It was a rather dreary afternoon in Arcadia Bay. The rain had started to come down more heavily as the day went on, letting the raindrops trickle down the windshield at an uneven pace, unable to keep up with the downpour. Chloe's truck wasn't built to withstand much change in the weather, with the windshield wipers struggling to keep up. The slight squeaking every time they went back and forth provided noise to the otherwise quiet interior.

Chloe and Rachel were driving around town, finding new and old roads to venture on, without much else to do. It had been nearly a week since the trial and nobody really chose to speak about it since. There wasn't much to be said anyway, since it was mostly a solved case by this point. The Prescotts were heavily involved alongside Mark Jefferson and they faced the consequences of their actions. It was a done deal. Never to be thought about again. Each person had the opportunity to rebuild their life however they chose now, and any decision they made would be sufficient.

The trees were becoming blurry outside, washed out like an oil painting. It was almost mesmerizing, and a much needed break from staying stuck inside the house. Every time another car would pass by, headlights shining through the misty fog, the sound of the slick pavement followed by a splash of a puddle was heard.

"Chloe?" Rachel asked through the silence in the truck, almost so quiet she wasn't sure if she talked loud enough to be heard. She gazed out the side window, watching as the small shops of the town went by, sidewalks completely empty and void of any life. It was the first heavy rainfall that the Bay had gotten in a while, which likely made a lot of people choose to stay inside that day.

Chloe on the other hand was intensely zoned out, almost as if the constant rain patter against the metal was putting her into a meditative state. Her hands were loose on the steering wheel, leaned back in her seat to the point that she looked like she was about to fall asleep. Rachel watched her sporadically, trying to figure out what she was thinking about that held her attention so intensely, but was unsuccessful in doing so.

"Hm?" Chloe hummed, not able to take her eyes off the road in fear of being dragged back into the real world. She was only half paying attention.

"I don't know what I'm doing with my life." Rachel stretched out her arms, adjusting the way she was sitting. They had been gone for quite some time already, without any pit stops or gas station breaks. The radio wasn't even turned on, with the only sound coming from the rain pattering above. Rachel didn't want to say anything, but it was starting to get a little boring. She decided to reach forward to the little glovebox on the front dash and open it up, as it suddenly looked intriguing. She couldn't remember the last time she even dug around the truck, let alone a mysterious compartment that could be filled with something she could tease Chloe for.

"Yeah," Chloe laughed, even if it sounded more like a heavy exhale than a laugh, knowing that it was probably the truest thing Rachel had ever said. "Welcome to my world."

She glanced over, noticing what Rachel was doing the whole time. During her exploration of the glovebox, she had found Chloe's secret stash of old beanies, alongside some CDs and random garbage. It was a complete and utter mess in there, which was probably why it seemed to stick when opening, as it had been a while before anyone for that matter even used it. That, however, was the extent of the secrets hiding inside the glovebox. It was a bit of a let down, though. There were no secret letters confessing her undying love for Rachel, sealed in wax with her initials on it. No cringey romance novels stashed away. Nope. Just dust-covered junk.

"No," Rachel held out some of the beanies resting in her lap, beginning to try some of them on, "I'm being serious." She flipped down the mirror from the roof of the truck, looking at herself intently. It wasn't a look she usually went for, but it wasn't bad.

"I am too!"

Chloe smiled as she looked at Rachel out of the corner of her eye. It was almost endearing to see her wearing her stuff. Maybe she liked it a little too much.

Rachel rolled her eyes. "I've just never actually thought about what I wanted to do. I've never had the chance."

"You'll have time." Chloe watched as the rain was trickling down the window, now beginning to ease up a bit. Good. The constant downpour was getting slightly depressing anyway. "Don't worry about it, Rach."

Chloe's reassurance wasn't helping like she thought it was, only making her miss the point even further. Rachel was thinking about what she wanted to do on her own time, away from her parents, away from her past life, away from it all. And the problem with it was that it was freaking her out, putting her back in the exact same position she was in when she was starting to become reckless years ago. Mark Jefferson definitely ruined the modeling experience for her, making her heavily reconsider that path for the future. There was always the other option, one that she felt more called to, which was acting.

Rachel always had a bit of a soft spot for theatrical performances, and following that career didn't seem like too much of a reach than anything else she would want to do. With it being the most competitive industry in the world, it did make it challenging to believe it was actually going to work out. She would make it happen of course, and while it might not land her in Hollywood with the big name celebrities, having a passion for something outweighed the potential negatives.

But that wasn't everything. With the entire world seeming to be an open book, allowing her to write her own story on her terms now, leaving Arcadia Bay was at the very top of the list. It was daunting, and something she brought up here and there, without much meaning. A lost hope. She still couldn't push away the feeling of trying at least once, though. And that feeling was starting to become too much to bear.

"So I've been thinking…" Rachel glanced over at Chloe who had taken her attention back to the road, "What if we actually try to leave again? Make a plan, save up money…"

Her tone was serious, not taking her eyes off Chloe. It was a plan that kept falling through before, over and over again, but now it could really work out. She tried to believe it, at least. They were both older and had gone through some heavy experiences that if anything, prepared them for the road ahead.

"Yeah, as much as I'd love that," Chloe lightly tapped the steering wheel, thinking, "There's a few problems."

"Oh yeah?" Rachel tilted her head, with a growing smile beginning to appear, "And what's that?"

She wanted to play her little game, even if it didn't seem like Chloe was interested. She scooted closer, almost sitting right up next to her, waiting for a response.

"Money. A car. An actual thought out plan." Chloe reached down to change gears, making the truck jolt forward. Her attention was only half on Rachel, still too busy mindlessly driving around the outskirts of Arcadia Bay. "You're just saying all of that to get my hopes up again, aren't you."

Another shift into a higher gear. She was entering the highway now, making Rachel even more unsure as to where she was headed.

"Don't you already have a car?" Rachel steadied herself as Chloe was only ramping up speed, going in a direction neither one of them had gone before. Though, she still wanted to tease her a little bit further before getting into more serious discussions. "Like the one you're driving right now?"

Chloe sighed, as there was more to it all than Rachel realized. She wanted to take the plan seriously, but it was hard to have hope that it would happen. They tried it before and failed, who said that now was going to be any different?

"It needs a lot of work before it can go anywhere further out of state. And," She raised her hand, smiling, "Anyone who drives a truck knows you don't call it a car. It's offensive." Chloe nudged her in the arm jokingly, only for Rachel to return the favor.

"So can't you just get it fixed?"

A change of lanes. Reaching close to seventy miles per hour. Something rattling in the bed. Where the hell is she going?

"Can't. I don't have wads of cash laying around like you do."

That made Rachel nearly burst out laughing. Wads of cash…as if. The last time she got any kind of money like that was from her dad two years ago, and that clearly wasn't going to happen again. She called it hush money, but now the money was so quiet it was beginning to run dry. Their relationship was severed to the point of no return. It didn't really bother Rachel, though.

"I definitely don't anymore." She leaned back to cross her arms, trying to find comfort in the unknown journey ahead, "You know that."

A massive semi passed by in the lane to the right, swaying in the heavy crosswinds. It made Chloe grip the wheel harder, nearly white-knuckling it.

"So…are you ever going to say where you're taking me, or is it a surprise?" Rachel watched as more cars passed, splashing water onto the windows. She did always say that life needed a little mystery, and this was certainly no different.

Chloe just shrugged. "I just thought we'd drive by the coast for a bit before heading back into town."

"Any reason in particular?"

"Nope." She shook her head, not having any reason to expand on her thought. The weather was starting to finally let up, clearing out some of the fog that covered the road ahead. The Oregon coast had emerged from the clearing, with ocean mist and crashing waves hitting the large rocks below. It was quite a sight. Chloe let out a heavy breath, clearly thinking about something. She didn't want to let the previous conversation go, especially if it was so important to Rachel. "So let's say you do come up with some elaborate plan. What happens? Where's the first stop?"

Rachel thought for a moment, taking her time to reply. She should know it anyway. "Is that even a question, Chloe." She glared at her.

"Let me guess, Santa Monica?" Chloe smiled through the sarcasm, watching Rachel get slightly annoyed at her tone. Good. It takes two to win at this game.

"Obviously." She rolled her eyes like there was no other answer. And there wasn't either. It was going to be the first stop, and probably the last, unless they decided to do something risky and travel the whole country or something.

