Disclaimer: Anything familiar to you, I do not own. This is entirely a work of fan fiction for personal amusement and fulfillment. I make nothing from this and own none of it.
Notes: This chapter contains violent content involving a firearm. It also deals with several issues Chloe has been repressing, so while it is far from the heaviest chapter in the story so far, it's not quite "everything's flippity doo." Also, Chloe's colorful language continues to evolve apace. Though, on a personal note, this marks the first chapter where I've realized I quite like writing Rachel. She is extraordinarily emotionally balanced in some, though not all, ways.
Chapter Ten: Telemachus Before the Plow
Chloe pulled the vehicle to a stop, sighing. She let the engine idle for a second before turning the key off. When the beast went silent, she was often reminded just how loud it normally was. There was plenty of work still needing done to the truck to make it really worthy of an odyssey anymore arduous than the trip between home and the school.School, she thought, with an internalized groan. Internal as it might have been, it still didn't escape notice of the girl beside her. Rachel rested a hand briefly on Chloe's shoulder. It was a silent gesture but supportive. It still made Chloe shiver slightly. Somehow, she was still not used to some of these moments of physical contact. The honest truth was that after this, their first day of the school year, Chloe was kind of miserable. I've got nothing on Mikey, though, she thought.
"So, have either of you actually seen Mikey drink before?" Max asked from the far side of the cab. She sounded both shocked and amused. Chloe shook her head. The photographer yawned.
"No, he really doesn't like the idea, usually. Plus, he thinks his dad would be pissed. " Rachel released Chloe's shoulder. "But I think Steph was right to just let him. The emergency gaming/drinking session didn't go quite as planned, but at least he wasn't thinking about Wells' bullshit." Max snorted.
"It's going to be impressive if he's 'thinking' at all in time for Steph to get him back to the dorms for curfew." There was still a slight air of somberness about the cab and it wasn't just because of Principal Wells' lunchtime proclamation. It's me, Chloe recognized. I'm basically bringing them both down. I just don't want to do this. After a moment, Rachel nudged her quietly and Max opened her own door to climb out of the passenger side of the truck. Well, I mean, we're here, right? Chloe popped her door open and hopped out, herself.
"It's not gonna be so bad," Rachel said. "It's just dinner. "
"It's dinner with David, and he's been a bigger judgemental asshole than usual lately and I'm almost as tired as Max . " Rachel didn't argue. Chloe lead the way to the front door, just thankful she was able to come inside without meeting David at the door or in the driveway. That used to be a much harder fate to escape before he started working, again. I never thought I'd be thankful to have that asshole lurking around Blackwell. When the door opened, she was greeted first by the sound of plates hitting the table. Chloe felt Rachel close at her back as she hurried down the hallway.
"Chloe, that you hon?"
"Yeah, mom. We're here." Chloe fixed a smile to her face as Rachel and Max called their greetings, taking time to remove their shoes. Chloe did not.
"Come on through, dinner's ready." There was, immediately, something a little off putting about the scene. Not only was David not making some offhanded comment about the time, her mother's voice was exceptionally lilted. It was as if someone had stuck Mary Poppins into her body. My spidey sense is tingling, Chloe thought, pausing to look back. Nearly dead on her feet, Max didn't seem to notice a damn thing, eyes half lidded as she blinked at Chloe in confusion. We'll be lucky if David doesn't accuse her of being high.Rachel, though, was raising the slightest of eyebrows toward the dining room. Still, after a second, her thespian nudged her onward. She's always doing that. I guess I need it.
The dinner table was immaculately set. With enough plates for everyone and a rather large meal sitting in containers around the center it looked rather crowded already, but perhaps most concerningly, a small number of candles stood lit in the center of it. Okay, this is getting weirder. Her mother was almost, just barely, dressed up, but pairing that with a different style of makeup, the alarm bells the whole thing was setting off in her head began to drown out her thoughts. David was out of his work uniform, already and trying to distract from his " I still work out more than I should actually have time in the day for, and they're called SUPPLEMENTS, thank you very much, not steroids ' frame by cloaking it in a dress shirt. Oh god, is she fucking pregnant? Oh god, don't even think about that. OH GOD, WHY CAN'T I STOP THINKING ABOUT THAT?
