The next few weeks moved by slowly as Chloe and Max tried to find their way forward. Blackwell had no plans to reopen, so Ryan and Vanessa got Max signed up for the following semester at the local high school. Chloe hated how anxious Max was getting about going back there - she claimed she had some friends at the school that she'd like to see, but she never named names.

Chloe had half a mind to join her and finish up her own high school career, but she wasn't sure she could handle the classic high school bullshit anymore. After talking with the Caulfields, she had started studying for her GED. She still wasn't sure what she was going to do with her life after getting said GED, but it was a start.

She had talked with David a few more times over the phone, which still bothered her ever so slightly. David had recommended looking into doing something trade-based that would let her get her hands dirty. Honestly, it wasn't a bad suggestion, but his following comment that Chloe would be able to support herself and Max with a job like that did weird things to Chloe's stomach.

The way people talked about the two of them made it seem like they were together. It was always "Max and Chloe", "you girls", "when the two of you". She was actually pretty damn satisfied with the insinuation, and her heart fluttered a little every time someone made those comments. But she was still keeping her promise she had made to herself - she wasn't going to tie Max down with any more of her shit.

Besides, she was still waking up Max from her nightmares. Sometimes it was just wordless flailing, sometimes it was muttering that gradually rose to a shout. Max never complained when Chloe woke her up, only buried her face into Chloe's neck every night before drifting off into a slightly more peaceful sleep.

Chloe noticed she was looking more and more haggard, and she wondered if Max was sleeping at all.

A week before Thanksgiving, Vanessa pulled Chloe aside to help with post-dinner dishes. Max and Ryan were arguing over what board game to play - he was a fan of Monopoly, which Max refused to play again since Chloe admitted to cheating the first time. Chloe was smirking from the kitchen as the argument started getting heated.

"She is still upset with you about that game," Vanessa commented, smiling as well. "But with the exception of that, she seems pretty happy with you here."

Chloe cast her a wary look - she had an idea where this conversation was going. "Yep, one world-ending storm is all it takes to reunite former best friends." She knew it was blunt, and knew Vanessa would flinch and tread lightly.

There was a moment of silence as Vanessa turned off the faucet. "I-I regret moving here. For Max's sake," Vanessa admitted quietly. "She was never truly happy here. I don't think she wanted you to know that then."

Chloe could still hear Max and Ryan arguing, but it seemed like Ryan was making headway. "Well, I was never truly happy without her in Arcadia Bay, so, samesies." She heard a little bitterness leaking into her voice, and Vanessa looked slightly ashamed. "I know, you didn't realize it would fuck us both up."

Vanessa was still a little uncomfortable with Chloe's swearing tendencies, but she seemed determined to push past it. "The two of you were always so close...and I wonder how your relationship would have changed if we stayed."

Whoop, there it is. "Are you trying to make me your daughter-in-law?" Chloe brazenly asked, and Vanessa's blush confirmed it. Chloe laughed a little, shaking her head as she remembered her promise. "She deserves someone with...less baggage," Chloe finally admitted out loud. She didn't look over at Vanessa, but could feel her eyes watching. "I don't want her worrying about me anymore than she already is."

"Sweetie, try telling her that." That knowing look was back when Chloe looked up at her, and for just a moment, the little monster in Chloe's chest cheered. A roar of laughter came from the living room as Ryan won the battle, and Vanessa pushed Chloe out of the kitchen to help set up the game.

She was hyper aware of Max for the rest of the night. She kept fighting with her head and the monster taking up residency in her heart on what she should do. From what Vanessa had said, it was pretty clear that Max was open to that kind of a relationship, but Chloe was still hesitant. What if they didn't work like that? What if it tore them apart?

She was lost in those thoughts as she lay in bed once again, Max coming back in from the bathroom after getting into her pajamas. She had slipped under the covers per usual, laying on her side facing away, when Chloe made part of a decision.

"Just get over here, Mad Max, you're gonna be groping me in the middle of the night anyways." Max put her head up, looking back at her with wide eyes. After a moment of hesitation, she rolled over, slowly snuggling closer. Chloe was very aware of Max's face against her neck, and protectively put her arms around the girl. She could feel tension within Max's body slip away. "Shit, you must really like getting all touchy feely."

Chloe could feel Max's smile against her neck. "I always sleep better like this," she whispered, almost too quiet for Chloe to hear. It was definitely the most relaxed she'd seen Max in the past few weeks. "I just feel...safe."

