Hey everyone, sorry this has taken so long, and that it's a little shorter than average. I've had some trouble finding time to write, and then well... I wrote myself into a massive plot hole, and had to go back and scrap a lot of what I already wrote. I'm pretty sure I filled in all the holes though, but... like I said this one is shorter than average this time. It's pretty much just dialogue and fluff too... so sorry, but at least we're moving? Next chapter will most likely be the conclusion, with maybe an epilogue after. I haven't decided yet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Max ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We've been talking in circles for a while now, and just decided it was time for a break. I stand off to the side away from everybody. It's hard being around a group for an extended period of time. I light up a joint, and just watch Chloe, and Rachel interact. There's something very similar in the two of them, like maybe Rachel is more like Chloe used to be, before... It leaves me with an uncomfortable pit in my stomach that I very carefully try not to name, at least until Chloe looks over at me and smiles. My heart flutters in my chest like it's the first time, every time she smiles at me. Nathan comes over and stands beside me, watching them as well. I look at him for a moment, and with a sigh begrudgingly offer my joint over to him. He gives me an extremely surprised look before taking it with a mumbled "Thank you."

We pass the joint back and forth quietly for a time, before I decide to speak. "Sorry about that whole punching you in the kidney thing..." I purse my lips, exhaling heavily. "I still don't appreciate the things you said to Chloe... but I'm glad you two were looking out for her. She's kinda my entire world."

He looks over at Rachel for a long moment, and laughs bitterly. "I understand, believe it or not... I just, I don't know if it's real, or if she's just using her powers on me."

I nod my understanding at him. "Yeah... I get that. She can be really selfish, self-serving, and manipulative, but... I did see a good heart under it all. And she did help look out for Chloe... so..." I shrug. "You'll just have to decide whether you can live with that uncertainty I guess. Whether it's worth it to you."

He gets a sour look on his face, and shakes his head. "Yeah, well... what do you know?"

I frown at him a moment, the desire to rip into him rising. I take a deep breath preparing, and then think better of it. I just shake my head. "You're right, I don't... but Chloe does. Any time I mess up, or say something stupid... I could just rewind, and erase it. For all she knows I'm never showing her my true self, I'm just rewinding over and over again showing her what she wants to see, what she reacts well to." I give him a shrug that's far more casual than I actually feel. "But so far... she's decided I'm worth it."

A playful voice breaks into our conversation. Rachel must have snuck over while we were talking. "That sounds pretty gay Max."

Maybe it's the weed, which I offer out to her, but I can't keep myself from laughing. "Yeah, yeah it is pretty gay. But... in another timeline, Someone was trying very hard to get into my pants."

I give her a pointed look, and she laughs. "Lies, and slander!"

"I guess you'll never know for sure..." I give her a casual shrug, and Chloe comes up behind me, wrapping me up in her arms. It's maybe just a little possessive, but it feels nice.

Rachel gets a serious look on her face, and I sigh. I guess break time is over. Honestly I'm exhausted, this was draining. I don't know if this is even going to go anywhere, and I just want things to settle down so I can enjoy my time with Chloe. I lost her once, and I just want to go somewhere with her, and be together, in safety. A little peace, and quiet wouldn't hurt either.

I take a deep breath. "Okay... well back to what we were discussing, I can't just go in there, and kill everyone. Not only will there be all kinds of questions from the police that might lead back to us, or at least me, but that much use of my power will be draining. There's no guarantee that I could keep it up long enough to take care of everyone we need to get rid of."

"What if we just lure Jefferson, and Mr. Prescott out somewhere alone, at separate times, and get rid of them then?" Rachel inquires softly.

I shake my head. "No good. Even if one doesn't get suspicious, when the other goes missing, there still could be evidence left behind that would implicate me, and then you for luring them out there. And..." I hold up my hand to stall any commentary. "Yes, I could photo jump to try and make sure there's no evidence left behind, But..." I hold up my hand again. "There's always the chance that something could happen to the photo, or I could be prevented from getting to it, and then we're all still fucked."

