Headshot

"You're serious? Like, totally fucking serious?" Chloe asked Max as she sat back up, Max still lying in the hospital bed, "Dude, this is seriously uncool."

"Che, I'm not joking. I kinda wish I was, but I know what I saw. I was there. Remember when we spotted Nathan heading toward the shed, when we found the picture book on him? What if we'd let him go in, followed him inside? The shed is a darkroom, I'm sure of it," Max said, her mind running through the sequence of events at the other Arcadia's lighthouse.

Chloe looked at Max with a mixture of anxiety and frustration. You've been out for two days, Max. Do you even know what the fuck you're talking about? Chloe thought, then sighed to herself. Max wouldn't lie about something like this, but she got knocked on the head. Ugh, this shit is all hella crazy! Why the fuck can't we just be left the hell alone?

"Max, I do want to believe you," Chloe said, taking Max's hand as she saw her girlfriend's heartbreaking expression of dismay, "I just...this all makes so little sense..."

"When does this crap ever make any kind of sense?" Max shot back, her voice carrying a slight edge. Chloe slightly flinched at the biting tone, and Max instantly wished she hadn't said anything. "If you don't want to believe me, fine. I can't make you. I wish you would, though."

"It's...you've been unconscious for days, Max! You were in a coma, or some shit like it! Time powers, fucking alternate universes - what the fuck?! I need to process this, okay? You say you saw another me, in another Arcadia Bay, while I've been playing motherfucking nurse over your comatose ass. It's pretty heavy shit, Max," Chloe said, withdrawing her hand from Max's and getting out of the hospital bed.

"Che, Chloe, please don't do this to me, don't fucking leave me here," Max said, reaching for Chloe. Grabbing the sleeve of Chloe's jacket, Max held on with what strength she had. "I need you. I need you."

Chloe thought back to the talk at their old fort in the woods, Max sleeping in her lap, and the times she had bailed on Max since they had gotten together. Chloe thought about the pained look on Max's face whenever they got into an argument, no matter who started it, and the tenseness that occasionally came along with their getting back together. Turning back around to take Max's outstretched hand in hers, Chloe kneeled down alongside the bed so that Max was looming over her slightly. She's such a goddamn mess. Hell, I'm a fucking mess, too. This town is a fucking curse, for both of us.

"I'm not going anywhere, Max, but dropping things like...like what you said on me is becoming a little too common. Yeah?" Chloe said, wiping a falling tear from Max's cheek. Don't cry, Max. I'll fucking cry. You bring this shit out of me, the tears and the sweetness and such goddamn pain in my chest.

"I'm sorry," Max said, wiping the wetness from her eyes, "I don't mean to."

"I know. It's just-"

"A lot to process, yeah. For you and me both," Max said, a slight chuckle escaping her. Chloe gave Max a slight grin and stood up.

"So, SuperMax, the shed. An alternate...ugh, whatever. This is some serious shit," Chloe said, her voice even.

"Yeah. Heh, you would've laughed. I gave Nathan such a beatdown," Max said, chuckling again only to wince from the pain in her head, "Made him cry, probably broke his nose."

"You brat! You do this shit without me to see it? Pics or get the fuck out," Chloe replied, sharing in Max's humor.

Hearing the door creak open, Max and Chloe became silent as the other visitors returned. Kate brought Max a cup of water, which Max sipped at, with Dana and Juliet saying their goodbyes as the three students had to return to Blackwell.

"Do you know when she can come back to school?" Kate asked Max's parents, looking a little forlorn.

"Probably in a day or so," Max's father said, placing his hand on Kate's shoulder, "The doctors said they want to do some additional tests now that she's awake to make sure things are as okay as they seem." Kate smiled at that and nodded, then wished Max a speedy recovery. Dana and Juliet smiled and waved at Max, then the three women left the hospital room. Chloe still at Max's side, the Caulfields exchanged looks of concern before turning their attention to their daughter.

"Max, do you need anything?" Max's mother asked, her voice slightly cracking from worry.

"Uh, I should be okay. If I do, I know who to call," Max said, squeezing Chloe's hand. Chloe looked down at Max and smiled awkwardly, blushing ever so slightly.

"Okay. Well, your father has to return to Seattle tomorrow but I will stay in Arcadia until you're released from the hospital. Okay?" Max's mother said as she moved over to the unoccupied side of the hospital bed, softly kissing her daughter on the forehead. "Max, no escape attempts this time, okay?"

"It's only an attempt if you don't succeed, Mom," Max said wryly, eliciting a snicker from Chloe. Max's mother gave the two girls a strained smile and escorted her husband out into the hallway, closing the door behind them.

"I should probably get going, too, Max," Chloe said, kissing Max on the cheek, "Joyce will want an update and I need a shower. And maybe some sleep."

"And maybe something else?" Max asked, arching an eyebrow. When Chloe responded with a feigned expression of shock, Max chuckled. "Pothead."

"Tease."

"Stoner."

"Hipster."

"Shit-for-brains."

"Maxine Caulfield, is that any way to talk to your gallant hero?" Chloe said, failing miserably at sounding offended.

"You? I've saved your butt so many times I have to use my toes," Max responded, poking Chloe's side with a finger, "If anything, you're the damsel-in-distress."

