Summary: Max Caulfield can rewind time. After the destruction of her hometown, she and best friend/girlfriend Chloe Price learn that Max was adopted and that Max's parents parents were from San Francisco. They head to San Francisco to find Max's birth parents and to see if they know why Max has these powers to rewind time.
A/U: Set post Episode 5 of the game Life is Strange and starting with Charmed Again of Charmed.
Disclaimer: Charmed is owned by CBS. Disney owns Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Square Enix owns the Life is Strange franchise with Don't Nod developing Life is Strange and Life is Strange 2 and Deck Nine developing Before the Storm, True Colors and Double Exposure.
Author's Note: Changes to the source material from the Life is Strange game will be seen in this story to mesh it with the Charmed and Buffy universes (I.E. the fact Max gets nosebleeds and migraines after rewinding time, which no one in Charmed has that kind of detrimental effect to their powers, that I can remember). Buffy Crossover is likely to be minor in this story, that said there is a possible spin-off story set in BTVS. It's why Buffy and Dawn are mentioned here. Can you imagine the changes to BTVS if Joyce had known from the start that the supernatural existed? What if David after leaving Arcadia Bay had become a cop instead of the security officer her was in the game, how would a cop affect Buffy's calling. That's why there is a possible spin-off here.
You do not have to need to have played the game, though it would be helpful. This chapter gives a small recap of a little bit of the game and what I added that gets them to San Francisco.
Prologue
Max Caulfield stood at the edge of the overlook, the iconic Golden Gate Bridge stretching majestically before her. The winds whispered through her hair, ruffling the strands as if they carried the secrets of her extraordinary power. She took a deep breath, her heart heavy with the memories that surged through her mind.
The sky above was a tapestry of orange and pink hues as the sun dipped toward the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow on the bridge. The sight was breathtaking, yet Max's thoughts were elsewhere, lost in the labyrinth of her past.
She turned her gaze to Chloe Price, her best friend, who was watching the bridge with a mix of nostalgia and contemplation. Chloe's blue hair, now a little longer, danced in the wind, and her eyes, once filled with rebellion and anger, now held a softness, a maturity born from the trials they had faced together. Max's thoughts drifted back to the tumultuous events of the past few weeks, ever since she had discovered her incredible ability to rewind and manipulate time through photographs.
In those early days, it had been all about Chloe. Max had used her powers to save her best friend's life repeatedly, rewriting destiny with every rewind. She couldn't help but recall the countless times she had intervened, the near-misses and the moments of sheer terror as she defied fate for Chloe. The bond they shared had only grown stronger, each rewind stitching them closer together, yet also fraying the fabric of time and reality.
Then, the darkness had crept in with Mark Jefferson, the twisted teacher who had kidnapped innocent girls, drugging and photographing them in horrifying ways. Max had confronted this evil head-on, revealing the truth to Chloe's family and eventually helping to bring Jefferson to justice. Her voice wavered as she remembered the trauma she had endured in that alternate timeline when Jefferson had turned his lens on her. The memory of being trapped, helpless under his cruel gaze, still sent shivers down her spine.
And of course, there had been the tornado, that terrifying force of nature that had torn through Arcadia Bay. Max had initially believed it to be her fault, a cosmic reckoning for her repeated interference in the natural order. The guilt and fear that had plagued her in those moments still echoed in her heart. She could almost hear the howling winds, feel the ground trembling beneath her feet as the storm approached.
The last time Max had used a photograph to manipulate time had also been her final time using her powers. She had finally opened up to Chloe, sharing the incredible burden of her abilities and the consequences they held. Together, they had embarked on a journey to mend the tangled threads of fate, rewriting destinies.
First, they had saved Chloe's family, a family Max had grown to love like her own. They had warned Joyce, David, Buffy, and Dawn about the impending tornado, even if it had taken time to convince them. With Max's rewind powers, they had managed to prove the truth, ensuring the safety of Chloe's loved ones. The relief and gratitude in Joyce's eyes, the firm handshake from David, and the tearful hugs from Buffy and Dawn had been worth every moment of struggle.
