TW; Mentions of blood, and a good bit of language.
There was a shadow in the corner of the room, when she finally took a look. Her brain told her it was a flicker, another one that she was falling through, but her heart knew that shadow. The fear buried deep in her told her it was Maxine, but no.
It was taller, sharper.
It was Chloe.
Chloe-Her Chloe. Trusty beanie crumpled in her hand, before she tossed it into a nearby chair.
And with every ounce of strength she had she tried to sit up, but all she managed to do was rattle the bindings on her wrists.
Wait.
For the first time she felt the scratchy sheets on her legs, and the bandages on and over her left eye, matting her hair back and sticking to her neck. She felt dirty.
She leaned back, shock turning her body cold. She blinked, watching Chloe scrub at her face, pissed off and sad.
She was strapped to a hospital bed by her wrists and feet, She had enough consciousness to know that. And her throat was sore, as was her head. Her nose was dry, the painful kind, scratching with every breath. She fought off her incoming panic attack, and surprisingly managed to do so. The shadow moved, head whirling back to her, and wow. It took what little breath she had.
Sobbing, absolutely sobbing and crying, running to the bed with a sad squeal and sad rushed words, an embrace that she tried to give back but couldn't right now, so she settled for burying her head on a bare shoulder. The faint pressure made her head throb. "Chloe-" She managed, before she kissed the skin."What happened? I can't see-" it slipped out, but it was setting in that her left eye wasn't working and blinking was painful. Dry, not like an eye should be.
The body grew stiff, and then she was held at arms length. A hand gently urging her to lay back and settle. There was a secret in those eyes, swirling and tempting her, tainting her expression. She swallowed, thickly, rubbing her thumb over her shoulder bone.
"You remember me, right?"
How could I forget?
"Of course I do!" She laughed through the pain, trying to soothe the girl in front of her."Just... not how I got here."
"Promise?" A waver, a wave waiting to be unleashed.
She nodded,"Chloe." Her voice was steel."I promise."
A shaky relieved breath, as she took a seat at the edge of the bed. She looked at Max and smiled small, before biting her lip and letting her expression fall.
"I'm just glad you're alive, you fucking idiot." The words were a shock, as her eyes, or eye, got so big she could feel it, and her heart skipped."My hypothesis, which is very much different from the lie I keep telling the doctors, is that you got trapped in a flicker and almost bled out."
Bled out? What the fuck?
When? Where? How?
The questions were running rampant in her head, but her voice failed her for the moment.
"H-how? I wasn't-" She managed, but scoffed in disbelief.
"You were dreaming. You woke up, woke me up choking and bleeding every... god, fucking everywhere Max. We were in Seattle, at your parents and- I drove you here- we all did but..."
"Were?" She squeaked, focusing on the fear striking word.
"They aren't with us anymore, like here. Their still in Seattle. I called them. They're fine."
She didn't remember that. Not at all. Not even the slightest but, she kind of remembered her admittance to the hospital after. The lights and the flashing and voices. Not the bleeding out, shit almost dying. Nothing.
"They've been testing you like crazy but can't find anything. But uh. They are worried you have a brain...tumor...but their CT scan machine thing keeps crashing when they try and take pictures-"
Her heart stopped as Chloe started to shake.
"But I know, that it's bullshit. There's no way it's just your powers fucking with you-like always. Your um- your eye is-"
"A blood vessel ruptured but, and they don't know why but it's really bad and now it's-" She gripped the bridge of her nose, curling in on herself."I should've just fucking died."
"Chloe, seriously no. Don't do this-" She wanted to reach for her but no doubt, if she struggled to hard, alarms would bring in a flush of nurses and questions."-you know I can take it." She tried.
But could she?
"No that's not all, Max." She was suddenly in motion, digging her phone out of her pants pocket. She opened it, tapped something and then held it out to her face.
Her heart stopped cold, with all the skipping it finally stopped.
Calendar, the date. October-
"It's October Seventh Max. And I'm here, with you in the hospital and everyone from... Blackwell is blowing up your goddamn phone."
There's no fucking way.
As many times as she had tried to go back, a fucking stroke of horror is what it took? While she was unaware?