Sticking her tongue out, Chloe slapped her own butt with a remark of "You save it because you love it" and flashed Max a grin before leaving the hospital room with her belongings. The door closing behind her, Max was alone with her thoughts. Seeing her clothes and camera bag on a dresser across from the bed, Max slowly got out of the hospital bed and retrieved her phone from the bag. Flipping through messages, Max blushed at the the well-wishes. Sending Chloe an emoji of a smiley face with its tongue sticking out, Max placed her phone on the bedside table and let the errant drowsiness she'd been avoiding take hold. Falling asleep, Max's conscious mind was nervous for a moment at the encroaching darkness before realizing that dreams would hopefully follow. Dreams, not nightmares, okay? Max thought as her eyelids felt like they were weighted.

Waking up with the lights dimmed for the hospital's evening, Max felt her chest seize from visions in her sleep that she couldn't quite place. A blur, dreams of the tornado from October and the alternate Arcadia Bay, swam past her vision as she came out of her sleep-induced fugue state. Her sheets damp from sweat, Max pulled off the covers and climbed out of bed. Looking out the window, Max watched Arcadia Bay at night. The lights scattered in shadows twinkled intermittently, calm in appearance from the inside of the hospital. Max cracked open the window and felt the brisk air hit her face, her face momentarily cold as the air hit the sweat on her forehead. You changed me, Arcadia Bay, or did I change you? 'With great power...' and all that crap. But I don't want these powers, so why me? Will I ever get that answer, the biggest question looming over me for months? Max thought of Chloe's reaction to her waking up, how her face was the first Max saw when her sight came into focus.

Moving to the bedside table, Max picked up her phone and check her text messages. Warren, Kate, Dana, Juliet; nearly her entire floor had wished her a quick recovery. Wow, even Courtney. Of course, nothing from Victoria. Pff, whatever. Going to the tab marked 'Chloe', Max read to herself the messages from the blue-haired wonder. My chauffeur and faithful companion, my Che. Max began typing, her fingers almost feeling like they were moving of their own volition.

Max: U there?

Chloe: MAX!

Max: lol hey

Chloe: You should be sleeping, Max-a-roon.

Max: Says the girl also awake at 2am

Chloe: Touche, lady. What's up?

Max: ...Che...

Chloe: yes?

Max: I fucking love you, do you know that?

Max felt herself blush and grinned at the lack of immediate response. Always a punk, Che. Leave a girl hanging, sheesh.

Chloe: I would hope so. I'd be help pissed if you didn't.

Max: "help?"

Chloe: fucking autocorrect. *hella

Max: lol

Chloe: ily

Max: weak sauce

Chloe: ?

Max: Say it.

Chloe: ...I love you, too. Fuck, Max. You know I do!

Max: It's just nice to hear. Go to sleep. Coming tomorrow?

Chloe: You have somewhere else I need to be?

Max: lol goodnight dork

Chloe: Goodnight nerd. Rest, goddamnit.

Max laid the phone back on the bedside table and laid on the bed, leaving the covers off while lost in thought. The lighthouse, the shed, pervaded her mind. She hoped that when she left the other Chloe got her Max back. She didn't deserve my bullshit, no one does. Sometimes, I wish I could just run. Take Chloe and just go, Max thought. Lying back with her hands interlocked behind her head, Max looked up at the ceiling, letting the random thoughts drift across her conscious mind until sleep started to return.

The next morning, Max took a shower and dressed in the clothes left behind. Ha, Chloe, Max thought as she eyed the attire: pink and black flannel, her Jane shirt, blue jeans, and some beat-up combat boots. Changing, Max brushed her teeth and splashed her face with cold water, shaking off the last of the drowsiness. Laughing to herself at how weird it was to be so tired when she'd been unconscious for two days, Max barely noticed the knock at her door. Stepping out of the bathroom nearly froze when she saw her visitor.

"Uh, hey, Mr. Jefferson," Max said, trying to mask her surprise, "D-didn't know teachers made house calls. Or hospital visits."

"Well, when one of my brightest students comes out of whatever you had going on, I want to see how she's doing. How are you, Max?" Jefferson asked.

"Oh, my parents told me the hospital will likely discharge me tomorrow, maybe even today. I've got some tests." The other Nathan's admission rang through her mind, It's J-jefferson! playing over in her head every time she looked at Mr. Jefferson.

"Sorry, Max, I should've asked you if it was okay for me to come and see you," Jefferson said, picking up on Max's discomfort.

"No, it's okay. But, uh, I think the doctors will probably be by soon."

The awkward pause that followed lingered, Jefferson staring out the window behind Max as she looked down at her feet. Pulling her longer hair into a ponytail, Max looked up at Mr. Jefferson hesitantly.

"Max, are you sure you're okay?" Jefferson asked, his tone questioning. "You know you can talk to me."

"S-sure. I'm just kinda out of it, y'know, head injury and all."

"Well, I'll leave you in the capable hands of Arcadia's finest medical facility," Jefferson said, grinning.

"Only medical facility," Max said, trying to sound friendly.

Smiling before leaving the room, Jefferson told Max to feel better and left the room. Max put her hand to her chest as she took in several deep breaths. Oh shit! Max, you're a lousy actor! Could you be less suspicious? Grabbing her phone, Max opened up the messenger and let Chloe know that Jefferson had been at the hospital. Max's hands began to shake and she stuffed her phone in her pocket, leaning against the hospital bed while trying to calm herself down. She didn't notice the vibration of her phone as Chloe responded, Max was so anxious. When Chloe arrived at the hospital about ten minutes later, Max had calmed down enough that the shaking was gone. Nonetheless, the second Chloe was through the door Max was in her arms, her breathing slightly frantic.