At that point her mother turned away from David, where some conversation was either ending or just interrupted. Chloe ignored the man. It was usually the safest thing to do. This did mean, however, that when her mother approached she could not ignore the terrifying look of happiness on her face. Chloe was embraced quick and without warning, something her mother had not done to her in a few years. The 'personal space' talk was effective for a really long time, to be fair. When she was released Chloe took a step toward the table but her mother walked past her instead and seized a surprised Rachel into a hug.
"It's nice to see you, Rachel. Thank you for taking such good care of my Chloe," Chloe blinked and shot a look toward David, moderately concerned about the state of her life if she was looking to him for an answer. He was scoffing, eyes on Rachel. Oh no, shitwad, you just keep that thought to yourself. Either way, there was no forthcoming answer. Is that mortal terror I'm feeling?" She watched Rachel respond a little too quiet for her to hear the response and then her mother released the girl and moved on to Max, who was very nearly pulled off her exhausted feet. For a moment Chloe wondered if she knew what was happening, but then Max returned the hug, tightly. Okay, I'm probably a shitty friend for just now thinking of this, but she might be missing her parents already. Eventually, the two broke apart and Chloe marked an idea down and filed it away for later use. There was a more immediate mystery to handle.
"Glad you decided to join us, girls," David's shot could be mistaken as a quip due to the light and airy tone of his voice if someone didn't know that he was Satan's Self-Righteous Child Mom has never put on airs for Rachel or Max, ever, Chloe thought, trying desperately to ignore David's bait. Eventually, they were seated around the table. Max positioned herself opposite of Chloe and Rachel settled at the end of the table across from David, who was back to looking pleased. She was just passing the large bowl of pasta to Rachel cautiously when her mother spoke.
"Okay, okay, I was going to wait until after dinner, but I can't." She sounded giddy, like a kid in a candy store. Oh God, here it comes. Mustachioed Demon Baby named Damien who pushes his will on everyone and then whines about people always doing what he wants. Chloe mentally rolled her eyes. Okay, I'm letting myself get carried away here. "I, well," she glanced at David, who shook his head, with a small smile in place. "Alright, well, David and I were able to secure a chapel in Portland on, can you believe it, this coming Valentine's day." Chloe's insides cooled.
"Wow," Max said, and she no longer sounded quite as dead tired. "That's lucky."
"I know," her mother exclaimed. "They had a cancellation half an hour before I called and just offered it to us. Well, you have to be stupid to look a gift horse in the mouth."
"Congratulations, Joyce," Rachel said. Okay, no, can we go back and have that evil demon baby, after all? Suddenly the chicken alfredo on her plate didn't look appealing in the slightest. There was a strange silence. Chloe realized it existed only because she was supposed to be speaking when two different feet struck her in the shins simultaneously under the table. She winced and tried to recover. Just tell her you're so happy. Tell her it's going to be a great wedding. Tell her everything's amazing.
The truth was that she was not happy. In May, when she agreed to come back and 'try again' with David, her mother had sat down with her at the table and hammered out a deal. She would stop David from treating either of them badly, she would make sure he stopped treating Chloe like a military recruit and she would damn sure not let him talk down women around her. That deal didn't last 24 hours. A week later, he was replacing my bedroom door because he forced it down overnight when he found it locked. I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen Rachel fucking scared, but David kicking the bedroom door down at three AM would freak out anyone. She lowered the fork in her hand slowly, trying to buy herself time. Every pair of eyes was on her, now. Mom lied to my face to get me to roll over and play dead every time David acted like a cockstain and now I'm supposed to be happy for them. Once more, Rachel and Max kicked her under the table.
"That's, amazing," she lied, hoping that her tone came out more like surprise and not crushing despair. "Wow, do you think you'll be able to finish all the preparations in time?" David grunted somewhere to her right but she refused to turn her head to look at him directly. She could tell he was sitting back with his arms crossed. Her mother's face fell slightly and Chloe knew the jig was up.
