Author notes:

Hello guys and gals, I know, I know, I took a long time writing this, and I won't lie, this will happen much more time, since college and work are consuming too much of my time, and the free time I have left isn't enough to write faster, regardless, I did say I wasn't stopping :)

Author recommendations:

Before I start with the reviews I wanted to recommend three stories that I read while I was resting, which can be found in this website.

Rachel's power: By Egerke, we start with Rachel Amber being the one who had the powers before Max Caulfield, and it explores how she would be dealing with those powers in the first place, in the last few weeks of her life.

It follows the interesting theory of Rachel as the first time traveler (that we know) before Max, and how she was dealing with those powers and high school, with the constant gossip, homework, and the worse troublemaker of all (besides Rachel)...Chloe.

An intriguing tale to say the least.

A Dancing Prism: By HWGA, Showing us a extremely grey but not less interesting character, and using the dialogue and the information dropped in the game, it's a great character analysis of Rachel in her last moments alive, the author did a great job in showing his interpretation of Rachel and her motives.

If you like character analysis, it's a must read.

Calm after the Storm: By Zaarkie, following the sacrifice Arcadia Bay ending, currently with one chapter, it's mostly Max and Chloe dealing with the outcome of the storm, but showing nothing less than love and friendship for each other.

We can never have too many good heartwarming fics of those two girls, if you think the same, give it a shot.

Replies to Reviews:

Momijifan Low-Ki: Glad you like it, that letter in my opinion was the funniest part I wrote until now, I had a lot of fun doing Chloe's pov...and a lot of sadness doing Max's pov.

Jk Tolkien: Aye sir, here it is :)

yarfmeister: Thank you, and yes Maxine scares us all, especially me! I am happy you liked the longer chapters too, since I intend to make them more frequent for now on.

Wolf81: Thank you very much, I can't deny that I thought the same about Victoria at first (she didn't help in her first impression), but as I have being playing the game, I recognized that, using Kate's words, that while it's true that Victoria can be a...not nice, she isn't evil, mostly of Victoria's worst traits come from her deeply insecurities and fears, but she has far more depth that she is giving credit for sometimes.

Special thanks to my beta-readers: Berserker66666, ShadowDragon8685, Egerke, Jphw, HWGA and Zaarkie for beta-reading it, and putting up with my annoying ass :D

Reviews, criticism and comments are welcome, and as always, thank you everybody for reading it, reviewing, favoriting and following this fic, I hope you will enjoy this chapter.

Chloe

On the first day that Max disappeared, a Thursday, after hours looking for her dad's car keys, they finally got at the treehouse, close to 8 am.

Chloe had explored inside their treehouse, she wasn't there, however, Chloe did see their bed all messed up, food thrown around, a water bottle on the ground, she didn't need to guess that Max was there, and that she was still in the forest, hiding somewhere.

Until the afternoon, they were looking for Max around the treehouse, thinking she would be close, since it was more or less safe, but they didn't find her anywhere.

After that afternoon without results, her mother came to the conclusion that enough was enough and decided to ask the help of the neighborhood, knocking on everybody's door and asking for their help on finding Max, with Vanessa and Ryan calling the police as well.

It wasn't hard to convince them to lend a hand, most had kids, brothers or sisters and if they were in the same situation, they surely would want help too, so they wouldn't refuse her mother.

There were some that were "volunteered" by her mother's steel glare and it would look bad on their part to refuse help to a kid in a time of need, the neighborhood pressure combined with Chloe's mother was a 100% guarantee of success of recruitment.

Tree by tree, rock by rock, they were looking for Max everywhere, but she was much better at hiding, that didn't bother Chloe, she knew it wasn't going to be that easy anyway, after all, Max learned how to hide with the best, years playing of hide and seek apparently were practice to develop ninja skills at stealth, if disappearing and pulling that off for three days were any proof of that.

However, Max's places to hide were getting fewer, Chloe knew Max like the back of her hand, and with a map in one hand and a pen in the other, she gave orders to the neighborhood (with Max's and Chloe's parents approval) of where they had to look for, she knew the best places where Max could hide and all the backup places that she could try if she felt they were getting too close.