"Dude, answer your phone," Chloe said, surprised with the suddenness of Max's hugging, "Jefferson was here, huh? How'd that go?"

"Chlo," Max said, her face half-buried in Chloe's jacket, "Ugh, I can't act to save my life."

"Shhh. Seriously, Max, you bring the worst shit with you. Why do I hang with you?" Chloe asked, grinning down as Max looked up to her.

"Ugh," Max uttered, playfully punching Chloe in the shoulder, "I think we do more than 'hang', Che, and you put up with it because you love me." Max grinned in victory as Chloe's face went red and the taller woman looked away.

Pulling Chloe along behind her, Max sat down on the hospital bed with Chloe taking a seat next to her. Max listened to Chloe as she filled in some of the events that happened while she'd been out of it. Conveying Joyce's well-wishes, Chloe talked about the hospital staff giving her a hard time for refusing to leave Max's room for the two days Max had been unconscious, how she'd frantically called Max's parents after Kate had messaged her. Listening, Max grinned as Chloe animatedly described the events leading to Max waking up. Finishing her story, Chloe fell back onto the hospital bed. Pulling Max down with her, Chloe pulled Max close to her and rested her chin on top of Max's head. A comfortable silence permeating the small room, Chloe and Max closed their eyes and enjoyed being together. Max-fucking-Caulfield, you force of nature. You hella crazy little nerd, Chloe thought as she opened her eyes after a few minutes, seeing Max's pensive facial expression.

"What are you thinking, Max?" Chloe asked, brushing blue hair out of her face.

"The shed at the lighthouse," Max said, moving to sit up. When Chloe pulled her back down, Max grinned and laid on her side to face Chloe, "I will tickle you, Chloe Elizabeth Price."

"Dude, I'm hella taller than you," Chloe said, smirking with an eyebrow arched.

"Chlo, we need to investigate the lighthouse."

"I know, Max. I know we do. I just-"

"Just what?" Max asked, looking at Chloe's concerned expression.

"I can't lose you again, Max. Too many times, okay? You fucking wink from existence, pop back up only to repeat it, and now you were unconscious for two days. Never mind the five years," Chloe said, bending her head to touch Max's forehead with her own. Dude, you will not fucking cry, Chloe thought to herself, Be strong. For her.

"And I don't want to lose you, Che," Max said, thinking of how painful and awkward it had been with the other Chloe, "Life without you, it's weird."

"So, let's just go back to my room and get hella trashed, yeah? Some beer, some grass, some us time," Chloe said, placing a hand on Max's hip.

"I want to, Chloe, believe that I do. But what we're doing, what we need to do, is important," Max said, intertwining her fingers with the hand Chloe placed on her hip.

"You're such a mood killer, Caulfield," Chloe said, rolling her eyes as she sat up. Max holding out her arms, Chloe huffed in fake irritation as she pulled the other woman up, "We'll check it out when you get released. Okay?"

"Okay," Max said, kissing Chloe on the cheek as a nurse entered the hospital room.

Chloe had tried to stick around for Max's tests, but the hospital staff had been adamant that she wasn't allowed in those areas of the hospital. Kissing Chloe before the taller woman left, Max told her to come by later, that she'd message Chloe when everything was over. Watching her girlfriend leave, Max felt a pang of sadness as she was led off to the first in what would be a battery of tests. Max lost track of time as she was led from one room to another, either to talk to a doctor or to be scanned by medical equipment.

Finished, Max was escorted back to her hospital room by around noon. Grabbing her phone, she opened up her inbox to see that Chloe had messaged her, that she'd be by later. Max went to her camera bag and grabbed her earbuds, plugging them into the phone as she listened to the acoustic version of Eyes Set to Kill's "The World Outside". Singing the lyrics to herself as she lay back in the bed, Max allowed herself a moment to relax. Eyes closed, Max felt like she was spiraling. Max thought of Chloe, her friends, and her family. Drawing some measure of comfort from thoughts of the people who cared for her, Max didn't notice the doctor come into the room until he tapped her on the shoulder.

"Wowsers!" Max cried, jumping at the suddenness, "Oh, uh, sorry."

"How are you, Max?" the doctor asked in a bemused tone.

"Alright, I guess. Will I get to leave tomorrow?" Max asked.

"Well, we're actually ready to draw up papers for your release now if you'd like."

"Whoa, for cereal?" Max asked as she slid off the bed. Grabbing her belongings, Max stuffed everything into her camera bag. The doctor chuckled at her enthusiasm, "I've only been done for, like, minutes."

"Ms. Caulfield, you've been done for hours," the doctor said, confused. Pointing to the clock on the wall, Max saw that it was evening already. Shit, Max thought, Chloe's probably pissed.

Pulling out her phone as she walked next to the doctor towards the admissions desk, Max was irritated by her now-dead phone. Looking through her bag, Max couldn't find a charger, and the irritation turned to frustration. Not paying attention, Max signed the release forms absentmindedly. Using the phone at the desk, Max dialed up Chloe's phone number only to get her voicemail. Leaving a message that she was heading to Chloe's house, Max waited outside for the bus, their plan to investigate the lighthouse prominent in her train of thought. Climbing into the bus, Max rubbed her hands to regain some warmth as the evening brought a chill. Sitting alone, Max's thoughts drifted as she looked out the window during the drive towards the bus stop near Chloe's house.