"Oh, yeah," the blonde started, trying to keep her voice as uplifted as before even though her grey-green eyes betrayed hurt. Okay, David can go from 0-60 in a second on a good day and I just rained on their parade hardcore. I need to be careful. She wasn't sure if she wanted to scream, cry or vomit, but she took a bite. "I'm sure we can figure out how to get whatever we need in time, within reason." Chloe made a big show of nodding, exaggeratedly.
"Nothing's too good for my woman," David said, his voice emphatic and his eyes boring straight into Chloe's skull. Her mother laughed and the thought that throwing up was an option made an unpleasant reappearance.
"Oh, right," her mother said, smiling widely once again as she looked first to Max and then Rachel. "I wanted you two to call your parents and make sure you'll be able to attend. We'll put you up while we're there and take care of food and the like. I wouldn't let Chloe's friends go hungry, or miss out on the big day." Chloe heard the odd pause, the hesitation before the word 'friends' and looked pointedly down at her plate. I'd normally ask them to say no, but I might actually need them there. If they want to come, I'm lucky.
"Oh, Joyce, you know mom and dad will probably want to come, themselves."
"Don't worry, Max," her mother replied. "Vanessa and Ryan wouldn't get taken off the guest list for anything. They were probably the best friends William and I ever had." Chloe glanced sideways to try to read Max's face but it was unexpectedly difficult. It doesn't help that she's so different than when she came here back in May. Unfortunately, as Rachel promised to call her mother and ask before they left that evening, Chloe had the same problem with her and, say what you want, Rachel was very much the same person Chloe met only four months ago.
"I'm honored by the invite," Rachel added. She sounded sincere enough, but to Chloe she almost looked confused. Okay, I think I'm projecting, now. The rest of the dinner was a little calmer and probably quieter as it was hard for Chloe to think of anything to say to anyone. When the subject came around to the school day, though, Chloe's complete and utter silence to that point was not even enough to prevent things from becoming tense.
"Principal Wells basically just told everyone that unless they were going to be seniors when the school switched to its two-year senior program, they'd have to find a new place to go to school, after this year." Rachel doing the lion's share of the talking. Chloe had been having difficulty joining in and Max alternated between being uncomfortable and nearly falling asleep sitting up, something which had attracted a few glares from David's end of the table. "Our friend Mikey's below us a year and he's kind of devastated."
"There were a lot of crybabies whining about that. Caught a couple of them actually trying to use that as an excuse to skip class. It's this whiny, liberal P.C. bullshit that makes these kids think they can get away with this crap, and on the first day of classes, no less." Chloe tensed up, licking her lips. The urge to snap at David was rising but instead she looked across the table at her mother. Absolutely no response came from the woman. Instead, it was Max who spoke.
"You know, some people just like having the ability to determine their own future." Chloe had to fight fairly hard not to pump her fist at Max throwing David's own words at him. "They probably just got a little upset when the choice was taken away without a warning." Max looked away from David toward Chloe, smiling lightly. "We decided we probably should help Mikey keep his mind off it."
"They'll get over it," David grumped. "Never liked that North kid anyway. His brother ran drugs in the school last year."
"And that's all the excuse you need to judge Mikey, isn't it?" Chloe asked, though she immediately regretted it. David was about to respond through his clenching jaw, but her mother spoke up over them both.
"I'm glad you all took care of your friend today," the woman said, as if the rest of the conversation had not happened. Chloe laughed bitterly.
"We basically just did what we did on Friday, only a lot shorter of a timeframe." Max said, taking the conversation back in some kind of control. "Plus, Chloe's working on her surprise."
"What surprise?" her mother asked, curious, her voice flustered and forced. Pretend everything's alright, mom. That's always worked out for us, hasn't it?
"Oh, Chloe's starting a little sketchbook of the things our characters get up to in the campaign," Rachel said. "That way, if Mr. North does move them away, he's got that." Her mother looked like she was about to praise the idea (which, after hearing out loud Chloe was beginning to think sounded perhaps too silly) but she was interrupted. David, it seemed to Chloe, was not intent on letting conversation go on without being a colossal ass.
