Disclaimer: I do not own Life is Strange, it belongs to DontNod, etc etc.

Life is Strange

Salvation

Chapter Five

The night went better than Victoria expected. Kate only woke once, crying out with a jolt and waking the both of them. She quickly pulled Kate close and held her, attempting to soothe her with a soft voice. Eventually, Kate's breathing turned even, and Victoria relaxed a little. She kept a close hold after that, but thankfully the rest of the night passed with no more disturbances, and the two girls woke as the sun rose, limbs entangled, Kate's head buried in Victoria's shoulder.

Victoria was pulled to wakefulness as Kate stirred. She opened her eyes to see her sheepish looking bedmate gazing down at her, her cheeks reddened with embarrassment.

"Morning," Kate said, running a hand through her messy bed hair.

"Nghm," was all Victoria could manage. She wasn't a morning person. The sun was too bright shinning through the blinds, the sounds coming from the hall outside too loud, and Kate just seemed way too coherent already. Not fair, Victoria thought grumpily, squinting her eyes groggily up at Kate.

Kate gave her a small smile, and then climbed out of the bed, leaving the whole space for her, the sheets all her own. Snatching the opportunity, Victoria pulled them close around her body and rolled over, burying her face into Kate's pillow and sighing contentedly. Did she actually hear a giggle from across the room? Victoria dismissed the idea, too tired to pursue it.

She may have gotten a few more minutes sleep, she wasn't sure, but finally she was brought out of her slumber again by a gentle shake on her shoulder, and Kate's voice, soft as a whisper, "Victoria? You'll be late for class if you sleep any longer…"

"I'm up, I'm up," she lied, or tried to, mumbling the words into the pillow. She wasn't sure they were entirely comprehendible.

"I'm going to go and get a shower," Kate said. If Victoria had been more awake, she might have heard the breaking in Kate's voice, the hesitation and fear, but she was too out of it to notice and just made a non-committal noise. She figured Kate took it as an affirmative when she heard the door close a few moments later.

(-)

Kate couldn't believe she had actually spent the night with Victoria Chase, slept in the same bed as Victoria Chase, snuggled up to her like she was some kind of cuddly teddy bear. Waking up with her face buried in the crook of the Queen of Blackwell's neck, her hand dangerously close to her… gosh, she couldn't even think it! She would never have thought it possible, and yet there she had been.

Now she was trying not to think about it too much. Her face felt like it was on fire still, as she stood before her door, knowing she had to walk through it if she wanted to get that shower she needed. The problem was; she hadn't left her room since the night of the party, the night it happened.

Rationally, she knew there was nothing to fear. Nobody was going to attack her in the morning, out in the corridor or in the showers, or later during class. She was safe, at least during those times, and yet she hesitated. Knowing that was one thing, but overcoming the fear of the possibility, however unlikely, was another thing entirely.

It felt like she spent hours standing in front of that door, trying to bring her hand up to open it, when in actuality it was only a few seconds. She had to remind herself that she was okay, that she was going to be okay, that Victoria would never let anything happen to her, that she had friends out there… Max, Alyssa, Stella… friends that cared about her. She wasn't alone. She had to be brave. She had to face the fear and overcome it, and not allow herself to be conquered by it.

Victoria had been through much worse, and she hadn't fallen apart and become a social recluse. She was strong and brave. Kate knew she could be that as well. She could take strength from Victoria, from her friends, and open the door.

She did, and the world rushed up to great her. It was almost like she had unplugged her ears, and suddenly she could hear everything clearly, the noise of chattering bodies, the distant blaring of music through walls, and shouting from the floor above.

Feeling panic beginning to set in, Kate didn't know what to do, but then Max's door opened across the way, and out came her friend, followed immediately after by Chloe Price, the two lovebirds holding hands and laughing close about something. Chloe, not one to be shy, spun Max around to pin her against the wall and claim her lips, as if she wanted to tell the world, 'back off, she's mine!'. Max caught sight of Kate though, and pulled free from the embrace to greet her with a wide smile.

"Morning Kate," she said, a blush to her face. Though Chloe was not afraid of public acts of affection, Max still seemed to be hesitant about it.

The sight of her friend was enough to make Kate feel strong enough to step outside, and so she did, closing the door behind her. "Hi Max. Chloe."

"Sup?" Chloe replied, leaning casually on the wall beside Max, so languid and free. Chloe always made her feel timid, not because she was mean or anything, but simply because she was so confident and intimidating.

"O-oh, erm, not much. Just… going for a shower."

"Cool." Chloe smiled a rakish grin, as if going to the shower was the most awesome thing in the world.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Max asked, looking at her closely, a small crease between her brows.

"Y-yeah, I… I'm okay." Could Max see she was different now? Was it so obvious? Writ on her face? In the way she stood? "I really need to shower. Thanks for asking though. Bye."

And then Kate was rushing away, legs taking short fast steps, carrying her around the corner. She heard Max call from behind her, "okay, see you…" and then the bathroom door shut behind her and she was alone. Alone. In the bathroom. Empty bathroom. But was it? She felt the need to check, and so examined each stall, confirming what the silence had already told her. The bathroom was empty. For now.

