A/N: Thanks again for the reviews! This chapter is a bit longer than the others as I wanted to write it all the way to the actual cliffhanger. ;)

Max gasped as her boss, Julia Bennett entered the studio, where she was holding the girl in the picture, Gwen Purdeau captive. Max was directly facing her but she didn't seem to notice the freckled brunette. Instead, she walked right through Max's body to one of the cameras on the nearby table.

It took a moment for Max to get over the shocking revelation, before she even realized that neither of the women could see her. She tried touching a reflector post only to see her hand going right through it. They can't see me! I'm-, I'm a ghost, like Chloe, she thought.

What is this place? Max tried to look around. There were no windows in the room and through the doorway she could see only brightness, which meant that whatever was beyond that door wasn't within the boundary of the picture.

She looked again at her surroundings. There was something familiar about the texture of the wall plastering. Then she could make out the music that was playing in the other room. It was a Joni Mitchell song. Max's eyes opened as the realization hit her. This is Julia's loft!

Julia was living in Capitol Hill like Max and Victoria. Her loft was about a fifteen minute drive from their apartment. Max had visited Julia's place on a few occasions due to her job as her assistant and on almost every visit Julia had had Joni Mitchell playing on her audio system. Max could've never imagined that the stylish apartment could hide such a dark secret.

Max turned to look at Julia, who was wearing vinyl gloves and was filling a syringe. The thought of betrayal and disappointment, combined with her own horrifying experiences in the hands of Mark Jefferson made her blood boil.

"Leave her alone, you bitch!" Max raged and tried to hit Julia with all her might but all her bursts of anger went unnoticed. All Max could do, was to watch powerless, as Julia injected the final dose into her victim.

"Excellent!" Julia said to her now unconscious victim. "Now for the grand finale!" She took her camera and took the picture that would be later found with Gwen's body.

Max clenched her fists in tears as everything faded in white.

"How long has it been?" Chloe asked Victoria, as they watched Max sitting on the couch and staring the photo in a trance-like state.

"A little over ten minutes," Victoria answered with concern. "Do you think we should...?" She was interrupted as the freckled brunette suddenly gasped and came to her senses.

"Max! You're back!" Victoria said and went to her. "Are you all right?"

Max dropped her cell phone on the floor and stared in front of her. "No, I'm not all right."

"Did you find out who the killer was?"

"It was..." Max let out a deep sigh and buried her face into her palms. "...Julia."

"Julia?" Victoria gasped. "You mean...?"

"Julia Bennett, my boss," Max said before she burst into tears.

"Oh my god, Max!" Victoria sat down next to the brunette and put her hand on her shoulder, trying to avoid the blue-haired ghost's stern look. "What happened?"

Max wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Unlike in the pictures I've taken, I arrived a few moments before the picture was taken." She closed her eyes. "I was like a ghost. Neither Gwen nor Julia could see or hear me. I couldn't do anything but watch as Julia-, as she..." Max burst into tears again.

"When Julia took that picture that's on my phone, I returned back here," Max finally said, sobbing.

"I'm so sorry for you, Max," Victoria squeezed her friend.

"Is Chloe..."

"I'm right here, Max," Chloe assured with Victoria's assistance.

"Am I doomed to end up having killer psychopaths as mentors?" Max asked. "It feels like I'm cursed!"

Victoria was going to say something but Max stood up all of a sudden and walked to her room, closing the door behind her. Victoria and Chloe exchanged a disconcerted glance.

"You should probably go after her," Chloe said.

"No, I think she needs you right now," Victoria responded.

"You mean..." Chloe asked, slightly surprised about the offer.

"Yes," Victoria said. "And by that I mean, whatever you guys want to do together, you have my consent."

"Are you sure?" Chloe's expression became even more surprised upon realizing the true meaning of the words. "I know, what she means to you, even though Max seems to have a hard time seeing it."

"I'm sure," Victoria said and looked into distance. "Maybe Max will be then finally able to move forward and I would have a fighting chance."

"Thank you, Victoria. I appreciate it, I really do," Chloe said.

"Yeah, but have one condition, though," Victoria said sternly. "I don't want to hear any details, ever, and if I come to with a blue hair, I'm calling a fucking exorcist!"

"I promise, scout's honor," Chloe assured, grinning.

"Now, let's do this before I start to regret it!"

Max was sitting on her bed, her arms around her knees, sobbing silently. She felt inconsolable and betrayed. Max had always held Julia Bennett in high regard and felt that Julia appreciated her talent and hard work. On the other hand, she had also held Mark Jefferson in high regard and that had almost resulted in hers and Victoria's death.