"You're all way too old to be playing dress up and make believe, anyway." Again, Chloe raised her eyes toward her mother and again she looked pointedly down at her plate in response. Strike two. Lying to me in May is a running 'strike one.' If you want me to be a 'problem child' let's get to strike three. Chloe remained quiet, doing her best not to antagonize David further. For her part, Rachel continued to carry the majority of the weight of conversation and she was good at it. If Chloe hadn't known her, she wouldn't know what to make of Rachel except to remember a thought she had before getting to know her better, that they seemed like such different people.
Chloe did make sure to speak to tell her mother how good dinner was when most of the plates were clear around the table. She also spoke when Max let out a loud, unexpected yawn. Sweet, sweet excuse, Chloe thought as she rose to her feet. It was abrupt enough to surprise her mother and Rachel, but eventually Chloe was ushering her friends from the table, loudly exclaiming that it had been such a long day that she ought to get them to school so they could relax before bed. At some point, David made a comment under his breath and Joyce called for Rachel to make sure to let her know if she could make it to the wedding when she talked to her mother. Chloe was polite enough to let Rachel respond before shutting the front door behind the three of them and exhaling.
"Chloe?" Max asked, questioningly. Rachel paused halfway to pulling her hair back into a ponytail as she caught sight of Chloe's face. If only I could have that kind of effect on mom, Chloe thought, bitterly as she walked past them and to the truck. The message read loud and clear. Rachel and MAx were in the truck only a few seconds after her. She gave them just a second to settle in before The Beast's engine roared to life. She did not speak until they were backed down the driveway and halfway down the street.
"Fuck!" The scream echoed in her ears. "Ratdick mother fucker!" There was no narrative to the stream of expletives, no point. It was just anger and frustration and, if she was honest, fear in the form of word vomit. Trees, cars, homes full of people who would be glaring out of their windows at her if they could hear her as she drove by hurried past.
"Chloe, pull over," she turned her head quickly, toward Rachel. Her arms shook as she grasped at the steering wheel. A stop sign ahead drew her attention and she slowed. "I mean it, pull over right now." Okay, okay, she's right. I'm pissed. Past Rachel, Max was staying strangely silent, though she looked inexplicably regretful to Chloe's eyes, causing her to wonder if she was not yet again projecting.
"Look, sorry, alright," Chloe started as she hit her turn signal. "I just can't believe the-" It was rather hard to focus on the road in the failing light.
"Chloe, please," Rachel asked, somehow both more forcefully and in a softer voice. It was scary how well that worked against her. Chloe flipped the turn signal on again and steered the truck toward the side of the road. It was an impromptu and illegal parking job, but Rachel waited patiently for Chloe to put the vehicle into park only a couple of blocks from the house. Then she grabbed Chloe, pulling her in close. Caught unsuspecting, Chloe did not and could not stop the lump from rising in her throat or the watering of her eyes as she buried her face against Rachel's shoulder.
"It isn't fucking fair," she muttered, feeling like a sobbing child. It didn't help when she added, "She promised me, Rachel."
"I know she did," Rachel told her soothingly. "I know she did. She let you down and you can't understand why. It doesn't even make sense to you." Chloe laughed against her shoulder, reminded that Rachel was probably the only person in Arcadia Bay that moment who knew exactly what Chloe was feeling and all the horrible things she was thinking. "You don't have to understand. It's not your fault, not your responsibility. I love your mother, Chloe but she screwed up, here, not you. It's okay that you're upset, but you always knew it was coming." Chloe closed her eyes allowed herself to inhale slowly, trying to calm her shaking limbs and furiously pounding heart. In the process, she caught the scent of the girl holding her and couldn't help but tighten her own grip back. When she finally felt like she could relax, she pulled back, warm in the face.
