A/N: Hey guys! Welcome back to Life is Strange: Partners in Time - Chapter 2: Out of Time. It's been a while since I updated this story, and I apologize. I know I've already apologized for late updates a lot, but I really do feel bad for not updating this story, because I really do want to finish this story. But, looking on the bright side of things, I'm finally done with classes! Hooray! So, look forward to more updates! Also... I'm excited for Life is Strange: Before the Storm! And you can bet that I'm going to do a story based on that game when it comes out. Or, at least, when I finish this story. So, without further ado, let's start Part 2 of Out of Time!
"Secret lair?" I asked Chloe.
"Yup. Come on, let's go before mom starts some more shit." Chloe urged.
"Okay, Yeesh..." I said as I stood up. Once I stood up, though, I felt my head throb and blood start to stream from my nose.
Chloe saw this and her eyes widened. "Whoa... You okay?"
"Too much blow... See what happens when we hook up again?" I said to her, touching the blood with two fingers.
"Well, you better make sure this doesn't happen again, because we're gonna have more fun with your powers..." Chloe said, walking out of the diner.
I sigh. What does she have planned now...? I thought as I walked out of the diner with her. We walked into Chloe's truck.
Chloe handed me some tissues. "Here are some tissues."
I grabbed the tissues and wiped the blood away. "Thanks."
"No problem."
Suddenly, I heard my phone go off. I pulled out my phone and saw who was calling me. Victoria... I answered the call. "Hello?"
"*sniffle* Hey Jace..."
Oh god... She doesn't sound any happier... "Hey. How's it going?"
"Not very good... Courtney just called me a pussy..."
"What? That's fucked... I'm so sorry that happened..." I said.
"You don't need to be sorry... I know I deserve this. I treated Kate horribly... This is my karma..."
"No, it's not. Don't listen to them. You're tough. You can get through this..."
A small silence took place, before I heard, "Thank you, Jace... I'm glad to have met you."
"It's no problem. Anything I can do to help."
"I'm gonna end the call. See you later."
"See you later..." I said, the call ending. I put my phone back in my pocket.
"What happened?" Chloe asked.
"Someone I know at Blackwell is going through a difficult time. She's being bullied..."
"Ugh, that sucks. Bullies are such assholes."
"You're tellin' me..." I sighed.
"You'll be able to cheer her up. Remember when we were younger and I was sad about my cat's death?" Chloe asked.
"You mean Bongo?" I asked.
"Yeah. I was devastated. But you somehow managed to cheer me up and pull me back up."
"Wasn't that the day you thanked me nonstop?"
Chloe chuckled. "Yep. So you'll definitely cheer her up."
I smiled a little. "Thanks, Chloe."
"You're welcome."
Chloe drove her truck up to a junkyard. "We're here."
"Sweet." Chloe and I got out of her truck and walked into the junkyard.
"Welcome to American Rust. My home away from hell." Chloe said.
"Raw and rough... Definitely suits you." I said. Chloe brought out a beer bottle and drank from it. She then offered the bottle to me.
"Want a sip?"
"Ugh..." Was my response.
Chloe giggled. "You're so cute. You haven't changed a bit. But anyway, let's move on to the next phase of the test."
"There's another phase?" I asked, exasperated. "I already proved my power to you! Twice!"
"Of course I believe you. I just want to try something fun with my supersized friend!"
"Supersized I may be, but we don't know for how long..." I stated.
"Which is why now's the time for some fun!" Chloe said. "Now can you go find five bottles? Pretty please?"
"..." After a few seconds of silence, I sighed. "Fine. But what are we even doing once I find the bottles?"
Chloe smirked and pulled out a gun.
I jumped back. "Wh-What the fuck!?"
"Behold, my new trusty gun, courtesy of step-dick." Chloe said.
"So you did take his gun..." I realized.
"Well, duh! You didn't think I actually believed in gun control, did you?"
"... Okay, you've got a point... But I have to ask, why didn't you bring that gun during your confrontation with Nathan?" I asked.
"I forgot." Chloe simply said.
"You forgot to bring a gun? During a confrontation with a guy who, you know, drugged you!?"
"Well..." I seemed to have stumped her, because she then said, "Just go find the damn bottles, smartass."