Arriving after around ten minutes, Max walked hurriedly towards Chloe's house. Reaching the front door, Max noticed the truck was gone. Wondering where Chloe was, Max knocked and was greeted by Joyce.

"Well, Max Caulfield. You gave us quite the scare," Joyce said warmly, then looked outside as she let Max in, "Where's Chloe? I figured you two would be joined at the wrist by now."

"What are you talking about?" Max asked, puzzled.

"Well, she sent me a text message this afternoon, saying that she was going to be with you at the hospital," Joyce said in a matter-of-fact tone. Max felt a sense of dread start to creep into her.

"Oh, uh, she's getting food. She asked me to, um, grab some stuff and meet her back at my dorm room," Max said, feeling bad that she lied and doubly bad as the dread continued to move through her, "I'm just going to grab some things from her room, okay?"

Gesturing toward the staircase, Joyce flashed Max a grin and made her way back into the kitchen. Max vaulted the stairs two at a time until she was at Chloe's door. Almost knocking, Max slowly opened the door in the hope that Chloe was just passed out. The Christmas lights still on, Max saw in the dimly lit room that she was alone. Max flipped on the ceiling light and began to sift through the pile of random stuff on Chloe's desk. We really need to organize your shit, Chloe, before your desk is consumed by the creature on it, Max thought as she flipped through papers and books.

Max continued her search in Chloe's room for a few more minutes when the image of the lighthouse popped into her head. Grabbing a black leather jacket off of Chloe's bed, Max walked back down the stairway as David came home. David looked her over, then nodded in greeting and hung his coat up next to the door. Seeing Joyce pop her head out of the kitchen, Max flashed her a quick grin as Joyce turned her attention back to the kitchen with David following her. Waiting a moment to make sure Joyce and David weren't paying her any attention, Max carefully searched the contents of David's jacket. Wrapping her small hands around the spare keys to Blackwell, Max thought to herself Just in case as she told Joyce that she was taking off.

Running to the bus stop, Max nearly missed the approaching bus. Hopping back on, Max waited anxiously as the bus drove through Arcadia Bay. Nearly jumping out of her seat at every stop, Max felt relieved when the bus finally arrived at the foot of the hill leading up to the lighthouse. Nearly running out of the bus, Max spotted Chloe's truck instantly and made a beeline for the old vehicle. Looking through the window, Max had a hard time seeing with only a single street light illuminating the small parking area, but couldn't find anything out of the ordinary.

"Shit, Chloe, where are you?" Max thought aloud, rubbing her hands together. Sticking her hands inside the long sleeves of Chloe's jacket, Max tried the driver's side door only to find it locked. Moving over to the passenger side, Max grinned as the door swung open from Max's effort. "Wow, Chloe, way to keep your shit safe."

Finding a small car charger plugged into the truck's lighter socket, Max tried to plug her phone in only to find the connections didn't fit. Frustrated, Max grabbed a flashlight underneath the bench seat in the truck and closed the passenger side door as she began to briskly walk up the hill. As Max made her way up the lighthouse path, her mind began to play tricks on her in the woods, shadows turning into figments of events from last October. Walking faster, Max focused her attention on the path ahead of her as the lighthouse began to loom overhead.

"Where are you, Che?" Max quietly asked aloud as she reached the top of the hill, the lighthouse directly ahead. Seeing the abandoned shed, Max began to approach it when she noticed the door was cracked open. Running over to the decrepit building, Max gingerly pushed the apparently broken door open, noticing what looked like scratch marks along the doorframe. Someone broke in? Max thought, then rolled her eyes as she realized it was probably Chloe. You were supposed to wait, Chloe. Because it's perfectly safe to enter what could possibly be the den of a criminal mastermind. Or whatever.

Finding the light switch, Max flipped on the lights and felt her heart slightly lurch as a familiar red light dimly illuminated the interior of the shed. While some of the contents were different from the other shed, Max took note of the sinks and the shelves. Someone had been using this place for something, but unlike the other shed there wasn't any actual evidence. Max stepped closer to the sinks and counter when she felt herself step on something soft. Having not paid any attention to where her feet were, Max looked down and saw a hat. A beanie.

Oh fuck, oh fuck. Is this Chloe's? Max thought as she shone the flashlight down to the floor. The dark blue was too familiar, and Max numbly bent down and picked up the discarded hat. Stuffing the hat into a jacket pocket, Max felt her anxiety begin to increase as she searched the shed. No memory cards, no rolls of film, nothing; Max clenched her fists as the frustration and anxiety mingled together, building up to anger. Max turned to leave the shed when a slight glare reflected off of her flashlight. Looking down, Max saw something wedged between the one of the shed's walls and the empty storage locker. Max knelt down and reached for the source of the glare, and pulled out a photo.

The photo seemed to be old, the edges worn, but the image Max on the photo was all too familiar to her. A nude woman was lying on something, the background faded to black. Max remembered the pictures left for her and scrutinized the one she held with the other two. It's the same girl, Max thought after a couple minutes of examination, This is what she looks like without my head copy-pasted onto hers. Looking at the face more carefully, Max thought she looked familiar. Where have I seen this before? Max stopped breathing as the image of a display flashed into her mind, one of the exhibition displays at Blackwell's main courtyard. A young woman, scantily-clad, in black and white. One of Mr. Jefferson's models, Max realized.

