, they were so close to victory. She didn't want to tempt fate by saying they already were. That was a lesson she'd learned the hard way.

She was just so glad to be here. Alive. To have Chloe. Alive.

Approaching them, something caught Chloe's eye. Tilting her head, she stared at Max's shoulder. "Huh, guess I can work with that."

"What?" Following the blue-haired punk's gaze, Max's eyes widened.

A vibrant, glowing royal blue butterfly was imprinted onto her pale skin.

"The mark of a Timewalker," Maxine explained, pulling her hoodie aside to expose the very same mark. "Nona was the first."

Max ran a hand over it to see if it was real. When it stayed, not even the slightest smudge, she knew. "Wait, what do you mean, Chloe?"

"I've been designing a tattoo for you," Chloe replied with a crooked smile. "Guess I'm gonna have to go back to the drawing board, but like I said I can work with this." She pointed to the mark.

"Nona beat you to it." Max turned to the blonde woman, frowning when she saw the concern on her face.

"Why are they so eager for me to merge with them, Maxine?" Nona asked, clear yet a little shaky. "Why do all of this?"

"It's not them. Not exactly," she replied, stepping towards the frozen Watcher.

The blue glow around her intensified momentarily before returning to its dull state.

Able to move again, the Watcher's gaze panned across the four faces, settling on Maxine. "The girl who ran has finally exhausted her escape routes."

"Hardly." She raised her hand, a small blue orb appearing inside the Watcher.

"You can not harm us." The Watcher's dark and cruel laugh echoed.

"This isn't a fight," Maxine clarified, turning her hand. The blue ball expanded to completely engulf the being, its form began to shift. "It's a rescue."

Everyone watched in silence as the Watcher turned an oozing black, several faces appearing: sad, pained or hopeless. Several toothless, gaping mouths and bloodshot eyes were scattered throughout the mess. As the glow grew paler, more undefined faces appeared.

"Say hello to the Shadow Fiends," Maxine stated, pointing to the unsettling blob.

Max frowned, thoroughly confused. "But, I didn't think they could get up here…"

"Morta!" Nona screamed, rushing towards the Watcher only to be stopped by Maxine.

"We'll get her out Nona," she soothed, holding onto the blonde woman tight. "We'll get them all out."

"Morta? Chloe asked, the name unfamiliar.

"My… sister," Nona replied, tears running down her cheeks. "Never in a million years did I think…" Fuming now, she motioned towards the black mass of Watchers and Shadow Fiends. "How did we not see this?"

"Best guess, there was a hitchhiker aboard when you all ascended," Maxine answered softly.

An ominous laugh filled the air, sending a chill down Max and Chloe's spine. All eyes turned to the Watcher, a shadow stretching out and latching onto Nona and Maxine.

"What the… hell?" Nona spat, struggling futilely.

"Nona!" Max shouted, dashing forwards only to have Chloe hold her back. "Let go of me!"

Not saying a word, the bluenette held onto her tighter.

"The catalyst has served us well," the Watcher's voice boomed eerily. "Why settle for one Timewalker when we can have two?"

Continuing to struggle, Max looked straight at Chloe's face. "We have to help them!"

"Look at Maxine," she muttered, not taking her eyes off the girl in question.

Confused, Max focused on the horrifying image. The shadows had engulfed everything up to Maxine's shoulders by now. Instead of looking panicked, the older girl smiled. Before they could do or say anything, a dull blue glow pulsed around her before rapidly expanding. The force pushed every shadow back, freeing both herself and Nona. The blonde fell to her knees, as the blue pulse quickly surrounded them in a protective bubble knocking the Watcher away.

"You think I came here unprepared. That I came here alone," Maxine paused, unzipping her hoodie. Underneath with a black tank top, exposing pale freckled skin. Almost every inch was covered in vibrant blue butterflies. "We weren't running away; we were running TOWARDS you".

As she spoke each butterfly on her skin flickered to life, leaving her skin as they began circling around her, her gaze fixed firmly on the Watcher, a determined grin forming.

"You struggled to keep one Nona under control. Let's see how you handle a thousand".

Each butterfly fluttered up into a swarm, descending upon the Watcher. It stumbled back as it was completely consumed by a shifting mass of blue.

"We couldn't save any of the Maxes, couldn't even save all the Nonas. They choose death over joining you." A grimace formed on her lips at the thought. "Each one who did survive gladly joined us, all to save one reality." She passed a watery glance in Max's direction. "We choose this one."