"I'm sorry," she told first Rachel, and then Max. "I promise not to go flying off the handle behind the wheel like that again." Max gave her a lopsided smile that suggested all was forgiven, but then didn't quite meet her eyes, so Chloe wasn't sure what to make of that quite yet. She did, however, when Rachel placed a kiss against her cheek and released her, put the truck back into drive. No way in hell am I gonna make my little bitch fit make them late to curfew.
"This really changes nothing for you, you know?" she glanced sideways at Max, who seemed to be trying to relax in her seat despite being suddenly uncomfortable. A small flare of annoyance threatened to make an appearance, but she quieted it. "If David's going to be a prick either way and you already knew they were going to end up getting married, sooner or later, what changes?"
"It means I was right," Chloe said emphatically, though her throat threatened to close up against the words that followed. "She cares about David more than anything else. It changes everything I thought I knew about her."
"It's not that simple and you know it, " Max told her.
"No, I don't know it, Max. Not anymore." If I'm not careful I'm gonna get going again. They turned down one of the busier streets in town. "Mom made a promise to me, man. She'd stand up to David and in return I started biting my tongue around him more because it was her job to stand up to him for me, so she said. Well, my tongue is bleeding, the cat has hers and sometimes the shit he says actually makes me feel like crap about myself." Rachel's left hand rested on her upper arm. "I am so done pretending to be okay with that."
"If you fuck up your mother's wedding, no matter how much you hate the guy she's marrying, you're going to hate yourself more." This time she did whip her head around, ready to say something that she would probably regret. Instead, Rachel spoke up.
"She's right and you know she's right." This took the wind out of Chloe's sails and, bitterly she agreed as she turned back to the road. Max did not speak again for the remainder of the ride. Chloe knew the tension in the cab was her fault but she still couldn't help, as she pulled to a stop outside of Blackwell, but think that she wished she could just sneak into Rachel's room that night and stay there. When Max did not speak before climbing out, Chloe reached across Rachel to grab Max's arm.
"I'm sorry," she told Max. "I'm really sorry." When the girl smiled at her, adjusting the bag across her shoulders, it was a deeply sad and exhausted smile and somehow that broke her heart more than the rest of the day had managed put all together. That's it. This isn't okay. Rachel brushed a hand across Chloe's cheek in a gesture that felt surprisingly intimate considering they weren't alone.
"Tomorrow after school, just you and me, okay?" Rachel asked. "Do you have time for that?"
"I've always got time for you," Chloe replied, laughing and hoping it did not sound nervous. It was Rachel's turn to look a little flustered but she nodded in response and followed Max from the cab. When the door shut behind them, both girls leaned up against the truck to more easily talk to her through the window.
"It's gonna be alright."
"Uh-uh," she told Max. "I'm done with this whole thing where I can be completely chill, sitting at home and then I hear his voice and my blood pressure rises like I'm sixty and twice as wide as I am tall. I hate the fact that he can make me just, uncomfortable, maybe even a little scared, from three rooms over. Just by talking. I hate the fact that none of it matters to mom. It's not okay." Rachel looked about to interrupt but Max was paying close attention this time. "I've got actual problems, I am an actual screw up. I don't need his bullshit to think about on top of that just so he can play out his Drill Sergeant fetish."
"Are you going to be okay to go back there?" Max asked her.
"Yeah, I'll just go up to bed early." That felt like a coward's way out but it was the only option available to her. Behind them, a car was approaching. It was probably just going to go around them, but it did remind Chloe that she was idling in the middle of the road.
"Text us both when you get home?" Rachel asked.
"Sure thing."
"Be careful, Chloe," Max told her before turning to start walking toward the school. Rachel followed suit only after a grimace. Well, Chloe thought as she watched them go. At least I waited until after dinner to start royally fucking everything up.
Chloe pressed herself against the wall behind her and the lockers to her left. Her helmet, oversized and hanging loose at the chin straps, banged against the lockers, releasing a loud noise down the hall of Blackwell Academy. She discarded the helmet and looked down. Where the tile floor should have been, instead, was a persistent and confusing void. Samuel is gonna be pissed, she thought, looking about. Across the hall, crouching down behind yet another row of lockers was Rachel. The sound of approaching boots seemed to be putting her on edge. She was not even looking across at Chloe, though she did look somewhat intimidating in ragged fatigues and a helmet that fit instead of hanging loose around her head. After a moment, Rachel leaned forward and glared down the hall. Chloe exhaled and stuck her head out to look, too. The void-floor stretched until the corner, which looked impossibly far off.