Max doesn't remember how she got down to the truck, only that the picture and then suddenly being in the truck. Am I in shock? Max thought as she turned to look at the lighthouse path from the driver's seat of Chloe's truck. Max tried to remember the trip down the path, but could only recall the current panic in her chest. Taking David's keys out, Max flipped through the spare Blackwell set and grinned when she saw what looked like a car key. Can't stop being paranoid, David. At least this time it comes in handy, Max thought as she put the key into the ignition and exhaled in relief as the truck started up. Not having driven in a few months, Max adjusted the truck seat to accommodate her smaller stature and pulled out of the parking lot. Speeding down the side streets and alleys of Arcadia Bay, Max's worry grew as she pulled onto the main street leading to Blackwell Academy.

Pulling into the parking lot, Max ran towards the main courtyard when she noticed a beam of light coming from down the sidewalk next to her, a security guard turning the corner from the gym. Picking up her pace, Max sprinted to the entrance to Blackwell Academy and began to try the keys. After a few failures, Max finally unlocked the main door and carefully slid herself inside as the beam of light turned into the main courtyard. Locking the door behind her, Max clenched her fist in a small display of triumph. Yes! I am the Blackwell Ninja! Max thought as she made her way down the hall toward the photography lab.

Entering the lab, Max scanned the empty classroom for anything overtly suspicious. Finding nothing with a glance at the classroom itself, Max made her way over to the computer in the back of the room which Mr. Jefferson had used. Pressing a key, Max grunts in irritation at finding the computer password-protected and moves back to the front of the room towards the teacher's desk. Max tried to open the main drawer but the lock wouldn't budge, the drawers with locks containing random classroom materials. Looking across the room, Max noticed the tripods in back and moved away from the desk but scurried under it as she heard a faint voice approach.

"...so you can imagine my degree of surprise in finding someone at such an old location. I mean, I hadn't been there in months. When I happen to go up there and find you, Ms. Price, I admit I was rather perplexed," the voice spoke in an even tone as the door to the classroom opened. Max squeezed herself into a corner of the space underneath the desk and breathed as quietly as possible.

"I would ask you what brought you up there, but then I remembered that you were close to Rachel. Oh, Ms. Price, you shouldn't try to move too much. You might make the fracture worse," Jefferson said as Max heard a muffled, pained reply. Chloe? Fuck!

Max heard the sound of something heavy being placed on one of the tables and then held her breath when the sounds suddenly stopped. Her eyes stared at the space leading out from the desk into the classroom, dread sweeping over her.

"I really wish the security guards wouldn't try to access my computer. It is password-protected for a reason," Jefferson said, then Max heard a clicking noise she associated with the computer being switched off.

Max heard a metallic thud as something was placed gently on another table and a rustling sound as Jefferson went through a bag. Hesitantly, Max peeked from around the corner and saw Jefferson begin to set up small lights on one of the desks in the middle of the room, framing the restrained Chloe Price in the dim illumination with lights placed on the desk's corners. Hands bound behind her back, Chloe's mouth was duct-taped shut and Max could see her left forearm bent slightly in a way that shouldn't be possible. A desk near the window had a small bag on it, and Max's eyes focused in with sharp clarity on the object that sat next to the bag - a handgun.

Max felt her eyes begin to burn and reflexively pulled herself back under the desk. Blinking her eyes multiple times, Max wiped at her face and watched as multiple scenarios played out before her. Max watched one Chloe have something injected into her arm, which resulted in her eyes rolling into the back of her head as Jefferson began to remove her clothing. In another, Chloe was knocked unconscious by Jefferson after having squirmed off the desk. The final apparition was Chloe crying, sobs muffled by the tape on her mouth as she screamed with what looked like blood spraying on her face.

Max felt like the entire world was slowing down as she slowly climbed out from under the desk. With Jefferson's attention focused on Chloe, faced away from the front of the classroom, Max tip-toed to where the bag was and grabbed the gun. Max felt her stomach lurch as she hefted the handgun, a Beretta, and moved back a couple steps on the opposite side of the desks from Jefferson.

"Stop," Max said, her voice cold as she looked over Jefferson's shoulder at Chloe's state. Max watched as both Jefferson and Chloe took note of someone else being in the room, Chloe's eyes widening as she saw the small form of Max Caulfield standing across the room with a gun in her hand. Jefferson, seeing Max, slowly stood up with his hands raised.

"Max, you really are far brighter than you lead on," Jefferson said, his tone even, "I knew you were a skilled photographer, but to actually find me? Very adept."

"Stay back. I mean it," Max said as Jefferson took a half-step in Max's direction. Max fought to keep her hands from shaking. "I said stop!"

"Ms. Caulfield," Jefferson said, his advance halted, "You really should put the gun down. You're not the type to hold something so...unwieldy, at least for you. You're going to get someone hurt. What if you miss, if you hit Ms. Price? She's important to you, is she not?"

"You're trying to convince me not to shoot you? Do you even care about what you've done, what you were in the middle of doing?" Max asked, her anger and grief gave way to tears.