The Watcher let out an inhuman screech as the glowing butterflies disappeared inside it. Hundreds upon hundreds of blue bubbles appeared, each one containing a humanoid figure.

Translucent orbs pushed their way from the mess of shadows, the creatures futilely clinging on.

One by one, the bubbles came free. The closest settled a few feet from Nona, fading to reveal a young, red-headed woman who blinked several times, examining her shaking hands. She let out a soft sob.

"Morta," Nona muttered in shock as Maxine released her.

Frowning, the other woman's head snapped up at the name. "N-Nona…"

Not sure whether she should cry or smile, settling for both, Nona rushed forward and engulfed her in a hug. "God I've missed you."

Her limited composure completely broken now, Morta practically melted into her. "I'm sorry. It was me… this is all my fault…"

Holding her close, Nona tried to soothe her. "Don't be stupid. Of course it's not."

Solemnly, the redhead pulled away from her, face covered with guilt. "I wish it wasn't. The day before we ascended, I went to get Jason only to find him with someone else. I…" she hesitated, face unable to properly settle on an appropriate emotion, "...I was crushed."

Nona's jaw tightened at the news of such betrayal, angry at first. "That doesn't mean it was your fault, sis."

Refusing to look at her, Morta sighed. "One of those… things latched onto me. I knew it was there, I could feel it… but I couldn't stay behind, not with the constant reminder… I should never have ascended. I knew I should have stayed behind."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Nona asked softly, keeping the rage at the entire situation out of her voice as best she could.

The other woman seemed to crumple in on herself. "I was… ashamed."

Chloe watched them, perhaps more confused than before. "I still don't understand how one Shadowfiend could lead to all this."

"They've been playing a very long game," Maxine explained as several other blue orbs faded revealing other watchers, either sobbing or hugging each other. "Over time they multiplied, latched onto the other watchers as they felt the grief of losing their Chosen charges. One by one, they subconsciously convinced their hosts to merge together, promising a relief from the pain."

"Just like a proper parasite," Nona practically spat.

Unfazed by her understandable bitterness, Maxine nodded. "Exactly."

Nona watched the uneven ball of shadows dwindle, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "But I still don't understand why they wanted me so badly."

"They've run unchecked in the other realities. Very few left, not enough to survive but…" Maxine paused, hesitant to reveal the truth, "with you, a Timewalker, they could create an endless loop. Infinite food."

"Food…" The older woman seemed to grow a little paler.

"What else would a parasite care about?" Chloe asked, shuddering at the thought.

Tired blue eyes flickered to the black mass of Shadow Fiends, the remaining blue orbs releasing the final Watcher from their grasp.

Maxine relaxed ever so slightly, muttering to herself. "As a kid, there's always one part of the game you hate. The part you almost hope never happens, because it never lives up to expectations, but it's inevitable." Shaking her head, she turned to the others. "Nobody truly wins, not without some kind of sacrifice. In this case… it's more than worth it."

With that, the blue orb surrounding the Shadow Fiends began to shrink rapidly. They struggled, fighting against their fate. Like fish out of water, flopping around in vain. Maxine's gaze turned to steel, a grimace forming.

"Game OVER."

A loud pop echoed, the bubble disappearing as quickly as it had formed. Maxine fell to her knees, the blue glow around her intensifying. The butterflies rejoined her, taking their place on her skin.

When she didn't move, Max cautiously approached her. "Maxine… are you okay?"

"I will be…" she paused, her next few words much quieter, "for a little, at any rate."

Before Max could question her further, Nona joined them, arms outstretched. "Thank you."

Maxine backed away from her, expression apologetic. "Best not, Nona." Wincing at the dejected "oh" she got in return, the brunette sighed. "They had to go somewhere, can't kill them."

It took them all a moment to understand what she meant, faces filling with horror.

"It's okay," Maxine replied, voice as steady as she could manage. "Granted, there's a few more than we anticipated, it just means… I don't get as long as I'd hoped."

Chloe felt her stomach drop. This might not be her Max, but she was still a Max. "You're not staying."

Maxine offered her a watery smile. "This isn't my reality, Chloe. It never was, and it never will be. Don't worry, I've made my peace with it."

Even after all this time, all the mistakes she'd made trying to change time, Max still felt responsible when she couldn't do a single thing. "This isn't fair… If I had known, if I could I'd change it..."

