1 gunshot.

5 days of hell.

Memories. But only ones she could remember.

Did she go through this week, for just at the end of it to see her best friend die in the school's bathroom?

The last thing Chloe was told before getting shot was that nobody would miss her punk ass. Nobody.

But Max did. She did so much that she couldn't even stand up to leave the bathroom because then she would have to walk by Chloe.

She made a mistake. A huge mistake. One that she wasn't sure she could handle carrying with her the rest of her life.

However, there was a way out from this mess, which was something Max swore not to do ever again: rewind time. If only she could find a picture dated back far enough to when she was still in Seattle, she could change the fate of this entire week. Max's plan, although daunting, had the potential to work.

She figured that once she was back in Seattle, she would leave for Arcadia Bay early and figure the rest out from there. Would Chloe even want to see her? Would Rachel have already been taken to the Dark Room? Will the storm still happen in October? There was no time for Max to figure everything out. She was still sitting in the bathroom, after all.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she grabbed her journal from her bag. Inside were all the pictures she took from not only this past week, but ones in Seattle, too. Trying to find the best one that would bring her far enough back to also save Rachel, she found the perfect one. Right before her spring break, Max and her dad visited the Seattle Space Needle. Of course she took a picture, and the timing couldn't have been better. The date of the picture was a few days into April, only weeks from Rachel's death.

Why was Max so concerned with also saving Rachel? Would she get jealous of her and Chloe? Max figured that Rachel was the reason Chloe was involved with Nathan, so in order for her not to get shot like she did in the bathroom at Blackwell, Max had to change the entire timeline of events Chloe would face. And plus, Rachel didn't seem so bad, right?

Max took all the photos she had laid out and put them all back in her journal. She then grabbed the one that she planned on using to rewind with and started to focus on it intently. The force running through her body was not as strong as it usually was, but nothing was going to stop her.

Her nose was starting to bleed. She was getting lightheaded and dizzy. The picture started to warp in shape.

Her power was running thin and it was probably going to be the last time she would ever use it.

Time was shifting. Soon, nobody would know this week even happened.

Back to Seattle we go.

"The view up here is amazing, don't you think Max?"

Standing at the top of the Space Needle, Max was disorientated from using up the last of her rewind power. It was seriously taking a toll on her, and that would probably be the last time she would use it...unless something really bad happened. It took her a minute to adjust to where she was, and she didn't even realize that her dad was talking to her.

"You can see everything from up here! It's like we're on top of the world!"

Ryan Caulfield, Max's father, was looking out through the enormous glass panels admiring the view of Seattle. Max still wasn't answering him, because she was shocked at where she was and what she would do next. So many questions were going through her mind. How would she tell her parents that she wanted to leave for Arcadia Bay in a few days instead of a few months? Where would she stay? A hotel? Chloe's house? She rarely talked to Chloe in the past five years, if at all, so it may be awkward for her to even mention it to her.

"Hey Max, are you okay?" Concerned, her father took notice of Max's odd behavior. "Is something bothering you kiddo?"

Max still wasn't completely listening. Her mind was racing too fast for her to even focus on anything else. "Huh? Oh, no I'm good! I was just thinking about things–"

She brushed her hair back and nervously laughed. How would she explain everything to her dad? Would she even be allowed to visit Arcadia Bay for a few weeks?

"Well, don't think too hard because this is your time to enjoy yourself before going back to school. Come over and look at this view, you'll love it!"

Max walked over and stood next to him. Admittedly, the view was pretty great. But what she just went through in October, like witnessing Chloe die, realizing she could rewind time, and knowing everything about Mr. Jefferson was still running through her mind. It was hard to look at something as simple as buildings, with everything that Max had just gone through.

It was starting to become more busy and they had already been up there for some time taking pictures and just talking. Fighting through the crowd, Max and her dad headed back down to the bottom and made their way to the parking garage nearby. It felt great to finally be on the ground again.

Getting in their car, Max's father drove out from the parking garage and started their drive back home. During the car ride it was starting to rain, which was nothing out of the ordinary in Seattle. Max was looking out the window as the rain was pouring down. She was being quiet... too quiet ...and her dad took notice.

"Max, is there anything you'd like to talk about? You just look like something is bothering you, and as your dad I want to help."

"Actually, yeah…" Max shifted in her seat, nervous because she wasn't sure how her dad would react to the sudden news. She started to play with her seatbelt to calm down, but it wasn't really working. Deep breath Caulfield, you've got this. "So, I've been thinking… "She stops, taking a deep breath before continuing, "is there any way I could go visit Arcadia Bay during Spring Break? Maybe then I could explore the town and catch up with Chloe?"

"Hmmm…" Great, that's not a good sign. "Well, I thought you already had plans with some of your friends here? I mean, it's no big deal to me, but if you're changing plans we need to talk to your mother at home. Alright?"