"They're just subjects, points of interest. I see something beautiful, something unique, and I must capture it. Hold it, in my lens, and contain the beauty so that my photos represent the subject at it's peak," Jefferson said. His enthusiasm made Max's skin crawl.

"Y-you're a sociopath," Max said, her lips curled in disgust, "What about Rachel? What about Kate? Are we all just playthings? I said stop!" Max shouted, seeing Jefferson take a step in her direction. Jefferson now stood at the side of the desks, Max only two paces away. Jefferson, hands still raised, moved to stand in front of the desks, facing Max with Chloe on the desk behind him. Max could hear Chloe's muffled voice but couldn't make out anything.

"Max, please, just put the gun down," Jefferson said, "There's no need for violence. The gun is a precautionary measure. There isn't even a round-"

Click.

Max watched Jefferson freeze as Max pulled back the hammer of the Beretta. Thank you, Chloe, for showing me your stupid gun videos. Well, not so fucking stupid now, I guess. Raising the gun to eye level, Max shifted to a shooting posture. Max felt the gun in her hand, warm from her vice-like hold. Max felt her heartbeat begin to increase as her muscles alternated between tensed and relaxed from the anxiety flooding her being. Jefferson was still talking, but Max wasn't listening anymore. Her concentration broke for a moment as she thought of Nathan shooting Chloe, Kate nearly committing suicide, the photo books, and Chloe's heartbreak about Rachel Amber. Feeling her breathing stop, Max watched as Jefferson tried to make a move toward Max, the once-admired teacher having picked up on Max's distracted state. Her eyes narrowing to slits, Max aimed the gun and fired. Chloe screamed as drops of blood hit her face.

The security guard was the first to arrive on the scene, nearly losing whatever he had eaten that evening at the sight in the photography classroom. Calling in the scene before him over the radio, the guard quickly pulled out his phone and called the police. Standing by the door, the security guard kept watch over the display before him as he waited for the police.

There were two girls and what looked like one of the teachers. The nearer of the three, a brunette, was kneeling on the floor, her eyes vacant with tears streaming down her cheeks. She wasn't sobbing or making any other noise; she just stared directly in front of her. The older of the three, a male brunette Caucasian, was unconscious on the floor, a large gash across the right side of his head, a small pool of blood emanating from the nasty flesh wound. The guard assumed he was unconscious due to shock. The third girl, blue-haired, was cradling one arm while sitting near the other girl, crying. The blue-haired girl seemed to be trying to get a response out of the brunette, but the other girl just wouldn't speak.

The police arrived in minutes, followed by the head of Blackwell's security. The security guard had never seen such a look of shock on his boss's face as David Madsen pushed against the cops to try and reach his stepdaughter. The struggle drew Chloe's attention and she looked up at David, no expression on her face, then back at Max Caulfield. Max hadn't moved since she fell to her knees on the classroom floor, the gun taken from her hand by police officers. Escorted by the police, Max and Chloe were walked to a squad car while the police and EMTs began to process the scene and take Mark Jefferson away on a stretcher to an ambulance parked along the sidewalk. Having gained the attention of the students, Chloe looked out the car window as a group of teenagers from both the dormitories began to form on the other side of the locked fence. Seeing Kate, Chloe looked away when she saw Kate spot her blue hair. Chloe turned her attention to Max, who still hadn't responded to anyone.

"Max, please, snap out of it," Chloe asked, her voice cracked from crying in the classroom. Her broken forearm bandaged and in a sling, Chloe used her good hand to shake Max, "Fucking wake up, Max. C'mon, goddamnit, wake up!" Chloe thought she might cry again, not getting a response from Max. "I need you, Max. Shit's gone downhill and I fucking need you," Chloe said softly, what strength she had waning as another bought of tears began to rear it's head.

Chloe nearly jumped at the sudden intake of breath emanating from her girlfriend, and felt a measure of relief as Max began to look around in confusion. Seeing Chloe sitting next to her, noticing the sling, Max's eyes immediately began to tear up as the events from inside the school resurfaced to her mind.

"Oh God, Che, oh my fucking God," Max said as she wrapped her arms around Chloe's neck in a tight hug. Hearing Chloe wince in pain, Max pulled back and laid her forehead against Chloe's, tears running down her cheeks. "I thought I was going to lose you, you were nowhere to be found! I couldn't find you!"

"Hey, you found me, Max. I'm right here. You hella saved me, my knight in nerdy armor," Chloe said, kissing Max multiple times on the cheek.

"W-why, Chloe, why did you go alone?" Max asked with a pleading tone, "W-why couldn't you w-wait for me? You could have died!"

"I'm...I'm sorry, Max. I'm fucking stupid," Chloe said, feeling crestfallen, "I-I just fucking went. I didn't think-"

"You didn't think, dork. Together. Forever," Max said as she fought to not sound pissed, "You. Don't. Ever. Do. This. Again." Max jabbed Chloe's chest with every pause between words.

"There won't be an 'again', though, right?" Chloe asked as Max looked into her eyes, "Please tell me there won't be a next time."

Max looked behind Chloe, out the car window. Watching the ambulance pull away, Max saw police officers heading toward the car.

"Chlo, did I-I-," Max began, terror rising.

"Holy shit, no. No, Max. You didn't kill him. You came fucking close, Jesus fuck, you came really fucking close. Where the hell were you aiming?" Chloe asked as she shivered at the memory of the classroom, Max pulling the trigger and her face dampened by the blood of Jefferson.