"I even, got to s-see my mom." She choked."Called her a few minutes ago. I think the nurses are setting me up a nice room in the psych ward."
Max felt her head start throbbing harder.
"Chloe there's no way." She said, trembling, strapped to a bed with wires in both her arms."What, what is everyone saying?"
"That you were walking in the hallway and you collapsed, and you started seizing but uh. I woke up right here, in this stupid room with you. Before that I remember you bleeding out and shit- I-" She took a breath."-I remember driving in Seattle. Seattle. This is Arcadia. What the fuck is going on Max?"
"I... I couldn't have. I've tried- it never worked you know that-" She felt tears well up."I don't believe it!"
The frustration and near relief of a restart, one without glowing borders and demons talking to her, was overwhelming as much as it was confusing. Her breath picked up, and she glanced off to the window, spilling morning sunlight into the room.
She could see the beach from here.
We're actually here. Home.
Chloe gave a bitter laugh, nodding and pointing towards the window." Yeah, same shitty bay. But it's whole, and all the Whales are still swimming in the deep."
"Chloe." She gasped, tears spilling with sniffles to accompany them. The homesickness she had dealt with had sunk into this new feeling of joy, and relief. A reality were things were still ok, for them and the town. Even if she was in a hospital bed, she would take it.
"Believe it Max. And guess what else changed." She held up her phone again, dissolving into sobs that sounded awfully painful, but with a giddy smile on her face."You did it."
Max couldn't believe it.
She just couldn't.
So the happy sob that they both shared sounded quite insane, but. She had to believe it. Chloe was the one showing her after all. Her Chloe. No different from the others but yet completely separate. She took a hold of her hand and kissed the knuckle and Max beckoned her closer.
And they kissed in the morning sun, pain and relief over them in the heaviest aura. But they were alive, and so was she.
New Message: Rachel A.
..............
Wheelchair.
A simple useful tool, but it haunted her for obvious reasons. So she fought to walk, and Chloe ended up carrying her to the truck. She had fought tooth and nail up to this point for everything but to no avail.
Overruled.
As far as she knew, they were going home. Their true home, the Price home, and that it was October seventh. The start of a week from hell, and it had already started out better than in the past. She was useless, body frail and mind hazy. Chloe kept a close eye on her the whole ride, offering her a blanket sometime during. She took it, playing with the threads with anxious fingers.
They drove home, and outside it started to snow.
Glancing out the window meant chancing car sicknesses, but out of the corner of her eye she could see snowflakes stick to the window. Chloe inhaled beside her, the sound jagged.
"You really... went back didn't you? Why? How?"
Max shook her head."I was forced. And since we're missing different pieces of the puzzle.. I'm really not sure what I did-" She scrubbed her face with her hands in an effort to wake up."I'm just glad we're both here and that.. Rachel is alive."
Holy shit. Rachel is alive.
You're gonna meet her, who knows where this situation is gonna go.
Hopefully, no, it will be better than last time.
You have all the keys, Max. And even more.
Suddenly, Chloe grasped her hand and squeezed it. Her palms were shaking. A bit clammy, but she squeezed back.
"Me too. I feel like we finally have a chance." Chloe admitted as they slowed to a stop, red light reflecting off the wet pavement. "This time, we'll do it right from the get go."
"Yes, we will."
"Now, about your eye and health and stuff."
Max inwardly cringed, not being able to shake the feeling of being a burden."Are we gonna be all regular about this or chalk it up to your powers? Because they still want you to come back for more tests but the question is, are you gonna go?"
"... I'd rather not. Like you said, they aren't gonna find anything." She looked over at Chloe, still only able to see from one eye." On the scan anyway, if my huge amazing brain kept breaking their equipment." She joked and Chloe snickered.
"Yeah well, big brain energy."
The causal air was nice.
"But I dunno about my eye. They said we can take off the wrap at home right?"
"Yeah just in a low lit area, so it doesn't cause more damage."
"Makes sense. So I'll be hiding in your room for a while. You gonna be my nurse Price?"