Chloe was going to find her, Max couldn't hide forever, she would find her, bring her home, and give Max a scolding for doing that without her, then demand Max to teach her how to drive a car, because that's been driving her crazy.

And we will be together and happy forever and ever, simple as that, your parents already agreed to stay here, now the only thing that is missing for us to get a happy ending is you stopping to hide you brat!

It was like a game for Chloe, one that she was sure that she would win...at least, it was like that in the beginning, until someone found a knife inside a bush, with blood at the tip of the blade.

It was a kitchen knife, nothing special, the handle was made of wood, it was the type of knife that her mother would always use when she cooked her delicious food, that Chloe and her dad would start drooling like babies. Aside for the small drops of blood on it, there wasn't anything memorable about it.

However, the speculation and gossip arose under that, nobody knows who started, but someone made a comment, perhaps joking, that maybe there was a serial killer in the forest, Chloe just snorted at such irrational thought. What? Knife equals serial killer?

On the other hand, people apparently were irrational since half of the neighborhood started to think the same.

The stories that this one knife were creating were getting bigger as the hours passed, some people already claiming that they already "saw" this mysterious psychopath in one of their trips at the forest, guesses about his appearance, his job, even speculations about Max's state, that something might have happened to her...

At that point the members of the neighbourhood were considering starting a hunt for this man, with the intention of finding this imaginary psycho, an encounter that this man (if he even existed) would not likely survive.

But her mother showed Chloe who exactly she inherited her good sense from.

Her mother decided to put an end in the expeculation right there, before it got out of control and the neighborhood started a witch's hunting in the woods, not over bloodied knife, and forget the reason for this whole search in the first place, which was finding Max, not speculating over some imaginary serial killer, one that, as her mother said, no cases of homicide or even disappearance were heard until now, the last one being years ago.

But even with everybody focused back at the searching, Max was still two steps ahead of them.

So Chloe left messages written with white chalk, hidden codes in the form of drawings, things that only Max and Chloe would know, it was clear answers that her plan worked and she could stop screwing with their parents' heads, thankfully, Max did answer back, and they were direct and fast, but for her dismay, they only said "Wait" "Not yet, but soon" with the last one written "I will return, give me one more day" all those messages were written with blue chalk on the trees, with a blue butterfly at the side, to make sure that it was Max leaving those codes, which was humiliating since they had 30 people searching for her already and Max still could leave messages behind, without any concern of being found.

A demonstration of how much Max was a badass ninja.

Now they were in the third day since Max had run away, this would be the so called day that Max said she would return. And Chloe was frustrated with the fact that it was almost evening now and she still hadn't returned.

Chloe was going to the lighthouse, one of the few places that they didn't check completely, Max could still be there hiding, she hoped so.

"Max! stop hiding, you parents are staying! They won't leave anymore!" Why I am even trying? It's not like she is going to go ahead and answer me anyway. "Where the hell are you!?" She was pissed, that wasn't funny anymore, she was tired, smelly, and worried, especially worried, Chloe was desperate to find her, what if that serial killer stuff was real? What if something happened with Max? She didn't know what she would do if Max got hurt somehow.

So she still kept searching, driven by fear that something could have happened to her, she wouldn't come back until she got Max back.

I just want you back. That's what she wanted, she would do anything to get her back at her side again.

Worse of all was the other stories she was hearing, one that started with a couple of boys and girls older than Chloe, they were in the forest during the morning on the very first day that Max disappeared, those teens were sleeping after the party they trashed in the woods, ecstatic after their celebration of being young and wild.

And then, they heard the screams...they didn't know where they came from, only that they never heard something so horrifying as those before, they weren't of fear however, they were furious shouts, following of several cursings.

Those teens did the only thing that any reasonable human being would do after being scared shitless in the middle of a forest in a Thursday morning. They decided to run for their very lives.

Two police officers, one of them named Berry, found them, the teens were almost run over by the police car while in their desperate run for the shouts.

They asked instantly for help, their descriptions of what happen a hour ago were closer of a savage beast hunting for them, likely a wolf, and they would be slaughtered if they didn't run.