The conversation went better than expected. Max's father was pretty easy-going, as well as her mom, so it wasn't surprising that he was so chill about it.

Feeling a sense of relief, Max was able to finally relax. She wasn't even worried what her mom would say, since she was almost identical to her father in many ways - and being a laid back parent was one of them.

"Alright. Thanks dad."

Putting his focus back on the road, Max's dad turned up the radio and they continued the short distance back home.

Sitting in her room, Max was busy coming up with what to say to her best friend. It's been so long, how would she even start the message? Would Chloe even answer?

Max: Hey Chloe, it's Max! You know, the person who hasn't been in contact with you for over five years. So can I stay at your house for a few days next week? I need to come back because...well, I can rewind time and I don't want you to die again. Ok, thanks.

Yeah, no. That wasn't going to work.

Max: *Message deleted*

Max: Hey Chloe. I know it's been awhile but I need to ask a favor of you. Is there any way I can stay at your house for a few days during Spring break? I'll probably leave later this week because it's pretty urgent for me to come back to Arcadia Bay. I'll tell you everything later. Thanks.

That could work.

Hesitant, Max waited a moment before pressing send. Was it too much to ask? Did she say too much? Max was overthinking everything at this point, only because if one thing failed, she would have to rewind again. It would be worth it to Max, though, because she knew what would happen again in October if she didn't start to change things now. It was her only hope.

"Maxine! Dinner's almost ready!" Max's mom, Vanessa Caulfield, was in the kitchen downstairs cooking up something for dinner. Whatever it was, it was almost guaranteed to be really good since Vanessa was a fantastic cook.

"Be right there!" Max yelled back, since her room was quite a ways from the kitchen and she wanted to make sure her mom heard her.

Tossing her phone on her bed, Max got up and walked downstairs to the dining room. From the looks of it, her mom was busy preparing a rather large meal. Some kind of pasta dish with a few sides were already being placed on the table. As she sat down in her usual spot at the table, her dad came to sit down with her, and her mom was bringing the last of the dinner to the table.

As the food was being served, some casual dinner conversation took place. However, the conversation quickly took a turn into the deep end. When Max's father brought up what he and Max had discussed earlier in the car ride home, Max's stomach began to tighten - not of fear for her mom's reaction, but of overthinking every scenario and worrying about everything going haywire. If her parents wouldn't let her leave, she couldn't change the fate of Chloe, Rachel, or even the residents of Arcadia Bay. A lot was on the line and it was risky.

"So Max, about that conversation we had earlier." Her father cleared his throat and began to speak up, "You said you wanted to visit Arcadia Bay during your Spring Break?"

Max, feeling the tension in the room, "Yeah, I would like to…" The food on her plate suddenly became more interesting than looking either of her parents in the eye.

"Have you told your friends about your change of plans yet?" Now her mom voiced her concern, though expected.

"No, but I was planning to on Monday at school...I'm sure they won't mind"

Several minutes had passed, where the majority of the time was spent discussing the details of Max's plan. Questions like where Max would stay, for how long, and how she planned on making up the extra homework were all answered graciously. Despite her anxiety about the situation, Max knew how to convince her parents to do pretty much anything, as long as it was within reason.

"Well, like I said earlier, I don't mind if you go."

"And of course I don't mind! But know I'll worry about you because I'm your mom and that's what moms do…"

"Yeah, I know mom." Max, now feeling slightly relieved, played with the remaining food on her plate.

"I can drive you down there if you want- how about Thursday morning we can head out?" Her father reached over to her shoulder, "It'll probably take most of the day to get down there, but I'm sure we can handle it."

"That sounds great, dad," She looked up at him, with a smile forming on her face, "I can't wait."

The long awaited conversation came to an end and dinner continued. When everyone was done eating, Max went up to her room to start packing. She wouldn't bring everything with her, at least not right away. She would only bring essentials for now, and didn't want to think about what the future would bring. The last time she rewinded to the past was trying to save William, and that proved to be bad news for Chloe. This time, she didn't know what she would encounter. Would someone else die? Would Chloe want anything to do with her? If Rachel was still alive, how would Chloe react, and what would Max do? Could she handle seeing her best friend, one that she admittedly grew feelings for with another girl?

Her stomach got tight again with anxiety. No more questions, Max. Just focus on packing your clothes and worry about the rest later.

Night time had arrived and Max was exhausted. She moved all the boxes off her bed and laid down to go to get some much needed rest. Her phone, still hidden underneath a couple blankets, was eerily quiet. There was no response from Chloe. Though, that wasn't the main concern at the moment, as Max was ready to get some sleep.

2:30 am

Buzzzz

Buzzzzzz

…

Buzzzz

Woken up from the buzzing from her phone, Max slowly rolled over to grab the annoying device. It was 2:30 am and even though her eyes weren't fully adjusted to the brightness, it was clear that Chloe had texted her back.