The Santa Monica dream wasn't merely a song the both of them enjoyed, it was a sign of their forgotten futures, plans never made out. Years of destruction. Of pain. Suffering. Abandonment. The dream could only become a reality if they woke up and finally took action, even if they didn't know what taking action was going to look like. It was the only way for anything to change. Talking would only get them so far, and them still being stuck in Arcadia Bay was just a byproduct of that. It's where they still were, even after so many years of continuously promising to leave.

"So what do we do there? Just hang out?" Chloe turned onto a side road, a gravel cut-across from the highway that would lead back to the Bay. The ride was bumpy, throwing mud and rocks into the air. "What about money, Rachel? Or jobs? Does that just magically disappear?"

Rachel threw her head back, growing annoyed, "Jesus, can't you have a little fun anymore?" She poked Chloe in the arm. "Already worried about money…you sound like my dad."

"Gross." Chloe frowned at the thought. There was no way she was just compared to James Amber. "I'm just trying to see how much you have planned out, that's all."

The road was beginning to appear more narrow than when they first turned into it, causing the tall spruce trees to overshadow the cloud-covered sun. Chloe turned on the headlights because it was starting to get dark, but the left bulb must have burned out because it provided no extra light. Yet another problem she would have to eventually fix. Great. Add that to the piling up bill she still needed to ask Frank about for a loan—and it wasn't like Chloe wanted to do that soon, she really didn't want to talk to the guy after learning everything about him and Rachel. It still hurt to think about, even if Rachel had explained herself relentlessly over the time.

Little droplets of rain began to fall from the overhung tree branches onto the windshield, cascading down in intricate patterns. The clouds were seemingly moving away, with small bursts of sunlight shining through the darkness that loomed up above. At least there wasn't any traffic on this road. It was actually kind of peaceful.

"Okay, so imagine this with me," Rachel held out her arms, trying to explain what she was envisioning in her mind, "You're this badass mechanic, with a smoking hot girlfriend who stops by every so often after her auditions in the city…" She watched Chloe for her reaction, and was only getting pleasantly amused at the sight. Chloe was shaking her head, laughing to herself. "You and me on the pier, gorging on food truck food, going on long walks on the beach, and all of a sudden, we get hassled by some guy who's too drunk to care and I'll step in and say, 'Back off, she's mine.'"

Chloe raised her eyebrow, hearing something oddly familiar years ago. It was cute to see how excited Rachel still was about it all. Maybe there was a chance at this dream life. "That's…quite a life you've got planned out there, Rach."

Rachel batted her lashes, eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. She hadn't been this excited about anything in months. It was a nice change.

"But," Chloe raised her hand, steadily watching the road at the same time, "you forgot something."

"And what's that, hm?" Rachel put her arm around Chloe, sitting about as close as she could to her. The drive together was nice, providing a gentle distraction from the chaos of the small town, with the only obstacle that stood in their way was the open road. They could get used to that, though.

Chloe was starting to hesitate and Rachel could see her become fidgety. She only got that way when there was an uncomfortable conversation incoming.

"Where's Max in this whole scenario?"

Max. It wasn't like Rachel was trying to forget about the girl who practically saved her life, but it was easy to have tunnel vision to anyone else when she was around Chloe. She was like a drug that pulled her out of reality, intoxicating her mind. Slightly dangerous, but it's just who she was.

"We can't just kidnap her to come with us, Chloe. We would have to ask her what she wanted." She shrugged, hands now tangled within the blue hair. It was definitely starting to distract Chloe with her attention pulling from the road ahead. Rachel didn't think the entire inclusion of Max was much of an issue, just a thought of a future undetermined plan.

"Well, would you mind if she came with us?"

The question seemed to come out of nowhere. It wasn't bad nor worrisome, but the manner in which Chloe said it sounded nervous. She spoke extra carefully, leaving each word to draw out in a way that felt like she wasn't sure if it was even okay to ask.

"No, of course not." Rachel frowned, noticing the subtle shift of tone. She was beginning to feel slightly tense, and Chloe's constant reminder of Max wasn't helping. Something had been ignited in her that she had been suppressing since the initial meeting in the lighthouse. It felt like the more she hung out with Max and Chloe together, the more she noticed their friendship grow, only further proving the point that she was never going to get that. It was frustrating and lonely. Rachel didn't want to say it, but she hated it. "But Chloe, can we ever just have something to ourselves? Does Max always have to be brought up in every conversation?"

"What?" Chloe looked at her questioningly, not understanding what was happening. It came out of nowhere.

Rachel sniffed and looked out the window, not wanting to answer. She had pulled away from Chloe, creating a sense of distance that was intensely felt.

"Wait," Chloe shook her head, "are you jealous?"

Rachel still didn't respond. Everything was going so good, why did she have to bring it up now? The trees were suddenly getting more interesting. Some deer passed by on the side of the road.

It was a controversial topic, for more reasons she wanted to admit, but Rachel wasn't going to let it go. A fight was brewing. The air inside the truck was becoming suffocating quickly. She didn't even think that any of this was going to come up, but of course it would. Their plan had to involve Max now, an apparent threat that dared to take Chloe away from her. The only person she had left. Fuck.

"She's like my childhood best friend!" Chloe just watched as she became cold, going from one extreme to another in such short notice. It hurt, but that was Rachel Amber for you. "That's so not fair."

She had no idea where it was all coming from, especially since Rachel was acting extremely friendly with Max throughout the time they spent together. They all hung out with no signs of any problems. It was almost to the point that Chloe was feeling replaced, let alone Rachel. This was random.

A sharp sigh was heard. "How do I know you won't leave me for her then?"

"Seriously? That's what you got from what I said?" Chloe shifted the gear even higher, going well above the speed limit. Debris were flying everywhere in the rearview window. This was getting more heated than she planned for. "You and I aren't even together, so why would it matter?"

Chloe's words hung in the air like a dark cloud. Rachel sat speechless, unsure of what to even say. Her breath was getting heavier, chest heaving with anger that wasn't going to go away soon.

There was no way she just said that.

"Oh, we're not?" Rachel crossed her arms and practically glued herself to looking out the window, now avoiding Chloe at all costs. "Great. You can just take me home."

Chloe rolled her eyes. She didn't want to fight, especially not about Max, and now definitely not about their complicated relationship. Neither one should have been an issue to begin with.

"That's not what I meant. You know we haven't labeled anything." She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, biting back her words. She knew she shouldn't have even said anything, especially after hearing Rachel call herself moments ago Chloe's 'smoking hot girlfriend' in her supposed plan. A little saying that was said as a joke, intended as a potential opening to her actually calling herself that, but they both knew it had much deeper undertones. Chloe knew she should've been listening more, not zoning out. Not taking for granted the person who was sitting right next to her.

"Why the hell not?" Rachel hissed back, "So me living at your house for over a month isn't enough? What about the years we had? Did that mean anything to you?"

Arcadia Bay seemed miles away by this point; it was like they were never going to get back. This drive was becoming excruciating. Painful, even. A loud bolt of lightning cut through the sky. The rain was coming back out of nowhere. Compared to everything else happening, that wasn't even the strangest thing.

"God," Chloe groaned, laying back in the seat irritated, "You don't think I'm tired of this shit, too? I can't read what you want all the time!" She threw her hands in the air.

"When have I ever shown you that I wasn't interested?"

"Uh…when you hooked up with Frank? When you were hanging around a goddamn serial killer?" Chloe's voice was blazing in frustration, so desperately wanting to get out of the damn truck and walk around or something. It was probably the worst possible place they could be having this conversation.

It didn't matter how many times Frank Bowers and Mark Jefferson were brought up. It didn't matter how many times Rachel tried to explain herself. It was never good enough for Chloe. It wasn't just getting on her nerves, no, it was well past that. Now, Rachel was furious. Whatever she said about her reasoning to be involved with those two was ineffective, so now it was time to go down a different route.

Rachel just glared at Chloe. "Maybe I didn't want to, ever thought of that?"

The interior of the truck went eerily quiet. It was something Rachel didn't mention before, mostly because it didn't matter much anyways. Chloe wanted the details more than what she was actually feeling. It made sense then, and not because Chloe didn't care about Rachel's feelings, but because it was easier to blame someone else than the person who was standing in front of you telling you horrible things. God, why did everything have to be so difficult now? It never used to be like this. They both would hang out in blissful ignorance, letting life go by them one day at a time, not taking anything too seriously. But they weren't fifteen anymore, and this wasn't just some small town drama.

"What the hell do you mean Rachel."

"Forget it." She waved her off, hoping the interrogation was over with. "I understand that Max is your best friend, I–"

"No," Chloe sharply cut her off. She wasn't done with this conversation. "We need to talk about it. I heard what they said at the courthouse. Did they seriously rape–"

"Don't you dare fucking say it, Chloe." She felt herself shudder at the word.