The police officers, especially Berry, a friend of her father and Ryan, were...skeptical to say the least, a wild wolf in Arcadia Bay? True, there were wolves in Oregon, but a lone wolf wouldn't attack a couple of teens in a Thursday morning. That and the small fact that those teens were smelling of weed and beer, not exactly the ideal sort of statement, but their faces were nothing less of pure terror, whatever they did smoke or drink, that definitely had gone out of their system when they gave their frantic testimonies of the source of the screams...

That it wasn't a wolf, It was a girl.

Berry reported back to the police officers, but the story didn't end there, the teens told their friends and parents, who told their friends, who told the friends of their friends, the story spread like wildfire, in one day, almost everybody heard about that girl's screams.

But only on the third day did her parents and Chloe hear about it.

Combine that story with that kitchen knife with blood at the point...it wasn't hard to start imagining.

The man and woman in the search group decided that they had to find Max one way or another, men started to get armed, women as well, the police officers tried to put control, but even they couldn't contain for too long the outrage that people were feeling, what if their children were next? What if there was a serial killer? "There isn't time to lose!" they said. "There is a fucking psycho here, and you fuckers are going to stand and watch?!" The panic was palpable for everybody.

Chloe did tell her parents that Max had to be fine, because she did leave messages behind, she even showed them those messages, whoever did scream, it couldn't be Max, not if she was still leaving messages for them to see.

Which helped calm them, especially Vanessa and Ryan, who were stressed beyond belief, but relieved somewhat, since their daughter was (apparently) still safe and sound.

However, there was a problem, if Max was fine and was still leaving messages...then who was screaming that morning three days ago? And why she was screaming?

Who is this girl?

Max

Three days waiting, three days thinking, three days, 72 hours…Max had more than enough time to think, when she was waiting to discover if she was right and she still had five years to wait, or if the apocalypse would come and end Arcadia Bay once and for all.

All because she dared to care, for saving a life, for making use of her newfound abilities.

And not even for power, the first time she used her rewind, the very first time she discovered that she had an opportunity to use them. It was to save someone's life, a girl she didn't even know at the first, yet it was her very first reason to use it, Max's first instinct. To protect.

But it was more than enough reason for some karmic bullshit, a twisted sense of justice, to come and bring a tornado ready to destroy a town full of innocent people, you wanted to save your best friend Max? Of course, go ahead, oh, and by the way? A tornado must come and kill all of your other friends, and your best friend's family too, because you know, we have to balance the scales? Chaos theory and all that? Can't have everything right? Hope you learned your lesson.

The "right" thing to do, the "sane" thing to do would be to not interfere, to let her die, and let "destiny" play its hand, why risk it? Why risk everybody's lives? She knew the cost, was she ready to condemn all those people to their deaths? All her friends? Their parents? Would it even stop with a tornado? What if it didn't stop?

And that's exactly what she would do, Max would turn the world into fucking glass for Chloe, she would do anything to keep her alive and happy, anything, she only had to ask, but she wouldn't give her away, not again, if she ever had to do it again, if she did let her die…she would follow her to the land of the dead, in heaven or hell, fuck it if it was for the greater good, what sort of greater good is that, what was left for Max of Chloe? Memories? Of this amazing girl that never got her chance of being happy again? Memories to kindly remind her what she had thrown away?

This was anything but right, how condemning Chloe to dying alone and afraid, believing that nobody cared for her, be right? She said that those memories would be always ours...no Chloe, they will always be mine, you would never know that I was at your side, you would die in a bathroom, never knowing that I cared, that's really fair right? You get killed in a bathroom, with everybody thinking you weren't worth shit, while I live knowing that it was never true, that you are goddamn hero, yet you die alone, alone...alone because I let that happen, because your "best friend" was too much chickenshit to call you, to be at your side when you needed, or just jumped that stall and eat that bullet instead, what a great friend huh?

And if I didn't do that, I would not only condemn hundreds of people to their deaths, I would be the reason for your mother's death, and you would live thinking that it was all your fault, you would have to live with a monster at your side, you would live knowing that I decided to save your life, that I killed all of our friends and your parents with one choice. I would let our town being turned to fucking glass. All for you, but would you even stay at my side afterwards? Could you even forgive me?