"Then just what the fuck are we supposed to do?!" Nathan begins to pace around, clearly starting to lose his composure already.

Chloe tenses behind me, and Rachel pulls him off to the side, speaking to him softly. The change is obvious pretty much as soon as she touches him, and I perk my brow at Rachel questioningly. She gives me a subtle nod, and continues talking to Nathan quietly. I take the moment we're given to turn around, and wrap my arms around Chloe. My hands trace idle lines up and down her back in what I hope is a soothing manner. After a few moments she starts to relax a bit, and even wraps her arms around me in return.

"Are you good?" I get up on my toes to ask softly in her ear. "We can just go if you want. I know it's been a hard day. We can just leave now, and meet up again tomorrow, or never, whatever you want."

Chloe shakes her head. "No... I'm okay. We can keep going for now."

I nod, and turn around, in Chloe's arms, look at the other two. Chloe starts to let go, but I grab her arms, and hold them firmly around me. She gives me a half amused smile as I lean back into her and tilt my head back to look up at her face. "No letting go.." I say softly.

"Never..." she whispers back at me, and squeezes me tightly.

The other two come back over slowly hand in hand. Nathan no longer looks agitated, just sheepish. Her opens his mouth to speak, but I shake my head. "I'm not going to say it's cool, or anything... but I get it. I'd be pretty tweaked too if I had to work with that psychopath."

Nathan gives me a grateful smile, and nods. "Y-yeah, exactly. Uh... and sorry I guess..." he looks away as he rushes out that last part. I'm tempted to push him a little here, but I control myself for the sake of diplomacy, or something like that.

"Alright, so what do we do then?" Rachel asks softly, to get us all back on track.

I sigh heavily, and shake my head. "As much as I hate to say this... we need to find a way to do this above board, you know... all legal and shit."

Nathan shakes his head. "That's not going to be easy, maybe even impossible. My father has a lot of the police on his pay roll, in one way or another. We call them, they'll warn him before they show up, If they show up at all."

"He can't have everyone on his payroll right? And I mean at least some of them have to resent what he has over them...?" Chloe pipes in from over my shoulder.

Nathan just shrugs. "Maybe... Probably."

"Can you get us a list? Maybe we can use it to find out just who we might be able to get on our side... And if you can swing it how he's got them under his thumb? Anyone being blackmailed or whatever is more likely to turn right?" I perk my brow up curiously at Nathan.

"I... might be able to get that list, maybe even find out what he's got on who, but... I don't think anyone being blackmailed is going to turn as easily as you think. I mean not only are they maybe doing something illegal for my father, but he's also got something on them to make them do it, so that's possibly two illegal things right there... still I can probably get that list. It might help." Nathan shrugs at me, with a bland look on his face. I notice Rachel is still touching him, so maybe she's controlling his emotions right now. Then again, my attention turns to the soothing presence of Chloe pressed against my back, maybe not.

"Well... either way I might have an idea, but we need that list first. So... can you get that, and we can meet back here in a couple days?" my brow perks up at Nathan again questioningly.

He looks like he might argue, but Rachel speaks up first. "Yeah, that's fine. We can get that list, and I'll call you when we're ready to meet up again."

I nod my agreement. "Cool, we'll see you soon then."

Rachel gives us a smile, and takes Nathan by the hand to lead him out. "Ciao."

The tension left the little building as Rachel, and Nathan walked out. I could feel Chloe relax behind me, and I also felt a bit less stressed just having them gone. It was a bad omen, I was going to have to trust those two if we were going to get anything done. It was easier in the other timeline because I only cared about finding out what happened to Chloe. I had nothing to lose essentially, but now, now I have Chloe, and what we have is at risk. I groan softly reaching up to massage my temples. This was a mess, and the only way out of it was with the help of the other two.

