It was a beautiful day out. Warm, for an October day, especially in comparison to how the other days had been. However, Max felt as though it wasn't suitable as they walked the casket out to the grave-site. Joyce, of course, was beside herself. Her eyes were red and puffy from the start, and she hadn't stopped crying since Max laid eyes upon her. However, she was just as much of a mother then as she was five years previous.

"Darling, I heard your message on the answering machine. Chloe would have loved seeing you again," she said softly through her tears, her southern drawl tying the words together seamlessly. "Now you make sure to come over sometime soon, okay? I've missed having you around."

Mr. Madsen, on the other hand, barely spoke a word, although he did not shed tears. He also did not speak to anyone besides Joyce, merely nodding his head as they gave their condolences. It was clear that, although he must have seen funerals before, that he did not know how to handle this one. He appeared stoic but out of his depth.

It was a small gathering for Chloe, including many faces from Blackwell Academy. Warren was there, giving soft words of comfort to Max. Mark Jefferson and Principal Wells came to represent the school. Kate, Dana, Justin, Trevor, and the skaters all showed up as well. Apparently, Chloe used to skate with them back when Rachel Amber was still around. Much to Max's surprise, Victoria also attended. She said nothing, always remaining towards the back.

Max walked directly behind Joyce and Mr. Madsen, her head low as she tried to keep herself from crying. Kate remained right by her side as they headed up. Max was comforted by her presence, as Mark couldn't support her without drawing eyes. As she arrived at the grave, she saw that it was the Price plot. Chloe was being laid to rest next to her father, William. Where Joyce was supposed to be laid to rest.

That nearly broke Max.

Stiff-lipped, Max swallowed hard as she choked back her sadness. Joyce stood before the closed casket with David, sobbing into his chest. Max stood next to her, staring at the casket. Stepping up to her right side, Warren stood and folded his hands in front of him. Kate gave her one last affectionate touch before walking around to the other side. Slowly, everyone filtered in, all huddling around the casket.

Max didn't comprehend anything the priest said. Instead, her eyes were locked on a blue butterfly, which landed on top of the casket. It fluttered its wings, reminiscent of Chloe's hair. She felt her throat tighten again as she recalled the last time she saw it. That butterfly had kept her from being seen. It had probably saved her life. Or had it cost Chloe hers? Max supposed she would never know.

There's no point in dwelling on it.

The butterfly flew off as the casket was lowered. And just like that, the funeral was over. Max whispered her condolences to both Joyce and David. Stepping aside, she gave Joyce once last hug before heading back down the path from the cemetery. Warren caught up to her.

"Hey, you haven't been answering my texts," he noted softly. He looked at Max in concern. "I know you're not alright, but… are you alright?"

Max knew what he meant by the question. "Sorry. Your car looked cool in that pic you texted me. Very old-school. But I just... haven't felt very social lately."

"Yeah, no, I get it," Warren murmured, casting his eyes towards the ground. "Whenever you need a pick-me-up, just let me know. We can go to that drive-in in Newberg I was telling you about now."

Offering him a smile, Max replied, "Thanks, Warren. For reals. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have great friends like you around."

Warren's face dropped for just a second. It was so brief that Max wasn't sure she had seen it correctly. Then, he simply smiled. "Just make sure to send me back a text every now and again so I know you're okay."

"I will, Warren. Thanks again," Max murmured as she gave him a farewell wave.

Warren hesitated before giving one last nod. Walking towards the bus stop, he only glanced back once. Max looked away then, not wanting him to think she was signalling him to stay around. Suddenly, a hand touched her arm. She found Kate standing behind her.

"Oh, hey, Kate," she greeted.

Kate murmured, "I just wanted to say sorry for the way I treated you. I know you were just trying to be a good friend, but-"

"You have nothing to apologize for," Max cut in, raising a hand to stop Kate. "You were going through a hard time."

Obviously relieved, Kate hugged Max. "We're going to get that tea soon, Max. And we're going to talk about everything, okay? I'm finally ready to discuss with you what happened that night."

"Then just let me know when, and I will be there," Max murmured as she embraced Kate back. With one final squeeze, she pulled back. "And I heard your video got pulled down. I'm glad to hear that."

"Yeah," Kate said, her smile not quite reaching her eyes this time. "I'm glad. Everyone has been really kind to me these last few days. I feel so blessed."

Max, however, was still angry on her friend's behalf. "It shouldn't have taken this for them to realize something was wrong and that Nathan Prescott was sick motherfucker."

"It's just a shame he didn't get the help he clearly needed. And as for everyone else, well, we all make mistakes. I hope they learn from it," Kate said. Max admired her forgiving nature. If she had been in Kate's shoes, she doubted she would be so inclined. But then again, Max had never thought herself a better person than Kate.