"But of course, miss Caulfield." She smiled at her then, somber."You're all that matters to me. I might even make you a fort to nest in."
"Bet you won't" She dared, excitement spilling over.
"She says I won't huh?" Chloe rolled her shoulders. "Bet. Between the meds and your sleepy power using ass, you'll wake up in a fort."
She had to laugh. She had too, it was true.
"Oh yeah? What if I don't take the meds?"
"Uh, your taking your eyeball meds. At least."
"It does hurt... pretty bad."
"I wanna see what it looks like-" Chloe stated, pulling into a familiar road."-I mean. I want to nurse you back to health-"
"Yeah yeah save it." She shoved her, playful."You're gonna have to carry me."
"But of course."
***************************
Chloe, didn't know what was going on.
At all.
She was trying not to scream, or cry, every time Rachel fucking amber, replied to her messages. Told her she missed her, wanted to come over. Wanted to meet up with Max. Wanted to help take care of her. Wanted to bring food and hang and just be Rachel-
We did it. We actually did it.
She fought back more tears because, she was done with crying for now. And she had to muster her strength to carry Max, as if she needed much. She was a total pixie.
She shut the door, walking around to the passenger side, and scooped up her legs and propped up her back on her forearm. Max slipped off the seat into her arms and yeah. She was right. She would have to take Rachel up on the food because Max needed the nutrients.
She gripped tight."You ready?"
"As I'll ever be. Is the world spinning for you too?"
"Nah, must be your freak eye. Just hold on you'll be a snug bug soon."
"Yaaayy-" Max replied, resting her head on her shoulder. Like that time in the bathtub, but.
She's staying with me, this time.
Chloe managed to open the door and not drop her girlfriend, an amazing feat, and started the trek up the stairs with sure steady steps.
If I drop her I will never forgive myself.
So, laying Max down on the bed was an instant relief. Until Max rolled over and groaned.
"Trash can please-"
Chloe had never moved so fast. This time, all she did was dry heave, there was nothing to expel. She rubbed her back through it all, watched her tiny frame shake.
Little hospital socks on her feet.
Pajamas she had found in a bag at the hospital. Checkered pants and a tank top. Not enough to protect her from the cold. She could see the goosebumps on her skin.
She wished she could do more. More than watch. She wanted to prevent the damage as well as soothe it.
The worst passed.
"Thank you." Max wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, rolling onto her back."Sorry that was gross." She tried to rub her face, but regretted it when she scrubbed her hand over bandages."Can we take the bandages off? Please? They feel so gross."
"Are you up for that?"
"Yeah totally." She assured, rubbing Chloe's arm."I'm fine now."
"Yeah you say that but-" Max sat up then, pinning her with a lone blue eye. Sea foam.
"Chloe I'm fine. It was just the car ride, and then I got dizzy." Again, trying to coax suspicion into acceptance. Max had a way with words, especially over the last few months. She remembered the good moments as much as the bad, in both how soothing she could be. The few times she bit back, the few times she actually let Chloe see what she was going through. What she was trying to do to get them back here, a new start.
She actually did it.
But look what it did to her. And she doesn't even know how she did it.
Chloe leaned in to kiss her cheek, and Max leaned into the affection, humming softly.
"Ok. Come here my little mummy head."
"Oh fuck you." She laughed, pulling away to link eyes, one against two swirling blues. Her expression changed to one more somber as she reached up to hold Chloe's face."Not really. But maybe."
"Uh, not in your state. Save it for later."
"Noted."
She gently reached for the wraps, removing the small clips near the end of the then. The bandage peeled off, revealing matted hair and crusted blood. Rage washed over her as she picked through the brown strands.
Isn't the least they can do is clean up blood? Isn't that a huge health hazard?
"What the fuck. Why is there still blood in your hair?"
Max didn't respond, just shrugged.
She continued to peel, pressing on one side and pulling with the other to relieve the drastic pull of the adhesive with her left hand. Max winced, as her eye was unveiled. Chloe had to control herself, in other words try not to dissolve into a puddle of sadness.
Dear god. Fuck. Why?