"I...I don't remember. I don't think I actually aimed, I just pulled the trigger," Max said, her voice devoid of emotion at the memory.

"Dude, I am never getting you pissed. Well, I'm going to try harder not to." Chloe winced instinctively as Max slapped her on her good arm.

"Not funny, Che," Max retorted, then scooted over so that she was sitting right next to Chloe. The taller woman slouching in the back seat of the police car, Chloe laid her head on Max's shoulder as two police officers entered the car. The officer in the passenger seat turned to look at the two young women.

"We're taking you to the hospital first," the officer indicated to Chloe, then she nodded at Max, "You will be coming to the station with us. We've got some questions. We'll be back for your friend as soon as the doctors set that fracture."

Max spent that evening and nearly all of the next day at the police station, answering questions and asking a few of her own. While the officers wouldn't tell her specifics of the growing case, they told Max that materials had been found at Jefferson's house that painted a 'long, nasty picture'. After her last round of questioning, Max had been given permission to use a phone. Calling her mother, who was still in Arcadia Bay, Max explained vaguely what had transpired in the last 24 hours. Her mother showing up mere minutes later, Max cried in her mother's arms for a few minutes before going into a more reasonable telling of events. Max watched as her mother's face paled, and Max had to steady her mother to ensure she didn't faint. Max went to the vending machine to get them something to drink when she saw Chloe come through the station's front entrance.

Wearing a hooded jacket, Chloe was led into the station by Joyce and David, her injured arm now in a more suitable cast and sling. Max wanted to call out to her but all three were ushered into a room across the bullpen of the police station. Collecting the sodas from the vending machine, Max returned to her mother and sat with her, absently sipping the soda.

"Max? What is it?" Max's mother asked, her hand laid on top of her daughter's.

"I saw Chloe," Max said, a tinge of sadness in her voice.

Max looked over at her mother and saw the look of concern on her face, tried to smile reassuringly but noticed her mother's attention was diverted to something behind Max. Turning in her seat, Max looked over to see Chloe absently looking at the vending machine, sneaking peeks over towards the Caulfields. Feeling her mother nudge her in Chloe's direction, Max walked over to the vending machine and grabbed the soda from the machine's dispenser. Max handed the soda to Chloe, who looked at her for a moment before kissing Max hard on the lips. No passion, no lust, Max felt that it was a kiss of love and desperation.

"I missed you too, Che," Max said as they broke the kiss, Max standing on her tip-toes to gently bump foreheads with Chloe.

"Are you okay?" Chloe asked, not caring how stupid the question sounded.

"Are you?" Max asked in return, concern spread across her face.

"Meh. Battle scars, dude. I'm hella tough, y'know," Chloe said, smiling weakly.

"Yeah, Chloe, you're hella fucking tough," Max said with a slight chuckle, "Are you going to be here long? I think they're going to cut me loose soon. For now, anyway."

"A cop took my statement at the hospital when I came out of the ER. The fracture didn't break the skin so they just set the bone. Would've been fucking nice if I'd gotten some painkillers, though. Shit was a fucking bitch," Chloe said as she wiggled her injured forearm slightly and breathed through gritted teeth as a result of the movement, "We're here for some follow-up and shit with my folks."

"Nice language, Professor Price. Clearly you know all the Englishes," Max said in a joking manner.

"Shush, nerd."

"Dork."

"Jackass."

"Dumbass."

"Hipster."

"...I love you, Chloe," Max said, interrupting Chloe's train of thought. Chloe just looked at Max for a moment before setting her soda on top of the machine, then took one of Max's hands in her own.

"I love you, too. Keep saving my life?" Chloe asked, kissing Max lovingly.

"As many times as I can, Che. Just keep being in mine, okay?" Max said as she nuzzled Chloe's neck.

Max returned to Blackwell the following Friday. Against her parents' strong suggestion, Max had decided to continue attending the school, but some things had changed. The Caulfields met with the interim principal, Wells having resigned, and an agreement had been made regarding Max's placement at Blackwell Academy. Max would continue to attend classes once the Spring semester started, and she was given special permission to live off-campus. The portion of her scholarship devoted to lodging would be released monthly as a stipend for Max to use for her own housing. The interim principal, Max didn't remember her name, spoke repeatedly about how regretful the entire incident was and also how proud the school board was to have such a brave student in their academy. Max thought she'd be sick.

Her parents and Chloe's parents having cleared out most of her room, Max didn't really want to go to the dorm. She knew she had to, though, and made her way among the looks and stares of other Blackwell students as she walked toward the girls' dormitory. Her hair now cut in a pixie fashion, Max was wearing her Jane t-shirt under the same leather jacket she'd taken from Chloe's room nights ago with the blue jeans and combat boots Chloe had bought her. The students she didn't know gave Max a wide birth as she made her way across the courtyard to the breezeway and girls' dorm, the ones who did know her waving awkwardly as she walked by. Max acknowledged some, but ignored most of the other students, trying to focus her attention directly ahead of her. Max chuckled to herself as she realized that Warren hadn't tried to pop up on her, not having seen him yet.