Kate looked past Max. "I think that's the bus coming. You should hurry if you want to catch it."

"I'll get the next one," Max replied.

As Kate started off, she glanced behind. "Let's get tea this week!"

"Just text me when, and I'll be there!" Max called back.

With that, Kate hurried off. Max watched her friend, happy to see that things were looking up for her once more. It had been painful to see Kate so depressed. But Kate was clearly healing, and Max was touched that she finally felt comfortable enough to confide in her. They truly were becoming friends.

I won't make the same mistake that I did with Chloe.

"Max," Dana called out, reaching the bottom. It seemed the skaters were still at the site. "I haven't seen you since…" She fumbled and stared, obviously not knowing how to continue that sentence.

Since Nathan shot my best friend.

Max's mind filled it for her unnecessarily. "Yeah, I just haven't really been feeling up to socializing," she explained. The excuse was a lame one, but no one was about to call her out on it. Not after everything that happened.

Dana hummed in acknowledgement. Checking that there was no one around, she asked quietly, "Have you heard about the fucked up shit Nathan Prescott was into?"

"No," Max confessed. She couldn't stomach watching the news that morning for any updates, and she usually either spent time in her room or with Mark as of late.

"So the police discovered that he basically had his own photography studio in, like, some sort of apocalyptic bunker completely funded by his father. And they found a bunch of sedative drugs down there as well as some binders with victims' names and pictures in them. Apparently, he drugged girls from school at the Vortex Club parties he hosted and would bring them down there to photograph them while they were unconscious."

"That's seriously fucked up," Max said, feeling nauseated at the thought. At least she now knew what to expect when Kate finally opened up to her. She just hoped that it didn't get too much worse than that if only for Kate's sake.

"That's not even the most fucked up part about it. So the police are trying to track down the girls whose names are on the binders, right? But I heard from Juliet that one of the binders had Victoria's name on it but was empty. Which means that she was totally his next victim even though they were best friends."

Max paused a moment as she took that in. "Does Victoria know?"

"Well, the police stopped by her room this morning to ask her a few questions, so I think so," Dana replied. "I just feel so bad for her. Like, she totally trusted him. I think he's basically the only friend she had."

That must be hard on her. After all, they had seemed like quite the inseparable pair. Max felt genuinely bad for her. Victoria might have been a grade-A bitch, but that didn't mean she deserved this to happen to her.

Justin stopped next to them with his posse not too far behind. "Ready to go?" he asked before looking between her and Max.

"Yeah. Let's get something to eat," Dana replied. She gave Max a wave. "Don't forget to stop by my room sometime to hang out, you hear?"

"You got it," Max promised.

With that, Dana and Justin walked off. Dana looked far happier around the skaters than she ever did around the football players.

Victoria was the next come coming down the hill. As she approached, Max debated if she should say something or not. After all, she and Victoria had never been friends. Victoria had even lied about winning the bet in order to make Max back off. But had she not lost in the end? And, having just lost her own best friend, wasn't Max the best person to sympathize? Nathan didn't deserve Max's tears, but Victoria didn't deserve her wrath just because she cared about him.

As Victoria walked by, she didn't even turn to look at her. Max felt her confidence waver a moment before she called out, "Hey, Victoria?"

Victoria stopped, placing one hand on her hip. She waited, one eyebrow up, for Max to speak.

"I'm sorry," she said, "for your loss. I know that you and Nathan were close."

"Not as close as I thought," Victoria remarked, crossing her arms over her chest. Fear flickered across her expression. "Apparently, I was to be his next 'model.' I can see why he'd want to capture me… but I can't believe what he would do to get it."

Max frowned, knowing that nothing she could say would make this better. Nothing would make this better. Victoria was just going to have to get over this over time. Just as Max would. "You didn't deserve that, Victoria. No matter what you did, to me or anyone else. Believe that."

"I know. I… I do," Victoria answered, her own confidence faltering. Max wondered what she was holding back. Finally, she said, "The police came by today to ask me some questions. They asked me if I had ever modeled for Nathan or been asked to. They wanted to know if I had ever experience memory blackouts around him. Then they… they started asking me about Rachel Amber."

So I wasn't the only one.

Feigning ignorance, Max echoed, "Rachel Amber? The girl from the missing posters?"

"Yeah," Victoria replied. "He had a binder that had some photos of her. They…" She shook her head, unable to continue.

Max wasn't willing to let it go so easily, though. "What did they tell you, Victoria?"