Am I destined to be a pawn that can be used and disposed of, when I've outlived my purpose? She took another tissue to dry her eyes and to blow her nose. She had walked out on Chloe and Victoria because she had wanted to be alone but now she was beginning to feel that she could use some company.

As a response to her thoughts, the door opened and Max saw Victoria step in.

"Vic?" Max asked?

"Close but not quite, my well of wisdom and enlightenment," the answer came out with a different accent than Victoria's.

"Chloe!"

"The one and only," Chloe confirmed. "Victoria thought you might prefer my company over hers right now."

"That's so kind of her," Max said. "She is a much better and caring friend that I give her credit for. Sometimes I wonder why she chooses to stick with me."

"Maybe you should ask her some time," Chloe said and sat down next to Max. She took the small brunette under her arm.

Max just sat quietly in Chloe's embrace for a while, before she opened her mouth. "I still can't believe that it was Julia all along," she started. "I've been to her place so many times and not once have I suspected that it conceals that horrible room. I feel such a fool."

"I can totally relate to that feeling," Chloe said. "I've felt betrayed and let down by so many people that I've lost count."

"Present company included," Max said quietly.

"I-, yes, I did feel betrayed by you too," Chloe admitted. "But you came back and really helped me to see the good in people. – What I'm trying to say is that in life, you can't avoid being let down by people, but that doesn't mean you should lose faith in all of them." Chloe looked away from Max. "I did and look where it got me."

"Still, I can't feel how unlucky I am in choosing the people, from whom I seek guidance from," Max said. "I feel, – used."

"Max, you're the kindest and most caring person I've ever known," Chloe turned to Max again. "Don't you ever let anyone take that away from you! – I am fortunate to have been given back that week that we shared together and grateful of all the years I've got to watch you to become the person you are now."

Chloe stood up and drew Max in front of her. "I am hella proud of you, Max Caulfield and I love you."

"I love you too, Chloe." Max smiled and looked straight into Chloe's eyes.

Chloe wiped the last drop of tear from Max's cheek and gently leaned forward to kiss her. The salty sweetness of Max's lips felt exactly the same as it had felt four years ago. She felt how Max responded to the kiss and let the tip of her tongue explore the back of Chloe's lips.

Chloe took one step back and took her shirt off, making the small brunette blush slightly.

"What about Vic-," Max started but Chloe placed her fingers on Max's mouth.

"Shh," Chloe hushed. "Victoria's all right with this." She gently put her hands on Max's waist and slowly took her shirt off. She kissed Max again and gently laid her down on her bed. Chloe removed rest of Max's clothing and then her own and settled down next to Max.

The first light of morning found Max cuddled in her bed. She felt the warmth of her roommate's body curled around her. Max turned her head and watched the sleeping blonde, wondering, if it still was Chloe, who was in the helms.

"Chloe?" Max whispered.

"Mmhwhaatt? Lemme sleep. Haven't slept in four years," Chloe mumbled back.

Max set her head back on the pillow and smiled. She felt happy, happier than she had felt for a long time.

Last night had been wonderful. Max was by no means a virgin at this age but her sexual experience consisted solely from one night relationships, which really had no emotional attachment.

With Chloe, everything was different. When they had made love, they had connected on a completely different level. Chloe also seemed to have a phenomenal knack of knowing what made Max tick, so she had been able to push the brunette to her sensual limits and beyond. On her part, Max wasn't quite as experienced but Chloe had nevertheless seemed to genuinely enjoy her expressions of love and pleasure.

"Y'know," Max murmured. "Had I know you were this good, I had been very tempted to choose you over Arcadia Bay."

"Based on last night, I would've been tempted to concur," Chloe murmured back and leaned to place a kiss on Max's lips.

"Funny though, how all this happened on the anniversary of our goodbyes," Max thought out loud, while gazing into Chloe's eyes. "Speaking of which, I didn't tell you what picture it was, when I rediscovered my powers, did I?"

"Um, no," Chloe said, slightly reserved.

"Let me show you," Max said and slipped out of bed before Chloe could stop her.

Max walked to the living room, took the photo album from the shelf and opened it from a certain page, only to find the place reserved for the butterfly picture empty. What the… she thought as she flipped through pages to find the picture hastily tucked into one sleeve.

Max took the picture into her hands and looked at it more closely. There was crease, maybe a hint of tear in the upper edge. She had thought about tearing the picture apart but she had never actually carried out that thought. And she was sure that she had put the picture where it belonged.