I hear Chloe sigh behind me, and I turn in her arms to look up at her. "Hey...How're you holding up?"

She gives me a little squeeze, and shakes her head. " I don't know... this is all just so..."

"Fucked?" I supply helpfully.

She laughs softly, and leans in to kiss my forehead. "Yeah... it's pretty fucked."

"I guess that's what we get for trying to play hero." I laugh softly, but Chloe doesn't join in. I can see her starting to frown, and I quickly back peddle. "N-no... I didn't mean that as a dig, or anything, I'm just laughing at the absurdity of the situation that's all. I mean... come on. This kinda stuff only happens in comic books, or manga, or video games, not real life. Or at least that's what I used to believe..."

She just glares down at me, and that's when I notice just how hard she's trying to keep her face like that. I wrinkle my nose at her, and begin mercilessly tickling her sides. "Oh dog! You actually had me worried you asshole!"

She shrieks, and wriggles out of my grasp, laughing the whole time. I narrow my eyes at her, and give chase, following her around the small space, wiggling my fingers at her threateningly. I chase her around laughing for a while, until she let's me catch her. I push her down onto the bench seat, and flop down on top of her. We both stare deeply into each other's eyes as our laughing dies down. It's just me and Chloe now. I press small kisses to her lips as she wraps her arms around me, and we just exist like this for a while, trying to soothe the turmoil inside.

"So..." Chloe breaks the silence that had surrounded us gently, almost as if she's afraid that speaking with destroy the fragile peace we've surrounded ourselves with in this moment.

"So..." I echo back playfully.

Chloe sighs, putting on her serious face, so I let my smile die, and look back at her ready for whatever she wants to discuss. "I know you've been really worried about how I'm taking this... so it's my turn. How are you holding up Max?"

I open my mouth to tell her I'm fine, but she cuts me off by pressing her index finger to my lips. "I remember the look in your eyes when you talked about what you saw... what you did. So... How are you holding up Max?"

I sigh softly, and bury my face into her neck. "Ugh... how did you know I was just going to say I was fine? Are you the one with the rewind powers now?" my voice comes out muffled by her neck. "I don't know Chloe... I don't know. I'm trying to come up with a way to do this that doesn't involve... more things I can't unsee. Right now, I'm not sure if there is one though."

Chloe squeezes me tightly, and I basically just melt into her, grateful for her presence. She takes a deep shuddering breath before speaking. "...take a picture. Right now, and if we can't get out of this without doing something terrible, you come back to this moment, and tell me, and we just run away, the two of us."

I pull my head up and look at her, my brow perking up questioningly. "Are... you sure about that? I mean not only does that mean that we leave that sick fuck free... but I don't know what might happen in the time between what happens, and when I come back to change things... it could be dangerous."

Chloe shrugs underneath me. "It's a smaller jump... less can go wrong. Just give yourself an out. I'll feel better about it, and I bet you will to."

I sigh softly. " Okay... fine."

I roll to the side, so we're pressed up against each other sharing the bench. I get out my phone, and hold it out to take a shot of the two of us together. We both end up holding our breath as we wait for something to happen. A relieved laugh escapes me when nothing does. Chloe smiles at me and reaches out to brush her fingers along my cheek. I know that just because something didn't happen doesn't necessarily mean everything went well. I could lose my phone, or my phone could be damaged, I might die, or maybe I have to do it myself first for it to happen in the past? That last one makes my head hurt a little, but if I'm avoiding paradoxes by having everything happen to me despite the changes I make, that could be a thing. Still, knowing that I might have a do-over does help alleviate some of my nerves.

"Fell better?" Chloe asks with a smirk.

I stick my tongue out at her, and roll my eyes. " Yeah... a little."

"Good." she smiles leaning in to place a few light kisses on my lips.