"They suspect he killed her after the photoshoot," Victoria snapped, her eyes blazing as she locked onto Max again. Max almost took a step back upon seeing that. "They asked me if I knew anything about it. If he had mentioned anything to me at all."

"And did he?"

"Of course not, Max. I might be a lot of things, but I'm not an accessory to murder. If he had ever even hinted to what he did, I would have called the police immediately," Victoria spat back.

Max shuffled her feet awkwardly. "I didn't mean to imply-" she started to explain, feeling rather guilty about her accusation.

"No, just - it's just been one of those weeks," Victoria said with a heavy sigh. She appeared pretty weighed down by everything.

Nodding, Max murmured, "Yeah, I feel you. Just take it one day at a time, Victoria. That's all we can do."

"Indeed. Au revoir, Max," Victoria remarked before sauntering off. The next bus had almost arrived. As she walked off, she called back over her shoulder, "This doesn't mean we're friends now, by the way! So don't get any stupid ideas."

Smiling, Max put her earbuds in and turned on her music. Mark was still back there, but so was Principal Wells. If they walked out together and caught Max waiting, it would draw attention. Besides, she needed some time to consume the tidal wave of information she had been hit with. She hadn't anticipated any of it. It muddled her mind with several thoughts, each one clambering to have her full attention.

Nathan Prescott had taken advantage of the girls who attended the Vortex Club parties. Honestly, she shouldn't have been as surprised as she was. Nathan had always been strange. She hadn't been surprised to hear him talking to himself in the bathroom. That coupled with his violent tendencies, it was certainly a toxic combination. And there had always been rumors that he was on medications for mental illnesses. Or, as one student once put it, "He's fucking crazy, so they keep him drugged up so he doesn't snap."

Reflecting on Victoria, Max wondered how she was going to cope with this. Her best friend might be dead, but Victoria's best friend was planning on violating her with photography. Max remembered the lecture on Sontag's theory, but she never imagined it would be like this. She shuddered to think of what she would do if caught in Nathan's viewfinder.

And then there was poor Rachel Amber. The thought that Nathan killed that poor girl made her sick to her stomach. And also incredibly frustrated with law enforcement. Nathan had always bragged that his family owned Arcadia Bay, but she had never seen evidence of it until now. What other sick things had they managed to hide? The more she considered it, though, the less she wanted to know.

At least he can never hurt anyone again.

It wasn't much consolation, but it was better than Chloe dying for no reason at all. In the end, she had uncovered one of the greatest scandals in Arcadia Bay history. And now the Prescotts would never again be able to loiter above the town. Maybe they would even move out of Arcadia Bay and allow it to return to the sleepy safe haven it once represented.

I wonder if Nathan's been buried yet.

The thought flashed across Max's mind without warning. Chloe, after all, had been buried today, and they had died the same day. There was a chance that he was already in the ground. But if so, there hadn't been an announcement about it. It could have been a private affair, but who would have gone outside of family? Would any of the Vortex Club? Would Victoria? Would Mr. Jefferson and Principal Wells?

Max arrived at her beloved lighthouse. She flopped down onto the bench, watching the ocean. The water almost pulled her thoughts away. However, she anchored onto them. She needed her thoughts for her emotions to finally organize themselves. And no, she wouldn't go to Nathan's funeral if it hadn't happened yet. She knew that without a shadow of a doubt. Although she didn't feel right to judge who did, she could not pay her respects to a murderer.

Looking out, Max could make out the Two Whales Diner from there. She would pop in to see Joyce next Saturday. And this time, she meant it. No more hiding and fearing what others think or say. That had cost her Chloe, but it wouldn't cost her anyone else. There wasn't enough time in the world to wait around anymore.

Max took out her earbuds and leaned back. Seagulls cawed, circling about the skies. The waves continued to surge and fall with the same rhythm they always had. One that matched the beating of Max's own heart. Sitting there, she watched the world, knowing it as the same scene she watched the week before. And yet wasn't the same. This world, in its ignorant bliss, continued on as it always had. But now, it was a little less.

"I thought I'd find you up here."

Looking over, Max smiled as Mark approached. "I just walked here instinctively."

"You needed some time to think," Mark replied. "Did you get enough? Or should I leave?"

"No, stay," Max insisted, shifting over to make room for him on the bench. She patted the space next to her.

Mark sat down and reclined, his eyes scanning the broad ocean before them. "I never did like the ocean," he murmured. "Beautiful although it might be, it's entirely uncontrollable."

"That's why I love it," Max sighed out. After a few more minutes, she turned to face him. Mark kept his eyes transfixed in front of him. His glasses reflected the sun in the most brilliant way. But he appeared a touch more stressed than usual. "You stayed back for quite some time."

