Max had only been on campus for a few minutes when a crowd once again found itself gathering around the main building. The sun was setting and the lighting around campus had turned on. To an outsider she would look as though she were in a daze, but in her mind she knew different. A smile crossed her face as she realized that it wasn't snowing-all was well with the universe as it should be.

A part of her wanted to be alone—she hadn't really had the chance to all day. If you could count the Friday that now never was, the darkroom, the nightmare, the sacrifice and the day that followed Max wasn't even really sure anymore how long it had been since she had last fallen asleep. Waking up with the paralyzed Chloe Thursday morning was the last time she had natural sleep thanks to the drugs Jeffershit gave her. Despite the overwhelming urge to sleep she wanted to see what the crowd was about.

She pushed through, whispers and comments about her passing by her ears without them really being picked up. The other students were surprised she was back and of course wanted to know what really happened in the bathroom with Nathan and Chloe. As Max pushed forward she saw the one person she had hoped to see more than anyone in the world—Kate Marsh.

Max joined Kate and quietly said, "Hi."

Kate jumped a little upon hearing Max and turned to her friend and wrapped her arms around the tortured brunette.

"Everyone's been worried about you Max, are you okay?"

"No," Max answered very quickly. It was true of course, though seeing the look on Kate's face she adds, "I will be someday. What about you Kate? I know you've had a rough go of it lately."

"Oh Max, you'll never believe it. Victoria actually came by earlier. She deleted the video and admitted her part in recording it. She even told me," Kate started to lower her voice, "she even told me that Nathan might have drugged me. Should I go to the police?"

She couldn't smile, not at the news (that she already knew) that Kate had been drugged, but inside she was surprised that Victoria had done the right thing. It was just like last night… well, three days from now at the Vortex Club party. Dear gawd, these next few days are going to be painful with tenses, aren't they? "I have a feeling Kate that the police will be seeking you out soon enough, so yes you should tell them. What's going on here anyway?"

Kate shook her head, "I'm not really sure. A bunch of police officers just stormed the building a few minutes ago. I don't think anyone other than teachers are inside so I'm not su…" Kate's response was stopped by her gasping aloud.

At the entrance to the school the answer became readily apparent as Mark Jefferson was being escorted out of the school with an officer on each side of him. Max allowed herself a second to smile and did a little fist pump.

"Why are they taking Mister Jefferson?" Kate wondered aloud.

Max looked at Kate, unsure whether to tell the good Christian girl of the bad things that Jefferson had done to her. "I'm sure that will be revealed in the next few days Kate. Nothing we can do about it now."

Jefferson looked just as confused about the situation as Kate and the students did. The whispers and murmurs only increased but still Max tuned it out. Jefferson looked right at Max as he passed and Max subtly shook her head and smirked at him. Jefferson quickly looked away though Max didn't know whether to take that as him understanding what she was implying, that his capture was her fault. Max knew she wasn't going to ever forget her experiences in the dark room and how they made her feel.

"I'm beat Kate, I'm going to head back to the dorm."

As Max turned to head to the dorm her hand was grabbed by Kate. "Max, do you really think you should be alone after the day you've had?"

Max actually let a little chuckle slip out at that—Kate truly had no idea how much worse Max's day had been than what she probably guessed. Starting with helping your best friend die so she wouldn't suffer would take a toll on anyone, but watching Chloe die as many times as she had since she last truly slept had drained Max completely.

"I don't know, what are you suggesting Kate?"

"Well," Kate said tentatively. "I know our beds aren't very big, but we can have a sleepover in my room—you, me and Alice."

Max sleepily nodded at that. "I'd like that Kate, though I'm not sure how that will help with classes tomorrow."

Kate shook her head, "Class is cancelled tomorrow already. You can get all the rest you need."

"Lead the way Kate."

Max's return to the dorms seemed to buzz up the small crowd that was there but Max was having none of it. She ignored everyone, almost in a daze. Kate's arm had gone around Max to help support her (both physically and emotionally) and those who wanted to be mad at Max ignoring them calmed down seeing how drained Max was looking.

She didn't even go to her own dorm room, though she did glance it out of the corner of her eye. Her message board was filled and extra notes appeared to have been placed on and under her door. I'll deal with that tomorrow, along with all the text messages and phone calls. Tonight, sleep.

She followed Kate into her room and noted that the cloth no longer covered her mirror. Nice job Victoria, I think you really came through. Max slipped her shoes off on auto pilot and climbed on top of Kate's bed without invitation and laid on her side.

Over the next half hour Kate was in and out of her room, getting changed, brushing teeth, assuring fellow dorm mates that Max was okay and just needed rest. By the time Kate had returned to her room Max was sound asleep in her clothes. Given that it was barely seven, Kate stayed up for a while working on school work.

When bedtime finally came Kate was careful to crawl into her own bed, afraid of waking the exhausted Max. Kate settled into the bed on her side facing away from Max, not wanting things to be too awkward for Max if she were to wake. Max had other ideas though and whether on purpose or out of instinct her free arm moved to wrap itself around Kate. The Christian girl, not even realizing that she was playing little spoon to Max smiled and put her hand on top of Max's—content to let the long day end for them both and allow the morning to bring new beginnings.