Next on their mission had been Mark Jefferson's incarceration. The memory of the confrontation was still vivid in Max's mind. She and Chloe had shown David the horrifying truth of another timeline, where Max had been a victim of Jefferson's sinister obsession. They had sifted through mountains of evidence, piecing together the terrifying puzzle until David could see the full picture. When he did, his rage was palpable. David had led the local police to the secret dark room where Jefferson had committed his atrocities, and justice had been served. Jefferson's arrest had been swift, and the dark room had been dismantled, a shrine to his perversion finally destroyed.
Their final duty was to warn their friends, even if some had doubts about the impending tornado. The urgency of the situation weighed heavily on them. Max and Chloe had spent sleepless nights convincing their friends to take shelter at Blackwell Academy, a refuge far from the Oregon coastline, where the tornado's devastation would be less severe. They had pleaded, argued, and sometimes practically dragged their friends to safety. The memory of standing in the hallways of Blackwell, hearing the winds howl outside, was seared into Max's mind.
After the destructive tornado had wreaked havoc on Arcadia Bay, Max and Chloe embarked on a journey to check on their friends, Chloe's family, and ensure their safety. The scenes of destruction they encountered were heart-wrenching. Homes reduced to rubble, streets filled with debris, and the once-vibrant town now a landscape of despair. Yet, amidst the devastation, there were glimmers of hope. Thanks to Max's timely warning, Chloe's family had survived the catastrophe, just as their fellow students at Blackwell Academy had, including Max's closest friends, Kate and Alyssa. The relief in their eyes, the tearful embraces, were moments of profound gratitude and sorrow intertwined.
In the week following the tornado, Max and Chloe made the decision to leave town and head for Seattle, where Max's parents now resided. Vanessa and Ryan Caulfield were immensely relieved that their daughter had made it through the chaos. The reunion was bittersweet; amidst the relief, there was the weight of the stories Max had to tell. Max, ever the truth-seeker, shared the reality of her rewind power with them and explained the incredible events that had unfolded. It was then that they unveiled a long-hidden truth: Max was adopted.
The revelation struck Max like a lightning bolt, igniting a curiosity that she couldn't ignore. She expressed her desire to search for her birth parents, to unravel the mysteries surrounding her unique abilities. Vanessa and Ryan, supportive and understanding, handed her the original birth certificate, revealing her parents as Prue Halliwell and Andy Trudeau. The names felt both foreign and familiar, stirring something deep within her.
As Max aimed her camera at the Golden Gate Bridge, a profound sense of destiny washed over her. The bridge stood tall and unyielding, a testament to endurance and resilience. She remembered an alternate timeline where she had visited San Francisco after winning a photo contest. It made her ponder whether her journey to this city was somehow destined, a convergence of fate and circumstance. She wondered if, had she not rewound time to save Chloe, she might have met her birth parents during that visit. The thought lingered, bittersweet and tantalizingly close.
Chloe's voice pierced through Max's contemplation, bringing her back to the present. "This is hella insane, you know?" Chloe's words captured the surreal nature of their journey, a sentiment that hung in the air like a lingering question mark.
Max nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with determination and a burning curiosity. "I know," she replied, her voice carrying the weight of her quest. "But if they know where my powers came from, I have to find them."
Chloe squeezed her shoulder, offering a reassuring smile. "We'll find them together, Max. Whatever it takes."
As they stood there, the future spread out before them like the bridge they gazed upon, Max felt a renewed sense of purpose. She was ready to confront the unknown, to uncover the secrets of her past and understand the source of her extraordinary powers. The road ahead was uncertain, but with Chloe by her side, Max felt invincible. Their journey was far from over, and as the winds of change whispered through the air, Max knew that destiny was calling, and she was ready to answer.