Her under eye was purple, sickly purple. Bruised purple, and so was her eyelid. Vines popped underneath the skin, a faint blue, but Max still had her eye closed.
But, as she fought through the obvious pain, she opened it.
Rapid blinking settled into a steady gaze from a completely red eye.
Red eye, red pupil, red everything.
Not swollen, just colored red. No inflammation, just fucking red.
Max froze, eyes darting around the room, and her mouth opened in question.
"I- Chloe-" Her signature phrase before breakdown, or confusion. Spiraling, weary.
"Can you see?" She asked, her voice heavy.
"Red." She placed a shaky palm over eye and took in a lungful of air, and before Chloe could stop her she was digging into her pants pocket. She took Chloe's phone, unlocked it and clicked on the camera. She looked for a moment, and Chloe could just see the self hate on her face. She shakily put the phone back down, next to the punks leg."...Will this go away- do you know?"
The mood of the room took a massive nose dive. Chloe could picture an airplane, crashing and burning.
Ok she's freaking out. Calm her down.
"I- I don't but it should, like totally. Maybe in a week or so?" She tried to turn her attention before the brunette lost it, and crying would make it hurt worse no doubt."I'll check your papers. It'll be fine Max you just severely over did it."
She watched as her breath started picking up, and a small sniffle escaped her before she covered her mouth. She turned the slightest but away from Chloe, and she just couldn't take it.
She still wasn't helping in the way Max needed her to.
"Max it'll be okay I promise." She reached, even though she had no clue.
"I'm such a fucking f-freak" Her words were muffled behind her hand, and at this point her body was shaking."I hate it." Another sniffle."I'm a fucking monster, and now I look like one."
She sighed then, turning back to Chloe.
Holy fuck-
She was crying blood, and Chloe jumped to get the tissues, running to her desk, spinning back around to hold Max's face as she cried."Max stop, that's bullshit and you know it-"
"Is it? Who do you think you see right now? A victim? Chloe I'm the cause." Chloe wiped her cheeks, only smearing blood over her jawbone."This is me on the inside. I hate it. I hate me."
And she just cried then, and Chloe sat in shock, with a death grip on Max's jaw, tilting her head to the ceiling like it was a stupid nose bleed. She kicked herself. Hard, for her silence, because however soft Max's words were, the revelation was severe. And intense as all hell.
What a picture they made.
"Max I need you to calm down, you're not a monster and I know who you are. You can't fool me, at all. I love you." She got her to be still, but the blood was still coming, still ruining her face and the sheets. Her clothes. Chloe's jeans." You-you have to stop crying ok? You're gonna bleed out."
Max locked eyes with her then, looking scared as all hell."Fuck you're right-" She hitched, body pulling away."Give me a minute- I'm sorry-"
"How could you ever think that about yourself?" Chloe asked."Don't ever. Don't ever talk about yourself like that. You didn't choose this. You'd didn't start it, and you've done more than good. You fixed everything again, at the expense of your own body. Monsters don't do that. Heroes do." It was sappy, and stupid but it spilled out of her." You've fought so hard. I need you to rest and recover, ok? I'll be here the whole time. Because I love you. Now, come to the bathroom with me so I can clean you up."
"I'm sorry Chloe."
The tone was haunting. She fought to pull herself together, chilled.
"No, I am." Because I handled this horribly. "I freaked too, ok? It's gruesome, but You will heal. I will sell a kidney if I have to. Watch me."
That got a small laugh.
"I didn't mean too." Was her response, and Chloe knew it was a form of apology. A form of saying 'sorry for freaking'. But also for all that had happened up to this point. It still hadn't come crashing down yet, they needed to really get their bearings first, but a fraction of it was here. Falling into them."I am so stupid- I freaked like a little kid."
"How could you not freak out? I'm freaking out too!"
Max got quiet then, sensing the truth.
"You aren't at fault here, Max." She told her, and soon they were trudging to the bathroom. She sat Max on the toilet, away from the mirror.
"Keep your eye closed ok?"
She nodded. She flicked on the light, and even with her eye closed, she could see the brunette wince.
She thought briefly about their shared bathroom in Seattle, with her parents. In the past now, or the future?
