Max better come true with her promise about helping my rehab. There are moments I really could use a cigarette, though I know I shouldn't. Should've never picked up on the habit, but what can you do about it now? I did love how she pushed me to kick it, so let's try to right the ship and start looking out for my own health. Better late than never, right?


In September, the couple would move to their very first own apartment, and they would commence their second attempts at high school senior year. But until then, Max and Chloe still had an entire summer to spend. Back in their childhood days, they would spend entire August days playing and running in the forest, sleeping over and watching movies together. Although Max relished those memories just as much as Chloe did, both felt it was best to reinvent their summer traditions with new practices more befitting a young adult couple, rather than clinging on to their youthful best-friendship routines. So when it came to figuring out what to do, they thought of things new and exciting for all involved.

'How is your room?' Kristine asked when the company reunited on the sidewalk. They'd booked an hotel in Portland for the week, and the trio were just done inspecting and settling down in their respective rooms.

'Really nice and spacious, even though it's nothing too special. Just too bad there isn't a good view from the window. How's yours?'

'Basically just as you described!'

A short pause followed.

'So, what do you guys feel like doing, now that we're all checked in?'

'Let's go check out a show!'

Kristine scratched her head, breathing in the soft Oregon evening air.

'I wouldn't have the slightest idea what kind of bands are playing here.'

'Let's just surprise ourselves, then!' She turned over to Chloe, eyes asking, brown hair slowly dancing in the breeze as cars passed by.

'Hella yes, girl!'

They were both looking at Kristine now, silently pleading her to go along.

'Alright then! You lead the way.'

Maxine pulled out her phone, and tapped the screen until she found a place that had something on for tonight. She didn't recognize the name and neither did Chloe or Kristine, but tonight, no one thought of it as a problem.

When they arrived in the club, Kristine tried to recognize some of the amps and guitars that were already set up on the stage. She had been playing for quite a few years now, and she could easily identify a good amount of the gear the band had on offer. When she would visit a show, she would always try to guess the band's sound by looking at the stage equipment. This gear wasn't in-your-face enough for a punk band, and neither was it as elaborate as you would expect from a prog-oriented collective. It appeared that this was some alternative, edgy band that didn't shy away from catchy choruses and the like, but took itself seriously enough to throw in the odd jam here and there.

'Jeez, what are you looking at? Nothing there to look at now, amirite?'

Kristine snapped out of her concentration to a puzzled-looking Chloe. She was wearing a black top, fully exposing the tattoo on her right arm. Kristine didn't believe Chloe was truly a punk, but the blue hair coupled with the tattoo and this outfit did make her look like someone who was right at home at a rock show.

'I'm sorry - guitar players have this silly fixation about guitar equipment.'

Chloe handed her a drink Maxine had just brought from the bar.

'Talk about being hella self-indulgent, rock star.'

'Guitarist's disease, I'm afraid. Other symptoms include soloing for five minutes, tuning too loud, and putting your amps up way too high. Thinking about it, you'll fit right in with us!'

Maxine clearly thought it was funny.

'I'll kick both of your asses on any instrument any day!'

Kristine threw her blue-haired friend a skeptical look.

'I'm not so sure...'

Chloe's eyes asked for Maxine' help in out-bragging Kristine, but all her girlfriend did was capture the moment with her trusted camera, flash illuminating the room. Chloe reached out to see the stilled frame, but the band walked onstage at that very instant, diverting her attention towards the stage and the show at hand.

The group did take their time, and they played a set close to ninety minutes long. Their sound was just as Kristine expected, and these guys and gal - they had a female drummer - were adept at what they were doing. Each song had at least something special to keep the crowd engaged, whether it was a hook, a solo, or a sing-a-long bridge.

'What'd you think?' She asked, after getting back outside.

'They rocked!' Kristine could see Maxine meant it.

'Get it? They rocked!'

Both Maxine and Kristine couldn't believe the bad pun that had spun from Chloe's mind.

'Booo!' Maxine folded her hands before her mouth, trying to amplify her speech.

'Thank you!', and Chloe took an exaggerated bow to the non-existent applause, soaking in the dubious admiration from her girlfriend to end their first night out in Oregon since fall.


