Rachel had no fear, as she stepped around the corner. There was nothing in her mind but the desire to buy them some time and fix this, for good. She saw Gail's stuff on a desk across the room, she had an idea, but she needed Jefferson to stay distracted, thankfully the egotistical psychopath's attention was focused totally on Gail, he had obviously expected Chloe to come in screaming. He didn't count on Rachel getting free, probably not even waking up. He didn't care if she did or not, she was just a loose end now, that he intended to deal with later. Rachel walked right across the room, Gail was clearly sedated, Jefferson taking his sick fucking pictures.

She came to the desk, grabbed Gail's phone and dialed 911. But she didn't hit send. She walked to the center of the room, behind the couch.

"MARK JEFFERSON", She screamed.

He stopped. This wasn't who he'd been expecting. He turned, slowly. He looked her dead in the eye. She held the phone up.

"How the fuck did you-"

"Plastic ties, really? You left me with my fucking lighter, you pretentiously stupid piece of shit."

"You don't talk that way to me, you little bitch."

"Stop me from calling 911, right the fuck now."

"You stupid bitch, you stupid fucking bitch", he took a gun from the table.

"And what, Jefferson, I hit that button and they hear-"

"There is no service down here, benefits of being a storm shelter, lot of metal and dirt around us", he said and smiled.

She knew this. She knew this when she picked the phone up.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that, the bullshit that comes out of your mouth starts to sound the same-"

"You heard me. Nothing gets out of here that I don't want to get out of here. Nothing."

"So what, you're just going to shoot me? How many bodies can you move? Chloe probably already called the police. You wouldn't make this any harder, and you know that shooting me would. You should have killed me before, when you had the chance."

"Oh, I have the chance, right now."

"Rachel…", Gail murmured.

"You do, but you wouldn't. You won't kill me until you're sure you have Chloe."

"Do you really think that's going to work? I know the punk bitch is on her way. Called the police? Her? Okay, Miss Amber. You know this will be a shame, you could have been such a...perfect addition to my portfolio...but your pretty face isn't looking too good, now. And your wrists, what the fuck did you do-"

"Get in the car. Leave here. Is killing me worth it, Jefferson, is it? Is it worth the extra fucking dead weight?"

Rachel...what the fuck...are you doing…, Gail thought, distantly. She wasn't really here. She couldn't even open her eyes, she just heard this exchange, very from a very distant place.

Kill me, motherfucker, Rachel thought, vividly.

"Considering you ruined one of my dreams, yes, it is. You underestimate me-"

"You overestimate yourself, you pretentious piece of shit", Rachel was matching his increasing anger, she never broke eye contact. She had no cover, no way out, her rage was the only thing she did have, "Boo-hoo, you didn't get something you wanted, welcome to life, Jefferson."

"No...now, you're just a loose end, that's all", Jefferson said, he raised the gun.

"Go ahead, Mark. Do it. Fucking do it. I don't care anymore. I was never supposed to be here. I was never supposed to come back, so just fucking do it."

"I have no idea what the fuck you're talking about, but you got away, left school before I had a chance to preserve you forever. You fucked up my plan, you bitch. But you're right, so now i'll have to leave, before that stupid punk slut ruins the rest of my dreams."

Hurry up, Chloe.

"SO FUCKING DO IT, JEFFERSON, PULL THE FUCKING TRIGGER, YOU COWARD."

Chloe arrived at the barn and slammed the door of the truck open, tearing out of it, gun raised.

BANG

Chloe heard the gunshot from outside, why is the door open, she stopped, dead in her tracks.

"NO", she screamed, unintentionally. She sprinted the rest of the distance. She came to the open doors of the barn, Jefferson's car was parked inside. And someone was coming up the stairs, she threw herself behind a bail of hay.

I should just blow his fucking head off...but I have to be sure...I can't shoot someone else by accident...fuck, fuck, fuck…

From the dim light of the Dark Room, coming up the stairs, she could see Jefferson's profile coming up the stairs, he was carrying someone, who was struggling weakly.

Small...so small...Gail...where is Rachel...no...no...no...

Chloe didn't move, she should have, she should have taken this opportunity but could not will herself to move, even with the pure rage seething through her.

Rachel...

Jefferson threw Gail in the back seat and slammed the door, he then slammed his own door, started the car, and was gone. Chloe threw herself on the ground to avoid being seen.