"NO!" Maxine snapped, surprising everyone. "I wouldn't let you even if you could. You're the main line, Max. The reason I even exist. I'm born of your timeline. Everything we did up until moving to Seattle is the same, but after… I tried to forget."

Max tried to imagine it, how it felt to be another version of herself. Someone who was sidelined, fucked over because of her blind chase for that fairytale ending. "And I just moped about feeling guilty."

Her older counterpart sighed. "Every choice you've ever made and will make gives birth to a new reality. This timeline will always be the main one. You should be fine editing your own, just let the others play out on their own. They are, after all, in the best hands possible. Well, the new ones will be, anyway." Before anyone could follow up on that statement, she pressed ahead. "There's one more thing I need to do. After that, you won't be able to go back beyond today, Max."

"Why?" Nona interrupted, sounding worried.

"Because it won't be there." Seeing the rising alarm, Maxine quickly elaborated. "If I don't, all of this will have been for nothing."

They could almost see the shift from emotional to business mode in the blonde. "How long?"

"A few minutes," Maxine replied.

With a stiff nod, Nona marched over to several older Watchers, pointing to them in turn. "You, you and you. Emergency council. Now."

"She'll soon whip them back into shape." Maxine looked impressed by the display of authority, turning back to Max and Chloe. "Chloe, if you ever have any doubts about us… about Max," she nodded at her younger counterpart, "know this: we always were, are and will be stronger together."

The bluenette glanced over at Max, managing a slight smile. "That I'd believe."

Passing a quick glance at the Watchers deep in discussion, Maxine exhaled deeply. "Time to go."

The blue glow around her pulsated. Her feet left the ground, body slowly floating towards the hole she'd crashed through before.

She paused, blue eyes connecting with her younger self. "Max, come with me. There's something I want to show you. It's important."

"Uh, sure. But how?"

Maxine let out a chuckle. "After everything you've seen, I'm surprised you're even asking me that. Thought is a powerful thing up here."

Her mind drifted back to an earlier time, the night she broke the barrier. Before she realized it, she was almost level. "Okay, this is kinda cool."

Chloe watched them, clearly inspired. "Soooo, if I thought about turning into a dragon…"

"Chloe," both Maxes called out in unison.

"Jeez, okay okay. I was joking…" A mischievous smirk tugged at her lips. "Mostly."

"Just… try not to cause too much trouble," Max pleaded, knowing full well what she was capable of.

"No promises."

Not entirely reassured, Max cautiously followed her older self through the hole into a vast empty darkness. "Where are we?"

"The void, aka the space between realities," Maxine replied motioning to it. "Ready and waiting to be filled, well as much as an infinite expanse can be filled." She stopped, turning to Max and pointing back the way they came. "This is what I wanted to show you."

The brunette followed her hand, eyes widening at the giant tree-like structure, stretching far below them way beyond sight. A dark brown color, all except one branch near the top.

"This is reality in its entirety, Max," Maxine explained. "We're not just special because of our power. Your main timeline makes up… I guess you could call it the trunk or spine of everything, the branches are all alternate realities. They form when you make a decision, or every time a decision could be made. Even if you never explore them."

It was truly breathtaking. "Wowsers."

"Been a while since I heard that one," Maxine chuckled tiredly.

"Old habits die hard."

The older girl shook her head. "No need to kick the habit. Wowsers is right."

Frowning, she focused on the blue branch. "Why is that the only colored one?"

"It's the only branch not dead or dying," Maxine explained solemnly, watching Max's growing expression of worry. "The rest are overrun by Shadow Fiends. Before you ask, the only thing we can do now is stop them from spreading even more. Which is why I'm going to permanently sever your reality, With you alive, your reality will have an anchor point, a way of stabilizing, the other's...will eventually die out as the shadow fiends finish...eating"

Blue eyes traveled down the tree, her heart dropping. "What about… your reality?"

"My reality is long gone," Maxine stated, her stoic tone betrayed by a flicker of sadness.

"But… I saw your reality. At the graveyard," Max revealed, shuddering at the thought.

The older girl's face hardened. "I haven't been there for thirty years. Whatever you saw was just jumbled remnants. Ha, time travel, it's got teeth."

"Thirty years…" Max repeated incredulously. "Just how old are you?"

There was a definite pause. "Eighty-three, I think. A long time to be alone, huh. Well, aside from Nona or should I say Nona's." One of the blue butterflies on her arm began to fade, catching her attention. "Seems like my time's up."

"What's going to happen to you?" Max already had a good idea… but she needed to know for sure.

