So, Max might have the chance to get her own back on Rachel this chapter, at least a little.

Chapter Seventeen: Checkmate

Max's POV

Instead of futilely resisting her, I let Rachel drag me along. She was right, with my rewind there was very little risk of getting caught. Besides, it was better to pick and choose my battles. If I complained too much about inconsequential stuff, she'd get tired of my bullshit. A swim seemed pretty innocent to me. I doubted we could get in too much trouble doing this, nothing I couldn't prevent anyway.

When we got to the poolside, Rachel wandered off to hit the lights, illuminating the area. Without any warning, she started to strip down ready to make a splash. I averted my eyes, feeling a little nervous all of a sudden. After some of the things I'd done with Rachel, and knowing her nature, she'd make some comment or something at least. Would I be ready for it? I had no idea…

"Yo, Max, are you gonna swim or not?" Rachel prompted, catching my attention.

Not sure where to look, I cleared my throat and followed her lead. I really wished I'd started while she was getting ready herself, feeling her eyes on me as I shrugged off my clothes. Maybe I was making this a bigger deal that it had to be. And maybe…

I yelped as I felt arms snake around my waist and was suddenly submerged in the water. When I resurfaced, I inhaled deeply, blinking water out of my eyes. Hearing chuckling, I turned to see Rachel in the water too, grinning as I narrowed my eyes at her.

"What? You were taking too long," she replied smugly.

Then, it hit me. If I wanted, I could rewind and get the jump on her for a change. I wondered how she would react. Only one way to find out. I swam to the edge, pulling myself out and stood where I had been before. In the few tests I'd done with my powers, I stayed where I was while rewinding most times – the car accident reversal being the exception. Rachel watched me curiously and, just as she was about to say something, I rewound.

Ghosts of the past floated around me, distorted whispers and echoes. Rachel swam backwards, flying out of the pool and backing away from where I stood. Now came the fun part. I let time resume, waiting until the last second before I made my move. Using her lunging momentum, I spun her around straight into the cold water alone.

I couldn't help but smirk as the splash rang out and she disappeared under the surface. Her face had been priceless, totally confused by my swift dodge. Wish I could've taken a picture. My smugness soon faded when she didn't come up for air straight away. Worried, I approached the edge and got on my hands and knees to see if I could find her. Before I could register it, wet arms looped around my neck, pulling me into a kiss as I lost my balance and went head first into the water. Once again, she'd managed to outsmart me.

When my head poked up above the water this time, she gave me a playful accusatory look. "Tut, tut, such a cheater. Don't think I have no clue what you did there."

My cheeks turned a light shade of pink at being caught red-handed. "I… don't know what you mean."

That made her scoff as she floated over to the middle of the pool. "Whatever you say, Little Miss Time Cheat. You'll have to do better than that."

Something about that sentence – maybe Rachel's tone – made it sound like she was issuing a challenge, throwing down the gauntlet. And honestly, I wanted to wipe that confident smirk off her face, have her on the back foot for a change. Determined, I once again got out of the pool and rewound. Doing the same as before, I swung her around and watched as she made a splash again. Not hesitating this time, I leaned by the water and waited.

The second I noticed her beginning to resurface, I tensed up. When her arms began reaching up, I moved my own hands down to carefully pin hers to the pool's edge. Our faces ended up so close, yet not close enough for her to do what she had planned. Her hazel eyes registered surprise at my way too smooth move, soon turning to realization when she figured out what must have happened.

Instead of the flustered embarrassment I had hoped for, she stayed where she was, almost seeming to send a nonverbal dare to follow through on my 'victory'. She could easily shake me off if she wanted to. I momentarily froze up, not quite sure what to do now. In all honesty, I hadn't thought this far ahead.

Noting my lack of action, she managed to pull herself in a little closer, tilting her head slightly so her lips hovered over mine, not touching – an exhalation of warm breath before she pulled back slightly. Then, she lightly bumped my nose with hers, waiting with interest to see what I would do next. Even though I was physically in control here, part of me felt that Rachel still had a hold on the situation… and honestly, I didn't really care right now.

I bit my lip, eyes meeting hers then wandering down to her lips and back up again. Her eyes seemed to ask 'What are you waiting for?'. Everything we'd done so far, she had instigated. Now, she was giving that prerogative to me, practically forcing it on me, willing me to be selfish and take what I wanted.