But if I haven't done it… Max thought, before the realization struck her mind, followed by a shock. Growing with anger, Max turned towards her room to see an upset Chloe standing at the door.

"Look, Max, I can explain…" Chloe tried to say.

"How could you?!" Max's eyes narrowed. "You had no right!"

"I had no right?" Chloe started to became irritated. "Look who's talking, Miss 'uh oh, this conversation didn't go too well, let's rewind to make it better'!"

"It's not the same thing!" Max retorted.

"Oh yes it is!" Chloe yelled. "Just look how many times you've used your powers to turn a conversation to your favor! – And trust me, I've seen all the outcomes!"

"So this is why your time here is coming to an end," Max said anger in her voice. "You were not sent here as my guardian angel. You were the contingency plan in case I might try to use the picture again." Max threw the photo album to Chloe's feet. "You should've just destroyed the fucking picture first thing!"

"Yeah, maybe I should've!" Chloe raged at her. "Maybe you would've then had the common sense to move on instead of being clung on to me. You can't even see from your grief how deeply Victoria is in love with you and how much she is hurting because you're too busy wallowing in self-pity."

Max's eyes opened slightly about the revelation but then they narrowed again. "Get out! Leave!"

"Just watch me!" Those were Chloe's final words.

Max fell on her knees on the floor and burst into tears, as Victoria regained the control of her body.

Victoria blinked in confusion before she realized she was standing half-naked in their living room. "Okay, too much information! I specifically told…" she cut off her sentence, when she saw her roommate crying on the floor.

"Max! What happened?" Victoria leaned over the crying brunette.

"Chloe and I had a fall out and she left," Max sobbed.

"A fall out? Over what?" Victoria asked.

"It-, it turned out she had an ulterior agenda over the one being my guardian angel." Max pointed at the picture on the floor. "Sh-, she was to destroy the picture, if I ever tried to focus on it."

Victoria did her best to sooth her trembling roommate. "Then what happened?"

"I found out that that she had taken over my body and actually tried to destroy the picture," Max managed to say from all the sobbing. "I felt betrayed and lashed out on her, and Chloe, - let's just say that forbearance isn't one of her virtues."

Victoria looked at the picture. "Well, she obviously chose not to destroy it," she said. "I can think at least one good reason why."

"I overreacted, didn't I?" Max wiped tears from her face. "She wanted to explain and I drove her off. I'm such a jerk."

"Yeah, on occasions," Victoria said, smiling. "Sometimes you make a mountain out of a molehill, but that's one of the traits why I care so much about you."

Victoria's last remark didn't make Max feel any better. Remembering Chloe's words Max reckoned that her roommate had wanted to use a completely different word than 'care' to express her feelings towards her. Alas, this wasn't the time or place to go down that road.

"Thank you, Victoria, for being such a good friend!" Max said and gave the blonde a hug.

"I'm sure Chloe will come back when she has had time to cool off," Victoria assured her.

"I hope so." Max stood up. "But in the meantime, I need to find the connection between Julia and Mark Jefferson."

Detective John Korhonen parked his car in the visitor parking area of the Oregon State Penitentiary. He stepped out of the car and walked inside the prison facility.

Finn had flown to Salem yesterday evening. He had arranged a visit to Mark Jefferson for this morning, hoping to catch an afternoon flight back to Seattle. He hoped that the visit would give some clue about Jefferson's former assistant, Joseph Adams' whereabouts.

He filled in the visitor's form and put his personal belongings on the tray. He had left his sidearm in Seattle as getting it on a plane would've required just too much effort for the benefit.

Finn stepped into a room reserved for inmates meeting their attorneys or officials. There was a single table and two chairs on each side of the table. A one way window was on one of the walls and a security camera was in one corner with a red light indicating it was recording.

Finn sat down on the other side of the table. He put a manila envelope that he had brought with him on the wooden surface.

The door on the other side of the room opened and Mark Jefferson stepped in, escorted by a prison guard. He was seated on the other side of the table and secured.

Finn looked at the former professor of photography. His appearance had changed somewhat from his Blackwell days. His hair was longer and more messed up. His previously nicely trimmed beard was longer and scruffier. His glasses held together with tape and some healing bruises on his face told that he had suffered physical abuse, which wasn't too uncommon for sexual predators like him.

Mark Jefferson watched Finn with an indifferent expression and made no gesture to start the conversation.

"Mr. Jefferson, I am Detective Sergeant John Korhonen of the Seattle Police Department," Finn started.

"You've come a long way to see me, detective," Jefferson said. "What do I owe the pleasure?"

