Notes:

COMPLETED BEFORE THE RELEASE OF LIS: BEFORE THE STORM.

The Bay ending left me a cold empty shell, so I had to try and "fix" it.

I'm writing this mainly for myself, but I hope others like it too.

It's been a long time since I've done a multi-chapter story, so please bear with me.

The title was inspired by the song "Take it All Back" by Koethe on Youtube
Check out his channel; he's written some amazing tunes inspired by LiS.

Chapter 1 - FIGHTING FATE

Monday, October 7th, 2013. 4:12 PM.

The shutter clicked as the mist faded to the edges of my vision. The instant photo dropped to the floor and the butterfly flapped its iridescent blue wings, taking a brief flight to the nearby sink.

My heart was a bass drum in my chest. I was back in the bathroom. I had abandoned Chloe on the cliff top.

Oh, Chloe… why? There has to be a better way!

My insides roiled as I heard someone enter. It was Nathan, ranting to himself. I felt like throwing up.

You bastard.

The door swung open again and I heard her voice – heated and brash, but music to my ears.

My legs started to give way as Nathan and Chloe argued, but I fought the urge to sink to the floor. I peered around the corner, my heart in my throat.

"You don't know who the fuck I am or who you're messing around with!" Nathan shouted, drawing that accursed gun.

The terror in Chloe's voice cut me like a knife. "Where'd you get that? What are you doing? Come on, put that thing down!"

The hell with this! I can't watch my Chloe die again!

After all I'd done to keep her with me, I couldn't go through with it. She was too important to me. She had to live.

Nathan was becoming even more unhinged as he pushed Chloe against the door frame. "No one would even miss your punk ass, would they?!"

Fuck you, Nathan.

Acting on pure adrenaline, I stepped out from behind the divider, camera in hand. "YES WE WOULD!" I blurted out stupidly.

"What the hell?" Nathan spun around as I hit the shutter button. To my horror, the camera flash was accompanied by a deafening report as his gun went off.

My ears rang in the confined space, but I hardly noticed. Nathan looked aghast, moving his gaze between me and…
"CHLOE!" I screamed. "NO!" She was slumped in the corner next to the trash can, a dark red stain spreading on the left side of her shirt.

"Max…?" she said through gritted teeth, breathing raggedly. "Max, what… oh, God…" She clutched her side in agony.

I heard the commotion in the corridor outside, and loud yelling for someone to call 911, but I was frozen in place, watching Nathan staring in disbelief at the gun in his hand.

"Jesus Christ!" he spluttered at me in a panic. "What did you DO? You fucking made me shoot her! BITCH!"

I slowly raised my right arm, backing up against the wall. "Please, Nathan…" I implored, "please stop." I focused all my strength and will as my hand came up, ready to rewind and try again… but nothing happened.
No… I've lost my powers! Oh God… Chloe!

The door flew open and David Madsen burst in, only to be confronted by Nathan's gun in his face.

"GET AWAY!" Nathan screamed, his bad boy mask slipping away. "EVERYONE JUST LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!"
On the verge of a breakdown, Nathan's bluster was fading and tears were streaming down his face.

David's hands were raised, trying to placate him. "Easy, son. You don't have to do this."

My pulse was racing at a million miles an hour. Nathan was sobbing now, but my eyes were on Chloe.
She had gone pale and her eyes were half-shut, but she was looking back at me with a small smile on her face.

"I'm sorry… For everything…" Nathan uttered in a trembling voice. He had begun to lower the gun when David suddenly knocked it from his grasp. I was impressed, despite everything. Nathan's shoulders slumped in defeat.

Two other security officers came in. "Cops are on the way," they said tersely to David before cuffing Nathan and escorting him away.

David looked at me for the first time. His eyes narrowed.
"Miss Caulfield. What the hell were you and Prescott doing in here?"

I didn't realize I'd been holding my breath. The words spilled out. "Chloe! He shot Chloe!" I ran to where she lay, half-hidden by the door.

"Oh, dear God," David exclaimed. "Medic!" he screamed out the door. "My daughter's been shot! I need a medic now!" His voice was raw with emotion and my heart went out to him.

Fighting back tears, I grabbed Chloe's hand. "I'm so sorry... I was just trying to help you."

"You did, Max... You did..." Trailing off, her eyelids fluttered closed.

"Get a doctor NOW, for Christ's sake!" David shouted in anguish as I let out a tortured sob.

Chloe… please, no. Not again…