A/N - SO! People asked me to make a second version of 'The Final Choice' as well. This one won't be quite as good as the first, and I'm super thankful of all the fantastic feedback I've been given on the original. :3 - Let me start off by saying this actually works, to a point, as a prequel to 'The Final Choice', leading up to the point of Max going back. But it takes a different turn after that. ALSO, if people enjoy this, this very well might be the first chapter in a continuous story about what happens to Max and Chloe after the Storm. For now this is a one-shot, however! Let me know your thoughts and if you would like to see this one continue. Hope you enjoy!
" Max? Max, can you hear me? Please, say something! " Chloe shouted as Max fell to her knees with a gasp, snapping out of her nightmare-filled state. " Chloe? I.. I must have passed out.. Sorry. " Max responded slowly as she pushed herself to her feet, still recovering from the shock. " I swear.. but that nightmare was so real, was so horrible.. " Max stated with a shaky voice, her gaze drifting to the massive tornado heading for town.
" Oh my god.. It... It is actually here, isn't it? It felt so real in my dreams. - My visions, but.. It's actually here. ..This is my storm, Chloe. I caused this. I caused -all- of this! I changed fate and destiny so much that.. I actually did alter the course of.. the course of -everything-! " Max shouted as tears began to roll down her cheeks, mixing with the ran. She took a step back and turn to look at Chloe, frowning darkly. " All I really created was.. just death and destruction. This is all my fault, Chloe.. I shouldn't of played with time, I shouldn't ha-.. "
" Fuck all that, okay?! You were given this power, you didn't ask for it. And.. and you saved me, which had to happen. All of this did.. So you're not the goddamn Time Master, but you're Maxine Caulfield, and you are -amazing-! You hear me? " Chloe shouted in response, cutting Max off as she moved forward to rest her shaky hands on Max's shoulders.
" What.. What are we going to do, Chloe? Everyone.. everyone is going to die. " Max muttered softly, turning to gaze at the massive tornado once more. Chloe took in a slow, shaky breath, staring at the fear-filled face Max had. She knew what was needed. What had to happen to fix this all, to save the town. She expected it for a while now, with everything that had happened up to this point.. But she didn't want to accept it, and neither did Max. But they had to now.
" ..Max, there is a way. " She muttered, almost whispering as she brought a hand down into her jacket pocket, pulling the butterfly photo out and offering it towards Max. " You.. You could use that photo to change everything back to when you took that picture. Back to when you first used your powers.. All- All you have to do is not use them. To not change time.. All you have to do is-.. is.. " Chloe closed her eyes, holding in the tears as she struggled to say what needed to be said.
" Fuck that! " Max shouted, pulling the photograph from Chloe's hands. " No.. no way am I doing that! You are my number one priority now. You are all that matters to me, Chloe. " Max responded almost instantly, the thought of having to.. to do that was too much. Not after all they have been through, not after.. " I know. You proved that over and over again.. Even though I don't deserve it. Don't deserve you. I'm.. I'm so selfish, Max. Not like my mom. Look what she has had to give up and live through for me. What she -will- live through, for me. She deserves -so much- more than to be killed by a storm in a fucking diner! E- Even my step.. father, deserves her to be alive, Max. There's so many more people in Arcadia Bay that deserve to live.. That deserve more than this, way more than me. " Chloe stated firmly, though hiding the shakiness in her voice was almost impossible, and the sadness of her words was beyond impossible to hide. She didn't want to die.. But she knew what needed to happen to save the people she cares about.
" Don't say that, Chloe! I won't trade you. " Max shouted in return, a hint of anger in her tone at even considering to trade Chloe. Chloe was worth more than that. She deserved far more than that. " You're not trading me! Don't you see?.. You.. - We, are just delaying my destiny. I was meant to die in that bathroom, Max. We have to fucking accept that now! " Chloe turned to face Max more directly, the tears running down her cheeks barely noticeably through the freezing raindrops that joined them. " Look at how many times I have died or almost died around you. - Look at what's happened to Arcadia Bay ever since you first saved me. I have to die to fix this, Max! This is beyond us. Both of us. I know I've been selfish, but for once I think I should accept my fate.. our fate.. " Chloe continued, stepping closer to Max to grab her shoulders once more, giving them a gentle squeeze.
" Max, you finally came back to me this week, and.. and you did nothing but show me your love and friendship. You made me smile and laugh, like I haven't done in -years-. Wherever I end up after this.. in whatever reality.. I will -always- love you. " Chloe whispered softly, leaning in close to press their foreheads together. Max stared into her bright blue hues while Chloe stared back, and for a short moment, she got lost in them. Max brought her arms up, wrapping them around Chloe in a gentle, loving embrace as she brought her cold lips in to meet with Chloe's own, pulling the bluenette into a tender kiss.
Chloe's gaze widened at this, but unlike last time they kissed she didn't pull away. - Instead she pushed into it, squeezing Max close within her arms as their lips met and Chloe deepened the kiss. She wasn't going to make the same mistake as last time. - She was going to enjoy this, every moment of it she could. She focused all of her attention on Max, and for the first time this week she felt truly, completely at peace, the chill of the rain burning away within the warmth of their hug. But, she knew it couldn't last, and after a few drawn-out seconds of peace they parted, but stayed close, staring into each others eyes.