Finn opened the envelope, took the picture of Gwen Purdeau and put it in front of Jefferson.

Jefferson cast a quick glance at the picture. "Looks like a cheap imitation of my work," he said.

"Her name is Gwen Purdeau," Finn said. "She was found dead in Seattle the night before."

"Not guilty," Jefferson smirked. "I spent the whole night in my cell. You can ask my cellmate."

Finn let Jefferson's sarcasm slide. "I'm here to discuss about your assistant during your Seattle years, Joseph Adams," Finn said sternly. "He went missing around the same time you left Seattle."

Jefferson smirked again. "If you're trying to imply I had something to do with his disappearance, I'm going to disappoint you."

"He is alive, then?" Finn asked.

"Oh, he is very much alive, I can assure you," Jefferson laughed at the detective.

"And..."

Jefferson pushed the picture back to Finn. "As you probably know, prison life isn't easy for men like me." He looked Finn straight in the eyes. "So, in exchange for what I know about Adams, what can you offer me that would make my life easier?"

"I have no authority to make any kind of offers to you." Finn scowled.

"I know that but I'd suggest that you get the district attorney of Salem on the phone and put in a good word for me," Jefferson said to Finn. "Otherwise, we're done here."

Finn glared at Jefferson, who was smiling smugly. He would've wanted to beat the crap out of him but instead he stood up.

"Very well, I'll call the D.A. but I can't make any promises."

Chloe sat at detective Kowalski's computer again, trying to find a connection between Julia Bennett and Mark Jefferson.

She was angry, somewhat at Max but mostly at herself. She had let her hot temper to take the best of her, when Max had, somewhat rightfully, burst at her.

Of course she would feel betrayed, after having to watch someone she appreciated and looked up to, taking someone's life! Chloe scolded herself.

Well, maybe it's for the best to let things settle down a bit, she thought as she was doing searches on Kowalski's computer. She had come to the precinct right after her fight with Max and taken over Kowalski's body.

Chloe kept on searching but absolutely nothing seemed to link Julia Bennett to Mark Jefferson. She hit the keyboard in frustration.

"You okay there, Kowalski?" An officer asked behind the partition.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Chloe stammered. "Just the damn computer hiccupping."

"You show that thing who is boss!"

"Yeah, I think it's working now," Chloe said and sighed in relief. Gotta remember to keep a low profile.

She looked at Julia Bennett's records again and found a curiosity. None of the records seemed to predate 2007. Another curiosity was that according to her Facebook page, she had a Master of Arts degree from the Seattle University but the university records told her that no-one by the name of Julia Bennett had ever graduated from there.

Now what the fuck is going on here…

Max was standing outside of Julia's loft, waiting for her to leave. As her personal assistant, Max had access to Julia's schedule and also the keys to her apartment.

According to the schedule, Julia was supposed to have lunch with a prospective client. In addition to the work for the La Vida, Julia did commissions to companies and private customers.

Max saw the garage door open and Julia's Tesla to pull out. As soon as the car had disappeared behind the corner, Max ran into the building and to Julia's door. She took a key out of her bag and inserted it to the lock. She stepped inside and heard a beeping sound coming from the alarm system console. Luckily, Max also knew the security code, which she typed into the console. The red light turned to green and the beeping stopped.

Max stepped from the hall into the spacious living room. It was sparsely furnished, save for a small table and two sofas on both sides, an entertainment system on one side of the room and a bookcase on the opposite side. A few prints and paintings were hanging from the wall. Stairs lead upstairs to the platform that acted as bedroom.

The entrance to the studio must be in here, Max thought when she was looking around in the living room. She walked to the bookcase and started looking behind the books in search of a hidden switch. She took a book after another out of its place but couldn't find anything.

This is hopeless, Max thought, when she put the umpteenth book back in its place. Just as she pulled another book, she heard a click and a portion of the bookcase slid inwards. Bingo! She pushed the portion in and stepped into a small corridor that led into a room. The room was the studio from the photo. Shivers ran through Max's back, when she thought back of the horrible event that had taken place here.

Okay, let's see if I can find anything that connects you to Mark Jefferson…

John Korhonen returned to the visiting room after having had a long conversation on the phone with the district attorney of Salem. Mark Jefferson was still waiting in the room.

"Okay, here's the deal." Finn sat down. "I talked with D.A. Clark and he sanctified me to offer you the following: If your testimony leads us to Adams and we are able to apprehend him, you'll be transferred to a lower security wing. That's the deal, take it or leave it."