I pull her in closer, not that there really was much closer she could get, and begin to trade kisses back to her. They remain small, little tokens of our love to each other, but the mean so much. The quiet loving moments with Chloe are some of my favorites, and lately it seems like there just aren't enough of them. I reach up running my fingers slowly through her hair, just enjoying the feel of her. Being able to touch Chloe like this is amazing. I never thought I'd ever be able to get this close to her when I was younger. It starts to get a little overwhelming, and I feel a little wetness trickling down my cheeks.

Chloe pulls back a little, and reach up wiping the tears gently from my eyes. "What's wrong Max?"

I feel like such an idiot right now, as she looks at me with concern. I shake my head. " I'm sorry... I just love you so much. It's stupid, I just got a little overwhelmed that's all."

Chloe laughs, and I can feel my cheeks burning. She tilts her head up and kisses my forehead. " You such a dork... and adorable dork." she kisses my forehead again, and gives me a little squeeze.

"Yeah... well you're a dork too." I mumble back at her. She just laughs, and after a few moments so do I.

We stay there for a while, just basking in each other's presence, until Chloe finally breaks the silence. "We should go home... I'm getting hungry."

"Oh are you?" I give her a smirk, and waggle my eyebrows suggestively at her.

She laughs ans pushes me off the side of the bench. "Not that like that you perv..." she pauses for a moment. " Well... maybe, but only After we get some food." she laughs sticking her tongue out at me.

I get up off the floor slowly, and stick my tongue out right back at her. "I'm going to hold you to that Price."

She laughs, and takes my hand as I reach out to help her up. " Oh is that so?"

"Damn right it's so." I grin up at her as I pull her close, and wrap my arms around her waist. I get up on my toes, and give her a long, passionate, lingering kiss.

When I pull away, Chloe looks a little dazed. I give her a smug little smirk, and take her hand, lacing our fingers together, and start leading her carefully through the junkyard, and back to my jeep. Her cheeks are still flushed when I open her door for her. She leans down to give me a quick kiss before she climbs in, and I make my way around to the driver's side. I look over at Chloe as she buckles herself in, and she gives me a smile, one that I return gladly. A peaceful feeling settles over me as I begin to drive us home. As long as we're together, I think everything is going to turn out all right.

- Chloe -

We lay sprawled across my bed, partially covered, and completely naked. I feel dazed, and still a little breathless. It's probably all the stress of today, but Max was intense, in a good way. I look over at her, and she grins at me her eyes half lidded like she's already half asleep. I can't help the goofy grin that spreads across my face in return, I'm still coming down off my post coital high. Max scoots over towards me, and brings our lips together, giving me lazy little kisses, which I return happily.

"Best dessert ever." Max laughs softly as she lays her head on my shoulder, pressing herself into my side.

I reach my hand up until my fingers brush against her cheek. "You were intense Max... I'm not sure I'll be able to walk for a few days. I guess you'll just have to start carrying me everywhere."

"I can live that." she laughs softly, placing a few kisses against my shoulder. " It'll just give me another excuse to touch you."

"I don't think we really need any excuses to touch each other." I reply softly, my fingers still tracing random patterns against her cheek. "It's one of the advantages of this dating thing we're doing."

Max laugh brightly, and pulls herself more tightly against me. "Yeah... maybe. Though I could use it as a way to cover my copping a feel or two."

"I feel like we've had this conversation before.." I laugh tapping her on the cheek playfully.

"Maybe... It does sound like something you'd have said before, enormous perv that you are." Max laughs already sliding away from me before I can give her another little tap.

I reach over swatting at her as she tries to escape, and end up slapping her right on her butt. This of course causes her to laugh even harder. "That just further proves my point, Chloe Price, is a secret pervert."

I rear up and grab her around the waist, pulling her back down with me. " I'll show you a secret pervert..."

Max snickers, shaking her head. "That doesn't make it any better."

"Fuck you." I mock pout at her.

She gets a devious grin on her face as she leans in towards me. "If you insist."