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Is there some...lesson for me here? Maybe I didn't look hard enough, let's see, "You have to make hard choices?" "You have to sacrifice the things you love sometimes in your life?" Or even better! "Don't use time travel to save the people you care, or you gonna kill thousands of innocent people, because time travel is "wrong", "unnatural" and "immoral." "

Good lessons, wasn't there an easier way for me to learn that? Maybe one where I don't need those powers and lose all my friends, for me to get the fucking point?

Max was given a hand she never asked for, she seen enough to keep a psychiatrist in business for life, she almost died several times at Jefferson's hand, the so called "visionary", she watched several of her friends and innocent people die in a storm of her own making, she felt pain countless times, she saw Chloe die several times, she...she even killed her, she either killed Chloe or left her behind, marking her last minutes in her alternative timeline one of betrayal or one of death…

The first day that Max heard Maxine claim that she wasn't a nightmare and that she was real, that she did exist in this alternative timeline, that her entire life was destroyed by herself, she lost it, starting to shout like a maniac, she didn't care if anyone heard her or not, either Max was losing her grasp with reality, and the more she used her powers, the more it would eventually destroy her mind and kill her or that nightmare was real and she has been killing parts of herself, for the first time she revealed her power, there were dead Max's everywhere, and she was still doing that, as long as she rewinded.

How many Maxs Jefferson killed? How many of me died? How many of me will die? When I rewind again, will I lose another part of me? How I am still sane? I saw enough shit that would turn someone to the breaking point, all this rewinds, alternative realities, should I even be surprised?

And Maxine just disappeared without a trace, and she left Max alone, no body, no blood, only guilt, it was just Max with a crushing guilt and a knife in her hand, until she threw it somewhere in the woods, she wouldn't look for it.

The things she said to herself, it was a brutal form of honesty, one that only someone like Max Caulfield herself was capable of when she wanted, to hell with your feelings, but, could Max say she was wrong? How could she? If Maxine was right, what right did you have to leave them all alone and run away with Chloe, leaving everything behind and try to live a fucking dream?

Max would never be the same, she lost so much during that week, that girl of a week ago, that was hopeful, happy in her blissful ignorance, worrying only about the everyday boring problems of a normal girl, had she never got her powers, Chloe would have died alone, a tragic death, Nathan would probably be under arrest, and likely break and tell everything about what he did, Jefferson would get his just deserts and Max would live, regretting she never talked with Chloe again, but she would live, forever ignorant of a week that never was, wouldn't that be better than live through all this? Max had only one answer to that...

It was all worth it, I would do it all again, everything, I don't regret living that week.

Here she was standing at the lighthouse, dangerously close of the cliff, witnessing the sunset, it was like Arcadia Bay wasn't capable of changing, at least, not the most magical and mystical aspects, even though everything in her life did.

The golden hour, how many times have I witnessed it with you Chloe? Two? We could have more of those times together.

Many more times…

She was thinking about everything that happened in that week, was it really wrong what she did?

"You've just being delaying my real destiny…"

Your "destiny" is to die in a fucking bathroom alone?

"I think I should accept my fate...our fate..."

Fuck that, what sort of end is that? Your fate is bullshit, my fate includes you and everybody else alive and happy, That's our fate, and even if it isn't, I can...I will make it so!

In normal circumstances, all those lessons weren't wrong, but those same lessons were moot when you have the powers of a god. She didn't have to accept it.

I didn't ask for this, but with great powers comes great responsibility, a bullshit responsibility, but it's my responsibility. I have been selfish, ready to take the easy choice, instead of taking the harder one.

She could hear the whispers in the back of her head, maybe of the many Maxs she left behind, maybe even Maxine's ghost? half of them saying. "You are not a hero." And the other half saying "But you should be."

Yes, you are not a hero...but you could be one, you can be her hero, you can be everyone's hero, why shouldn't you? Because you are afraid? Why Max? Why are you still afraid?! Of what!? Are you afraid of your powers or yourself? You saved Kate's life! If you could do that, then why is using this power wrong?

You risked everything for Chloe, and you are still alive, Max, you didn't just change her fate...you crushed it, You challenged time, you showed the finger to time and death itself, and you are still fucking alive! So why are you still so fucking afraid!? You saved them before! You! Not those powers, you did that Max, no one else, you can save their lives, if only you tried.