She was tired of being ignorant.

"I'll… finally get some rest. Much needed," Maxine revealed, offering a fleeting watery grin before shifting back to serious. "When you get back, seal the breach I made. Wouldn't want any of those of these fuckers hitching a ride again. Just concentrate your rewind, that simple. One last thing..." Her expression softened slightly. "Might seem obvious, but look after Chloe, and yourself."

Instinctively, Max grabbed onto her wrist. "Wait!"

"Get off me," Maxine snapped, trying to snatch her hand away.

"No. Not yet," the younger girl gripped tighter. "Not until I've done this."

"Done wh-?"

Maxine didn't get the chance to finish. Their surroundings shifted, the void and dying tree replaced by a familiar car park. They were at Blackwell Academy.

Tires screeched, a head of brown hair rising above the hood of a damaged pickup truck. Confusion, Chloe ushering her inside as they escaped the immediate threat. Awkward conversations, finding their feet again. Exploring Arcadia, old and new memories blending.

A slideshow of all Max's best memories played, condensed without losing the spark. One peaceful walk down train tracks, nighttime adventures at Blackwell's pool, a hesitant morning kiss and rooftop stargazing. More kisses, more confidence. Playfulness, embarrassment and love. No more pointlessly self-imposed boundaries.

As the last of the images flashed before her eyes, Maxine wiped the tears from her eyes. She had been given the only thing she ever needed: more time with Chloe.

"Thank you." Her voice broke, clearing her throat. "Anyway, you better get back to Chloe, before she gets herself in trouble."

"If she hasn't already," Max finished for her, feeling unexpectedly sad all of a sudden. "So, I guess this is goodbye, huh."

Maxine tilted her head to the side, deep in thought. "I prefer to say good luck. So, good luck Max Caulfield. Make every day count."

"I will."

They parted ways, Max floating back down to her reality and Maxine heading towards the hole she created earlier. When she was close enough, Max could see the Watchers talking amongst themselves. On a nearby patch of grass, she spotted Chloe playing with a white and gray kitten.

She turned her attention to closing off her timeline from the rest. For good. A blue orb appeared, cracks repairing themselves. Broken shards darted upwards, settling where they belonged.

As they closed, Max spotted a large ball of energy hurtling through the void like a shooting star. It was all over… well, the hard part at least.

"Looks just like Bongo," Max said as she touched down behind Chloe.

The unexpected arrival made cat scarper under a nearby chair.

"Well, I had to find a way to keep myself occupied while you were gone," Chloe replied, frowning. "Where's Maxine?"

Max glanced down at the cat, then back up at her. "She's… gone. Finally put to rest."

"I'm sorry, Max," Nona said, coming up behind the girls.

Chloe took a moment to absorb the new information, putting her hand on Max's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…" she was cut off by the whole place shaking, several panicked Watchers muttering amongst themselves until it ceased.

"What the fuck was that?" Chloe demanded, looking at her girlfriend for answers.

"She did it," Max muttered, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. "She saved us all. I'll fill you in later, but there's one more thing I have to take care of."

"That's right, leave when I have to get this lot in check," Nona grumbled playfully, jabbing her thumb towards the other Watchers.

Max scoffed, face scrunching up. "No chance. I've got enough to sort out." She slipped her hand into Chloe's, hoping beyond hope that this would signal the end of their trouble. "Something tells me you'll do just fine on your own."

"So I see," Nona smirked, resigning herself to fate. "Guess I'll be seeing you two around."

"Not getting rid of us that easily," Chloe replied with a tired grin.

The Watchers slowly faded away, replaced by reality once more. Max opened her eyes, jeans still wet with blood. Instinctively, she checked her back and breathed a sigh of relief. Her wound was gone.

"Max?" The familiar voice was uncertain, worried.

She glanced up, wincing involuntarily when she saw Chloe staring down the suspended bullet mere inches from her forehead. "Just move out of the way."

Cautiously, Chloe stepped to the side, confused by how easy it was. "I'm not even going to ask."

"Sometimes, it's better to just accept the impossible," Max replied. "Important thing is, I never have to leave you behind again. Bonus, no nosebleed and my head doesn't feel like it's about to be crushed either. Maxine really came through for us there…"

Shoulders slumping, Chloe sighed, "She deserved more time."

"She did, kind of," Max began to explain. "I shared my best memories of you with her. All of them."

The bluenette nodded approvingly. "Not a bad consolation prize."