The next day featured a visit to a local art museum. Since the museum held a considerable photo collection, Maxine was really feeling stoked about it. She and her friends had a quick breakfast in the hotel, and decided on walking to the gallery. Today was a beautiful summer day anyway, so they happily took to the streets for as long as it took to arrive at their destination. When they did, they were happy to find a lineless entrance, enabling them to enter without any hassle or long waiting times.

Once inside, Kristine noticed how Maxine immediately took Chloe by the hand to the photography department. Poor Chloe was probably being stuffed with all sorts of extensive information about this or that photographer or style. She excelled at enabling Maxine though, so Kristine doubted she'd find it a nuisance. She wasn't really poor either, of course, for having a girlfriend Kristine was sure would go to the absolute end of the world for her. Naturally, she felt it was best to give them this moment together, so she happily tended to her own business while the girlfriends were off exploring the modern-looking museum.

'Kristine, you really need to look at this one. Chloe thinks it's a little bit too cluttered, but I'm sure you'd agree with me!' She was looking at a painting, but Maxine, in all her excitement, quickly dragged Kirstine away to a large photograph in one of the many rooms the complex harbored.

'Here, this one!'

She was looking at a picture of a cityscape, but the people walking on the pavement were all blurred out. The cars and smartphones in people's hands, however, were clearly visible, making for a rather strange contrast.

'Ugh, I think the composition is a bit… odd?'

'I think it symbolizes the way in which technology is blurring what it means to be human.'

'I guess that makes sense.'

What followed next was a barrage of technical talk, of which Kristine only understood the words and syllables - attaching any meaning to them was hard, to say the least. Maxine was so absorbed by the photograph that she didn't notice how her friend caught the eye of Chloe during the monologue, and how her girlfriend responded with a joyous shrug.

'I mean, you can play with the shutter ti…'

'Hipster.'

Maxine didn't have a big ego, but the pride she did have was clearly bothered by Chloe's rash interruption.

'Making smart comments about photogr….'

'You're the greatest hipster in the universe!' And she gave Maxine a warm hug.

That's one way to turn a conversation around, Kristine thought. It was definitely a signature Chloe move though, and there was no way Maxine could resist the charm of it.

They sat down in a sidewalk cafe later that afternoon, treating themselves to drinks and the lovely sun. Portland wasn't quite the romantic city Paris was, but on this gorgeous day, it certainly wasn't a bad place to make do either.

'Have you figured out yet what you're gonna do with your job at the coffee house?'

Chloe hadn't really thought about that, and their trip didn't exactly stimulate such considerations. But neverhteless, Kristine's question was a valid one: come September, this would be a big decision to make.

'No, but I probably should've by now.'

'You're twenty, and you don't strike me as someone who has any trouble with school - provided you're willing to put some effort into it. You should be fine with staying put.'

This was something Chloe hadn't heard for a long while. Her year at Blackwell had been a disaster, and school had been on the backburner ever since. But Max told her about her grades in the other timeline, and that was done by exactly the same person that was sitting here in Portland right now. Surely her former alcohol-drinking and smoking habits hadn't worn her down that bad?

'I hope so. I used to love science, so there's something. It's just… I don't know if I want to make coffee all my life. I don't really need the money anyway.'

'Nobody is talking about doing that job all your life. Just for now. It may be a nice distraction from school.'

Chloe looked over at Max, who was listening very carefully.

'What do you think, Max?'

Max was struggling to find herself a good answer, and Chloe could easily recognize it by her body language. It made her feel a bit bad about putting her girlfriend on the spot like that.

'I think it'd be a real shame if you ended up a drop-out. You're way too talented for that, and you deserve more than what you've got over the past few years.'

There was a lot of assertive emphasis in that statement, the same kind that she hurled towards David and the homophobe in the coffee house. Chloe knew this dominant side of Max all too well by now, but that didn't make it any less overwhelming.

'Quite the answer, Super Max. That's why I love you!'

'You should focus on your schoolwork. It'll be the first time in our lives we're attending the same year, so we'll have fun!' It was hard to argue with her logic.

'I'll make the call when we get back.'

Max nodded, and that was the end of it.

'You guys are actually looking forward to school?'

'It'll be strange to be back, after everything. But it feels like hitting the reset button too, I guess, like going back to normal.'

'Best thing is, we're leaving Blackwell behind too', Chloe added.