Chloe: Woah slow down Max. That's a lot to ask of someone you ghosted for 5 years

Great. It wasn't surprising that Chloe responded like that, and after all, Max probably deserved it. At least she responded, though.

Max: I'm sorry, Chloe, I should've talked to you more. I've just been busy with school and life and couldn't find the time. But that's not really an excuse, though

Chloe: idk it's a pretty lame excuse considering how long we've known each other

Chloe: So the one time you text me is to get something from me? Pretty fucked up Max

Max: Chloe it's serious and people's lives are on the line...can you just think about it?

Chloe: People's lives?! Max what are you talking about?

Chloe: Max?

Max: I can't explain it all right now but I will later. You just have to trust me, alright?

Chloe: I'm not sure I can do that mad max

Chloe: Trust has to be earned and u haven't been too trustworthy over the years

Max: Chloe please

Max: Just give me one chance. I know I fucked up in the past and I know how all of this sounds, but just one time, can you please just trust me with this

Chloe: …

Chloe: You know what Max? No. I can't trust you with this

Chloe: ur being hella weird right now

Max: Fine Chloe. I'll figure it out alone...just forget I said anything

Chloe: and you STILL never told me why you're coming back here

Chloe: Some people just never change, do they Max?

Chloe was laying on her bed with a half lit cigarette in her hand. Did Max really just text her? This had to be a dream, right? Not only did Max text her, but now she was planning on staying at her house for god knows how long. None of it made sense. Why the sudden visit? And Max was acting really weird, too.

Let alone the fact that she was being so cryptic as well. Max couldn't even tell Chloe any details other than she was just going to show up at her house one day? Not cool.

Ashes fell from her cigarette onto her shirt, but Chloe didn't care. It was around four in the morning and she didn't get any sleep that night. This was far from being abnormal and since she didn't do anything during the day, she usually just slept her problems away then.

Max wasn't going to leave for at least a few more days, and not knowing what was in store for her in Arcadia Bay was daunting…to say the least. Would anything be the same? Max had to be the hero everyone didn't know they needed. Not only did she have to mend her friendship with Chloe and save Rachel, she also had to find a way to warn the small town of the potential tornado that would destroy all of its inhabitants mid October. People would send her to an insane asylum if she told anyone her "predictions". They weren't just predictions, though, they were a warning to anyone that would listen.

It was a Sunday afternoon, April 7th to be exact. For the next two days, Max would have to go to school before her two week long Spring Break began.

Max had spent most of the day packing her bags. She wouldn't bring much, because again, saving people was more important than moving back. In an old backpack her dad gave her years ago, she threw in some clothes, toiletries, her camera, and a few pictures that included her still in Seattle. The pictures she chose would seem odd to anyone else, but they were essential if anything went wrong. Max figured that if she screwed up in any way during a rewind, she could always use those pictures to try again. Although, she wasn't planning on using her power ever again in the future. She never knew what each timeline would bring, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

The sound of waves crashing on the shore and the calming view of the sun setting in the distance was the only sense of stability Chloe had at the moment. Every night for a few months, she made it routine to sit on the bench by the lighthouse and smoke a cigarette or two. It used to be where her and Rachel would hang out, but now she was haunted by the memories.

She was usually alone, too, and didn't have to deal with annoying tourists trying to steal her spot.

However, tonight was different. There was a strange feeling in the air, a feeling like someone was watching Chloe from the shadows. She shook it off, not trying to entertain any suspicions. After some time had passed, Chloe decided to look around, but didn't end up seeing anything out of the ordinary.

It was already getting dark out and her cigarette was slowly burning out. She flicked it out onto the grass, brushed off her shirt and started to stand up. The wind was picking up, possibly a cold front moving in. Nearby trees were rustling in the wind, but there was definitely the sound of movement in between the trees. Why would there be people over there? There was no way there was any kind of hiking trail back behind the lighthouse and the nearby building. Chloe wasn't one to get easily freaked out by other people doing suspicious things, but something about it being nighttime, her being alone, and weird noises made for an uneasy situation.

Out of the corner of her eye, Chloe noticed that there was a light inside the building next to the lighthouse. In her nineteen years of living in Arcadia Bay, that small building was never occupied. She remembered when her and Max were little, they would try to sneak in but never could because it was too locked up. This time, there was definitely someone in there. Or was in there.

The wind picked up even more as Chloe was making her way down the hill to her truck. Despite it being a Sunday, there were only a few other cars in the parking lot...except an ominous looking black van parked on the same side of the parking lot as her truck. However, that didn't even concern her, because it was only a car and it's not like it was hurting anyone being parked there.

Dozing off to the radio, Chloe ended up falling asleep in her truck parked just outside the entrance to the lighthouse. Joyce and David would probably get mad at her for not telling them where she was, but she could deal with that another day. For now, it was time for rest.