The courthouse. The trial. The pictures on the damn projector. That stupid word that everyone was starting to bring up now. Rachel closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. She couldn't handle anything else being pointed at her, blaming her for more problems. Let alone the fact that all of it could be true. No, it was true. She just couldn't admit it to herself. She couldn't handle her not having a say in it. Everything was a reminder of something so terrible, so horrific that it was like a little game, forcing her to play. Why did Chloe have to take an innocent little conversation and turn it into this?

The gravel road seemed to be the world's longest road in the history of roads at that point. Maybe it should win an award called 'The Road That Never Ends, Especially When You Desperately Need It To, Because You'll Be Stuck Inside A Vehicle Talking About Stressful As Hell Topics Without A Way To Escape.' Yeah, that sounded good. Who was anyone kidding, Rachel was going to have to face that difficult question one way or another.

"Okay, let me make it more PG for you." Chloe pressed harder. "Did they take advantage of you? Did Frank fucking groom you?"

She really went there. Rachel sat speechless, unable to say anything back. It was all hurting. Rachel Amber, groomed by Frank Bowers. No. She was boiling over with rage.

"Because it damn well looks like it, Rachel. Being sixteen with a thirty year old drug dealer isn't the best look for you."

Rachel looked at Chloe with disbelief. She said it all, no hesitation. "When are you ever going to care about anyone else but yourself? If you think those things happened, why not…I don't know…" She threw her hands in the air, frustrated, "Fucking help me through it!"

"I tried! I–"

"Look, maybe it did happen, maybe it didn't. I don't know. I don't…" Rachel was starting to choke up. "...remember." She had completely turned away, not able to face Chloe. She desperately needed her, but at the same time, any effort to say it out loud was only pushing her further away. Everything was coming out of the shadows, working its way into the present moment.

"...Are you serious?" Chloe started to speak softly, throwing Rachel off guard, "I thought it was all your idea." She watched her just sit there and try to ignore her, only making Chloe more frustrated. "You said it was your idea! I didn't know they did that to you!"

Thankfully, the road was coming to an end, now with Chloe angrily pulling into an empty parking lot on the outskirts of Arcadia Bay. The truck swayed around the corner, whipping across the half-painted lines.

"The next time I see Frank I'm going to fucking kill him." She mumbled under her breath.

Rachel buried her head in her hands, "No, you're not. He doesn't deserve it." She didn't want to go over it again, time after time explaining more details. It was seriously affecting her and her wellbeing.

"What else don't I know then? Because it seems like you're still keeping shit from me."

"That's it, Chloe! I've told you everything I know! It's just," Rachel was starting to get desperate, feeling like she was about to fall apart. "When is it going to be me? When are you actually going to choose me for once…" She was becoming standoffish, something that was difficult to calm down once started.

Chloe sighed. "Is this still about Max? So I can't have multiple best friends? From Frank to this…" She reached over to put her hand on Rachel's back. "You're acting hella crazy right now."

"I see how you act with her." It was barely a whisper. Rachel's voice carried a level of hurt that was unbearable.

"How?" Chloe leaned in closer, trying to hear better.

Damn, what was going on?

"Don't make me say it."

"What are you talking about, Rachel?"

Rachel sat up angrily, pushing Chloe's arm away. "You're so touchy with her! All the fucking time! Like you two need to get a room." She crossed her arms and looked back out the window, breathing heavily in frustration, "I saw you and her at the courthouse. Don't pretend I didn't."

"See what? That she was having a panic attack?" Chloe sat back, separating herself from her. She didn't want to fight. "I'm sorry she has bizarro superpowers and I got worried. I should've known that little miss perfect wanted all the attention to herself."

Rachel scoffed. "Are you fucking kidding me, Price."

The rain had started to pick up rapidly once more, with the wind blowing the downpour forcefully against the windshield. It was loud. Too loud.

"Oh," Chloe sighed again. "So we're using last names now?"

Calling each other by their last names was only done if they were mad at each other, or in some kind of playful way, which definitely was not happening. It had been a while since either one had said it, making it bite a little harder.

Nothing about the conversation, now turned into an argument, was making any sense to Chloe. It came out of nowhere, with Rachel appearing envious of her and Max spending any sort of time together. It wasn't unlike her to act like this, especially if she felt threatened by other people, but this was a completely different story. Max wasn't threatening what they had, and she would be horrified to even know about Rachel feeling this way. She needed to grow up.

"What about when I'm upset?" Rachel spoke through the silence that had flooded the truck. Her voice was trembling. "Do you even care?"

Chloe didn't even look over at her, eyes fixed on the view out the window. She could barely recognize where she was at, feeling turned around by the distinctive barren scenery. It didn't even feel like it was connected to Arcadia Bay, let alone Oregon. There were only a few trees in sight, as opposed to the gravel road surrounded by lush forest that they came from nearby, but the majority of the landscape was some type of grassland, rolling over hills. Occasionally a car would pass by on the street, but it happened so infrequently that it felt like they were alone in the middle of absolutely nowhere.

"I don't know why you're so jealous, Amber." Chloe ran her hand through her hair, frustrated, "I don't get it."

"Why do you think?" Rachel narrowed her eyes at Chloe and shook her head. Everything was pissing her off, and Chloe's nonchalant attitude about it all was only heightening that feeling. "So you tell me that you called me your girlfriend at the hospital, you come over to my house and nothing happens–"

Chloe held up a finger, almost trying to silence her. "Don't even start that shit. You know I would've done whatever you wanted."

The subtle innuendos, followed by hints of regret. Chloe knew deep down that Rachel wasn't really all that bothered by Max. There was no way that was even possible. It couldn't be. Rachel was good at faking her personality to get what she wanted, but there was nothing to get with Max. She didn't do anything. All she did was show up from practically saving the world, and asked for nothing in return. There was something much bigger going on underneath the surface, and it felt like it had nothing to do with anyone else other than Chloe.

Rachel continued, "I pack all of my stuff to stay at your house and we barely even talk. Let alone be in the same fucking room. You practically forced me away whenever I got near you."

"No, it's okay!" Chloe waved her hands around sarcastically, "You didn't tell me that you were seeing other people behind my back. Nope, that didn't happen. Forgive and forget, huh?"

Rachel just shook her head again, trying to ignore everything Chloe was saying. It wasn't worth it to her to respond to it all. "And after two whole months, you still act like you like Max more than me. If you do, just say it. I don't care anymore."

"I don't like her in that way, Rachel! She's my fucking friend!" She sighed heavily, beginning to feel overheated. The one thing Chloe hated more than anything was being blamed for things, whether she actually did them or not. "…more than you'll ever be." She hissed.

"Take that back right now."

Chloe was stubbornly quiet, with her thumb tapping on the steering wheel in a way that was driving Rachel crazy. Tap. The silence felt like a weight suffocating her. This wasn't the time to stop talking. Tap.

"Chloe."

"I act like I like Max more than you?" She glared at Rachel, before turning her attention back to the side window. The parking lot appeared to be a lot more exciting than the conversation inside. "Jesus, Rachel, you're starting to sound like Elliot. Pick me, choose me…seriously?"

Rachel cringed at the thought. Being compared to Elliot was like the worst possible person she could be compared to, and there were some close seconds. Yeah, she might have watched Chloe for a bit in high school, glancing in her locker to see what she was into. Overhearing that she was going to the Firewalk concert at the Old Mill. But she wasn't some stalker. She was just observant. Fascinated with the human condition. Either way, it didn't matter. Chloe didn't seem like she cared all that much about her in return, at least, based on how she was acting. Fuck. They both were silent in the truck again.

The parking lot was completely deserted, glistening from the heavy rain and rushes of water pouring into the drains. Though, there was one thing that seemed to have caught Chloe's eye, as it was shining brightly in the distance. A camper. It was a rather large one, maybe twenty or so feet long, parked underneath some trees. It wasn't one that you would see often, as it was wrapped in metal, and had a more rounded shape to it. The details were hard for Chloe to make out from where they were parked, but she could distinctly see a little 'for sale' sign that was duct taped on the window. It was making her a bit curious, pulling her out of the heated conversation for a moment.

Rachel narrowed her eyes. "So you don't like me. Is that what you're saying?"

"I never said that."

It almost, in a strange way, seemed planned for that camper to be there. Of all the parking lots Chloe could have pulled into, something that was a reminder of a future plan that wasn't shaping up to happen anymore, just had to appear. Asking and begging for attention. And of course it was parked in some place that they didn't recognize, a part of northwestern Oregon that was for the most part, uninhabited. She would have to check it out, most definitely, but would have to wait until Rachel calmed down or something. She was wound way too tight over an issue that wasn't really that important.