Entering the dorm, Max slowly climbed the stairs leading to her floor. Standing at the door, Max thought for a moment about saying "Fuck it" and leaving what few things she had left in her room behind to collect later. Thinking of the friends she'd made on her floor, though, made Max realize she needed to see them. It's not like I won't be back, Max thought, But I won't live here anymore. I can't. Max thought of the future therapy sessions that awaited her, her and Chloe. For Max, the therapy was another condition of her still attending Blackwell. A result of the combined encouragement of the interim principal and her parents, Max rolled her eyes at the thought of talking to a therapist but knew she would need it. She had woken up every night since the shooting in a cold sweat, looking over at Chloe only to see fear in her eyes as well. Sighing, Max opened the door to the hall and stepped inside.

"Max! Oh my god!" Kate said as she ran from Dana's doorway to hug Max, "Thank God you're okay! How's Chloe? Is she okay? Some people came to your room and started boxing your stuff away! Why haven't you called?"

"Whoa, Kate. Whoa," Max said as she returned the hug. Max watched as Alyssa and Brooke looked at her nervously, then glanced down at their phones, "I'm sorry, Kate. I've just...it's been a rough fucking week."

Kate broke the hug and looked at Max in earnest, concerned. Max felt her cheeks begin to redden as she felt Kate almost look through her. Kate placed her hands in Max's and sounded like she might cry when she next spoke.

"Max, don't ever let yourself be put in a position like that again. You or Chloe, just don't," Kate said with a seriousness in her voice.

Max tried to nod reassuringly, then was caught up in a double hug from Dana and Juliet. Max patted the two women on the back as she felt them sob, then pulled back as they began to talk.

"Please don't scare us like that again, Max. We-," Dana started.

"-heard about everything, saw some of it from the gate that night. We pieced it all together, the thing with Nathan and Mr. Jefferson. You and Chloe were the ones who outed Nathan, weren't you?" Juliet asked, getting a slightly irked look from Dana for interrupting her.

"No comment," Max replied with a slight grin, "I know better than to talk to the press."

Juliet looked taken aback for a moment before realizing that Max was only teasing. Dana chuckled at Juliet's momentary shock before she kissed Max on the forehead and looked at the shorter girl appraisingly.

"I like the newer look, Max," Dana said, "But seriously, Max. What's going on? We were talking about it with Kate. Are you moving out?"

"Uh, yeah. I'll still be attending Blackwell, when the winter break is over, but part of the agreement my parents made with the school is that I'll get to live off-campus," Max said with a shy tone. I feel so bad about this, about not being here with them every day anymore, but I need this.

"Well," Juliet said as Kate and Dana took Max's words in, "Will you at least come visit us? I mean, keeping in touch is already mandatory, so visits are a minimum requirement."

"Of course I'll come visit!" Max said, grinning, "I'll be living in town, not on the moon. Of course I will visit."

Breaking away from the trio after a few more minutes of discussion, Max continued down the hall toward what was once her room. Max looked surprised when Taylor came up to her from the direction of Victoria's room and hugged her.

"Shit, Max! You're leaving?" Taylor asked while still hugging Max.

"Uh, I'm only moving out. I get to stay in Blackwell," Max said, feeling some of her breath being squeezed out from Taylor's vice grip, "Where are Courtney and Victoria?"

"They shut themselves in Victoria's room when word spread that you were coming back today," Taylor said as she let Max go, "Victoria is pretty shaken up about the whole Jefferson thing."

"I can only imagine," Max said, trying to sound interested.

"Yeah, well, it definitely knocked her down a peg. She'll recover, she's Victoria, but it'll take a bit for her to adjust," Taylor said awkwardly, having caught Max's feigned interest in Victoria, "I'll let you get back to what you were doing. Just...just keep in touch, yeah?"

"I will, Taylor. You're very sweet...when you want to be," Max said, grinning as Taylor playfully slapped Max on the shoulder and walked to her own room.

Max's room was nearly empty. Only a few personal mementos remained. Grabbing a leftover packing box, Max began to take down her memorial photo wall, gently removing each picture and placing them in stacks inside the box. Max took a moment to reminisce at the memories in each photo, those from Seattle and here in Arcadia Bay. I feel like a different person, not grown but changed. Tornadoes, powers, love - I've been shaped by and have shaped the world around me. Wowsers, Max thought as she looked at a selfie she took her first day at Blackwell, I look so...so innocent. I kinda miss that, but I wouldn't go back even if I still could. Having packed up the other pictures on her walls and the books left behind, Max set the box down as her phone went off. Max pulled the phone out of a pocket in her jacket and saw a message from Chloe.

Chloe: Max-a-roon, the spare room is now fully nerdified.

Chloe: When u coming home, lady?

Max grinned and typed back a quick response, then looked around the now-emptied room one last time. Life is fucking strange, but when isn't it? Max thought as she grabbed the box and shut the door behind her.

Author's Note - This concludes "The Power is On". I left the ending open because I would like to wrap this AU up with a third story, maybe, but I closed the story enough to my satisfaction that I can walk from this and feel like I did my narrative justice.

I would like to thank everybody who has read "Rebel Girl" and/or this fic. What started as me just putting down my personal headcannon became an honest-to-Dog journey, and your reviews and comments both here and on my Tumblr made it all the more worthwhile.

I have some ideas for one-shots in my mind, and already have one plotted out. Like I said, I would like to write another story in the AU I've created; if I don't, I hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did making it. Hella fucking hella.

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