" All those moments between us were real, and they will -always- be ours, Max.. No matter what. " Chloe whispered, leaning into Max's palm as the younger teen brought her hand up to caress Chloe's reddened cheek. " I love you too, but Chloe.. I can't make this choice. " She whispered in return, her voice cracking under the weight of it all as the woman she loved pulled her in against her chest, hugging her close. " No, Max.. You're the only one who can. " Chloe whispered as she tilted her head down, pressing her face into the darkened locks of Max's hair, taking in the younger girl's scent for what was likely the final time.
" Chloe.. I'm so sorry, I don't want to do this.. " Max whispered, taking a step away from Chloe. The older teen flashed her a soft, sad smile, lightly nodding. " I know, Max.. Being together this week, it was the best farewell gift I could have hoped for. You're my hero, Max. And you always will be. " Chloe took a step back as well, raising her hands to brush away the tears with her palms. " Now, get out of here, please.. Do it before I freak. " Chloe whispered, watching as Max silently nodded and turned towards the tornado.
She stepped closer, staring down at the photo that started it all. She hated with photo, so much.. But she knew what she had to do. And she knew what she couldn't do. She wasn't sure what was going to come after this. - She wasn't even sure if they were going to be alive tomorrow, or the day after.. She had no idea what was going to happen next, but she knew it was worth it, for the person she would trade the world for.
Chloe stayed back, not trusting her selfish self to not stop Max from doing what needed to be done. She watched as the younger teen, who had been through so much more in a week than anyone should in a lifetime, approached the cliff's edge, staring down at the photo that started all of this. Fucking photo. She was happy she got to spend the week with Max, at least, even if she wouldn't remember it.. Her best friend in the entire world and beyond, and the girl she loved since she was only a tween. Fate was the bitch that got between them, but they made it to the end. She took in a slow, shaky breath, speaking for what felt like the final time. " And Caulfield. Don't you forget about m-.. "
She cut herself off, mouth hanging open. She heard it, even over the screaming winds she could hear the rip, like a tear in time itself. Her eyes widened in disbelief and shock as she saw Max release the two ripped halves of the picture that was going to save the town, and watched as they floated off into the storm. " M-.. Max..? " She whispered shakily, taking a wobbly step towards the smaller girl.
" I'm sorry, Chloe.. But I guess I decided a world without Chloe Price isn't a worth worth living in. " She stated softly, hiding the shakiness of her tone, the weight of making such a choice bearing down on her. She turned to face the bluenette, flashing her a soft, sad smile. " You are the most important person in the world to me. -You- are all that matters to me.. " Max continued, motioning towards the tornado. " All of this.. All of it is worth it if it means I get to spend even another day by your side. And I don't know what will come after this, I don't know how.. fucked up things will be, but I know it is worth it. It always will be, Chloe. It always has been. " Max finished, taking a hesitant step towards Chloe, who still stared her down in shock.
" Bu-.. But Max.. all of those people. M- Mom.. Waldo, Kate? Even fucking.. fucking Vic-dick deserves to survive this. The- They can't die for me, Max. It's not their place! " Chloe spoke softly at first, but began to shout as she took a step towards Max. " How- how do you expect me to live knowing all of those people had to die for me? How do you fuc-... " She stopped herself, her rant coming to an end as she felt cold, yet strong arms wrap around her, holding her in an embrace. She looked down at the crying brunette, rubbing her tear-streaked cheek against Chloe's already soaked shirt.
Max.. Max did.. Max gave up everything, everyone for me. She went through this entire, crazy week for me. She has had my back through it all, and here I am, shouting at her for making what could be the hardest choice she has had to make this entire week. ..All for me. Chloe had lost herself in her thoughts, gently bringing her longer arms around Max to return her hug. She tilted her head down, taking in the scent of the girl she loved for the second time, a chance she never expected to have. She allowed her gaze to drift past Max, to the tornado currently tearing through Arcadia.. She knew this was going to be hard. Moving past this was.. was going to be close to, if not impossible.. But the choice had been made. Max chose her, over safety, over the town, over the world.. She chose her. And as much as it hurt her to admit it, to admit that she was even partially happy about this choice, she was touched. Truly, truly touched.
" I- I'm so- so sorry, Chl- Chloe.. " Max stuttered through her tears, fearful of losing her closest friend because of her selfish choice. " I know I've been.. I- I know I am the worst friend in the world, leaving you.. and then coming back and causing all of this, bu-.. But please, don't leave me.. I need you.. " She whispered the last few words out, barely about to speak as she cried into Chloe's shirt. Chloe just held her tighter, nuzzling against the top of the younger girl's head, trying to comfort her. " Max.. Oh, oh Max.. " Chloe was crying herself, now. So much devotion, so much love.. She knew she didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve any of it. - She didn't even deserve this week.. But Max was here, holding her now and she wasn't going to ruin that. She slid down onto her knees in the dirt, pulling Max along with her, bringing the brunette face-to-face with her. " Max.. I'll always be with you.. And I will always love you. No matter what.. " Chloe whispers to her crying friend, holding her as close as she possibly could. She needed this.. this comfort. Both of them did.
Max just continued to cry, holding onto Chloe's jacket like her life depended on it. This was the end, and the beginning.. A new chapter in their lives. Neither of them knew what was going to come of this choice. Would fate come for them, like it had here? Would time chase them until Chloe met her end? Would they ever be able to move past this. - All of this death and destruction? Only time would tell, and out of all of those questions, only one real answer was given.
" We will be together.. Always. "