Rachel grips Chloe's shoulder and takes a step forward but the bluenette pulls her back.

'Don't. Please. I got this. Go home now. Text me later. I'll be fine.'

The blonde nods and leaves as the punk walks up to the crying brunette.

'Max?'

'What did you do?' she sobs with her face in her hands.

'She wanted a tattoo.'

'Oh, and I should believe it after all the shit she said the last time!'

'Max…'

'You should've just seen how you two smiled as you stepped out!'

'Max! Listen, please, just listen to me! She wanted a fucking tattoo and I had to do it! I wanted to decline but Matt didn't let me, can you hear me?'

'And I'm gonna believe that was all! Just let me…' she takes some steps but Chloe grabs her arm.

'Don't go! Max! Don't…' she sobs 'She just wants to make things up. Just like you did when you came back to me!'

'She is your fucking ex girlfriend, Chloe!'

'But she also was a great friend! Why can't we just… just…'

'What? Should I let you just reunite? Then just watch it all through as you fall for her again?'

'Max! Why would I…'

'Chloe!' Matt shouts at her, losing his patience 'Live your private life somewhere else! It's a parlor not a bar!'

The brunette takes a step forward the door but Chloe grabs her wrist again, gently this time.

'Please, don't go…' she whispers.

'Let me go, Chloe'

'Don't go. Please, Max. Don't leave me here. Not like this. Please.'

'Let me go.'

'Don't go' she sobs.

'Let me go!'

The bluenette lets Max go who instantly rushes out. The punk brushes off her face then steps to the counter checking if there are any customers left for today. She grabs her leather jacket and she's already on her way out.

'Chloe! Stop right there!' Matt sits on the counter 'What the hell was that?'

'Nothing'

'I guess people don't cry over a nothing.'

'I don't wanna talk about it, okay?' she sniffles.

'Okay. I like you, but you have to keep fighting outside, okay?'

'Sure.'

'Pull yourself together by tomorrow'

'I'll try.'

'Hey, sit down a little bit.'

The punk sits next to Matt, still crying.

'Listen, Chloe, I know I'm not Darren and you don't know me that well, but I truly like you. Are you sure you don't wanna talk about it? Just a little bit?'

'Just a little bit' she sniffles.

'You seem scared. First fight?'

'Yeah. I mean people would think that we always fight but it's just… you know. Nothing serious. We just play. When we were friends we used to fight sometimes. And that wouldn't be true' she sighs 'I often gave her guilt tripping.'

'Really?'

'I used to be like that' she nods.

'Been together for long?'

'It's… well, it's a little bit more complicated than that. We used to be best friends then she moved to Seattle and we just lost contact. Five years later she returned to Arcadia Bay. More than a year ago we met again.' she sighs 'We had some time together. Then we actually got together in March. We had some fights… I wouldn't even call them fights but arguments, I mean, nothing serious.'

'And the girl… the blondie, who was she?'

'Rachel Amber' she brushes off her face 'When Max left to Seattle she… I wouldn't say she replaced Max, but she was a great friend. Towards the end we had some fun… We actually got together. Then she just vanished. So I was alone and broken again. I wanted to find Rachel. I did everything what that cost. Then I met Max once again and started investigating together. Actually, we never found Rachel and I was very, very disappointed. But during the time we started feeling more for each other. Max and I. But back then, I didn't tell her we were going out. Only the day we got together. Rachel came out of the blue when we held the farewell party. Actually, just hours before the party started she appeared in the parlor, asking for forgiveness and she wanted to start over' she shakes her head.

'Did you say no?'

'Mhm. I was still full of rage. She left me without a word. And I loved Max.'

'Loved?'

'Don't… I love her and you know it. I rejected Rachel but she said it was just not over with that. I mean, I ashamed her in a club, I thought that was a lesson for her, but… she was here today.'

'Did she ask you again?'

'Yeah. I rejected her again. Then she asked for forgiveness. To be friends again. She accepted that I'm in love with Max. She just wants to make things right. Is it that bad?'

'No. But she's your ex you were over the heels for, so… Max has the right to be jealous, you know?'

'Yeah, but… I'd never do that to her! Never!'

'Run off, now!' he sighs 'Make it right, Price! See you tomorrow!'

The bluenette jumps off the counter and rushes to the door, she holds on for a second before she runs out.

'Thanks, Matt…'

She hops in the car and nervously looks for her keys. It's pretty cold outside. She drives with teary eyes, all she can think about is Max, that she has to make things right. As she parks she runs towards the apartment, seeing Max shaking on the stairs. She's still crying and she must be very cold. Why is she sitting here?

'Max!' Chloe cups her face 'What are you doing here?'

'I left my keys home in the morning' she shudders.

'Come on! You're freezing!'

'Don't…' she shakes her head and sniffles 'Don't act like nothing happened, Chloe!'