The entire time, Rachel watched Chloe not respond, zoning out into the distance and pulling herself out from the conversation. But there wasn't time for any daydreaming.

"Chloe, I'm tired of you playing these fucking games! Just tell me how you feel!" She hit the side of the door, making Chloe flinch back into awareness. Another bolt of lightning struck across the sky, lighting up through the gray clouds. The weather was all over the place that day.

"Was that weed laced with something?" Chloe was anxiously starting to dig in her pockets, trying to locate the nearly finished joint they shared earlier that day. She couldn't find it, though. "You're not acting like yourself. It's freaking me out."

Rachel shook her head, breathing so heavily she might as well pass out. "I can't keep doing the back and forth. You act one way, then an hour later, you act completely different. How am I even supposed to feel wanted by anyone if they don't act like it?"

"Okay, that's a fucking stretch and you know it. And ever heard of having emotions? Right, you can't handle anyone else more upset than you." Chloe angrily gestured to her, already proving her point. "You have to be the one to steal the show."

"So now you're taking all your problems out on me, cool." Rachel's voice was weak. "'Sad Chloe's fucking sad again.' Maybe you should try giving a shit about other people for once." She was pressed so deep into the corner, it almost looked impossible for her to move out from it.

Chloe was clenching her fists, feeling incredibly trapped. She hated everything about today. The fighting. The yelling. The accusations. She needed it all to be resolved, for the sake of both of them. They couldn't seem to have a normal, healthy talk about anything important. Let alone just a chill afternoon. All of it was bullshit.

"Okay! Enough of the fucking arguing! Jesus Christ, Rachel." She waved her arm in compliance, done with it all. "Where the hell did this even come from? Because I wanted Max to come with us? Is that seriously the problem?"

The tension in the air was thick with unresolved feelings. It didn't help that both of them seemed even farther apart now then when they started. A faint sound of quiet sobs cut through the silence, with Rachel's face buried in her hands. She was shaking, now with her angry front she decided to put on washing away.

"I–" She sniffed. "I shouldn't have said anything."

The sight alone was becoming unbearable to watch. Chloe reached over to rub her back, moving up and down in a rhythmic motion. It wasn't easy for her to just brush everything aside, but to actually show Rachel that she did in fact care about her, it was needed. It was clearly what she was upset about the entire time.

"No, you should've said it sooner. I didn't know it was bothering you this whole time." She hoped it wouldn't set her off anymore, but everything was hard to read at the moment.

"It's just…" Rachel let out a heavy breath, voice beginning to tremble. "...really painful seeing you two be so close. I feel like I'll never be able to have that with you."

Chloe closed her eyes. Dealing with the emotions of Rachel Amber was a job all by itself, with no one really knowing what was going to trigger her at any given moment. Of course she was jealous of Max, though. Of course she wanted validation that Chloe actually cared about her. None of it was surprising. She was incredibly similar to Chloe in the way that they both needed heavy amounts of reassurance for situations to feel safe, and it took a lot to actually feel that way.

"Why can't it just be different? She might have more years on you, but it doesn't take away the fact that you're both completely different people." Chloe shrugged. "I mean, I thought we were pretty close." She scooted closer, wrapping her arm around her even tighter.

"It doesn't feel like it, Chloe."

"So what do you want me to do?" She brushed Rachel's hair back from hanging over her face. "Tell Max to go back to Seattle? I'm not doing that."

Rachel sharply shook her head at the thought. "Just because I'm jealous of what you two have, doesn't mean I hate her. She used her powers to save both of us. Max stays. Plus, we're going to need someone to take all of our road trip pictures." She winked, but it was so sad looking it was almost funny.

Chloe frowned. "I'm not so sure about that plan anymore if you're just going to act weird around her." She ran her hand on Rachel's arm in a soothing way, trying to calm her. It seemed to be working.

"I'm not going to act weird. I just…"

"...didn't like seeing Max and I be so close? I get it. But you could've just said that to begin with. It wouldn't have bothered me." She leaned her head against Rachel's, looking out across the parking lot once more. The windshield was now blurry and covered in fog from the rain letting up. "I knew you would be upset. I'm sure having me constantly talk about her for years on end did a number on you. I don't blame you. I really don't."

Rachel didn't respond. She couldn't. Everything hurt.

"I…I just want you to be happy."

Happy. What a funny word. No one really wanted her to be happy, of all things, Rachel assumed. It must have been a lie. Just like the rest of her life, all filled with little lies and false dreams she could never have. Happy.

"The first thing you said to me earlier was that you didn't know what you wanted. That nobody had ever asked you before. So, let me be the first to ask." Chloe gently wiped away the remaining tears on Rachel's face, trying so desperately to get even closer. "What do you want?"

She lightly laughed, uncovering a raspy voice. "In regards to what?"

"I don't know…" Chloe hesitated, not knowing what Rachel was implying initially, so she took a random guess. "With us?"

She was nearly sitting on the edge of the seat, quite literally, hoping that it wasn't the wrong direction to be going in. It was making her hold her breath back.

Rachel turned to face her directly, realizing exactly where this was heading. "I've said it more than enough times, Chloe. You already know the answer." She held Chloe's face with a tenderness that seemed to come out of nowhere. "I think I need to hear it from you now." Her voice didn't waver. It was soft. Waiting.

Chloe was taken aback. "What do you want me to say? You can't keep doing this…" She groaned, looking at Rachel in a way that was becoming apparent that she was panicking hard.

The feeling of rejection was starting to creep into Rachel's head, stinging the longer Chloe didn't speak. She knew it couldn't be true, but it was hard not to believe. Nothing was black and white between them over the course of the years they spent together, both choosing to do anything else but label their connection. It wasn't because it was wrong, or even embarrassing, it just wasn't their dynamic at the time. They each had their own problems to deal with and sometimes it would take a toll on them, causing them to drift away, only to then come right back to each other in ways other people would find rather…intense. However, the times were changing, and after all the horrible things they all went through recently, Rachel was tired of it being just a casual thing. A confusing situationship. It was challenging for her to even admit, which was half the reason she was making Chloe do it. She wouldn't ever tell her that, though.

"Fine! I like you, Rachel. Literally have for years." She raised her hands, sighing. The tension was immediately lifted from the air and Rachel was starting to love what she was hearing. She waited too damn long for this. "God, what am I, fifteen years old? Are we really doing this again?"

"Uh huh." Rachel smiled, watching Chloe become flustered. She could get used to this. "Keep going."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "I like you more than a friend, more than Max, more than whatever other shit you're going to try and bring up. I want to be with you. Romantically. In an actual relationship. Together, you and me." She gestured to her, pointing back and forth. "I mean, I thought we were already in one but…" She quickly muttered under her breath, almost too fast for Rachel to catch. "There, happy now?"

Rachel blushed hard, tucking her hair behind her ear in such a way that she didn't know what to do with herself. Chloe had gone a lot farther than she thought she would.

"Now was that so hard?"

"I don't know, need me to get on one fucking knee too, little miss sunshine?"

"I mean…" Rachel just looked at her, eyes sparkling. She finally admitted it. "No, that was good enough."

"Yeah?" Chloe reached over to hold her face, slowly pulling herself closer, "How good?"

"Hella good." Rachel followed her movement, getting so close their lips were practically grazing against each other. They were so close to having their own moment, wrapped tightly in a way that only made sense to them until suddenly, a harsh knock on the driver's side window appeared. She shut her eyes, fury bursting from the seams. "...oh for fuck's sake."

"Price." The voice was muffled, coming from outside of the window. "I need the money you owe me. It's been months. Now."

Frank.

Rachel buried her head in Chloe's shoulder, "You have to be kidding me." She wanted to scream so badly but no sound was coming out. "No fucking way."

"What is he doing here?" Chloe held her, trying to think of a plan. She really didn't want to speak to him, especially not right now. He had the worst timing imaginable. "You didn't call him or some shit, right?"

"Obviously not!" Rachel hissed. "You think I want to see him?"

"I don't have all day!" Frank yelled, pounding his fist harder on the side of the truck. It was making both of them feel rushed.

"Shit. Shit. Shit." Chloe urgently looked at Rachel, who was now covering behind her, trying to hide. The dried raindrops and remaining fog on the windows was helping Frank not be able to see inside. They were hoping at least. "Just a second man! Hold on!" Chloe leaned over and whispered to Rachel, "Don't move. I'll…go talk to him." She tried to cover her with her jacket, hoping that it wouldn't look too ridiculous.