I rolled my eyes. "Aye aye, captain." I sarcastically quipped as I started to walk away to look for the bottles. "By the way, beer and guns? Nice combo."
"What can I say? I'm hella crazy."
I rolled my eyes once again as I began my search for five bottles. Okay, if I were a bottle, where the hell would I be? I thought as I searched. After about a minute, I found the first bottle on an elevation near a yellow bus. I tried to reach up to grab it, but to no avail. "Damn... So close." I noticed a box near me. I grabbed the box, placed it in front of the elevation, stood on the box and grabbed the first bottle. Sweet! One down, four more to go.
I searched again, soon going ito the other side of the junkyard and finding the second bottle lying on top of a car wreck. I grabbed the bottle and continued my search for the next three bottles. Soon, I found the third bottle in a small room. Once I grabbed the bottle, I noticed something outside. A... doe? Curious, I walked out and saw the doe. Now that is a pretty doe... I've gotta snap a picture of this. I brought out my camera and took a picture of the doe. Once I did, it ran away. I got the picture and shook it a bit. What I saw in the picture, though, deeply disturbed me.
The doe wasn't in the picture, even thou I clearly took a picture of it. "Wh... What the fuck...?"
"Yo Jace!" I heard Chloe call out my name. "You doing okay?"
"Huh? ... O-Oh, yeah, I'm doing alright. I'm almost done. I just need two more bottles."
"Sweet! Meet me back here when you're done!"
"Okay!" I called out as I decided to put away the picture and forget about what the living hell just happened. I searched for the fourth bottle and, if I had to be honest, it was pretty damn difficult to find. I found it near a campfire. Seriously, how the fuck was anyone supposed to find that so easily!? *sigh* Oh well, I have one more bottle to go, so I shouldn't be complaining. I thought as I soon found the fifth and final bottle on a shipwreck. Okay, how am I gonna get that bottle...? I saw a plank nearby. Perfect... I grabbed the plank and placed it on the edge of the shipwreck. "Awesome!" I carefully walked on the plank and onto the shipwreck, grabbing the bottle and walking on the plank again. Alright, time to get back to Chloe. I walked towards Chloe. "Here. I got the five bottles you needed."
"Nice. Just place them over there." A slightly tipsy Chloe gestured to a nearby plank that was resting on some junk. I placed the five bottles on the plank. Chloe drank the rest of the beer and placed the now empty bottle next to the five bottles. She brought out her gun and aimed. "Just tell me where to shoot."
"I need to see you shoot first." I said. Chloe shrugged and shot, hitting the left of the first bottle. I rewound. "Aim a bit more to the right." Once I said that, she fired, hitting the first bottle and breaking it.
"Boom!" Chloe exclaimed. "Time for bottle number two."
"Fire." I said. Chloe fired, hitting underneath the second bottle instead. I rewound again. "Aim slightly above." Chloe shot again, hitting the second bottle.
"Hell yes!" Chloe cheered.
"This is actually pretty fun." I admitted.
"Yeah! Now, let's pump up the volume and find me another target." Chloe said.
"Someone wants to get creative..." I chuckled. "Try that old plank."
"I hate old planks..." Chloe fired at the plank, causing it to fall down... but nothing happened to the bottles.
"Nope." I said, rewinding. I looked at an old wheel rim. "Try shooting that old wheel rim."
"Alright." Chloe fired once again, the bullet ricocheting off the rim and hitting the third bottle.
"Holy shit!" I said. "That was fucking cool!"
"Hella yes it was!" Chloe smirked. "But that's not enough. I want one more cool trick shot."
"Very well. Let's use that junker for a target." I suggested. I was really starting to get into this. "Hmm... Try aiming for that tire."
"Adios, tire..." Chloe shot a bullet into the tire. Once the bullet hit, the tire deflated, sending the junker into the last three bottles, crushing them, while almost crushing us. "Ubercool." Chloe and I fistbump. "I still can't believe it... My best friend is a superhero!"
I groan, feeling my head throb again. My nose began bleeding again. Chloe saw this and grew concerned. "Jace?"
"I... don't feel so super..." I fell down, Chloe catching me.
"JACE!"
That tornado... That fucking tornado...
I saw it again... That goddamn tornado...
Why...? Why can't it just go away...?
Why was I burdened with this horrific vision...?