Their attention now turned to the frozen man stood near them. His eyes were devoid of emotion, eerily calm for trying to commit a murder. A true psychopath.

"Don't think he's going to like his much, though."

Not wasting a second, Chloe wrenched the gun out of his hands, pointing it straight at his forehead. "But I will… after everything he did, to you, to me, to Kate, to… to Rachel, he needs to be put down."

Coming up beside her, Max put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know, Chloe. Believe me, I want nothing more than to get rid of him… but this isn't the way. You shouldn't have to become a killer. He's not worth it. We'll make him pay, a million times over. I promise."

Chloe's grip tightened around the gun, finger tensing over the trigger. After a moment or two, she sighed heavily. Reluctantly, she relaxed her arm and handed the gun over.

"He'll never pay enough, Max."

Purposefully, she walked to the kitchen counter and grabbed the steaming coffee pot. Expression stoic, she strode back over and threw it as hard as she could at Jefferson's head. The black liquid froze mid slosh.

When Max gave her a confused look, she shrugged. "Something tells me freezing time and banishing an army of shadowy harbingers of doom won't make for a believable escape story."

"Good point," she conceded, mentally mapping out the coffee's trajectory. "Do you think David has any zip ties?"

"Wouldn't surprise me. If not, I have some handcuffs upstairs. I, uh, 'borrowed' them from David," she explained sheepishly.

"Chloe, why would you need those?" Max asked, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"They have lots of uses aside from restraining assholes." She turned as she reached the doorway, a playful smirk tugged at her lips. "Maybe I'll show you one day."

"Uh… right, let's just… focus on this. I'll look for zip ties and you… look upstairs."

Doing her best to ignore the suggestive comment with limited success, Max headed over to the workshop while Chloe raced upstairs still chuckling to herself. Items retrieved, they met back in the kitchen. Nodding, Max allowed time to resume.

The gunshot rang out through the house, a high pitched pinging echoing as the bullet embedded itself in the wall. Those were soon drowned out by a loud smash and scream as the pot hit Jefferson's head. He crumpled to the ground, clutching his burning face.

"Ah, you bitch! Fuck!"

Max was on him in an instant, using David's training. Pinning him down, she wrenched his arms behind his back. He groaned in pain as they zip tied his ankles and handcuffed him. Chloe snuck in a sharp kick to his ribs.

"Surprise, motherfucker," she hissed. "That one's for Rachel."

Blinking the coffee out of his eyes, Jefferson struggled to focus on the girls. "What the… how? I shot you…" His gaze fell on the blue butterfly mark on Max's shoulder, eyes widening. "No… this wasn't supposed to happen."

"Wait… you know what this mark means?" Max muttered to herself, the realization slowly dawning on her. "You're with them… no, you ARE them."

"We had her within our grasp," Jefferson growled, not sounding human anymore.

"Fun how things never go to plan, huh," she replied bitterly. "Unfortunately for you, I just don't give up. Neither does Maxine."

"The girl who ran… interesting," he mumbled to himself, "but she ran out of places to hide."

Max grimaced at his assumption. "Not quite. I guess you don't know then."

His dark eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Know what?"

"Tell me something first, how do you communicate across realities?" she asked.

"The Catalyst doesn't know," Jefferson jeered, earning him a swift punch from Chloe. Blood oozed from the split, not that it seemed to bother him much. "The Timewalkers leave cracks, enough for us to slip through, but... it needs more than just a rewind."

Max and Chloe exchanged glances, slowly understanding just how long Jefferson had been under the Shadow Fiends' control.

"You knew… the photo jumps in the bunker… you wanted me to do it, to give your friend's a way inside," Max summarized, feeling sick to her stomach remembering that time.

Jefferson didn't say a word. He just smiled, an eerie and twisted grin. At the time, he had seemed so smug, his motives mysterious. She had written it off as insanity… but it was so much more than that. Nothing more than a puppet, designed to bring chaos.

"The further you go back, the bigger the crack," Chloe theorized. "And the more you do it…"

"The more entry points for us," he finished for her. "So, do you get it now? This little victory means nothing in the long run."

"I wouldn't count on it," Max replied, trying not to celebrate too early. She'd learned that lesson the hard way.

Almost staring into her soul, Jefferson laughed. "False confidence in the face of danger. Good, build that hope only for it to be crushed by despair."

Chloe scoffed loudly at his hubris. "Maxine made sure none of your buddies are coming, fuckface. It's over ."