You saved Kate with the help of your powers, not because of them, you brought her with you alive without them, that could have killed you, but you didn't die, you were strong enough to do that, if you saved her without them, then why can't you save everybody else, everybody, we all deserve to live and be happy. You deserve to be happy too.

Maybe I didn't get those powers for a purpose, but I can give them one. Those powers didn't make me the person I am, it was Chloe and that week, everything I lived, everything I felt, all the sadness and the happiness, all those moments made me the woman standing here today.

What would you have become if you didn't live throughout that week? Being the same shy hipster girl? Afraid of her own shadow? Someone who leaves her friends behind? A woman who doesn't stand up for anybody or anything? You would never have known Chloe, you would have lived a life full of regrets, guilt and what ifs, what type of life is that?

No, that week changed me, but it turned me into something stronger, someone I can be proud of when looking into the mirror.

This could be my chance to make a difference, someone once said "you either are destroyed by the things you see, or you are built anew." I would rather believe I died that week, but something new has been reborn in the end of this, harder and stronger, I am not that weak girl of a week ago, I am Maxine fucking Caulfield, and I will be her hero, and I dare anyone to stop me!

Her fears were still whispering behind her skull, "You might not make it…"

Yes, I might die trying, and everything would go to waste, but...what if it works? What if I can save Chloe and all my friends...what if? No, enough of what ifs. This is my hour.

"Be the change you want to see?" You were right Victoria, it's time to become the change.

She was going to risk it, Max wouldn't settle with one life, even if all went wrong and it cost hers instead, she wouldn't leave Chloe behind again, she wouldn't leave anybody again, she wouldn't live while one of them died, either I save all of them or I will fall with the town.

Max looked at her right hand, the hand that changed everything, she was the girl that challenged death, time and storms, nothing would stop her from achieving her new purpose, her last mission to fulfill, only if death itself came and ended her life in person would she stop, even if it cost her mind, body and soul to achieve her dreams. To keep them safe and happy, it was a fair price. To keep Chloe happy and alive, it was a bargain.

Everything that happened that week, rather than destroy her, it made Max harder and stronger than ever before, more determined than ever before, her iron will didn't shatter that night, it was rebuilt in steel.

My purpose, my destiny, is making sure that all of our friends live or I will fall at their side, with everybody else in Arcadia Bay.

It's all or nothing.

Max had a destiny to fulfill, one of her own making. It was my destiny to save you Chloe, you are my fate, you always were. It goes as far as you go.

There is no other choice here, I won't take another one, I can't fail, I will not fail.

Maxine, I don't care if you aren't real, you were real for me, I hope you are happy with her, whatever you are. And I hope you are watching too, because I will make sure that everything works this time, or I will fall with everybody here.

But I won't fail. So thank you...for giving yourself a chance.

At the distance, she could hear her fate calling.

"Max! stop hiding, you parents are staying! They won't leave anymore!"

Right on time Chloe, guess I scared my parents too much huh? Shit, maybe I took that too far? I could just have a talk with them, well, at least it worked anyway.

Max had to return now, she already knew that she had time, she had a destiny to fulfill and her fate was waiting. She was going to make it work, but first, I need to rest, I didn't sleep for three days. That and I want to enjoy my time with Chloe first.

"Where the hell are you!?"

She smiled at that thought, living five years again...how fucked up is that? Guess she was that fucked up, but it would be the best five years of her life.

"Oh man, that's totally bullshit! Where the fuck are you?

At the side of the girl that meant everything for her, now she could show Chloe her friendship and love.

"Ugh! Max! I swear I am beating your ass when I find you, that's so unfair! You get to have fun in the forest while I have to…" Chloe was ranting about being left behind and not having find her yet, that's so Chloe.

I can fix my mistakes and live at the side of the girl that means the most to me, and give her the life that she deserved, that we deserved, what else could you have asked for?

Chloe

She was seated on the bench looking towards the horizon, it was late already, the golden hour was ending now, and she had to return to her parents and tell them she didn't find her yet, and search another day, even though she was supposed to come back today, but maybe she was already back?

"You are so full of shit Max." At saying that Chloe heard a sound, it was one that could only be made by the pressing of the shutter of a camera, and if only to make sure she heard correctly...the sound of a polaroid being printed.