"Fuck it," I muttered under my breath, pressing my lips against hers.

She hummed in approval, kissing me back. Before it could get too involved, I pulled back slightly, waiting before I went back in again. If I was going to do this, may as well do it right. Get some payback for all the teasing at my expense, a start at least. When she started trying to push it forward, I broke the kiss and gave it a second or two before returning. My hold on her arms tightened a little each time, making sure she didn't force her own agenda. She seemed content enough for the moment to humor me without much resistance.

I felt her lightly tug at my lower lip with her teeth, hinting that she wanted to switch it up. This time, I listened to her request, returning the pull a little harder than she had before I hesitantly slid my tongue into her mouth. I began feeling a little light headed, forgetting to breathe through my nose for a few seconds. Despite not really being used to this, I found a good rhythm to work with soon enough.

When I finally felt her hands twitch, subtly trying to loosen my grip, I pulled back again and let go, sliding into the pool and swimming away as if nothing had happened. I couldn't help but smile to myself as I felt her eyes on me, hearing the waves part as she began effortlessly gliding through the water. Her blonde hair slicked back, skin glistening in the dim lighting. If I had my camera on hand, I would've definitely taken a picture even at the risk of it getting wet.

She caught me staring, smiling as she continued to circle me at a slight distance. It really did feel like a game now. When she got a little closer, maybe around three feet away, she gave me a playful splash. The first time, it hit me square in the face, making her chuckle. Pouting, I swam behind her and rewound, curious to see how she would react if I practically teleported before her eyes. When time resumed, she splashed cold water at thin air, understandably confused for a second. To get her attention, I tapped her on the shoulder, watching with a smirk as she swiveled around to face me.

"Glad to see you're finally starting to have some fun with this." Rachel grinned, keeping herself afloat on the spot.

"It has its perks," I replied quietly, still aware of the security patrols. If we made too much noise, we would only draw attention.

"I can think of plenty, many of which I hope you'll take advantage of. Have to admit, I'm a little jealous." She started to swim off again, glancing over her shoulder. "Then again, I can still enjoy certain benefits. I'll be very interested to see which."

We continued to swim around for a while, the occasional splash and flirtatious comment from Rachel, alongside a rewind or two to keep her on her toes. After a close call getting caught by one of Blackwell's security guards – nothing a quick rewind couldn't fix – we got out, shook off the worst of the water and snuck back to the Prescott Dorm.

Once back in the safety of Rachel's room, she smiled. "Well, that was fun. We should do it again sometime. Or something similar. I'd like to see more of that daredevil side of yours, Caulfield."

She did seem very keen to find out what I was capable of, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't too. Whatever happened next, I was curious to explore my power. With Rachel around, I was certain a few opportunities would present themselves. And I actually found myself looking forward to it.

Two Days Later – Lunchtime

Joyce had dropped me a text, mentioning that David would be out for the weekend and that if Rachel and I wanted to come over, we could. I mentioned it to the blonde and she gladly accepted the chance to sample Joyce's food again. We took the bus as far as it would go, walking the rest of the way.

It was a route I had taken so many times in my childhood. Chloe and I had lived about a ten-minute walk away, meaning we spent most days together before I moved to Seattle. Some days at her house, others at mine. We actually walked past my old house, which I pointed out for Rachel's benefit. It had changed a lot, not how I remembered it from five years ago. Sure, it was still the same house, but it wasn't my home anymore. That made me feel kinda sad, actually.

At least Chloe's house still felt like home, not much changing aside from some furniture getting shuffled around. Having said that, it didn't feel the same without William and Chloe there. Hopefully, the latter half of that problem would be solved soon. If she was out there, I would find her. Even if she was halfway across the world by now. I had to find her, no matter what. For Joyce's sake, for David, for Rachel… for myself, and for Chloe. If she only knew how much she was missed. I had to keep believing she was out there in the big bad world, off on her own adventure. And I should've been there with her, like we always planned as kids. We still could, I hoped…

When we got to Chloe's house, I knocked on the door to be greeted inside by Joyce. She already had lunch underway, organized as always; she had to be with William and Chloe… when they had both been around, anyway.

We helped set the table, stomachs rumbling at the smell of her home cooking. Joyce was in her element, getting everything together and instructing us. "It's been so long since I've been able to do something like this. I bet Chloe would love this. Both of you finally meeting."