"I wanted to give my proper condolences to the family. And Principal Wells wished to speak to me," Mark explained.

Max felt her nerves spike. "About?"

"The police investigation," he answered with a sigh. "They're getting a clearer picture of what happened. And I believe there's quite a bit of pressure from external sources for them to close the case as quickly as possible. So he wanted to inform me that my suspension will be lifted by the end of the week so long as no new information comes to light. So next Monday, I am back to teaching."

Well, it certainly could have been worse, given how Max had spent so much time at Mark's house since the investigation started. No one had noticed. Lucky for them. But it also meant the return of their distant longings. Max knew that it was just a matter of time. However, Mark's presence had been a great comfort for her.

"More importantly, though, should my suspension be lifted, I will still be chauffeuring to go to San Francisco with the winner of the 'Everyday Heroes' contest," Mark noted.

Max frowned. "We're still participating, even with everything that has happened?"

"Blackwell Academy needs a bit of good publicity right now," Mark explained, his eyes never leaving the scenery around them. However, even from this angle, Max could see his displeasure. "Principal Wells believes this is the best way to get it. And I am the most experienced in the art world from the school, so my insight and guidance would be invaluable for the winner. Besides, if I don't attend, that'll bring about more questions. Questions that neither Blackwell nor Arcadia Bay want to answer. Although I cannot fault his logic, I don't agree with it either."

Nodding, Max sat back in her seat. That would be an entire weekend Mark was gone then. Perhaps it would be for the best. He could probably do with a change of scenery. Max could probably convince her parents to let her come home for the weekend, too, so she could get away, too.

"They're saying… they're saying Nathan drugged those girls and photographed them in his… Dark Room," Max said.

Mark looked at her in alarm. "Who said this?"

"The police."

Shaking his head, he dropped his gaze towards his lap. "I can't believe it."

"I couldn't either," Max confessed, hoping that was some consolation for him. She understood his frustration. Mark probably felt as though he should have noticed something. Softly, she added, "They think he has something to do with that Rachel Amber's disappearance."

"I haven't heard anyone say that name in quite some time," Mark commented, reclining against the bench. He let his head fall back to stare straight up at the sky. "After everything that's happened this last week, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to hear that he's killed before. But how could everyone have been so blind?"

Max responded, "No one knew. Not even Victoria, and she was his best friend. He just got good at leading a double life."

"Well, let's just hope they close this case soon. I'm sure Rachel Amber's family would want the closure, and Blackwell won't start healing until the police stop putting salt in the wound," Mark said before looking over at Max again. Ruffling her hair affectionately, he continued, "You shouldn't be worrying about things like this."

"Homework just doesn't seem as important anymore," Max confessed.

Smirking, Mark replied, "Most of your peers share that opinion, no matter the circumstances."

Max felt a laugh bubble out of her unexpectedly. Leaning into him, she continued to laugh. It was such an asinine comment. And yet the truth of it rang so clearly that it struck her. Surprised, Mark wrapped an arm around her and drew her close. A touch of joy on a day like today didn't leave Max feeling guilty. Her grief was like an open wound, and this was the equivalency to the blood clotting. It didn't hurt any less, but at least it made her feel better if only for a time.

"Come. It's getting late," Mark finally said, rising to his feet. He offered her a hand to help her up. "Best you get back to the dormitories. You will be missed tonight."

Although Max had her doubts, she nodded in agreement. She took his hand, feeling its encompassing strength, and helped herself up. She then brushed off her dress, still not used to wearing one, and started down the hill. A few steps down, she heard a rustling from her left. Immediately, she scanned the trees and spotted a doe. It looked at her for a long moment, as if entranced by seeing her.

Heavy footsteps approached. Mark reached her, touching her arm. "Max, what are you looking at?"

Just like that, the trance was broken. The doe bolted. Max startled at the touch, jumping. "D-did you not see it?"

"See what?" Mark asked, confused.

Max responded, "The doe. There was a doe just off the path."

Looking over, Mark shook his head. "No, I didn't see anything. I must have missed it in the foliage."

Strange.

Max tore her gaze away from searching for the doe further. It was probably the same one she had seen before - the one she had photographed. Gently, she touched her pendant, which was a doe itself. Max never liked to let herself get too philosophical. But perhaps it was a sign? Mrs. Grant had once talked about the Native Americans who lived there and the significance of spirit animals conveying messages to the living. But Chloe wasn't Native American. Hell, Max wasn't even sure Chloe believed in an afterlife.

With that, Max pushed the doe from her mind. She was trying to make something out of nothing. After all, she missed Chloe and had plenty of regrets. Of course she would want something to tell her that she was forgiven. That everything was alright.

But no one is ever going to give you that.