"What? Who... Max? Max! Where are you!" She got up in an instant, looking through all sides for any sign of life, but there wasn't anything.

"Max didn't show herself, but...Chloe definitely heard the sound of a flash, she wasn't hearing things, she knew the sound of a polaroid camera.

She walked slowly, counting her steps, she hoped it was Max who took that shot, because if it wasn't, then she was alone with someone, likely the girl from the woods…

"Chloe, you are being ridiculous, there isn't a ghost here, it's just a bunch of made up shit by a bunch of idiots, calm down." she tried to reassure herself, it wasn't working.

She saw a drawing on the lighthouse, it was hard to see, but it was definitely the drawing of a butterfly, Max?

The blondie got close to it and saw an arrow pointing down to a picture, it showed a pretty girl, sitting on a bench, seeing the sunset, with her beautiful strawberry blonde been touched by the light of the sunset, it was a beautiful shot, Chloe had to admit...of her.

It is me, sitting on the bench, who? How?

She turned the picture backwards, it had something written there with a pen, "Behind you?" she voiced aloud.

"Boo yah!" Max said.

"Ahh!" And Chloe squealed.

Chloe jumped a few feet and her face was a mix of pissed, angry, scared, surprised, it was a funny mix, one that she hoped Max wouldn't take another picture for her wall collection.

"Hey Chlo, missed me?"

"You...you...you..."

"Yeah, that's me, the one and only Max Caulfield, nice to meet you, did we met before?" Max asked with that shit eating grin in her face.

"Max!" Chloe hugged her, spinning her in circles, laughing, smashing Max with all her strength, "You are safe! I thought something had happen with you!"

"Chloe...can't breathe..." Max was trying (not really) to get out of the bear-like embrace.

"Shhh, be quiet now."

After a few moments of spins and laughs, Chloe finally put her in the ground, put her hands on her shoulders and asked her a very simple question...

"Why the fuck did you do that without me?!" She got direct at the point.

"I'm sorry?" Was Max's sorry excuse for doing something so irresponsible, going to the woods alone.

"You could have gotten hurt without me to protect you! Never do that again, promise me." Chloe demeaned her.

"Chloe…you don't need to worry, I didn't get hurt and I am sorry, but I needed to convince my parents..."

"By running alone? You could have brought me along you know?" She hit her arm without mercy, to get her point across Max's thick brunette head.

"Chloe stop!" Max was laughing while she tried to defend herself for the rightful small punches directed at her right arm. And after a few more thrown punches Chloe decided to show mercy.

"When did you parents teach you how to drive anyway? You totally could have told me."

"They didn't! I just...learned by myself?" Chloe didn't believe one word.

"Liar."

"No I am cereal, they never taught me."

"You learned alone?"

"Kinda..."

She gave her a very hard look at her, trying to see the lie behind it, Chloe would say what she thought about Max learning how to drive alone and not telling her best friend about it, but Max beat her to it.

"Chloe, I am sorry that I did that alone, and I promise from the bottom of my heart that I will never run away without you again, okay? Scout's promise."

She just looked at that tiny trickster, then she gave a good look at her nails, like there was something interesting with them that caught her attention and said without taking her eyes from them.

"You are forgetting one small detail."

"Which one? I think I covered all of them in my letter, I even made sure you wouldn't get in trouble, which you are welcome by the way."

"You promised that you would make up for that in your letter, remember?"

"Yes, I did, and I will, whatever you want, I will do it."

Chloe just looked back at her and smirked. "Teach me how to drive, then I will let that slide."

"Yeah right, you have a car we can borrow?"

"That's no excuse, you gotta teach me! That's only fair Max, I always wanted to drive, it would be awesome, driving through the streets, the wind in my hair, with the sea at my side."

"You want a car or you want a boat?" Max asked without losing her smile.

"Both, we gonna get both Max. You have to teach me, or you want me to crash my new car against a wall?" She grinned at the question "And if you ask me nicely. Maybe I will let you drive my new kickass car, and you can even help me choose the color, I love blue but I know you love red and pink too, so maybe a red one? I didn't really decide yet, but what you think Max? A blue truck or a...Max? You okay dude?"