Shit. This time travel crap is confusing.
Chloe wet a towel and dabbed it with a small bead of hand soap. She began the process of cleaning up the massacre that was the brunettes face. Max winced the whole time, but never looked away. There weren't words right now. Any ounce of shame Max was feeling, she had to let her feel. Forcing her to feel better wasn't going to work.
Comfortable, accepting silence, which they often fell into. But there was a frantic energy about Max, and she almost asked, but was beat to the punch.
"I want to tell you something I haven't told anyone."
The sound of Max's voice made her jump almost, because it was unlike her. So very unlike her. A foreign voice. Her phone beeped from her pocket, and they both glanced at the sound."It's fine." She took it out, silenced it, sat it on the counter.
Whatever she says, don't freak. Don't freak. Be there for her.
She stood, turning on the tap and rung out the towel until the water turned clear. She got back on her knees, settling between Max's legs, as close as possible.
"Go on." She said, bunching the cloth in her hand. This time, she rubbed the underside of her jaw.
"There's two of me." She whispered.
Don't freak.
"Two? Of you?" She tried to follow." It's not totally unreasonable, with all the timelines you've slipped into."
"She wants to hurt me. Us."
Hold
On
What
The fuck
"She made me go back. I realized when- ah it doesn't matter I just didn't want you to think I'm crazy-" she was babbling now, pulling away from Chloe's hands."-she brought Rachel back, because I asked her too. But I don't know what else she wants. I met her in my nightmare, on that Friday- the last day."
Two, Max Caulfield. Two? Present? Hello what the fuck?
"How long have you been seeing her?" She managed, shaking her head, trying to focus on the girl in front of her. Nothing else.
"Ever since we left. In the hotel, at my parents house, she was in my room. I didn't see her then per say, but she was in my head-"
"And you didn't tell me why?" As much as she fought it, she felt the fear creeping up her spine. Like phantom eyes were taking her in.
"Because I thought I was tripping? Or glitching, or that she was a flicker-she was in my dreams mostly but that time you found me in the yard was the real first time I saw her-she's just so real. And fucking cruel. She took me back to the first day that time and then the flickers just got worse from there until I-" She couldn't go on, begging Chloe to understand.
Her eye, kept looking at the corner, and it was fueling her fear. Like a ghost, or an axe murderer was waiting to kill her the moment she turned around. She had a feeling she wasn't far from the truth.
"Is she here now?"
"My-" She pointed."She's making fun of my eye. She's in the corner." She pointed, utter spite in her tone." I'm going crazy aren't I?"
"Max I know for a fact that there is more than one of me, even if I haven't met them. I believe you." She tilted her head over her shoulder.
She gathered her bravado, even if it was hollow bullshit right now.
"And, she can fuck off right now!"
"As if you can tell me what to do, dyke."
They both froze, fear. Ice water. Chloe tensed up and stood, taking in the room with cutting eyes.
Okay game fucking on. Game on.
Motherfucker.
There was no one, nobody.
But Max was staring at the corner, both eyes open.
Chloe gently held out her hand, trying not to slam a hand over her eye, that shit would hurt.
"Dude, close your eye!"
"No, wait-" She stood, walking to the corner behind the door, evading Chloe's attempts at sitting her back down. "She's right there-I can see her-"
"Then get the fuck away from her!"
A flicker, a flash of a person, in the corner as Max got closer. She raised a hand, and the room erupted in a flash of gold and white. And she was there, mirroring the brunettes pose, fingertips touching. The light dimmed, and sound became distant, almost echoing despite the smallness of the room.
The image was fluctuating, like it was underwater.
Like a horror movie, a perfect mirror of Max, but somehow their faces were so different.
Chloe's first instinct was to swing, but can you even punch a apparition? A time traveler?
What the fuck do I do!?
"Why are you here?" Max asked, letting her hand fall.
"You look rough, little doe. What happened?"
"You know what fucking happened, so. Fuck you asshole."
The edge in Max's voice, and the steel was terrifying. She'd never heard her speak like this before.
"Cranky much?"
"Why did you bring us here?" She asked, stepping back so that she was beside Chloe."How?"