Right before Chloe was about to open the door, Rachel grabbed onto her arm. "Don't…do something you might regret, Chloe."

It was a simple demand, but one that needed to be taken seriously.

Neither of them knew what the next few moments were going to bring. It was either going to be another fight, arguments setting everyone back to yet another starting point and filling them with more pain, or it was going to be no big deal. There was absolutely no way to tell.

Chloe stepped outside the door, trying to sneak out in such a way that hid Rachel from Frank's sight, but the entire thing just looked incredibly suspicious.

"You're hiding something, Price." He leaned in closer to look inside, only for Chloe to match his moves. "What the fu—" As the door creaked open, Rachel appeared in the corner of the truck, wrapped in Chloe's jacket. Frank was shocked. "Rachel?"

She was the last person he thought he was going to see.

Frank nearly shoved Chloe to the side, uncovering the inside of her truck like it was some kind of lion's den. However this time, the lion inside wasn't ravenous and ready to fight. She was completely silent.

Frank looked back at Chloe, then to Rachel, "I saw you at the trial…" His voice was uncomfortably soft.

Rachel just stared ahead, trying to avoid eye contact. "I'm sure you did. The whole fucking town was there."

If she spoke without showing any emotion, he would just leave, right?

There wasn't a better option.

"I guess you got into some legal trouble then. I can't believe I sold that shit to Nathan." He crossed his arms, looking down at the wet pavement. "We wouldn't be in this mess if—"

"We?" Rachel harshly cut him off.

Frank narrowed his eyes. "Do you speak French now? You know, you and me, just like old times…" He had completely ignored Chloe by this point, almost forgetting that she was standing right next to him.

"I don't want to talk, Frank." She sighed. "I'm done."

The jacket that was wrapped around her still smelled like Chloe. A mixture of smoke and a bit of musk, earthy and warm. A sense of home. A gentle distraction. Chloe. It was the only thing she was holding on to, almost as a sense of protection of the harsh world.

Frank impatiently looked back at Chloe, almost seeming annoyed that she was still there. "Oh, so you're back with Price again, huh?" He knew he interrupted something, something he wasn't a part of. It was starting to get on his nerves. "Is that what this is all about?"

Chloe was angrily tapping her feet, anxiously waiting for the conversation to end. "Look man, why don't you just leave."

"I'm not leaving until you give me your money." Frank turned around to face her directly. "We've been over this before."

"I don't have the money right now." Chloe sighed, watching as Frank had his hand on the side door, leaning on it in such a way that almost seemed like he owned her truck. Everything about the guy was infuriating. Though, something caught her eyes as he was standing like that. Something on his wrist. "Hey," Chloe looked closer, only to recognize what he was wearing. No fucking way. "That's Rachel's bracelet! Why the fuck do you have her bracelet?"

Another lie. Another disappointment. Chloe knew about Rachel's involvement with Frank, now to the point that he was taking advantage of a young teenage girl, but seeing her bracelet made Chloe go over the edge. She wanted to punch him, maybe do something worse…where was that gun she had? She had forgotten where she had put it, which was a little irresponsible as it was still loaded with the few remaining bullets from her time at the junkyard. Did David find it and lock it back up in the garage? Arcadia Bay wasn't safe now without some kind of protection, and this was mere evidence of that.

Rachel didn't say anything, or even try to explain. She knew better than to get involved. She sat back and just listened.

"Calm yourself." Frank extended his arm out, "It was a gift."

A gift. Yeah right.

"More like a threat." Was suddenly heard from the car, followed by a long sigh.

Frank laughed, looking back between the two. "Right. Well, you two have fun. Or don't. I don't give a shit." Oh, he definitely cared, but he definitely wasn't going to show it. No way. Frank began to slowly walk closer to Chloe, only watching her face grow more aggressive. Her fists were held tight, waiting for him to just move a little closer…just a little bit more so she could give him a taste of his own medicine. But Frank instinctively stood back a ways to leave a bit of space. He didn't go there to fight. "I'm going to need the money soon, alright?"

"Yeah." Chloe scoffed. "Whatever man."

Frank turned around and left, not doing anything else too threatening. Thankfully. Maybe he was only there for cash, but it didn't feel real. What was he even doing on this side of town in the first place? How did he know where Chloe was going to be? It almost seemed too deliberate. His RV suddenly swerved out of the parking lot, driving away into the far off distance, leaving Chloe and Rachel to pick up the pieces for yet another time that day. They couldn't have one fucking moment to themselves. Not a single one. Chloe wasn't having it though, and resulted in walking as far away as she could just to have a second to herself. She couldn't face Rachel with yet another problem she didn't need to have. For her sake.

Everybody lies. No exceptions.

The world was a complicated place, one that seemed to harbor more pain than anything else. It wasn't really anyone's fault, other than their own. The truth was, Chloe didn't care about Frank wearing Rachel's bracelet. She couldn't. Rachel had explained to her far too much, and had gone under far too much stress for it not to be the reason she said it was given. A threat. A story wasn't given, nor was it needed. Chloe didn't need to know about whatever happened for Frank to end up with it. It would probably drive her to do something irreversible, something she didn't want to think about. Chloe wasn't one to go to such extremes, unless it was to protect either her or someone she cared about. If anything, the thought that Rachel was possibly hurt years ago by him made her more upset than anything else. Frank wasn't the most welcoming or caring guy, and just imagining him doing the same things she and Rachel did made her feeling uncomfortable. It still didn't feel real that they ever hung out.

Chloe had made her way over to the camper that was for sale, pacing around it thinking. It seemed to bring this sense of comfort, almost like a siren's call. It was strange how a large chunk of metal on wheels could be a safe haven for her, but it was. She tried to jump up to look in the windows, but they were blacked out, making it hard to see anything inside. A little sticker was by the entry door, partially scratched out. Chloe ran her finger over it, feeling the rough texture. It was a little hard to see what it said, but upon looking closer, the sticker read 'Not All Who Wander Are Lost.' She smiled to herself. How fitting.

One thing William taught her when she was younger was that when you're about to buy a vehicle, you should always do a full body inspection. You don't want to pay more for a piece of junk that isn't worth it and get screwed over later. So in taking that advice, Chloe crouched down underneath to try and spot any rust—or any other potential problems with the camper, but ended up getting her pants soaking wet from the ground. Damn. She totally forgot that it was raining beforehand. Now she had to drive several miles sitting in wet jeans? Maybe she should go pants-less, she thought. Rachel would probably like it. No. Chloe laughed. Tempting. But…not yet, at least.

The camper carried an aura with it that was palpable. One of long lost hope. An inspiration of immortality. Or maybe it was just the heavy air from the rainstorm causing such thoughts. Either way, it was getting a bit chilly out and Chloe really would've liked her jacket right now, but it was left in the car with Rachel. She hoped she wouldn't be too mad at her running off to think, but they both knew that another argument wasn't a good idea for the day. Some space outside of the stuffy truck was desperately needed.

As Chloe was by the front end of the camper, she could hear distant footsteps approaching her, small splashes in the puddles on the pavement. They were only getting closer and closer, until suddenly, arms appeared at her sides, wrapped around from the back of her. Speak of the devil.

"You're pissed aren't you." Rachel's voice was calm. She kissed the back of Chloe's arm.

"Believe it or not, I'm doing hella good."

She turned around to face her, face beaming with a sudden shift of energy that was surprising. She immediately noticed Rachel still wearing her jacket from the truck, too, but instead of it resting over her shoulders, she was actually wearing it. It was long on her, and she didn't even bother to roll up the sleeves.

"What?" Rachel stepped back, steadily growing concerned. "Really?"

Chloe shook her head. "I trust you, Rach." She reached her arm out to touch the metal of the camper, feeling the large dent on the side. It had clearly been places and had a lot of character from those adventures. Interesting. "We can't keep living in the past. I'm done doing that."

Rachel narrowed her eyes at her. "Are you feeling okay? Now you're starting to freak me out."

Chloe only smiled back, trying to change the subject. "Can you imagine us driving down the coast in this?" She was more so thinking out loud, if anything. "I noticed that it has a front hitch on it. I could hook my truck to it…"

Rachel was nearly frozen in place. She expected a huge blow out fight, maybe one where she would be stranded out here alone, not Chloe acting normal. This was extremely weird. She felt like there had to be a catch.

"The bracelet doesn't mean anything to me, Chloe. I mean, it did when I was little, but after finding out about my dad and Sera–"

Chloe repetitively tapped on the window that had the 'for sale' sign taped on it in green fluorescent duct tape, making a loud clang that interrupted Rachel. Either this was some sick game Chloe was playing, or she really didn't care about the bracelet.