Max looked very pale for a moment, like she literally saw a ghost...or something else.

"Hey...Max? You don't look good, come on, you need water? Maybe something to eat? When was the last time you ate anyway?"

Max just shocked herself out of her mini stupor and said quickly.

"Yeah, totally, huh...maybe you are right...I will teach you when your dad gives you one, I promise."

"Cool, I don't think he is going to give me one, but, huh...Max? No offence but, you look way too pale, and your eyes are huh, dark." That was indeed true, now that she mentioned and gave a good look on her, Max looked like she didn't sleep for days, almost like a zombie.

"I am just a bit tired you know? All that running."

That is true, she must be exhausted, don't worry Max, I am gonna take care of you now.

"Then the best solution to tiredness, is sleeping in our room, watching some movies, eat tons of popcorn and drinking coke, let our parents cuddle and spoil you, and then we are going to play, what you think? All recommended by doctor Price herself."

"Perfect." Chloe didn't know why, but it felt like Max wanted to say something more.

"Max, come on, what are so worried about?"

"It's no big deal...just that my parents must be pissed with me."

"Nah, they will be happy to see you, and I will take the blame, don't worry about it."

"No, I did it alone and you know it, you are not taking the blame for that, alright?"

"Max, that's no biggie, Ryan and Vanessa…"

"You are not taking the blame."

"And you are not the boss of me, if I want to take the blame, I will."

And they started a full discussion about who would take the blame, neither girl would yield, they were too protective of each other do so, they finally came to the conclusion that the only way to get this resolved this evening, would be with both taking the blame (even though Max kept muttering about how much that was bull).

They eventually settled with sharing the punishment and Chloe started to talk about her grand escape.

"That's was so crazy Max, you parents totally freaked out when they saw you driving, I freaked too! That's was sooo cool, and that letter, I am still laughing my ass off! You know, I am thinking, how many P.S can a person write?"

They were going through the path back, Chloe knew where their parents were, while they were walking back, with Chloe with an arm on Max's shoulder, and Max with her hand in her waist, Chloe explained what was happening while she was out, the knife story, the girl from the woods (is that really how they are gonna name Arcadia Bay's first urban legend?)

"Chloe, there isn't a serial killer in Arcadia Bay."

"How do you know? There was a knife for your information, or maybe you are the one doing the hits?" She asked with a grin.

"Please, could you really see me doing something like that?

"I don't know, I never imagined that my best friend would steal her father's car just to stay with me. Which was awesome by the way." She gave her a bump with her side to emphasize how much that meant for her.

"I aim to please. But seriously, there are no stories of serial killers here, besides, there aren't even stories of people missing recently, the last one was years ago."

"That's what mom said, but nobody heard anyway, people are dumb like that."

"So...about this ghost girl?"

"It's a weird story, but it's just a dumb one, don't worry Max, I got you, you will always be safe with me."

"My hero."

"You know it sista."

"I do..." They were quiet for a few minutes, until Chloe felt the need to tell Max something.

"Max...I...I wanted to, huh, damn, I really suck at words, but...I wanted to thank you."

"For what? For running away? You would do the same for me."

"I know, totally but...you stole your dad's car keys, made a run for it for days, you did all of that, just...just to stay with me, I..."

"Chloe, I would do anything for you."

"I know, I would do anything for you too Max, I just wanted to say...you are so awesome!" She hugged her again, she didn't know why she was being so mushy, but it felt right to say those things to her. She runned away just to stay with me, how can this be anything but destiny? We are destined to be together, how can we be without each other now? We are bonded for life.

"Chloe...there isn't a Maxaroni without her cheese."

"Oh my god, that was so fucking cheesy."

"I learned with the best."

"You're a such a dork."

"The dork, dork."

They were both smiling, and laughing, in the first time in that week, Max and Chloe didn't feel afraid anymore, as long as they had each other, they would always have a reason to smile.

Chloe's diary

Saturday, October 12

Hellooo dear diary! I know, I look strangely too happy don't I? Guess what? Max is back! That's so fucking great! Man, after days looking for her, that little ninja finally showed up, after scaring the shit out of me of course, because she is an ass XD

I was sooo worried, but I didn't even need to, she was okay, well...aside from looking like a total zombie, a small scraps here or there, and a strange cut in her neck, but that's was barely a cut, I thought a bug had bitten her until Mom gave a closer look and asked her how she even got that, Max told us she doesn't really know, but I think she just scraped herself in some branch or something.