Done talking to him, Max grabbed her phone. The Arcadia Bay police arrived soon after, very confused when they saw the partially burned man restrained. As expected, the situation brought about a million different questions which the girls would have to vaguely answer later at the station.

As Chloe watched them walk him out, her hand clenched into a fist. "Max, one more freeze?"

Nodding, she paused time in place. Not wasting a second, the punk strolled up to Jefferson and gave him a solid smack in the nose, spitting at him for good measure. The officers leading him out were very shocked when time resumed, watching him doubled over with blood pouring from his broken nose.

Jefferson looked back, almost snarling. He knew.

Chloe made sure to flip him off all the way to the flashing car, holding back the urge to beat the shit out of him even more. Sensing the tension, Max took hold of her arm, resting her head there. She exhaled a sigh of relief, It was finally over.

"We did it, Chloe."

Relaxing, Chloe put a hand over Max's as they watched the police car leave. "Yeah."

In seconds, the source of so much pain and heartache was gone. As easy as that… but it hadn't been easy. They both knew that, the only people who experienced the whole story from start to finish. Godlike beings aside.

"Oh, by the way..." As Max spoke, she stood in front of the punk.

Blue eyes connected, ones she had been lost in countless times. Stretching up on her toes, she planted a kiss on Chloe's lips.

"Told you that you could keep a secret," she whispered, a smirk forming as her heels found the floor again.

Chloe frowned, her eyes suddenly going wide with realization then mock annoyance. "Do you even realize how hard it is not to mention the whole creepy cult blood brothers… well, sisters thing? Still can't believe you stabbed me, Caulfield."

"Guilty, but in my defense, it was for your own good and you know it."

Chloe scoffed loudly. "Oh come on, when have I ever cared about that? I do what I want, when I want," she paused, an impish grin hijacking her face, "who I want. You should know that by now."

"I…" She was too mentally exhausted to even try and fight back. "You are unbelievable…"

"Oh, is that a blush I see there." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. "But you're in luck, there is something you can do to start making it up to me."

Her smile said it all, the whispered huskiness of her voice making it impossible to misinterpret.

Max bit her lip, taking Chloe by the hand and leading her back inside over to the stairs. Before they even made it to the first step, the punk's lips found hers. They tumbled back onto the stairs, both wondering if they would actually make it to the bedroom.

They vaguely registered the phone ringing, one last pitiful attempt by the universe to keep them apart.

"Let the answering machine get it," Chloe mumbled between kisses.

Not protesting, Max wrapped her arms and legs around the taller girl. She pulled her in closer as the answering machine picked up the call.

Hey girls, it's Joyce. Just to let you know we'll be home in about fifteen minutes. We're just entering Arcadia Bay now. See you soon.

Chloe groaned loudly in time with the phone's beep. "Great, now I'm getting blue balled by my mom." Sighing, she made a move to let Max up only to get pulled down again. "Max, we need to clean up still. Nobody's gonna appreciate the redecorating we did."

"The cleaning can wait. Besides, fifteen minutes can last a long time." Max grinned, earning a slightly confused frown from the bluenette.

Deciding on a visual cue, she wriggled out of her girlfriend's tank top. She tossed it aside, both girls watching it freeze mid-air.

"I am such a good bad influence on you," Chloe smirked. "This thing still have a time limit?"

"Only one way to find out," Max replied, almost matching her grin.

Scooping the shorter girl up, Chloe began carrying her up the stairs. "I like the way you think, Caulfield."

When Joyce and David returned, they found a messy house and two sleeping girls wrapped up together in Chloe's bedroom. Putting the questions aside, they left them to dream of a promising and most importantly shared future. One they had risked everything for.

They had played for keeps… and won.

THE END

And that's it, For the main story anyway, there are two more chapter's planned, Don't fret it's all fluff :).

I'd Like to thank NYCP, whom without her help (And constantly kicking my ass into gear) this wouldn't have been possible, Also all you lovely reader's, particularly those that have been with this story since the beginning...oh wow almost two years ago, where does the time go. (I guess I could ask Max lol)

While this fic is over, there is still more I want to do, Eye of the storm and Two hearts one soul are up next, as well as another fic I'm still not sure if I'm allowed to mention yet, but some of you may know or have guessed.

And Woot, we broke 100k words :D.

See you all in the comments, and in the near future in other fics.

Peace out.

(Just a quick note from NYCP here: thank you all for reading until the end and to Civ for letting me help out. Onwards to more fics!)