"Uh, you asked me too? What the fuck? Why are you still playing innocent?"
"It was just a question." Chloe barked, the teeth usually reserved for people like Frank, or Nathan."The fuck are you?"
"I'm literally her, dickhead. I thought you'd be happy having two dweebs to lust over."
Chloe's mouth gaped, feeling a small twinge of hurt in her chest. She stepped in front of Max."You're fucking gross."
"As if you're not, thinking like you do while we're at our lowest. Kinda disgusting, Che."
Chills. Her voice.
Max shoved her away, stepping back up to the ghost in the corner. The other Max matched her steps until they were face to face.
"I didn't ask you for anything. You're not wanted, or needed."
"How many times do I have to explain how this works?!" The other barked, peering at Chloe over her shoulder."She's the one confused, you're just holding back. Keeping her in the dark even though she can help us. Why?"
Max groaned, rolling her eyes."Is that why you finally decided to exist!?"
"You never gave me enough attention before. In fact, you repressed me so much, I spilled out. Eventually. That fucked up eye? It's not going away any time soon. We're us now."
"I had a feeling. What else do you want?"
"I am giving you so much to work with and you still choose to act like this.... You're smart, Max. Stop playing this stupid fucking game already."
Chloe was two seconds away from loosing her mind. Or screaming for help, like a little bitch.
"-You know what you have to do this time, I'm just afraid you won't do it right. That's why I'm here. I'm not leaving. I can teach you so much. You can imagine how much I had to fix but some things have to be fixed at the source. You have to do it right this time."
"What help will you be? All you cause is pain-"
"I'm you, Maxine. We're us."
She stepped too close, taking Max's face in her hands, and in that moment she became all the more real.
"It's ok to ask for help this time, and I even gave you some. Brought her back from the dead, for you. For us. For her."
She glanced at Chloe, a sick grin on her lips.
"Funny isn't it? How much we will do for someone we want."
The word rang in her head like a off pitch bell.
Want.
Want.
Max was idly silent in her hands.
"If you need me, you know how to find me."
And with that she disappeared, and Max collapsed on the floor, gasping for air. Chloe lunged for her but failed to catch her.
"You're not crazy Max, dear god why didn't you tell me-" She was asking, helping Max back to her shaky feet, they were falling all over each other."- what the fuck is she?!"
"She's me!" Max yelped,"I created her, during the storm."
"Fucking delete her what the fuck? What the fuck?!" Her heart was beating out of her chest as they darted across the hall. She slammed the door behind them, locking it.
"Holy fuck, holy shit." She started pacing, and Max was watching her, eyes tracking her every movement she could feel it-
"Cover. Your eye."
Max started, touching the skin below her eye. She looked back at Chloe.
"It doesn't hurt anymore. It's her, not the medical bullshit. She's-" Max grabbed her head."-it's her, it's me-"
"And you didn't fight her off?"
Wrong words, a snap that sunk in. Max recoiled then bowed up.
"Does it not look like I tried!? For the past five months?! She won Chloe! She almost fucking killed me in the process!" Max yelled, and it stopped Chloe dead in her tracks.
Terrified. Max was terrified and here she was, stupid Price acting like a dick about it.
"Fuck, I'm sorry-" She wheezed, Chloe raised her hands in surrender.
"No listen I'm sorry, I was freaking-I'm not used to that shit, how are you? That's what it's like!?"
She was met with a devastating silence.
"I'll take that as a yes."
"Yes. It is. At least, how the Darkroom was- and the nightmare."
"And you kept, all of that shit inside the whole time we were in Seattle? Max how?!" Max threw her hands up.
"I didn't have a choice! I thought maybe that if I ignored it, it would get better. That it was some trauma shit I needed to get through. But then she came around- and then the flickers started- and I can't remember anything else but her, and you-hundreds of you!"
She stood up too, marching over to Chloe."I didn't ask her to do this, she forced me too. To go back so far I almost killed myself. That's what fucking happened, and it's what I was scared would happen so I didn't do it!"
"So she did it for you-" She shook her head."How?"