Three sets of booted feet rounded the corner, each carrying someone she did not want to see coming after her and Rachel. David was at the lead, a rifle in his hands as he slowly approached them. Flanking her step-douche to be, James Amber and Damon Merrick marched in step. Chloe drew her head back behind the lockers, mouthing to Rachel that she did not know what to do. Rachel had no such compunctions. Her face was contorted in concentration and Chloe knew instinctively she was listening.
"Come on out, you little shits," Damon called, readying the glinting steel blade. She did not respond and Rachel continued to listen. She's trying to figure out how close they are without giving away where we're hiding. Chloe closed her eyes and tried to do the same. The footsteps echoed off the walls and overrode one another. At any given moment it could have just been the three of them or an entire army could have been at their backs. Her breathing started to pick up. Nervous energy caused her to shake. Fingers and toes curled and uncurled as she looked across at Rachel's impassive, concentrating face. How the fuck is she so calm? Doesn't she know what they're going to do?
Chloe peeked out and, whether that was enough that she was seen or not, it didn't matter. The men were close enough now that there was no answer but retreat. When she looked back, though, the open hallway she expected to see behind her was gone, replaced with only a cool, grey stone wall. Fuck! Across from her, Rachel's eyes opened. They looked deadly and were no longer that gorgeous, bright hazel. Instead they were the color of dancing flames. Rachel turned, unarmed and sprinted out from behind the lockers. Chloe twisted her head to watch. The bricks along one wall of the hallway shifted aside without warning or reason and a door rose up from the void to replace them.
As soon as it appeared, so too did it open, catching Damon directly in the face. The sound of breaking bone made her shiver. Chloe watched the scene unfold. Damon's knife clattered to the ground as Rachel ran past the freshly opened doorway. She rolled low beneath David, who did not move to react to her at all. Her hand closed around Damon's knife and she brought it up as she rose to her feet. James Amber seized her and flung her around and against the far wall. The freshly opened door expelled Max like a bullet and she shot behind David, throwing herself on top of Damon, clenching a closed laptop in her grasp as if it was a bludgeoning weapon. David continued to approach steadily, his eyes blatantly locked on Chloe. She stayed rooted to the spot as she watched the people she cared about struggle with David's cronies.
"It's time to go," Chloe jerked her head toward the voice to her right but there was no one there. There was nobody to own the encouraging words. That hurt more as much as anything else but she did not need to see her father to know his voice. "This one's all you, kiddo." She closed her eyes tight against tears that she had not felt rolling down her face. "After all, what's the worst that can happen?" Rachel was screaming something, something about betrayal. Max didn't talk, but she grunted as she struggled with Damon who seemed to realize he was twice her size and managed to throw her off of him and against another row of lockers entirely.
"I can't," she told the disembodied voice. "I can't," she yelled, not at David but at Rachel and Max, who were losing their own struggles. David continued slowly toward her, the weapon in his hands rising. He was frowning his usual frown beneath the thick mustache but Chloe knew instinctively that this was not one of regret or sadness. This was determination. He was going to end her if she did nothing. "It'll- it'll just make things worse," she tried to explain to the girls. Chloe did not think she was audible. "I can't," she emphasized, pulling herself back behind the lockers.
David continued to approach and Chloe closed her eyes. No! I don't want to see this anymore, she thought. This is over! But, it wasn't over. Even through clenched lids she could sense when David rounded the corner and was standing right in front of her. If she opened her eyes she might be looking right down the barrel of his weapon and that was the kind of sight she refused to make her last. She gulped.
"You know, you broke your mother's heart," David muttered, leaning too close by far to her. "This is for the best. We've got a family to start."
A bullet that might as well have been a bomb rang in her ears.