Chloe - 8:35am
"So, now the biggest question of them all. How are we going to find her?" Warren asked, slowing down as the truck entered town limits.
It would be pointless, not to mention a huge waste of time, to wander aimlessly around and call Max's name like a dog. Chloe needed to come up with at least a few plans before resorting to that.
Chloe was growing antsy in the back of the truck, her full bladder unable to be ignored much further. "I hope she's somewhere with a bathroom."
To her surprise, Nathan actually seemed annoyed with Chloe. He thought Chloe wasn't taking this seriously. What's it to him? Max was Chloe's girlfriend, her companion, her partner in time. This situation was as serious as a heart attack for her. It just so happened that Chloe wasn't good at thinking clearly when she was about to piss in her pants.
"It's probably a long stretch, but should we check David's place?" Nathan offered up, refusing to look out his window.
"No way, he would have told us by now." Chloe said, shutting out the argument entirely.
"It's something, at least. We shouldn't turn down every shot we have." Warren argued, as the truck stopped at a red light. "We have to have an idea soon, we can't just aimlessly drive until we come up with something."
Chloe sighed. "Okay, yeah. Let's talk to David."
Chloe used to resent David. She always thought of him as William's 'replacement.' He was Joyce's poorly chosen coping mechanism after Chloe's father had died. But that was when she was a child. After everything happened that one fateful week in Arcadia Bay, she grew up, and realized that David wasn't some imposter. He was a man that loved her mother just as much as Chloe did.
There was still a razor thin like of tension that was strung around Chloe and David, one that neither could seem to break, but they learned how to move around it. That was enough for Chloe.
She knew the way to his small house, her and Max would always crash at David's place whenever they visited the Bay. It was never Chloe's first option, but it was cheaper to crash at David's house.
Chloe had to direct Warren where to go, because unlike Max and Chloe, he never stayed at David's place when they were all in town. Despite the many times Max said, "aww, come on Warren; stay at David's place with us. He loves company!" He always gently refused, and got a motel by himself. Chloe found it respectable.
When the truck rolled up to David's small house near the beach, Chloe let out a small sigh. Every time she looked at David, she only saw her mother. Old scars that Chloe knew would never heal. She could tell that even David was burdened with Joyce's loss. It was something they shared in common on a deeper level.
Chloe gulped.
At the door, Chloe gave a couple sharp knocks, then sat back and waited for an answer. For a few long moments, there was no response, and Chloe was worried that David wasn't around; despite his vehicle parked in the driveway.
The sound of a shifting lock came from the door, and David's gruff face poked out. "Hello?"
It had been a while since Chloe had seen him. He looked... bad. His beard was unkempt, and started to grow long. He was always so anal about keeping it trim and 'professional looking,' but this was the look of a man who gave up shaving a long time ago. His eyes were drooping from tiredness, a little red around the edges.
Something twisted in Chloe's gut, and it wasn't her bladder. Something was definitely wrong. for years after Joyce's passing, he kept much better care of himself. He thought it was "what she would have wanted," as he put it. But to see him like this, like he hadn't slept in days. It made worry swirl in Chloe's gut.
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Hellions of Arcadia
Fanfiction"If you died, would anyone care? Would they really care? Maybe, they'd cry for a day. But let's be honest, no one would give a shit, they wouldn't. That's who you are. That's what you are. You're nothing to no one." A continuation of the Sacrifice A...