Seeing that tornado destroy the town I love...
How the hell am I supposed to deal with this?
I have to stop that tornado from coming...
I have to save the people I love...
The town I love...
If I can't do that...
Do I even deserve a happy life...?
Do I even deserve a life at all...?
Do I...
Even deserve anything, if I can't save Arcadia Bay...?
If I can't save Chloe...?
If I can't save Kate...?
If I...
If I...
"Jace? Wake up, Jace!"
I groan, my eyes slowly opening. "C-Chloe...?"
"Oh thank god, you're okay!" Chloe said. "I was so worried... Are you feeling any better now?"
I slowly sat up. "A bit. Just give me a minute..." I slowly stood up.
"No, you shouldn't be standing-"
"Chloe, don't worry about me. I'm feeling better now, just give me a minute..."
"Okay, no more using your powers. At least, for a little bit." Chloe demanded.
"Fine, fine..." I said. Since when did Chloe become so protective? I thought as I heard footsteps near us.
"Well, well, if isn't Bonnie and Clyde..."
I turned around and saw an older blonde man. "Go away, Frank." Chloe said.
"Oh, sorry, Chloe. Didn't mean to get in the way of your bonding." The man named Frank started. "I heard the gunshots and the breaking glass. It's cute that you're playing with guns. Just like me at your age."
Chloe glared at Frank. "We are nothing alike."
"We both need money. In fact, you need it so much, you owe me a shitload, right?"
My eyes widened. "This is the guy you owe money to?" I asked Chloe.
"Yeah. And if she's smart, she'd give it to me right now." Frank extended his hand towards Chloe, waiting for his money. Chloe noticed something, however.
"Where did you get that bracelet...?" Chloe asked darkly.
"Hmm? From a friend, now give me-"
"You fucking liar, that's Rachel's bracelet, why the fuck are you wearing her bracelet!?" Chloe asked angrily.
"That's none of your damn business."
"Yes it is! You stole that shit, give it to me right now, asshole!" Chloe tried to take the bracelet, but was stopped with Frank pulled out his switchknife.
"You better stay back, right now. You want me to cut you, bitch?" Frank threatened.
"Uh... Jace, catch!" Chloe tossed me the gun. I caught and, on instinct, pointed it at Frank.
"You're kidding... Put that down, boy." Frank said.
I was shaking. I have never held a gun before, so I was unsure of what to do. When Frank began heading towards me, though, I panicked. I fired the gun, the bullet hitting Frank in the shoulder. He yelled in pain. "You little fucking shit!" Before he could do anything, though, he was stopped when a gun was pointed at his head.
"Stand down, now. If you do anything, I will pull this trigger, right here, right now." A voice said behind Frank. It sounded like a male, but I didn't recognize it. Judging by the shocked look on Chloe's face, though, she recognized the voice.
"Tch... Fine. Next time I see her, though, she better have my damn money." Frank said.
"She will. Now leave."
"..." The guy pulled the gun away. Frank glared at me. "I will remember you, kid. I will remember that you shot me. And you'll wish I had a fucking terrible memory, because I never forget..." Frank walked away, holding his injured shoulder. I saw the man who just saved us. He had dark brown hair, hazel eyes, light skin, and a camouflage soldier uniform.
"Heh, good thing I came at the right time, right, Chloe?" The man asked. Chloe looked away.
"Go away, Xavier..." Chloe said.
"Xavier?" I asked.
The man looked at me. "Right, I should introduce myself. Xavier Madsen, at your service."
"Wait, Madsen?"
"He's step-douche's adopted son. And by extension, that makes him my step-brother." Chloe explained.
"C'mon, Chloe, you make it sound like you're ashamed of me being his son. Yeah, he's an asshole, I can admit that. But he's trying to take care of you, like I am."
"Taking care of me while you're in the military. Fucking genius."
"The only reason I joined the damn military was because of you getting into that mess with Frank! I was offered some money I would get if I joined. I never wanted to join. I just wanted to keep you safe." Xavier explained.
"I can take care of myself! I have it under control!"
"Judging by what just happened, you don't. And you!" Xavier pointed at me. "Shooting Frank was a stupid move! You know he's going to have your head for this, right! You just put yourself in danger!"
"I'm sorry, I panicked..." I said.