I was exhausted by the time Max was finished with me. Again she was so intense, almost desperate. It left me wondering just what was on her mind tonight. She was always attentive, and enthusiastic before, but this time it was very different. It left me feeling like she thought this might be the last time. I suppose maybe it is, considering what we've been trying to plan. Maybe she's not planning to survive this. I pull her closer to me as a cold stone settles in my stomach. Is that really what's going on in her head. She smiles sleepily up at me, and I'm left uncertain as to whether I should ask her now, or let her sleep. It is pretty late, and we probably have another long day ahead of us, providing Nathan can get that list.

I sigh softly, and nudge Max. " Hey Max...?"

"Mm... what's wrong Chloe?" She props herself up on her elbow blinking at me blearily.

"Max... you're not planning to do anything, crazy right?" I stare at her intently, searching for some indication of what's going on in her head.

"Chloe... what's this about?" She gives me a worried look, and scoots in closer against me.

"It's just tonight was great and all, but it just seemed like... like maybe you were thinking it was our last chance to be together." I look away my voice coming out smaller than I'd like.

"It... might be." she sighs softly. " That thought crossed my mind, but." she leans in to kiss my forehead. " I'm not planning to not come out of this. Yes, I'm worried, but I'm going to try and get all of us out of this safe, and sound. Okay?"

"Alright..." I pull her into my arms, and she smiles. She gives me little kisses all over my face until I'm calm again, then she snuggles into my arms, and we let sleep carry us away.

I'm jolted awake with a gasp, and I fumble around trying to find my phone to turn off the alarm. Once the alarm is silenced I roll over, and reach out for Max, but her side is cold and empty. It's funny how I've come to think of it as her side of the bed. I sit up slowly, looking around curiously, but Max isn't in the bedroom. Sighing softly, more exasperated than worried, I get out of bed reluctantly. I was hoping for a little more sleep, but I do want to know where Max went. It wasn't like her to leave the bed before I got up. She usually likes to sleep in as long as possible. I head out to check the bathroom, but the door is open, and the light is off, so I head downstairs to see if she's there. Looking around I finally catch a glimpse of her outside, she's sitting on the old rusted swing set my dad built for us when we were little.

She's just staring off into space the way she does sometimes when she's thinking. I stand watching her from behind the sliding glass door, wondering what she's got on her mind. Things have really gotten crazy since Max came back. I know she didn't ask for any of this, and neither did I. Still if the alternative meant not having her back, I'd choose to go through this all over again. I know she feels the same way, she already literally made that choice. I open the door, and she looks over at me, and smiles. Everything always feels like it's going to be okay when she's smiling. She holds her arms out to me, and I walk over, and into her embrace.

"Good morning..." she says softly, as she nuzzles into my stomach.

"What're you doing up so early?" I ask with a yawn.

"I got a text from Rachel. They're going to pick us all up some lunch, and we'll meet up at the junkyard to eat, and talk in a couple hours. Nathan got the list." She nuzzles into me some more, and sighs. "I love you so much Chloe."

"I love you too you goop. Now cut out the mushy stuff or I'm going to start getting worried again." I muss up her hair as I speak, and she laughs, which is what I was going for.

"Considering how we've changed... I feel like that should have been my line." Max says as she gets up off the swing, and takes my hand.

I laugh lightly, and shrug. " We're still the same people... even if life pushed us in different directions than we were going in originally."

"Yeah I guess so, come on, let's go in I still need to take a shower." She pulls me towards the house.

"Oh la la Max, was that an invitation." I laugh, bumping her with my hip playfully as we walk. The grin she gives me in response though, causes me to blush. I guess it was an invitation after all.

Once again, we're all gathered in Max's little hideout in the junkyard. Max looks carefully over the list, pausing only to stuff a few fries into her mouth at regular intervals. Max shakes her head, reading over the sparse notes Nathan was able to make on what his father had on some of the officers. It really didn't look like he had been able to find out much, but Max seems to believe every little bit could be useful, and I really don't have any reason to feel differently. Anything that could help us is welcome, no matter how small, or unlikely it might be. The places the list off to the side, and takes a big bite of her burger. I pick up the list now that she's done with it and give it a look.