"Chloe she is me! And if she exists, then she has one of you too. I've met her, too, and she's not like that." Max stopped, throwing her hands out to the side."I told you. On the inside, Thats what I'm like. I called you that." Chloe flinched."Everything she said is me. What does that tell you?!"
She was looking at Max. Surely she was.
"I don't even know what time line she's in- or what she's done to be like that but- she's just a realized possibility of what I can become."
But she just wasn't there at the moment. Her brain had officially shut off, and the room was crushing her.
"It doesn't tell me shit. She's not you."
"You're in denial."
"No, I'm fucking not. You are."
Woah Price. Cool it.
Max raised an eyebrow."So you don't believe me."
"I didn't say that, ok? I was in the room ya know, when she grabbed your face. And she called me a dyke. Number one, I am, and two you could call me that whenever you wanted too. But I know you wouldn't."
She seemed to have nothing to say to that.
"She's not you. You'd never act like that, or say that shit. No matter what you had to do that week- you're still you. You're strong."
Maxine's words were still rolling around in her head though. She would shake it. Shit like that didn't bother her anymore, did it?
"Do you even hear me right now?" Max called.
It wasn't normal for Max to push this much to get her way, Chloe had never seen her retaliate so hard. It was frustrating. It showed her that she herself was frustrating and that awful hole of self hate began to creep over her like a shadow.
She exploded.
"Do you hear me? I can't validate your bullshit okay?! That thing is not you!"
"This is why I didn't tell you."
Oh fuck.
Max was pissed.
Maxine Caulfield was standing in her bedroom, present day, pissed. Bloodied, bruised, sick. And she was scared of her.
"And it's fine, if you don't accept it now but I am telling you I have no fucking clue what she is doing, but I can't-" She choked, and for a split second Chloe stepped closer, wanting all of this to go away. To push it all away.
Max held up her hand.
She just, looked up at her and she froze.
That gaze held bad intentions, and a thousand daggers.
She took a step back.
"-I can't fight her, anymore."
"I have been with you, through all of this." She ground out, balling fists."We're not giving up now, Max. No fucking way." She grabbed for her then, pulling her close to her chest. Small hits, balled fists fell against her chest, but she never pushed away."I have so much to learn about you and if she was right about one thing it's that I can help if you let me."
"She's still fucking talking to me."
"And it doesn't mean a goddamn thing, her words are shit." Max just cried in response, Breaking away so she didn't ruin Chloe's shirt even more. She stomped over to Chloe's desk, snatching more tissues to dab at her eye.
"Max." She tried, and when the girl in question turned, she looked absolutely feral. The sight almost made her stomach turn, and combined with the red of her eye and the anger on her face, it was hard to fight.
"Fuck her." She turned to the door,"We don't need your fucking help!"She spat, and suddenly, the nausea turned to a different feeling. Equally alarming. A sharp twist in her guts.
Arousal.
Feral Max. Angry Max.
What the fuck is wrong with you Price.
Maxine is right about more than a few things, I guess.
She opened the door, leaning her head out."What she said bitch!" Then slammed it so hard the frame shook, wishing she could lock it to end the fear. Max giggled, flashing teeth. Chloe looked at her in surprise."Glad my Moms not home." She tried.
"Uh yeah or we'd be in trouble."
"She can't do shit to us."
Silence stretched until finally, Max shyly slinked over to her and enveloped her with twiggy arms, shaky and desperate. Apologetic but unspoken.
"We can get comfy here." Chloe sighed, petting her hair. She wished she could wash it for her but the bathroom was out of order."What happened to you going to sleep?" Chloe initiated, peace, and Max took it, sighing and throwing her balled up tissues in the trash bin. She then flopped on the bed and spread eagle. Chloe followed suit.
"Did we just fight?" Chloe asked, after a while. She contemplated searching for a joint, but maybe that was too soon.
"We did." Max answered, sniffling."Because I went off on you when you didn't deserve it."
"I did though."
On a dime, they turned to each other, raising up on elbows. Chloe was the first to speak, brushing brown strands behind Max's ear.
"It was kinda hot." She muttered, mustering a smirk. Anything to lighten the subject. To not focus on the demon in the bathroom.