Rachel nodded in agreement, bringing over some cutlery as Joyce checked things weren't burning. "I've heard her say it a few times. Also getting compared a lot. Usually when I did something she didn't like."

"Maybe… she'll be able to see it soon." Her expression turned distant, eyes sad. Sighing, she shook her head. "Anyway, now's not the time to get morbid. Max, I know it was your birthday recently. It's a little late but… I wanted you to have this. I'm sure… Chloe would agree it's the perfect gift." Joyce stood and retrieved something from the garage, handing it over.

My eyes widened when I saw what it was. William's old camera. "Joyce… I can't take this."

Chuckling, she put it on the table in front of me. "Come on now, Max. How often is it you get a free camera? When you left last time, I decided to pop my head around Chloe's door. First time since she went missing." She paused, swallowing back emotion. "I noticed it just sitting on the shelf, gathering dust. William would be heartbroken to see it left abandoned. He'd definitely want you to have it. And I know how much you drooled over it all those years, saying you'd get something similar one day."

Taking it in my hands, I examined the camera I was so used to playing around with in my early teens. "I… thank you, Joyce. I'll look after it."

"I know you will." She gave me a fond smile, beginning to dish up her salmon surprise, one of William's favorites.

Lunch was fairly uneventful, although I did feel Rachel nudge my leg under the table a few times. Also, I felt one of her hands brush against my thigh, casual as anything. I would have to be careful when sitting next to her from now on it seemed. For now, I let it slide. Anything more than that and I might've had to bust out my rewind. As promised, I told Joyce about the accident I'd had on the way to Arcadia, minus the trippy rewind of course. Blackwell came up, too. As well as my time in Seattle.

Once all our plates were clean and washed, Rachel turned to the older woman with a smile. "Mind if we go chill in Chloe's room for a while?"

Joyce motioned to the stairs. "Be my guest. I don't really want it turning into some sort of shrine, you know. Better to keep it feeling alive."

Rachel took hold of my wrist and led me upstairs, opening Chloe's room like it was her own. It didn't feel as much of a shock this time, but it still felt strange. I was totally not used to this. Shutting the door, Rachel opened the window and began rifling through one of Chloe's drawers. I frowned, watching her move aside some clothes.

After some time, she pulled something out with triumphant flare, turning to me – a small plastic baggie. "Figured the emergency stash would still be here. No point in letting it go to waste."

She hummed lightly as she began preparing a joint, fingers moving as if she'd done this a thousand times before. Taking a lighter out of her pocket, she muttered under her breath as she tried to get it going. Eventually, she got it lit and inhaled deeply before exhaling. She laid back on the bed, patting the space beside her, encouraging me over. Hesitating for a moment, I shuffled over and joined her. When I was settled, she held her hand out, offering the joint.

"Oh, I… I've never…" I stuttered, feeling kinda lame. I'd never even smoked a cigarette before.

"First time for everything," she reassured, giving her hand a coaxing shake. "Just don't be too aggressive or hold it in too long." Cautiously, I took the smoking joint from her fingers, bringing it to my lips and inhaling just a little too hard, making me cough. That made Rachel chuckle. "I did tell you to be careful. Don't worry, you'll figure it out eventually."

I passed it back to her, exhaling deeply. The unfamiliar taste lingered in my mouth, faint yet definitely there. When she handed it over to me again, I adjusted my technique, soon finding a happy medium. I actually felt pretty good now, relaxed almost like time had slowed or I was floating.

"Doing okay over there, Mad Max?" Rachel asked, drawing my attention.

Lazily, I turned my head to face her, smiling. "Yeah… feels good."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her stub the joint out in the ashtray on the bedside table. "Seems like you're getting a lot of 'firsts' around me, huh?"

My eyes closed, head swimming with a drug induced haze. "Hmm? Yeah, I guess so."

"Well, let's hope that continues." Her voice pushed through the cloud in my mind, sounding much louder all of a sudden.

I felt something at my ear, warm breath and teeth gently pulling at my earlobe. Just like before, her lips found my neck, pressing kisses from my pulse down to my collarbone and across to the base. I sighed, the sensation feeling so much better now I was high. Her fingers walked over my stomach as teeth, tongue, and lips explored my skin.