There's really a lot less here than I thought there would be. It is mostly just names, but there are a few notes on blackmail material. Mostly just small things like using confiscated drugs, or using department resources to surveil exes and girlfriends, and such. Well I guess those wouldn't be such small things to a cop. There aren't really that many notes though, so I'm not really sure if there's anything here that would be useful to know. I place the list back down, and look at the others as we continue to eat in silence. It hits me again, that his is really happening, that we're really trying to take on something so much bigger than all of us. This is not going to be easy.

Max balls up her food wrappers, and tosses the ball to the side, and turns her attention to Nathan. "Alright... So is this all of them? The list is shorter than you made it sound like."

He shrugs, leaning back against the wall. "That's all I could find... might be more, or might be my father was just talking out of his ass. He likes to think he's a really big deal so it wouldn't surprise me."

Max sighs softly and picks up the list again. " I guess this'll have to do. That douche detective, he's not on this list. I think he's the one we want to get in touch with. He seemed hella paranoid which should help."

Nathan frowns, leaning forward. " So you wanna get the police in on this, when you Know some of them are on the take?"

Max hops to her feet pacing back and forth. "Look, I can't just go in there and kill everyone, even if I thought that'd we'd get out of that one in the free and clear I don't want to do it unless there's no other choice. So we send Madsen this list, tell him Jefferson's a fucking creeper... about his freaky little dungeon, then we set up a nice little scene for him to find, that also just so happens to have something there to implicate that at least the company was complicit in the whole scheme if not your father directly. Then we stand back and watch as everyone gets fucked."

"That seems like a lot to pin our hopes on though max.." Rachel speaks up softly, shaking her head.

Max shrugs. "I mean last time we were in there, there was a letter or memo or whatever right out in the open from Prescott to Jefferson, so we know he feels safe enough there not to be careful right? Then we just set up a little scene for the cops, like maybe you bring me in all pretending to be drugged up, get me tied up and keep him talking till Madsen busts in. We'll need to send him a message first of course... something that sounds panicked, or worried, you know letting him know someone's after... well me, and then we shut the phone down, and let him do the rest."

"And what if he's on the payroll, and I just couldn't find it huh? We should go in there, and fucking take them all out directly!" Nathan retorts, sounding agitated again.

"I already said No. We won't be coming out of that one. Alive sure... but with our freedom intact? No fucking way." Max shakes her head.

Nathan looks like he might have more to say, and none of it nice, but Rachel puts a hand on his shoulder, and he relaxes slightly. "So what do we do if this goes wrong?" she asks softly.

"That'll be my job..." I speak up. "I'll transport us all out of there, and then Max can go back in time."

I don't tell them that our plan is to just run and skip the whole thing if this goes bad. I also try to ignore the sour look on Max's face when I volunteer myself as getaway driver. I can tell she was probably hoping to convince me to stay out of everything, to go and be somewhere safe while the three of them took the risk. She had to know though, that I'd never have accepted that. If something does go wrong, and something happens to Max, well It's going to happen to me too. We're in this together no matter what. I perk my brow up at her challengingly, but she doesn't put up a fight.

"What if the timeline persists even after you've jumped back or whatever?" Rachel asks sounding a little worried.

Max sighs, and shrugs. " I guess we can do Nathan's kill everyone plan as a back up... I'm totally in then, but only if I have to jump back, and you guys find yourselves still facing the consequences of our actions. Okay?"

Rachel doesn't seem very comfortable with the idea, but she nods, Nathan on the other hand looks mollified. I'm not sure I'm too comfortable with all of that, but I guess at least one version of Max, and I will be okay. That's something, even if it's not the most ideal of circumstances. Max's hand finds mine, and she squeezes it gently, almost like she knows I'm not too comfortable with this. Maybe it's written on my face, or maybe she can just tell, but it's nice, and I squeeze back appreciatively. She slides a little closer, and I smile, just watching her be her.