Anyway, she was worried that her parents would be angry and punish her or something. Yeah right! Ryan would never do that, he is too much of a sweetheart, just like dad :)

But I wasn't sure if Vanessa wasn't going to give her one hella scolding, which is why I told her that I would totally take the blame, and of course she started to become all worked out, saying that this was bullshit, that I didn't have to take the blame, we started arguing until we decided that we both would take the blame, that's what best friends are for amiright? Getting themselves in trouble, stealing her father's cars...

And when Vanessa and Ryan saw us with my parents, Vanessa was the first to run straight at us and hug us both, Max was crying, saying how sorry she was for everything, that she loves them so much, and they said that they were sorry too for not talking with her first or for even suggesting that idea in the first place. Everybody started to cry, I even saw mom crying too (happy tears of course) but I was just kinda embarrassed of being in the middle. I told Max she didn't have to worry.

After Vanessa and Ryan stopped choking her with hugs and kisses, Vanessa started thanking everybody who helped, Ryan was shaking the hand of everybody, they even thanked me! And everybody started to applaud me and cheer! But I don't know why, I didn't do anything really, Max just showed herself, I didn't do anything special, that doesn't mean I don't like it though ^^

Dad and mom even said they were so proud of me, I just don't get it why, but well, I guess I did help?

A police officer then came asking if they could talk with Max, wanting to know if she saw something, really? We just fucking found her dude! Give her a time to rest, Max said she didn't see anything strange, but he still kept asking her though, if she heard some screams three days ago, and she was starting to stuttering a bit, she was probably nervous of being interrogated, I was going to tell him to fuck off. But Vanessa really smacked his ass down, that was an epic win! She said (in a very scary tone) to him to leave her little girl alone, now, Ness rules, and she can be scary when she wants too, Ryan even said joking, "It's the woman that rules the house" Hella yes we do!

Hella...funny, I kinda like that word, I think I am going to use it for now on, well, Max always uses wowser and cereal for like, ever, it's time for me to have my own cool catch phrases.

One of the members of our search group was a doctor, I think he was 70 years old? He asked Ryan if he could give a look on her, he was nice, very cool too, you know that type of old man, that would totally kick your ass in a one on one, or that type that when he gives you a glare, you would start shiting kittens? He was that type of old man. He told us he was a medic and that he kicked some asses in Vietnam, that is so cool, bet he has some neat stories to tell.

He said Max was definitely with sleep deprivation, which means she can't sleep because she is way too stressed with everything that happened this past days, that and the forest must be really fucking scary at night, and this weird as fuck stories of a ghost girl surrounding the woods, I think that's really stupid, but...there was a knife here and they did say something about those screams, even I am scared, I tried to play the tough girl (which I am btw) but I was scared too, who wouldn't? I mean, who screams in a thursday morning right?

But that doesn't matter anymore, cause Mad Max is back! She is sleeping now in my bed, Max wanted to stay at our house to sleep, she got no arguments and her parents agreed, dad is going to make is famous hamburgers (with mom's help) for us when we wake up in the sunday morning, they are talking downstairs with Vanessa and Ryan about everything, so I am here watching Max, seeing if she needs anything, but I am tired too, so I am gonna sleep with her and when we wake up we will make a movie marathon! And so much more, we got to enjoy our sunday.

I never thought Max would run away like a total boss! That was so awesome, I am still pissed that she did that without me, and that she never told me she could drive a car, but Max said that she never learned how to drive before, that it was just...instinct? I don't care, now she has to teach me too, so I can do my own badass moves, she did promise to teach me when dad gives me a car, which I don't know when! ⋋_⋌ ⋋_⋌ ⋋_⋌

Worse, Max could have got hurt without me, she can't do that type of shit alone, even though it was very badass, she got me worried, but thank god she is okay, Max just needs to rest, and now that her parents are staying we got nothing to worry about it anymore.

We got our own happy ending, even better than the movies, and we gonna live together like this, forever.

Just the two of us...