"I fucking knew-" she shoved her shoulder, crumbling into small laughter."-you would totally say that after I freaked out on you." She rolled her eyes."Your such a guy."
"I know a freak when I be one. And it's actually nice to see what you're going through, for once." She admitted, and Max's smile faded.
Oops. It was good for a second.
"I'm sorry Chloe it was just, too much... before.."
Oh, ok. I can work with that.
"You don't have to tell me after all of that." She moved, rooting into the bed.
How are you still alive, Max? Same? Holding on? How? God, please let me have some weed.
She felt like she was drowning in questions but now wasn't the time. She already had major whiplash.
"-But I am here for you, and if you wanna fight we can fight. I'm not going anywhere. We can learn how to make up, too."
Max kissed her then, pulling her so close she was gasping for air in a matter of seconds, hands grasping her shirt.
She's never- kissed me like this before. Holy shit.
Searing, hot pressure and her breath being stolen, and then hands were in her hair and Max was rolling her over, sitting on top of her. They pulled apart, and she groaned when she bit her lip, soothing it right after. The pressure on her hips told her that yeah, all of this was real and ugly, and she didn't know what to do about it but... it was just Max.
And this part was beautiful, molding her into something. She wasn't quite sure what it was yet.
She's never been good at realizing things, in the moment.
But Max was so much more now. To her, and the world. She did know that.
locked eyes, both smiling up and down at each other, softly.
She was looking up at a Max, there was no doubt, but this time she knew it was different.
Fed by the hope and the fear of the moment and then some, she was still slipping off the tail end of an adrenaline high.
"You're mine." Came the sure words, then hands were creeping up her shirt. Not invading, just touching, and finally looking.
"You're scar is gone."
"Yeah." Still breathless. Wow price, you old bitch. Her stupid lungs couldn't catch up. Max wiped at her face, a very old nervous habit.
You need to stop smoking.
"I love you, you know that right?" She said, stretching her body out and over Chloe's." And I'm always scared of loosing you. It's my biggest fear."
Chloe had to bite her cheek as she felt Max settle over her. She looked to the side, catching a lidded gaze."I know." Came the small reply, not much more could be said.
"I just want too-" She heaved, burying her face in Chloe's neck finally, starting to kiss the skin there. Chloe jolted, then hissed between her teeth, turning to give her more room. Teeth scraped her pulse point, biting down and sucking to the point Chloe really wondered how this had happened-
They'd fought in Seattle sure, but it was always sad and searching.
This is making up?
It's... different.
That- that's gonna bruise for sure.
Max was on a roll though, who was she to stop her?
Hands came up to hold hers, one down by her side and the other over her head, but Max pulled it to rest on her own hip, bare. Peeking out from her waistband, the gap between her shirt. She gripped tight, hips shifting under another pair. Grinding into her, slowly.
Hoooly shit-
"I just want to. Love you. That's all."
I don't want to be important.
I don't want to be mean, or cruel, like I've had to be.
I don't want to loose you.
All whispered in her ear, the tone making her ache in so many ways. She was on fire.
"You will, and you can. I love you too-" A small moan crept out of her throat, and Max pulled away, panting. A blush dusted her face, down to her collarbone.
"S-sorry-" She brushed her bangs out of her face, and Chloe sat up with her, hands taking a hold of her hips.
"It is more than fine but, when you said later I thought you meant like next week." She kissed a freckled cheek."This was a wonderful surprise."
"I- I bit you-"
"And you can do it again, if you want."
Max laughed, hiding her face in her shoulder.
"Please?" She asked."You have such talented teeth-"
"Dear god shutup-"
"Remember that time in Seattle-"
"Chloe!" She shushed her."No, no no. Oh my god."
"You were all up on this, Caulfield."
"I totally tricked you-" She squeaked as Chloe squeezed her into a hug."-and it worked."
"I'm a sucker for pretty women. With brown hair. And freckles. And-" She pushed,"Heterochromia . It's gorgeous. You're gorgeous."
Tear were bubbling.
"No crying, ok?"
"Okay."
"Okay."