Kate picked the stall nearest to the door (closest to the exit) just in case, pulled the curtain behind her, and then quickly undressed. The longer she was out here, the more in danger she would be. As she fumbled with the shower knobs, not caring if the temperature was right or not, just wanted to get it done, she was hit with a spray of scolding hot water right on her chest and cried out, pulling away from the spray and cupping a hand to her scolded breast.

Taking a few deep breaths, she attempted to calm herself, pushing the tears that wanted to escape away. She would not cry. She had to relax. Nothing was going to happen.

"You're okay, Kate," she whispered to herself. "You're okay. Nothing is going to happen."

After taking a few more calming breathes, Kate adjusted the shower to a more reasonable temperature and then began the process of washing. She may have cried a little under the steady stream of the shower, but no one would have been able to tell. All in all, she managed to get through the process without a complete breakdown and panic attack.

(-)

When the grogginess passed, Victoria rolled onto her back, looking up at the unfamiliar ceiling of Kate's room. It took her a moment to fully realise that she was actually alone in the room. Kate was gone. Her words came back to Victoria.

"I'm going to go and get a shower," Kate had said. She had gone. Alone.

Victoria felt a bubble of panic in her chest, and suddenly wide awake, she shot out of bed, heading for the door without a second thought. A small voice in the back of her mind told her she was probably overreacting, that Kate would be fine alone, but a much more dominant voice drowned that one entirely. This one said that she was stupid and selfish to have let Kate go alone, so soon after what happened.

Victoria flew out of Kate's room, and bumped right into Maxine Caulfield, knocking the smaller girl off her feet. She would have hit the ground, if not for the supporting arms of her girlfriend, Chloe Price.

"Watch it, bitch!" Chloe snapped at her, her eyes reflecting her scathing tone.

Victoria had to take a step back to avoid tumbling over as well, while those words echoed in her ears, sparking anger. "What did you just call me, you trashy fucking dyke?"

Anger blazed into Chloe's eyes, like a mirror, reflecting her own. "B. I. T. C. H. Bitch. Get it this time, princess?"

While this was happening, Max righted herself, pulling out of Chloe's arms and looking uncomfortably between the two. Her eyes lingered on Victoria, and then the door she had emerged from, and the conclusion caused her eyes to widen, confusion setting in.

"I'm surprised you can spell it. Did your two brain cells mate during the night and spawn little baby cells?" Victoria shot back, smirking. It felt surprisingly good to let out her inner bitch, and Chloe Price was the perfect person to do it. Unlike most everyone else at Blackwell, Chloe never seemed afraid of her, or her acid tongue. In fact, she gave as good as she got. While that normally infuriated Victoria, today she found herself actually welcoming it. "Or did your hipster girlfriend give you spelling lessons in return for some good carpet munching? Is that what you two have going on?"

Victoria looked between the two, goading. It seemed to work, as Chloe snarled and moved to step forward, hand raised. Victoria wasn't expecting that much of a reaction, and stepped back as well, fearful of the blow. But it never came, because Max stepped in the way and said, "Chloe, stop. It's fine. Ignore her." Max looked up into Chloe's blue eyes, until the other girl looked down at her. "Please?"

Most of the fight went out of Chloe then, and she stepped back with a huffed, "fine!"

Max turned to look at Victoria, her own anger evident on her face, yet controlled. "What were you doing in Kate's room?"

Shit, Victoria thought, realising she had no way of explaining that - nothing that would satisfy the dyke duo anyway. The truth was out of the question. It wasn't her place to tell them that.

"None of your business," Victoria replied, the only thing her mind could conjure up on such short notice.

"It is my business," Max returned. "Kate is my friend. Why were you in her room? What's going on?"

Victoria sighed. The little dork would never let it go, would she? Not only that, she needed to go check on Kate, and she couldn't while Maxine stood in her way, her guard dog standing behind her a scowl and her arms crossed. She couldn't afford a prolonged argument.

"It's not my business to tell you, Maxine. You'll have to ask Katie."

Max narrowed her eyes, searching Victoria's face.

"Do you mind?" Victoria gestured ahead. "I have places to be."

It looked like Max thought about fighting her on that, but eventually, she simply stepped aside. Her voice was quiet, clearly not comfortable being so assertive, when she said, "if you do - or have done - anything to hurt Kate, I'll make you pay."

Victoria was definitely surprised by those words, rendered speechless. Under different circumstances, she might have laughed at the weak threat, but no, instead she just stared at the smaller girl, finding herself feeling admiration for Max. She was usually so shy, hardly ever talking back, or drawing attention to herself. For her to do so now showed that she obviously cared for Kate, and Victoria had to appreciate that.

Chloe, however, seemed to take her stare to mean something else entirely. Perhaps disbelief that Max would, indeed, stand up to her. Perhaps she thought Victoria doubted Max's words, or her ability to enforce them, which would explain why she stepped close to Max, locking her heated gaze onto the eyes of her perceived enemy, saying with a look, 'as will I.'

Victoria simply nodded, and then moved past them. She didn't look back as she headed towards the showers.