'You're gonna be ill, asswipe!' their foreheads gently meet 'I don't want that! Let's go inside, Max, please!'

'Are you crying? Why are you crying?' she's still shivering but stubbornly sitting on the stairs.

'Because I love you. I don't wanna lose you. You just rushed out.'

'You didn't come after me immediately'

'Matt held me up' she sniffles.

'You're an asshole' she whispers.

'I know' she laughs quietly 'Just let me explain. Please.'

'I'm freezing'

'Come here, now' she hugs her tight then tucks into her pockets for the keys.

'I still hate you'

'I know. Here are the keys.' she picks the shivering brunette up.

'Still hate you. But thanks' she kisses her cheek then unlocks the door.

'It's nothing. You're everything to me. Damn. It sucks to live on the seventh floor.'

'Now, you're not implying that I'm fat, are you?'

'Dumbass! I'm weak.'

'Don't drop me!'

'I won't' she smiles softly.

The brunette speaks again as they reach the fifth floor.

'Chloe…'

'Hm? What is it, Max?' she huffs.

'I'm sorry I threw a tantrum at your workplace.'

'It's okay.'

'Don't say this.' she lays her head on the punk's shoulder 'I was an asshole. I didn't give a chance to explain anything. I'm so sorry' she's still shaking.

'You're gonna take a fucking hot bath, understood?'

'I don't have to… Understood.' she whispers.

'Good. Open the door now. Please.'

The brunette unlocks the door then smiles.

'You're gonna take me in like that?'

'Uhm, yeah?'

'So am I your wife now?'

'Hopefully, pretty soon. What's wrong with you? Are you sick already? You're having a fever!'

'No, I'm okay.'

'Bullshit!' she sits the brunette on the couch and checks her temperature 'You have a fever'

'I'm freezing.' she whispers, still shaking.

'Hey' she covers her with a blanket 'I'll brew some tea then you'll take a hot bath, okay?'

'Don't leave me here…'

'Five minutes. I promise.'

'Don't… Come here!'

'What?'

'I want you to stay near.'

'Listen. I will. I promise. Just let me brew a tea and make your bath. Okay? You're even much more fragile when you're sick.'

'Sorry' she sniffles 'Didn't mean to be troublesome.'

'You're not' she kisses her forehead 'Just let me set everything, okay? I'll be as fast as I can. Okay?'

'Okay' she whispers.

The tattooist rushes to the bathroom first. She sets the water temperature then she runs to the kitchen. She grabs the kettle and some tea. As she's waiting for the water to boil, she lets loose some tears.

'She needs me. I need her, too. You just can't fuck things up, Price! Not with her!'

She finishes the tea then dries her eyes. She hands the mug over to Max then she checks the water. She heads back to Max and sits next to her, checking her temperature again.

'Chloe?'

'Hm?'

'Why are you so worried?'

'Because I love you.'

'I truly hate you seeing me like this.' she sips her tea.

'Come on. It's my fault, after all.'

'Mine, too. I rushed out. I forgot about the keys. I threw a tantrum.' she shivers.

'Hey, you're still cold?'

'Mhm'

'Come here!' she takes the mug and hugs the brunette tight 'Come on. Take that bath now.'

'I feel so… weak' she whispers.

'Come on, baby, pull yourself together!' she caresses her cheek.

'Help me. Please.'

'I will. Come on, now.'

She undresses her and takes her to the bathroom. The brunette, sitting in the bathtub, looks at the punk disappointed.

'Won't you join me?'

'Should I?'

'Please. I could bear some cuddling.'

'Whatever you wish.'

The tattooist gets rid of her clothes and gets in the tub, hugging the photographer from behind. She gently kisses her shoulder.

'I'm truly sorry, Chlo' she whispers.

'What?'

'This whole shit… I don't know what I was thinking. If you didn't care you would be with her now and not with me, being all sweet and taking care of me.'

'It's okay, Max. Not a big deal.'

'It's a big deal! But when I saw you with her stepping out of the private area, I was… I got stupid jealous.'

'You're jealous, Caulfield?' she laughs quietly as she kisses her neck.

'Shut it! I have always been jealous of Rachel Amber…'

'Why?'

'At the very beginning because you were such great friends. Always hanged out and had great fun, right? Then… you wanted to find her no matter what. She was hot, sexy and sassy, and… when you told me you used to be a couple I lost it a little bit. She's much better than me.'

'Oh, come on, Max! Don't be stupid, okay? I love you. I missed her as a friend. She's trying pretty bad, actually, you know? She wants to make things up.'

'Okay…'

'Will you give her a chance? Then we can have some fun as we actually planned.'

'I'll try. But I can't promise more.'

'Thank you.' she kisses her neck 'Don't forget, I'm trying, too. It won't be easy for any of us. Just try. If we can't do it we'll quit it, okay?'

'Okay'

'You're the best, Max. I love you'

'I love you, too, Chloe.'