"Frank wanted me to give him something important and I didn't know what else to do then. I was helpless."

Chloe pointed up at the sign, almost theatrically, completing tuning out Rachel's speech. She didn't need to explain herself any further.

"Kind of out of the budget, but a girl can dream, right?" Chloe leaned up against the camper, crossing her arms in a smug way.

Rachel just stared at her. "You're killing me, Chloe."

"Well in that case…" A sly grin was appearing across Chloe's face. One that only appeared when she wanted something. She kicked some rocks around, trying to test Rachels patience. "Let's buy it."

"…what?" Rachel's eyes went wide, stepping even further back. This was getting out of hand by this point. The joke should be finished now. It shouldn't go on this long.

Chloe pointed up at the 'for sale' sign once more. "It's $15k. I say we save up some cash and buy it."

Fifteen thousand dollars was quite a bit of money for something they didn't really need. And the plan wasn't even talked about in detail. It was really just a conversation to pass the time earlier. It wasn't that serious. And plus, buying this camper was a heavy commitment. For both of them. Where were they even going to put it?

"And how do you plan on doing that?"

"Oh, so you're the one asking about plans now?" Chloe teased. "Well, I mean, we'd first have to tell Max."

Rachel nodded. She knew Chloe was feeling hesitant about bringing her up again, but it was never really about Max earlier. They both knew that.

"Alright. And then what?"

"We figure out what she wants to do…" Chloe scratched the back of her head, "and…"

Rachel was starting to walk closer, still with her arms tightly crossed. This was all so unexpected. "And?"

"And…" Chloe anxiously looked around for an answer. She knew Rachel loved it when she had everything figured out as it always made it easier on her, making her feel like she didn't have to be in charge all the time. She did have one idea. "We can work at the diner. I'm sure my mom would love the extra help this summer."

Rachel walked around the camper, considering the idea. It wasn't half bad. It could work. The Two Whales Diner was always packed full during the summer months, especially since it was tourist season and prime fishing time. There was a good amount of money to be made.

"Here," Chloe dug in her back pocket for her phone, only to feel it covered in water. She shrugged it off. "I'll even call the number on the sign right now. 503…24…" She mumbled the numbers, trying to remember them without having to keep looking back up.

"Chloe. Wait."

She hummed, too busy looking up at the number on the sign, and her phone. This was seriously happening. "76..088"

"Are you sure—"

"Hey, I saw that you're selling this camper…" Chloe winked at Rachel before wandering off in the parking lot aimlessly. "The southern part of Arcadia Bay…Yeah. Uh huh."

Her voice sounded like a distant echo by this point, leaving Rachel to inspect the camper that they were apparently now planning on owning. She couldn't believe it. A part of her wanted to feel excited, but it was hard to feel anything good.

The camper itself was in rough shape, mostly covered in hail dents and chipped plastic trim around the exterior. There wasn't much to see, making it seem all the more mysterious. The thing was massive though, almost looking like some kind of tour bus. They would own the road traveling down California with it. It also did solve a lot of problems involving apartments, rent, and locations that were needed in their plan to leave, which was nice.

Chloe briskly walked back over, grinning from ear to ear. "The guy said he'll meet us here tomorrow. Show us the inside and shit."

"Really?" Rachel raised her eyebrow, "Damn, that was fast."

It was fast. A little too fast. She didn't know what was talked about during the phone call, but it was clearly serious. This was changing everything.

"It's gotta be if you're serious about leaving." Chloe wrapped her arm around her shoulder, "Besides, this is better than anything I could've come up with. I think it might actually work."

The plan was back in action. Or Chloe was just running away from her problems by doing something rather spontaneous. Either way, it was making Rachel feel on edge.

Rachel looked down at the ground, kicking some small rocks around with her shoes. "Or someone buys it before us."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Have a little optimism, Rachel. It'll do you some good."

She patted her on the back, like they just won a soccer game. A little rough, and maybe a bit too aggressive, but she couldn't help herself. Chloe was excited about something for the first time in a while that she could make work. There were no instructions or plans needed for this one. Just time and money.


The stairwell at night was only lit by the shadows of the moon, blue light casting onto the wooden floorboard through the window by the front door. Each step felt like a heavy weight, pulling Rachel down into herself. She had wanted to do this all day, but it felt like there was never a right time. Chloe had been so excited and wrapped up in the camper they found in the abandoned parking lot that Rachel didn't get to further talk about anything. She wasn't done with any of it. There was still so much to say, and while it was definitely going to kill the mood, she needed to continue their conversation from earlier. The atmosphere was relatively quiet as nearly everyone in the house had gone to bed by this point. Slowly sneaking up the stairs trying so cautiously to not wake anyone up, with each step creaking underneath her, she finally made her way up to the door to Chloe's room. It was closed shut. The cracking white paint was right in her face, daring her to open it.

Just get it over with, Amber.

She took a deep breath before turning the metal handle. She was feeling on edge.

Upon entering her room, she immediately noticed Chloe hunched over at her computer sitting so uncomfortably it was making her own back hurt. The warm glow from the laptop screen lit up her face, casting large shadows that seemed to dance on the walls. She was so consumed by what she was looking at that she didn't even hear Rachel entering. There was a stillness in the air, but it wasn't necessarily uncomfortable.

She slowly walked over and ruffled the blue hair, peaking over her shoulders at the screen. "Whatcha doin'?"

Chloe was on various off-grid living blogs and websites, reading everything from how to maintain a camper, to installing solar panels, to dispersed camping locations in California. There were so many different tabs open it was starting to give Rachel a headache. Chloe was taking the plan a little too literal. And living off-grid? They never talked about going to such an extreme, but it made sense. Living out of a camper meant that you could practically live anywhere, only until someone kicked you out. Rachel did know however, that anything involving that kind of living meant staying in the middle of nowhere, probably in the desert if it was in California, filled with wild animals and creepy bugs. Not to mention being alone and having to be self-sufficient. It wasn't quite the dream life she was picturing initially. This would take some getting used to.

"You know, just…" Chloe rubbed her eyes. She had been researching all of this for quite some time, not resting until she planned it all out. "...trying to figure everything out. I really want this to work out, Rachel. This could be it."

"I know. Me too." She left a lingering touch across her shoulder before making her way next to Chloe, leaning back on the desk.

As much as Rachel wanted to have that conversation, she couldn't. Talking about their futures and turning into adventurous nomads was an interesting turn of events, one that if anything seemed a little daunting. Living out of a camper by itself was its own experience. It wasn't going to be as easy as Chloe was imagining it to be, but she would let her dream for now until further plans were made.

"Chloe," She paused, holding back her breath. "I owe you an apology from earlier."

Chloe turned to face her, reaching over with her arm. "Hey, it's okay. I get it."

Rachel was chewing on the inside of her lip, anxiously waiting. God, she really didn't want to do this. She knew it was going to upset Chloe. She could feel it. But there wasn't an easy way for her to talk about her feelings.

"But what's done is done, you know?"

Chloe was being so soft to her. Her voice was low and full of patience. It was practically killing Rachel to hear.

"No. I mean it." Rachel crossed her arms, now turning around to peer out the window. She was acting too restless. It was rather dark out, especially with it being close to midnight by this point, without any street lights turned on in the distance. She sighed heavily. Rachel was letting this eat away at her all day and saying it now wasn't making it any easier. If anything, it seemed impossible. "I really meant it when I said that I don't know what I'm doing. Because I don't. And clearly, because I almost just fucked this up, just like how I fuck up everything else in my life."

Chole frowned. "You didn't fuck up anything. What, because of Frank?"

Rachel played with the hairband around her wrist, twisting and snapping it against her skin. She hoped it would distract her enough to not unleash all of her emotions in front of Chloe right then and there. It was coming fast and she could already feel it building up. It was going to be painful. She felt like she was choking.

"Rach, I know the whole story with him." Chloe rubbed her thumb against Rachel's arm, but she didn't even notice, too distracted by her own thoughts. "I haven't thought about it since it happened. It's okay, I'm not mad."

Chloe had been way too engrossed in the camper to even care about Frank, which was nice. Rachel noticed it earlier, though at the time, it felt too good to be true. It was a slight weight off her shoulders to actually hear Chloe say to her face that she wasn't bothered by it, but as for Rachel, she was incredibly bothered by him showing up. It was partially the reason why she hung back by the truck for a while, not just to let Chloe think, but for herself as well. She was equally as furious at Frank for interrupting something rather…important. It only proved that everyone in Arcadia Bay knew everyone's secrets, whether they liked it or not. They didn't have any time to themselves.