He's going to see the truck…, but he didn't stop. Which meant he was in a hurry...which….

FUCK

Chloe finally willed herself to move. She tore down the steps, was in the center of the Dark Room in what felt like one motion. She looked around...then down.

So much blood. No. Fuck. NO.

Rachel Amber looked absolutely horrible. Her face was bruised, her wrists were burned, her beautiful blonde hair was matted with blood. There was blood running from her mouth. There was blood on just about everything. Even her feather earring.

"Heh", Rachel made an amused sound despite the bullet in her chest, "wasn't sure...he'd actually do it…"

Chloe dropped the gun, ran to her and took her in her arms, as much as she could without hurting her more.

"RACHEL..i'm going to get help...I…", Chloe choked out through her rising tears.

"Chloe…cough...it's alright….really….it is….I got...some more time with you...in the real world, rather live a life of "oh wells" than "what ifs", right?", her voice was pained, she was choking the words out breathlessly, when she coughed, more blood ran from her lips.

"Rachel...no...i'm going to fucking get help, you have to live...you can't...no...not again."

"It's cough alright...Chloe…", her voice was getting weaker, "I figured it out...you were right...we fucked up...I fucked up...but...this will fix it...for you...Gail…she'll...be able to remember..some more..now...save her...Chloe..."

"Rachel….no...we're getting through this...we're going to Big Sur...we're-", Chloe sobbed.

"I'm sorry...for...everything...Frank...lying to you...I-cough….love you...Chloe...I never...wanted to hurt you…I can't...see...you...come closer..."

Chloe leaned in, right in front of Rachel's face.

"The last time...I died...it was...peaceful...I just fell asleep...if this is what you had to go through...i'm so sorry", her voice was nothing but a whisper now.

Rachel did something Chloe didn't expect, with her last strength, she kissed her. Deeply. Filling Chloe's mouth with her blood. Chloe didn't care.

"...I just...wanted to do that...one more time. Stop him..Chloe...he's going to...try...to pin this...on you and Nathan….save Gail...Chloe...live. And kill him. For her. For me. I'm...glad my...last night was...with you...and Gail..I...love…yo-", she went limp in Chloe's arms.

"Rachel…no...oh my God…Rachel…", Chloe sobbed, she embraced her tightly, she couldn't let go.

Just gotta let go.

"FUCK YOU, FUCK. YOU. ARE YOU FUCKING HAPPY NOW?", Chloe screamed in an upward direction.

She sat holding Rachel for a moment. She didn't even bother spitting the blood out. Chloe couldn't move. She swallowed Rachel's blood. She couldn't move. She couldn't. She felt a scream rising. It started low, just a whisper. It grew in volume and intensity. It kept growing, until her own ears were ringing. She reached her hands up, knocking her hat off, she grabbed at her own hair, still screaming. Blood hit Rachel's forehead. From somewhere. Chloe didn't even notice it. She just kept screaming. She was finally broken. Completely. More blood dripped down onto Rachel's face. Chloe didn't realize it was running from her own nose. Didn't care. Her eyes were clenched so hard she saw white. She felt like she was blacking out. She had to stop. She had to save Gail...she had to...she opened her eyes.

Chloe was looking at the ocean. She was sitting in her truck. Gail was asleep, resting her head on her shoulder. There was blood all over her shirt, running from her nose. She couldn't process what had just happened. She was frozen, save shaking. She felt around for the door handle, and collapsed out of the truck's cab, to the ground. She vomited and choked.

"Chloe...are you alright, what happened?", Gail asked from behind her.

"I…don't…know…", Chloe choked out.

"Oh my God, Chloe, you're bleeding."

"I...know…"

"Gail…what….where are we?"

"The beach? Chloe…"

"The beach...the beach...oh my God", Chloe said, breathlessly.

"Chloe-"

"WHERE IS RACHEL?"

"Uh, talking to Frank, Chloe..what happened? Are you alright?"

"No….i'm...not…"

I couldn't...have...no….how…

Gail was out of the truck, she was down on one knee next to Chloe, her arm around her.

"Chloe-"

"He knows...he's going to trap you and Rachel...he's going to kill her…"

"Who? Jefferson? Chloe, what are you talking about."

"RACHEL!", Chloe screamed, she stood up and charged to the RV, she pounded on the door, "RACHEL, GET OUT HERE."

She pounded hard enough to hurt her hand, until Frank opened the door.