Reflexively, Chloe kissed the top of her head. She felt Max stiffen for a second before sighing happily. "I got you, Max," she murmured into her hair, and she tried to force herself to stay awake until she felt Max's breathing slip into a sleeping pattern.

Chloe opened her eyes, looking around in the bright sunlight. Why am I at American Rust? It most definitely was the junkyard - she knew it well. She wandered for a little bit, looking around, before spotting a familiar figure near one of the beat up cars. "Dad?"

William looked up at her, a smile forming on his face. "Hello, sweetheart!" As Chloe grew closer, she felt her knees trembling a little bit. Stumbling, William reached out and caught her. "Whoa now! When did you get two left feet?"

There were tears running down Chloe's face. "Dad, it's been so long..."

"I know, I know. I just figured you'd want to talk to me at some point." He patted the hood of his burned out car, and Chloe took a seat, still watching him. He looked back, love and patience and understanding in his eyes.

"M-mom." It was all Chloe could get out, and William frowned as she broke down, leaning into him. "She didn't deserve this, Dad," she cried, pounding into the car with her fists. "She didn't deserve this, it should have been me!"

"You know your mother would have said the same thing if it had been you dying in that bathroom," he said, an arm slung around her shoulder. "Believe me, she'd be very proud of how strong you've been this last month."

She nodded. Chloe wiped at her eyes, looking back up at William. "Max is back, too."

A big smile spread across William's face, and it warmed Chloe's heart. "Little Maxine Caulfield! Oh, I can remember how cute you two were together as kids." He gave her a playful shove with his free hand, still holding on to her shoulders. "Your mother and I always thought you two were perfect for each other."

Chloe groaned. "Not you, too."

William laughed. "What? It's just the truth. She was always good at talking you down from your crazier ideas, and you gave her such confidence, you should have seen it." He gazed off into the distance, lost in some memory Chloe could never have. "I wish I could have seen you two as teenagers. You would have been one hell of a riot to watch."

Chloe shrugged his arm off at that, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees. "But we didn't get to be teenagers together, Dad. She moved away, remember?"

William sighed. "I know." His eyes narrowed as he looked around. "It's a shame this place is gone now."

"What?" And as she blinked, the junkyard was suddenly darker, the piles scattered and the ground covered in debris. She looked up at her dad, who watched her solemnly. "Dad, what's-"

"Take care of yourself, Chloe." The lights started shining as they always did, and Chloe stretched a hand forward to try to grab him out of the way from the truck that always came-

She woke up, her breathing unsteady and her heart pounding. She looked down to see Max still curled up next to her, an arm flung carelessly over her rib cage. She leaned her head closer to Max's, taking a deep breath. She could smell Max - she smelled like warmth and nostalgia, happier days long gone. She took a few more steadying breaths before looking at the clock on Max's side of the bed - 7:03AM.

Max hadn't woken her up from a nightmare for the first time since the storm.

Chloe almost shook her awake out of excitement, but forced herself to wait. It only took a half hour before Max started stretching, slowly coming back to consciousness. She lifted her head, hair sticking up in odd spots, to wish Chloe a good morning. Her eyes were only half open, and Chloe couldn't help but think about how adorable she was when she was half asleep.

"How'd you sleep?" Chloe asked, a grin spreading over her face as Max settled back into her.

"Really good," she murmured. Chloe waited a minute to see if Max figured it out herself, and sure enough, her head came back up, eyes wide open now. "I didn't- you didn't-"

Chloe grinned back at her. "If I knew you just wanted to cuddle all night, I would have started doing this a month ago." Max rolled onto her back, looking up at the ceiling with a strange smile on her face. The sudden absence of her warmth gave Chloe a chill, and she pulled the blankets higher around her neck in response. "What'cha thinking about over there?"

Max looked over at her, a slightly crazed look in her eye. "Nothing, really...just about how glad I am that you're here." At that, Max started blushing a little bit, and she stared back up at the ceiling as if to avoid further eye contact.

"Your mom seems happy that I'm here, too," Chloe commented, making sure to put some extra meaning behind her words. Max looked over at her, suddenly alarmed. "It's hella cute that you're crushing on me, honestly."

Max hid her face behind her hands, groaning. "She wasn't suppose to say anything!"

Chloe was fighting a war against her chest again, and by some miracle, her head won. "C'mon, time to get out of bed before your parents think we're doing something scandalous." Max's face was flushed red, and Chloe laughed. "You know you love me," she teased, and Max somehow got redder as she stormed out of the room.