My eyes closed as I felt her hand wander underneath my top, fingertips brushing against the bare skin of my stomach. Instinctively, I leaned into her touch, finding it hard to focus. A cold rush of air ran along there as my top was carefully pulled up a little to just below my bra. The lips at my neck were removed, an involuntary whimper escaping.

The noise seemed to amuse her. "Don't worry, Max. I have something much better in mind…"

Something warm and wet pressed against the newly exposed skin. I glanced down through half-lidded eyes, watching her leave faint lipstick marks across my stomach. Normally, I might freak out but I just felt chilled out now. Besides, nothing she hadn't seen before from our swimming session the other day. Then, I felt her fingers brush against my bra, her other hand dipping slightly under the waistband of my jeans.

That was enough to snap through the haziness, suddenly realizing this might be going a little too fast for me. Before I could say anything, one hand was firmly pressed against my chest, the other teasing with the lining of my underwear. I panicked a little and closed my eyes, feeling the world around me jolt. When I opened them again, I felt much colder all of a sudden.

My eyes practically bulged out of my skull when I realized my top was now thrown aside on the floor. When had that happened? Surely, I would have noticed. I wasn't that high. As the confusion and mild sense of panic increased, the world kept jumping, leaving me feeling dazed and confused. Rachel seemed to jerk around, hands there one minute, gone the next. Each time, the blonde was in a different position or stage of undress – almost like a spot the difference. It was very disorienting.

Before things got too out of hand, I forced things to slow down around me, the jerkiness fading away into a much smoother rewind. I could only go back so far, to a point I'd missed before, the moment my top ended up on the floor. Feeling dizzy, I felt something warm and wet run down from my nose to my lips, a dull ache in the back of my head.

When she turned back from throwing my top to the floor, Rachel looked at me, shock crossing her features. "Max, you okay? You're bleeding."

I winced, wiping the thin trail of blood from my face. "I… shit, that was weird."

Grabbing a tissue from the bedside table, she carefully began wiping at the blood. "What happened?"

"Wish I knew. Everything started freaking out all of a sudden. Like skipping parts." I tried to think of a way to put it that she would understand. "Imagine what happens when you have scratches in a DVD, and the video tends to jerk forward a few seconds to minutes at a time."

That got her thinking. "Hmm… I would say it might be the weed but… I doubt it. And you wouldn't be getting a nosebleed like that from it."

I rubbed my face with my hand, groaning lightly. "Ugh, my head is throbbing. Whatever the hell that was made me freak out."

Rachel seemed deep in thought, pondering various theories. "I wonder…"

"What?" I asked, curious to hear her thoughts.

She turned onto her side, hazel eyes focused on my blue ones. "How do you rewind, Max?"

Honestly, I wasn't so sure myself. "Uh, I just kinda think about it and raise my hand. No special trick."

Nodding, she continued. "Out of curiosity, have you ever tried the other way? Fast forwarding?"

"I…" Giving it some thought, I realized I hadn't. "Huh, no. Guess I've never really needed to. Wait, you think that was it?"

"Possible," she added with a shrug. "If you can rewind time, why not fast forward too?"

I considered it for a few seconds, replaying what had happened in my mind. It might explain why I had missed huge chunks out with no recollection. "I guess so. Don't think I'll be testing it out again for a while, though. Seemed unstable."

"It's something to keep in mind, at least." She laid down beside me, arm draping over my waist. Her next few words were more of a 'note to self' than for my benefit. "Guess we'll have to postpone for the time being."

It was then I realized I was still topless, feeling a little self-conscious as she snuggled up closer. At least that was it, some of my dignity still intact. From the looks of it, things could've escalated quickly. Maybe no more weed for a while, either.

So, cue a new power development: fast forward. Okay, so the thinking behind this. Chloe is very much Max's link to the past in game – our good old rewind. Whereas Rachel seems to be the kind of person who lives in the present and always looks forward, not back (at least, we imagine so from in game hints).

It's her influence on Max which has allowed this fast forward ability to develop, but it's not as stable as the rewind, at least initially. This could be taken as reflective of Max and Rachel's relationship as of now (kinda chaotic, impulsive, dangerous, maybe destructive in places). People seem to have an effect on Max's powers in game (like Kate with the time freeze and Chloe with the photo jump).