'I see. Are you going to do something with your art next year, Max?

'I hope so…' Just like Chloe and her job, this wasn't something that had crossed Max's mind.

'You should get your work out there! You're an amazing photographer, but talent alone won't get you noticed.'

This sounded exactly like something Jefferson had said to Max, and it threw her a bit off-balance.

'Mark Jefferson said the exact same to me…'

'I'm sorry. I didn't know that. But don't let that asshole get to you by holding off on getting yourself published, Max. You're better than that.'

Kristine was right - she shouldn't let Jefferson dictate what to do with her passion. However, publishing her own work felt like exposing something very personal, and going through with it was hard. But wasn't her picture good enough the win the Everyday Heroes contest in the other timeline? Maybe she would have success in the real world too, if only she would find the courage to go out there and get famous. If only.


Even though no one was looking particularly forward to seeing David, visiting Portland and ignoring Chloe's stepfather would be cruel. Although he was told in advance of their visit, he'd only assumed Max and Chloe would show up - Kristine wasn't anticipated to be there. But for Chloe, there were no two ways about it: if David Madsen were to be part of her post-Arcadia Bay life, he would have to accept her friends just as much as he would herself.

He'd welcome them in his apartment - sparse, cold and lonely - and offer them something to drink. He would tell them about how he missed Joyce, how he missed Chloe, and how he even missed Arcadia Bay. But what could Chloe make of it? Not even all the riches in the world would convince Chloe to exchange Max for David. That was already discussed. So they just sat there and listened to David's plight, not sure how to respond to the tale of his Oregon woes that was spun before their very eyes and ears. He still couldn't hide his difficulty of accepting Chloe's lesbian relationship, and it continued to turn Max's stomach. She wasn't the only one to notice: Kristine said so afterwards as well. Maybe there was some left-over resentment in there; maybe a part of him still blamed Max for destroying his marriage and taking his stepdaughter away. Perhaps he even had the balls to quietly consider Max responsible for sexually 'corrupting' Chloe, although Max rather just believe that he didn't.

He wasn't as troublesome in regards to Kristine. He showed genuine interest towards her Peace Corps experience, asking many question about her time in Brazil. It was probably the sense of duty that attracted him: in his bones, he was still a soldier. All in all, visiting David was more of a chore than a joy. But it served a purpose: in order for Chloe to make a full mental recovery from her miserable years, she had to find a way to accept her past, not just her present and future. And no matter how unpleasant it might have been, this was the only proper way; to confront her demons, to expel the last vestiges of misery remaining in her conscience, and to come at peace at long last.


On the eve before their departure, Chloe and Max found each other in their shared hotel room. The blue-haired girl was laying on the bed, arms crossed behind her head. The brunette was sitting at her laptop, browsing the internet and reading some news. Portland had been amazing, a final period to relax before the intermission to their shared future would come to a close in September. But it wasn't perpetual. Tomorrow, their homeward journey would commence, and their little holiday ended. Max and Chloe had, however, one night remaining within these rented Oregonian walls, before they'd be immersed once again in what had been Chloe's new normal ever since her bittersweet flight out of Arcadia Bay. It wasn't just a flight out of Arcaida Bay: it had also been a flight into the arms of her loving childhood friend, and it was a flight that had turned out well.

'Whatta you're reading, Super Max?' It sounded from the bed.

'I don't know… Reading stuff, I guess.'

She released a sigh.

'I've been thinking about Jefferson.'

Max looked over to Chloe, who met the brunette's gaze with her own two eyes.

'Come over here for a bit, will you?' She reached out her arm towards Max, who obliged after she closed her laptop. When she sat down next to Chloe, she rested her head firmly on her girlfriend's shoulder. Chloe responded by encasing it with her left arm, fully enveloping Max in an aura of unspoken warmth.

'He can't get to you anymore, you know?'

'I know… I think I do.'

Chloe could feel the chills running down her girlfriend's spine, and she changed her voice to a quiet hush.

'Do you want to talk about what happened in that dark room?'

There was an uneasy silence, tension slowly rising.

'He shot you, and I saw it happen.'

This time, Chloe felt chills down her own spine.

'Then I was taken to his sick studio, and he made his sick 'art' out of me… He made me beg for my life, Chloe.'

Again, an uneasy pause.

'I'm here for you, Max.'