Rachel was acting a bit standoffish all day, placing herself at a distance from everyone else to not be considered rude, but far enough away to not be involved. She hid it well, and she doubted that anyone other than Chloe probably noticed. Max had gone off on her own for the afternoon, not mentioning to anyone her plans, and Joyce and David were at work the whole day. But Rachel only acted cold when something was severely bothering her. Chloe stood up from her chair, watching her with a gentle intensity that fostered no judgment or guilt. There wasn't any to give. This was all so sudden.

Rachel cleared her throat, fighting back the growing tightness that was appearing. "Whatever we have between us is special. I don't know how or why…but…" She sighed, now leaving her hairband to instead fidget with the buttons on her shirt. Why was this so hard?

Chloe rubbed her forehead. Everything Rachel was saying was so unrelated, she was becoming confused. This couldn't be about Chloe's confession of her feelings earlier, but she was almost starting to think that Rachel was going to do that same thing back.

"There's something about what we have that just…scares me sometimes." She shook her head, knowing what she was saying probably wasn't making much sense. It wasn't what she really wanted to talk about anyway. "It doesn't matter what I say, or who I blame…it…" Rachel was starting to choke up. "It all ends up being my fault."

"No, don't say that. That's not true at all." Chloe reached over and wiped away some of the tears that were falling down her face. It was breaking her heart seeing her like that. "Are you just feeling frustrated?" She softly asked, patiently waiting.

"Something like that." Rachel sniffed, her eyes welling up with even more tears. "I'm just so fucking tired of this town. Of everyone living in it. Nobody has given me space to do what I want, without judgment."

"Preach sista." Chloe gave her a reassuring smile, holding her the best she could, even if Rachel was resisting it. "I totally hear you. But we will leave. I promise."

The laptop's screen was still brightly shining, illuminating the room with the camping website that was still left up. But it was making it all worse, starting to push her over the edge. Rachel wanted to be happy. She wanted to let go and move on, and live this new life her and Chloe had started to plan. The meeting with the guy who was selling the camper was in less than twelve hours. It was legitimately happening, and Chloe was leading the way in such a manner that was impressive. Rachel just couldn't push aside the idea that despite everything, maybe this time wouldn't be different. Maybe they would be trapped inside Arcadia Bay forever, like an escape room that had no key. She was so incredibly in need of something to go according to plan, pleading for a happy ending that seemed like it was never going to come.

Rachel paused to take a deep breath. It felt like she was saying so many different things at once, and truthfully, she was. It was like she had an internal checklist inside her mind, going down the list for every one of her problems. But if she didn't address everything right now, she was going to lose her mind. No more waiting.

"And I didn't mean all of that about Max. I–" Her voice was shaking in emotion, wavering on each word. "I love that she gets to be your best friend, Chloe. She brings something out in you that I've never seen before. And in me. She's such a great person, who…" Rachel was slowly breaking apart, gripping the desk harder so she would fall over. "...who gave up so much of her life for us. I don't know why I was feeling so threatened by her."

Chloe simply shrugged. "You're allowed to feel uncomfortable with change. It's okay."

"But it's not!" She sobbed out, now struggling to catch her breath. "Everything has gone from zero to one hundred in a matter of months and…I'm not okay, believe it or not."

"That's okay, too." Chloe wrapped her arms around her tighter, hoping that it would calm her down. "It's been a lot."

The subtle touches were soothing in their own way, but at the same time were becoming increasingly painful. They felt sharp. Cutting. Rachel felt so alone, even if Chloe was right there with her.

"Chloe, I feel like Max has given me a second chance at life and…" Rachel looked into her eyes with such desperation, she could break glass. "I don't want to mess it up again."

Max's confession of her powers and life in October wasn't just a simple conversation that happened one night, only to be forgotten about and moved on from hours later. Sure, it might have been that way for Chloe as she was largely unaffected by the news for the most part, but it wasn't that way for Rachel. She didn't dare to mention it to anyone, not wanting to add on to anyone else's stress by becoming some burden. They already had enough of that. It wasn't like she could tell Max about it either, because she didn't know her for long enough for Rachel to feel comfortable being so open. It had only been two months.

"You won't." Chloe gently brushed her hair with the back of her hand, "And even if somehow you do, I won't let it happen."

"I know." Rachel clung onto Chloe's arms, desperately holding on. She was the only thing keeping her together. "You're too good to me, you know that?"

Chloe lightly kissed the top of her head. "Why? Because I listen to you and care about what you have to say? I think you need to raise your standards here. That's just basic human decency."

Rachel buried her face in Chloe's shirt, "Well, I don't deserve it. You put up with so much of my shit…I don't know how you do it." Her voice was becoming muffled and words were breaking apart. Tears soaked through the fabric.

"I've had some practice." Chloe lightly smiled with her head resting on top of Rachel's, holding her in, holding back all of her suffering. She hoped it was enough.

It was intended as a lighthearted joke, but it still wasn't helping. Rachel didn't know how much more to even say, knowing that she already was emotional enough today to last all year. It was becoming draining to cry this much.

"You're the realest person I know, Chloe. Unlike me." She shook her head still under Chloe's grasp. It was rather comforting to be held like that, almost like a weighted blanket. But at the same time, it was quickly becoming unbearable.

Chloe frowned again. "What do you mean? I think you're real."

"I'm not so sure about that anymore." Rachel pulled away. Even though she really didn't want to, she had to be face to face with Chloe, not hiding under her arms. She would make her way back eventually. "I know we haven't talked about it much, but this entire time I haven't stopped thinking about my other life."

"Like what Max was telling us?"

Rachel nodded. "Yeah. The one where I'm rotting away in the fucking junkyard." She crossed her arms, letting out a long sigh that caught on her breath. "That life."

"Don't. That didn't happen." Chloe ran her hands through her hair, trying to calm herself down from everything Rachel was putting on her so late at night. "You're here with me. Safe." She yawned.

Chloe reached over, only for Rachel to block her advances. It hurt to do it, it really did, but she had to.

"It was hours away from happening. You saw the pictures at the trial, right? I'm not making this shit up? Those were of me, tied up, having god-knows-what done to me without me even knowing. Do you even know what that does to someone?" She was speaking through the sobs that were unrelenting. She just couldn't stop crying. "It's ruining my life, Chloe! Was the Rachel that died the same Rachel as me? Is that still my fate?"

"Fuck no! That Rachel doesn't exist because the only one I'm concerned about is the one that's standing right in front of me." She poked her chest, lightly pushing Rachel back. "Alive."

It's like her tears were coming from a well that was overflowing, breaking every barrier that was meant to keep everything in. There really wasn't a rhyme or reason to why Rachel was crying so hard right now, but she just. couldn't. stop. She knew it was coming though. She could feel it building up all day long. For some reason now, Chloe was only making it worse.

"I–" She looked down at the floor, almost embarrassed. "You're gonna be so mad at me but—"

"No." Chloe shook her head. "Tell me."

Rachel buried her face in her hands, shaking from the adrenaline. "Chloe, I've been thinking about this for a while."

She was thinking about something in particular for far too long, actually. There was this little thought in the back of her mind, creeping in during the darker times of her life, or when she was feeling particularly vulnerable. Like now. It was almost like an inner demon. The darkness that lived in Rachel was something she tried to fight off for a while, but she never won. Regardless of if she wanted to say it outloud, Chloe needed to know.

"Thinking about what?" Chloe only watched her get more upset, starting to feel on edge to where this was headed. It wasn't like Rachel to just break down like this. "Rach, what's going on?"

She reached over again, gently grabbing onto her chin to lift her head up, only to see bloodshot eyes filled with an immense amount of pain that definitely wasn't there before. It was excruciating to see. Her face was wet with tears.

"I–I don't know if it's worth it to live anymore." Rachel leaned further back on the desk, frantically avoiding eye contact, despite Chloe still holding her. "I don't see the point."

Chloe's stomach dropped right into the floor. "Don't even say that."

"Why not?" Rachel choked out. "I think whatever is out there is forcing me in that direction, one way or another. It's inevitable."

"No." Chloe sharply shook her head. "There's no way in hell I'm letting that happen. That's a shitty universe if it's telling you to do that."

"Then give me a reason to be here! What's the fucking point if all I keep doing is making mistake after mistake?" Rachel had stormed off across the room, trying to blow off some steam. Being trapped in a little corner of Chloe's room was becoming suffocating. "It just never ends! I can't catch a fucking break!"