"Hey, leave Jace alone!" Chloe said.
"He made an idiotic move! I was just reminding him of that!"
"He was trying to protect me!" Chloe retorted.
"..." Xavier sighed. "Chloe... I just want you to be okay. If anything bad happens to you or your friend because of Frank, I... I wouldn't know what to do..."
Chloe's expression softened. "Listen, Xavier, I know you want to keep me safe. I just... *sigh* I don't know, I let my dumb pride get the better of me."
"Promise me you won't let that happen again, okay?"
"... Alright, Xavier. I promise."
Xavier smiled a little. "Good. And... you. Give Chloe that gun. She's gonna need something to protect herself with, after that confrontation."
I nod, giving the gun back to Chloe.
"By the way, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at the military?" Chloe asked.
"I was given the week off, so expect to see me more often this week." Xavier revealed. "Anyway, I gotta go back home. I wanna surprise mom and dad. See you later." Xavier walked away.
"Quite the brother, huh?" I said.
"You have no idea." Chloe looked at me. "Come on. Let's head out. My secret hideout didn't feel so secret today."
Chloe and I were walking on the trains tracks. We held each other's hands to keep ourselves balanced. "I still can't believe you shot Frank." Chloe said.
"Like I said, I panicked. I was trying to protect you."
"Yeah, but still. Holy shit. Didn't think you had the balls to do that." Chloe said.
"I didn't think so either." I said. I soon decided to change the subject. "So, what's your relationship with Xavier?"
"Eh, I trust him. I know he's just trying to protect me, but he's a bit too protective." Chloe said.
"Well, if I had such a trouble-making sibling, I would be quite protective too." I said.
"Hah, you've got a point." Chloe said. We stopped walking and rested on the train tracks.
"So, what's the story between you and Frank? Does he have a last name?" The moment I asked that, I knew it was a stupid question. Of course he has a last name, dumbass!
"Frank Bowers. Rachel and I were desperately needing some money to leave this dump. So, I asked Frank for some money. Big mistake. Ever since then, he's been pressuring me to give him his damn money."
"Chloe... I had no idea... I'm sorry..." I apologized.
"Don't worry about it. Xavier's in the military, he's got it under control. I just want to chill. Just me... you... and Rachel. I hope we find her, Jace... You two would get along so well. She wanted a photographer for her modeling. You would be perfect."
"I dunno... I don't think I'm good enough..." I stood up.
"Yes, you are. You just need to show the world your talent." Chloe said.
"Right..." I said. I saw the beautiful sunset. I brought out my camera. Just as I was about to take the picture, my head throbbed and I had another vision about the tornado. Ngh... Not again... Not again! "Ngh..." I groaned. I heard Chloe calling out my name.
"Jace! Jace! Help!"
I managed to ignore my throbbing head and looked at Chloe. What I saw scared me.
"Jace! I'm stuck!" Chloe yelled, trying to pull her foot out of the tracks.
"Shit! Don't worry, Chloe, the train won't-" I heard the train chime. "Fuck, you gotta be kidding me!" I ran towards Chloe.
"Jace, y-you've gotta go change the tracks! Have the train move through the other tracks!"
I saw that the train was starting to get closer and closer. "There's no time! You've gotta pull your foot out of your boot, then we'll pull out your boot! It's the quickest way!"
"Alright, fine!" Chloe said. She strained, but she pulled her foot out of her boot. She crawled away from the tracks. I grabbed her boot and managed to pull it out. I jumped away from the tracks, the train was very close to hitting me.
I sighed in relief. "That was close..." I gave Chloe her boot back as she put it back on.
"Yeah.. You're gonna have to help me walk, though. Having my foot stuck kinda hurt my ankle." Chloe stood up, limping a little.
"Of course." I stood up and held on to her, helping her walk.
"Shit... You saved my life twice. Now we're bonded for life."
"My powers might not last, Chloe..." I felt my face redden when Chloe rested her head on my shoulder.
"But we will. Forever..."
A/N: Finally, FINALLY, this long as hell chapter has been released. Sorry that it took a while, but the length of this chapter will probably explain why I haven't updated this story in a while.
So, a new character has been introduced. He will appear more in this story, so prepare for more Xavier.
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! See you guys on the third and final part of Out of Time!