"What the hell are you doing?", Frank asked, unamused, "Why are you all bloody?"

"RACHEL, GET OUT HERE!", Chloe screamed.

"Hey-", Frank started.

"Frank, do me a favor, please, and shut the fuck up, for one minute", Chloe snapped.

"Chloe, oh my God, what happened?", Rachel said, appearing behind Frank and pushing past him.

"Rachel, it happened again….it...not Max...I…"

Rachel looked at the blood cached under Chloe's nose.

"No…"

"Yes…somehow. Rachel...you died…Jefferson killed you..Nathan sold us out...already...I was just there…"

"Chloe…even if that were true...you can't change...it's going to…"

'I KNOW. I DIDN'T FUCKING TRY TO DO IT."

"Oh my God…"

"Is she fucking high?", Frank asked.

"No...Frank...she's completely sober...I have to go, Frank. I'm sorry...for everything."

"You'll be back, i'm sure", he said, he was clearly distressed about something, he turned and re-entered the RV.

Don't count on it, Chloe thought in spite of her current predicament.

"Chloe...how is that even possible? Someone would have had to…"

"I DON'T KNOW, RACHEL. MAYBE IT WAS YOU, YOU DIED. YOU SAID YOU WERE THE REASON THINGS WERE DIFFERENT, THAT YOU CHANGED THINGS, WHICH I'M PRETTY SURE YOU WERE RIGHT, BUT I THINK YOU SACRIFICED YOURSELF SO GAIL WOULD REMEMBER, WHAT IF IT DIDN'T WORK?"

"Oh…my God, you knew?"

"Rachel...this isn't the fucking time. Yes. Partially. It doesn't matter."

"Chloe...the guilt...I-"

"Yes, you still love me, I know, but right now, we need to fucking figure out if I just caused the fucking apocalypse...again."

Gail had been standing to the side silently, behind them.

"What the fuck is going on?", she asked.

"We just fucked everyone over, apparently", Rachel said.

"No…Rachel...don't you see...now we know...we know...we fucking know", Chloe was starting to laugh again, freaking Gail out.

"What...are you talking about?", Rachel asked.

"How long did it take last time?"

"Five days."

"And what happened after...way after…years later..."

"Arcadia...thrived."

"Rachel...maybe we couldn't fucking change it…maybe we could only delay it. It already happened. You were right, but you were wrong."

"Holy fuck."

"Rachel...we have another shot...we can get Jefferson...we can warn everyone this time if...I know...damage...but...holy fuck."

"Chloe…"

"We don't have a choice, now. If it happens, it happens. I stopped you from dying. I fucked fate over again. Unless..."

"Unless?"

"It's like Kate...Max saved Kate...with her power and nothing...ever happened. It wasn't her time. Like...me."

"Chloe this entire thing-"

"Was a fucking mistake, but we don't have a choice now."

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?", Gail screamed.

"Chloe if we're going to tell her, now would be a good time. Leave out the aftermath. You said I was still sort of right."

They walked back to the truck, Chloe more stumbling than walking. They sat there, telling Gail everything. Leaving out some of the worse details. Everything but what happened...after. Gail listened in silence. She had no idea what the fuck was going on, Chloe had just told her she couldn't tell her until this was over...and this was all fucking insane. Chloe also filled them both in on what had happened before she'd...somehow, pulled a Max.

"So this...has all happened before...and i'm Max...or...part of her?", Gail asked, wide eyed and not entirely convinced.

"Yes", Chloe said.

"I don't believe it. I can't...Chloe, Rachel...this is fucking insane. Fucking. Insane."

"You will...unfortunately...you will believe it."

"Yeah", Rachel agreed, quietly.

"Okay...pushing this aside, for now, what the fuck are we going to do about Jefferson, if you...somehow...saw him get me...shoot Rachel...Chloe, you aren't in any shape…"

"We're going to need some more supplies."

"What?", Rachel asked.

"We're going home, to get a few things. And then we're going to the Dark Room. And we wait."

"Chloe...I know what you saw...but that's-", Rachel started.

"No. Rachel. It's time we end this. For good."

"Chloe…i'm going to keep...you can't just...change fate and-", Rachel started again.

"Rachel. Fucking. Amber. We are going to end this. We've fucked this up so many times, what does it even fucking matter anymore?"

"Chloe, you should have just let me go...I-"

"I DIDN'T DO IT INTENTIONALLY, RACHEL."