Jefferson sat down quietly for a moment as if he had considered the offer, then he looked at the detective sitting opposite to him. "All right, I'll take it."

Mark Jefferson leaned backwards on his chair as much as the chains allowed him.

"The reason why there aren't any records of Joseph Adams after 2005 is because he went abroad that year," he said.

"Do you mean that he never returned?" Finn asked.

"Yes and no." Jefferson smiled wryly.

This doesn't make any sense at all, Chloe thought. A person of Julia's age should have records older than 2007.

Chloe moved the record windows on the screen, until she again came across with the highlighted marking of Joseph Adams on Mark Jefferson's file. She typed in Joseph Adams' name on the search field. His records were opened and Chloe started looking at them. Ok, so he's been Jeffershit's assistant. Otherwise, nothing peculiar, - except...

Chloe remembered that Joseph Adams had disappeared, when Jefferson had left Seattle and the records seemed to confirm that as there were no markings after 2005.

So we have one person that has gone missing since 2005 and another one that practically hasn't existed before 2007... Chloe thought as she was looking at the screen. Then it hit her.

No fucking way!

Max went frantically through the items in the hidden studio. She found a shelf full of files, just like there had been in Mark Jefferson's dark room. There was Gwen's file, which was full of pictures taken of her in her helpless state. Max put the file away in disgust. There were also empty files. Some of them had first names of girls on them but most were blank.

So she's not planning to stop at one, Max thought as she looked at the names. Hopefully the police can find out who those girls are.

Max pulled open a drawer. It contained another file. Why is this separated from the others? Max pulled it out. It looked older than the others. The back had 'Joseph' written on it. What the hell?

Max opened the file. It contained pictures of a young man that was tied and sedated. These have been taken by Jefferson. I'd recognize his work anywhere.

Max turned another page on the file. There was a clipped newsarticle about Mark Jefferson. The article included a picture of Jefferson with his assistant Joseph Adams. It was the same young man as in the other pictures.

Now, why does Julia have this... Max gasped, when the realization struck her mind.

Julia Bennett is Joseph Adams!

Max was so buried in her thoughts that she didn't notice, when someone sneaked behind her and put a damp rag on her mouth. She gasped again and tried to turn but her legs went limp and everything turned black.

Julia Bennett is Joseph Adams! Chloe looked at the screen. She must've gone through hella surgery. Wait til Max hears about this.

Chloe leaned back on the chair, when a sudden sensation hit her. Max, she's in danger!

Chloe left detective Kowalski's body, only to find herself back in the flowery meadow where she started.

"What?! Fuck! No, no, no!" Chloe screamed into the desolation.

What happened? Max thought, when she slowly regained consciousness. Her head felt mushy.

She opened her eyes. She was lying on the floor of Julia's studio. She tried to move her arms, only to find out that her wrists were bound with a cable tie.

"Ah, you've waken up," she heard a voice say. "I do apologize for the nauseous feeling that the chloroform might cause." Julia Bennett walked in front of her.

"You, you..." Max said with a croggy voice.

"Yes, I see you found out my little secret, - and my little lair," Julia said to her. "Which, I might add, you wouldn't have found, if I hadn't let you in." Max's eyes opened in surprise.

"See, I do trust you with my keys and the security code, but I don't trust you that much that I would let you snoop around in my home without being watched." Julia walked to the desk.

"You see, the security code, your security code, activates the surveillance cameras in the apartment and send live feed directly to my phone," Julia said, showing the recording of Max going through the apartment on her phone.

"When I saw you at the bookcase, it was pretty obvious what you were looking for, so I opened the door for you remotely."

Julia walked back to Max, holding a small caliber pistol.

"It's a shame, though. I had such great plans for you," Julia said to Max to see the horror in her eyes. "Now you have to be the guinea pig for my next experiment." She kneeled over the tied brunette.

"I've spent a great amount of time to study human anatomy, so I know exactly, where to shoot so that the victim can endure an hour, maybe even two but will eventually bleed to death. - And I get to record the whole event."

"You'll never get away with this!" Max said, trying to sound defiant.

"Maybe so, but unfortunately you won't be around to see it," Julia said with, smiling wryly. "Now, hold still..." She pressed the gun against Max's abdomen and pulled the trigger.

The sound of the gun wasn't loud, more like a crack. Max felt a small twitch inside her. Save for the slight sting, when the bullet pierced her abdomen, there was actually not that much pain. Or maybe she was already going into a shock.

"There," Julia said, standing up. "Now let's begin, shall we?"

Chloe, where are you? Please help!

To be continued...