Chloe followed her closely, now realizing the seriousness of the situation. Rachel could have done something…something deadly…no. She shook her head trying to compose herself the best she could. They both couldn't be upset. Someone had to be the strong one.

Rachel had her back to her, arms tightly crossed against her chest. "Chloe, don't be surprised if one day, I'm just out of here." Her voice was hoarse.

Chloe stopped immediately in her tracks, eyes going wide. "Shit, I don't want anything to happen to you, Rachel!" She held her hands behind her head. "Do you want to talk with someone about it? Like a therapist or something?"

"Fuck no." She gritted through her teeth.

"Okay…" Chloe was now the one pacing around, trying to desperately come up with a solution to a problem she assumed was pretty dire. She didn't know if this was a recent feeling, or one that was underlying throughout the years. It was stressing her out, making her feel the pressure more than ever.

Rachel was restlessly tapping her feet against the wood floor, waiting. She couldn't dare turn around. She couldn't see the look on Chloe's face. It would break her into pieces.

"Listen," Chloe pinched the bridge of her nose, taking in a deep breath. "Wherever you go, I go. No exception."

She didn't know what more to say. She didn't know it was going to be like this. Things could have gone so much worse. Why didn't she realize it sooner? Why didn't Rachel say anything? It was putting a lot of strain on Chloe, more than Rachel even knew and it was overwhelming.

Rachel was deep in her mind, frantically going over where she could have possibly gone wrong. Everything she said was coming out wrong. It was all worded horribly wrong, putting Chloe in positions she never wanted her to be in. She didn't want her to be responsible for all of her shit. She knew it wasn't fair. But who could she blame? Before, she had used drugs, partying, and destructive life choices to numb herself from the inner pain she felt. It was a cheap escape then, but it worked. For years. It was only until Chloe showed up at the lighthouse that woke Rachel out of the facade she was living in. And it was the most gut wrenching realization she had ever felt. It shook her to her core, completely changing how she viewed the world afterwards. However, now she had to face everything head on, bringing every repressed emotion to the forefront, demanding to be felt.

"I need you, Chloe." Rachel's voice cut through the air as if it was a sharp knife. It was low. Needy. "I need you in my life more than you'll ever know."

The desperation in her voice echoed throughout the room. She didn't mean to come on so strong about it all, but she couldn't help it. Rachel was hurting.

"So what do you want me to do?" Chloe was desperately trying to get closer, bridging the gap between her at such a rapid pace Rachel thought she was going to trip on something. It was pretty dark in the room, especially now that the laptop had turned off from nobody using it. "I'll do anything for you, you know that. I hate seeing you so upset."

The look on Chloe's face was so heartbroken, it was painful to even look at. There was so much weighing on this conversation for Rachel, even more than any other one that she ever had before. It had nothing to do with Max. Nothing to do with Frank, or Jefferson. It had everything to do with herself.

"Promise me that no matter what," Rachel slowly walked closer to Chloe, taking her time in each step. She wanted to draw it out as long as she could.

The air was heavy. Chloe felt like she was drowning. She couldn't take any of this any longer, only wanting to do whatever Rachel needed. All she had to do was say the word, and she would do it without question.

"No matter who decides to show up,"

Rachel firmly grabbed onto her arm. Tears were running down her face, breath shaking on each inhale.

"Whatever past shit gets brought up again,"

She reached up with her other hand to hold onto Chloe's face, still watching the dark floor beneath her. She couldn't bring herself to look at her. Not yet.

"That no matter where we end up,"

She closed her eyes tight, swollen and shaking.

"You won't leave me."

Her words hung in the air like a weight, each one heavier than the last. The intensity of raw desperation Rachel was showing was making Chloe shift uncomfortably. Her mind was racing, trying to find some kind of answer, any kind. "I–"

Rachel shook her head, and finally looked up to meet Chloe's gaze. "I don't want to be alone in a world that you don't exist in."

All of this was so unexpected, so unplanned, that even though she knew what needed to be said, Chloe couldn't find any of the right words to say. She wanted to so badly, it's just nothing was coming out.

Rachel was acting like a version of herself that Chloe barely knew or recognized, one that was so locked up and hidden behind a fake persona that was shown to the rest of the world. She was always a shell of a person throughout the years, even if she didn't want to admit it, masking and hiding the part of herself that was deeply lonely at her core. At the very heart of Rachel Amber, an afraid and scared girl hid behind the dark corners of her being, terrified of being seen. One that was so scared of ending up alone, without anywhere else to go. She kept ignoring her, pushing her away in hopes of something better. But that better was only found where she had initially met it. It was always with Chloe.

"I promise." Chloe said in almost a whisper. Voice so low it was husky. It made Rachel step back from how confident she was. Impulsively, Chloe reached down to grab her hand, looking at her in such a way that was making her blush. "I'm never going to leave you. Ever."

She began to lean in hoping that it was the right thing to do, only to see Rachel closing the space between them in such a way that was possessive, letting every emotion she was feeling overtake her. The entire world seemed to fade away at that moment into a blur. Chloe held her with such care, hanging onto whatever was left of each of them, until their lips met in a passionate kiss. Rachel dragged Chloe even closer, hands on the nape of her neck, with nothing stopping her from claiming what was hers. And hers only. She was starting to lose herself in it.

This wasn't just to make up for earlier in the day, this was something that was a long time coming. After all the days and excruciating weeks that went by without a single touch. No indication of anything felt. Walking on a thin line of barely knowing what was okay to do, and what would push each other over the edge to no return. Feeling a sense of tension that didn't seem to go away. Now, it felt like coming home to a place they always knew they belonged but were lost along the way.

"Hey." Chloe pulled away for a moment, leaning her forehead on Rachel's. Her breath was heavy. Desperate. "I love you."

Three words that held more meaning than either wanted to say. Fuck. It was starting to make Rachel get emotional again. She said it weeks ago in frustration, not ever knowing if it was going to be said in return. Rachel wasn't lying when she told Chloe that they both said it to each other before in the past, because moments like that happened occasionally. They were infrequent, but they did happen. It just was never like this.

God, she really needed to hear it more than she let on, though. Especially tonight. The memories of the past. Some first times, then the last time. Going months without talking. Acting like they were done, even if it wasn't really that official. They danced around labels, going through elaborate shortcuts just to avoid talking about it. The nights Rachel cried alone in her room, asking herself where she went wrong with her sad little life that wasn't shaping up to the version she thought it would be. The days that went by when she was so lost she wanted to end it all without a single care in the world.

Oh, that damn blue haired pirate. The one who always wore her heart on her sleeve, trying to cover it up, but never could because it's just who she was. Chloe fucking Price. The badass. The lover. The broken girl that most never took a chance on. Her Chloe.

Rachel could feel her face burning up, blushing intensely as she reached her other arm up to wrap around Chloe's neck even more. She wasn't going to let go this time.

"I love you so damn much." Her voice was low and raspy, filled with a certain amount of grit that was getting hard to ignore.

She impatiently jumped up with Chloe catching her, holding Rachel by her legs. She crashed hard on her lips again, begging for more. Please more. Her hands were tangled in her hair, messing it up. She loved it though. Being with Chloe was messy and complicated, but she wouldn't have it any other way.

Everything was moving so fast. The world felt like it was spinning. Without breaking contact or wasting another moment, Chloe made her way over to her bed, hoping and praying that she wouldn't trip on anything and drop her, gently placing Rachel down. She was acting so impatient, practically grabbing at Chloe's wrist to pull her closer.

"I need you." She groaned, eyes harboring such a fire that was quickly going to overtake herself. "Now."

Chloe hesitantly obeyed, running her hands along her skin, going lower and lower, wanting to take her time but was feeling the passion quickly overtake herself. She was becoming impulsive and a little needy, and that side of Chloe was a dangerous thing to mess with. A belt buckle was heard undone, followed by wandering hands daring to go further. She wanted it all so much, but felt resistance.

Rachel was feeling the weight of everything she was ever holding back just aching to be released. A palpable tension was growing in the room, only becoming more intense by meeting Chloe's gaze with a certain amount of longing that was quickly becoming burning.

Chloe suddenly paused for a moment, closing her eyes in a way that was evident she was letting something bother her. She shook her head.

"Do you want me to stop? I-" She didn't want to push further in case it was going to upset her. She just couldn't watch Rachel be so hurt by everything again. That, and with all the non consensual shit from Frank—

"No." Rachel knew everything she was thinking and just grabbed onto Chloe's hair, pulling her closer. She only wanted her anyway. The past was over and done with. "Don't ever fucking stop."