Her girlfriend looked up, finding some comfort in Chloe's words.

'I should have never dragged you into my wild goose chase after Nathan. It's my fault you had to see Rachel Amber like that.'

Some quiet tears fell down on Max's cheek, and Chloe gently peeled them away for her.

'I don't blame you. I never will.'

'You should.'

'I don't think so. You've been a light in my life ever since we met.'

She tried to kiss Max, but the smaller girl didn't go for it.

'I deserve blame for what you had to go through. I was your best friend.'

'For the record: you still are. You're also the sole reason why I'm happy nowadays.'

'That doesn't absolve anything.'

'But it does redeem you.'

Max turned her face away, eyes fixed on the door.

'I missed William too, and I still do.'

Her voice was surpisingly firm. Seconds, maybe even minutes, passed, and somewhere in between, Max buried her head into Chloe's shoulder once again. This was Chloe's turn to cry quietly, without sound, without anything else. For this, Max was enough.

'You know, you don't just say you love me. You showed me at the lighthouse, with the picture.'

As she was slowly being pushed into the shiny white hotel pillows underneath her, the brunette didn't push back. Instead, she soaked up the intensity Chloe's lips offered her. Something made this different; something made it special; and something drove Chloe to do something without considering what she was doing. Whatever it was drove her close to Max, and on this last night in Portland, it enabled her to gently take off the shirt Max was wearing, and explore how deep their rabbit hole truly went.


Not everything was different the next morning. The sun broke through the windows like all days since they'd been in Oregon; Max still loved Chloe fiercely; both of them just as much committed to the other as the day before. None of those things differed from yesterday, but yet, everything was different.

'Good morning!' Apparently, Max's awakening awoke Chloe from her slumber as well. In her eyes, underneath plentiful blue locks: joy as pure as she'd ever seen.

'So Max, I guess we're officially friends with benefits now.'

They had slept in the same bed numerous times throughout their lives, but this was the first time they had seen each other bone naked; the idea still wowing Max. Since it was too warm for sheets anyway, the two girls were laying fully exposed next to each other, and she could easily decide to rest her head to rest on Chloe's belly, slowly going up and down on the rhythm of her girlfriend's breathing, the colors of her tattoo going off like fireworks before her eyes.

'I accept everything, Chloe.'

'And you're helping me get there. One of the many reasons why I love you.'

As she went up and down following Chloe's comfortable heave, Max closed her eyes, like a cat does when happily purring. For happiness like this - happiness built upon loss, grief, and pain - was best experienced sightless, soaking it up with all the other senses compensating. Only then did she realize that love, for her, had been destruction. William Price, Joyce Price, Arcadia Bay: they were no longer there. But out of those ruins rose something else, something that brought Chloe back to her, and her to Chloe.

When she opened her eyes again, they were quick to search for the warm blue glow coming from her girlfriend. She moved to rise her slender naked body up from Chloe's belly, her breasts now facing towards the girl that shared the bed with her.

'I really like how you look, Chloe.'

Max could see a spark of magic igniting in Chloe's eyes, and it was followed by a smile.

'I mean it. I love your hair.'

'I know you do, my love. It's just… It would have been awkward if you felt different, wouldn't it? By the way, you're pretty hot yourself!'

While she had presumed Chloe was physically attracted to her, hearing her express it this explicitly sent a surge of recognition throughout her system nevertheless. As she was still glowing from Chloe's appreciation, she moved further up the undressesed body of her girlfriend, and planted her knees firmly along her curves; now fully absorbing Chloe's line of sight, holding her head into her hands.

'Let me show you how how much I appreciate that last remark…' She said softly, and pulled her girlfriend lips close to hers, pouring into them the most passionate kiss, that felt like it was able to confine all eternity in the mouths of these two young women. When it had susbsided, Max was still holding her girlfriend's perfect head.

'Do you think we've always been in love?' She asked, with a smile on her face.

All Chloe could produce was a moan, and she moved her head closer to her girlfriend, pleading for more. But by the time she was able to open her mouth, a knock sounded on the door. The voice coming from the other side was Kristine's.

'It's 11 AM, ladies. I know you had a special time in there last night, but really, we should get going before too long now. I'll be in the lobby, try not to keep me waiting for too long, okay?'

It was enough to make both of them blush.