"I know...", was all Rachel got out.

"If it happens, Rachel, we have five days to warn everyone. Now we just have to fucking roll with it."

"I'm not...so sure…"

"Rachel, what if it wasn't your time?"

"What?"

"Nothing happens by chance, remember?"

"...ugh."

"What are we getting, here?", Gail asked, as they pulled into Chloe's driveway.

"Don't ask, Gail", Rachel replied.

Chloe was already out of the truck. They followed. She entered the house and went right for the garage. She smashed the glass of David's gun cabinet.

"Here", Chloe said, holding a handgun out to Rachel.

"Chloe…"

"Rachel. Take it. And be careful. David keeps them loaded."

"...alright."

Chloe took a shotgun from the cabinet.

Jefferson, you are going the fuck down this time.

"Do I get one?", Gail asked, almost flippantly, sarcastically.

"No", Chloe said.

"That's fine", she said, obviously unsure and slightly angry it was coming down to this, and not the proper authorities.

"I know", Chloe said, almost lovingly.

Chloe was aware it was odd to find Gail's reaction to this situation cute, but what was normal anymore?

"Okay, Chloe, even with...all this, what exactly are we doing here? We still have to get him to the Dark Room, somehow", Rachel said.

"He'll know where we are, when nobody is at the party. And we will be waiting."

"I don't like it. I don't like any of this."

"I know Rachel, but what did I say before?"

"We have to fucking roll with it?"

"Yep", Chloe said, resting the shotgun on her shoulder, "Gail, you're staying here."

"What? No, I-"

"Gail", Chloe said in a soft voice, "this is going to get ugly. Extremely. Ugly. I don't even know how we are going to get out of this, when it's over with. But we'll figure that out later. I don't want you to see this. I really don't. As you now know, i've seen...just about everything. I can take it. I'm not letting you...be a part of this. I can't. I love you too much."

"I...love you...too, Chloe...which is why I don't want you to do this."

"I have to. Especially now. He's going to get away clean. I'm not letting that happen."

"So you're a murderer too, now?"

"Gail..no. I don't want to do this, I really, really don't. But this is the only way. And he fucking hurt David, he hurt Kate, he hurt Max...you…, he...killed Rachel...twice."

"Yeah", Rachel said, quietly.

"And if we don't stop him, this will just continue. He may leave here, but he'll start again somewhere else. I know him."

"I still don't want you to do this", Gail said.

Chloe handed the shotgun to Rachel. She embraced Gail.

"I know. I'm sorry. I am. I really, really fucking am. And if you're horrified of me because i'm doing this, I understand."

"I'm not...Chloe...I just don't want anyone else to get hurt. You to get hurt. Rachel to get hurt."

"They won't. We won't. I promise."

"But...if you...what you told me earlier, isn't Rachel going to keep...getting..."

"No. Because now i'll be looking out for it."

"I don't know…"

Chloe buried her face in Gail's hair.

"You just have to trust me", she whispered.

They convinced Gail to lock herself in Chloe's room, until this was over with. They were heading towards the barn, in silence. When they got there they left the truck in plain view. Rachel got out first. Chloe took the shotgun from the seat and followed. She was going to have to shoot the lock again, which she made Rachel stand outside for. This time she bashed it open with the stock of the shotgun, instead of a maglite. She called out for Rachel and they entered the Dark Room together.

They sat on the couch, waiting, guns in hand.

"So how are we going to get out of this? Everything about this looks fucking horrible, since he cleaned all the evidence out, so we have us, with guns, in a storm shelter, killing a teacher", Rachel said.

"I don't know, but we'll figure something out."

"As long as Gail is safe, right?", Rachel asked, seriously.

"Yes", Chloe replied, just as seriously.

"What's the worst that could happen?"

"Prison? Do they have the death penalty here, I don't even remember anymore."

"Dunno. So instead of Big Sur, how about Cancún?"

"That may be an option, Tijuana is more our speed though."

"We're really doing this?"

"We're really doing this."

"I love you, Chloe."

"I know, Rachel, and we'll sort that out in Tijuana."

"Cancún."

"You better steal a certain envelope from Wells' desk, then."

"You're horrible."

"You love it."

"I do."

"We're going to be okay, somehow. We've been through worse."

"Yes, we have."

"If it's snowing when we go outside, or there's two moons, or some shit, we're going to have to start planning again. Hella quick."

"One disaster at a time."