"So what do we need to do to prepare?" Rachel asks pulling me back to reality.

Max tilts her head a moment as she thinks it over. "We'll need a burner phone, and pictures of this list so we can send them to him."

Rachel laughs. "Burner phone... like we're on some T.V. drama or something. I like it."

Max grins at her. "Then we give him the address to the bunker, maybe say something about seeing a teacher out there with a student... Kate... before she disappeared. Hopefully that'll be reason enough for him to start looking into the property."

"And then what?" Nathan snaps. "How is this going to help at all?"

Max just shrugs. "It might not... but at least if someone tips him off about the location, when I send him a panicked message from that same phone about Jefferson coming after me... He'll be primed to make the connection, and find us there."

"Alright so then what, he finds us all there and..." Nathan begins, but Max holds up her hand to interject.

"No... no he comes in, I rewind a little bit, and..." she looks over at me for a moment apologetically. "And Chloe teleports you three out. It has to be just me and Jefferson when he gets there. I'll be tied down or something, it'll look really bad, and there will be all kinds of evidence everywhere. No one knows you three were there, no one asks you any questions. At least in relation to what went down that day. I mean if Rachel is an official employee she might have to answer some questions, and Nathan... you're father runs the company so you might have to as well, but that shouldn't be a problem... right?"

Rachel shakes her head. " No.. we can handle that. Nathan is already only barely in the loop, his father pushes him hella fucking hard, but... doesn't really trust him, so that should be fine."

Max nods, and I sigh turning to face her in my seat. " Max... I don't like this, I should be there with you in case you need me."

Max shakes her head, and leans in to kiss me softly. It's a cold comfort. "I need you to do this Chloe, the plan kinda falls apart without you. I've survived worse shit than begin tied up by a pervert with the police already on their way. I'll be fine I promise you."

"I don't like this... I should be there with you." I can feel tears stinging in my eyes, and I try to hold them back. This is no time to get upset, that's not going to help the situation at all, no matter how scared for Max I am.

She lifts my hand to her lips and kisses it softly. "You're always with me Chloe... I can't do this without you. We can put all of this behind us forever if you can just... trust me."

Nathan groans, and Rachel smacks him lightly on the shoulder. I throw him a frown before looking back at Max. " I do trust you max, but I'm still worried."

"We're all worried." Max gestures at Rachel, and Nathan, who both nod somberly.

"Yeah Chloe, this is really fucked up, but... at least it's almost over right?" Rachel tries to sound upbeat, and she really does for the most part. "Ooh maybe we can all head down the coast together when this is over... hit up L.A. It'll be a blast!" she adds excitedly, and I can't help but feel a little of it too.

I just nod, and Max smiles, squeezing my hand before taking charge again. "Alright... so tomorrow we send Madsen the list, and the tip about the bunker. Then Rachel and Nathan you either arrange to have Jefferson in there the day after, or you, I don't know, get him there ahead of you as you bring me and Chloe in. I'll pretend to be all drugged up... Maybe Rachel can say she has Chloe under her control... or whatever... and we proceed from there. Okay?"

Max looks at the other two, who consider things for a few moments, and nod in agreement. Nobody says anything else, there's not much left to say really. We all just clean up, and go our separate ways. This will be over in a couple days one way or another. We've done all we can to prepare, or I hope so anyway. If this doesn't go well there's still the chance that Max could go back, and then we'll be making a run for it instead. I just hope what she does actually erases the timeline she's no longer part of because otherwise, we're going to have to live with this no matter what. Maybe, we should start living like that's how it is from now on, or I guess that'd be go back to living like that's how it is. Either way, I understand how Max felt yesterday now, and I intend to go home, and soak up as much of Max as I can, just in case.