Life is Strange: Overcoming the Trial

Chapter 1 of a new LIS story, basically a what if scenario, partially based/inspired by the unused hospital ending that was supposed to be part of the game, but got cut. Basically my own interpretation of an alternative way things could have gone down in the Sacrifice Chloe ending that sees Chloe live, but no tornado. All I can say for this is we'll have to regard the rules/laws of Max's powers as being very, flexible, but please bear with it, thanks.

Of course my usual pairings apply, specifically Grahamfield. Now onto the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Life is Strange or its characters.

Chapter 1

Max Caulfield trembled as she remained hiding behind the final stall in the girls bathroom. Overwhelmed with feelings of Deja-Vu. After that long, incredible week, the week in which she realized she could rewind time, and did so many times, she had finally learned the truth.

Her first major use of her rewind power had been to save the life of her best friend Chloe Price, albeit they had been estranged for five years, from being shot in this very bathroom, by Nathan Prescott. Nathan being a rich kid with serious anger issues, which sadly Chloe provoked in their bathroom meeting.

'At the time, I didn't think of the consequences...You'd think, being a fan of so many sci-fi films and anime I'd have known.' She thought forlornly.

She'd forgot the number one rule of messing with time, the ever present Chaos Theory, the fact every action had a reaction. While time wasn't set in stone, meddling with it to save Chloe's life had triggered a series of events that soon led to a large tornado threatening to engulf Arcadia Bay, a tornado she caused.

Max shook her head. 'By the time I realized it all, it was too late, the tornado was there, it was tearing everything apart. Chloe gave me that photo I took, the one I took here of the butterfly, my last chance, my last chance to prevent everything from going to hell...But at what cost…?'

She remained sitting, hidden behind the stall, waiting for the inevitable, she couldn't use her powers to interfere, it would just bring the tornado back and set everything up to fall apart again.

She was back where it all began, and it was about to take place, the event that changed everything.

She could hear them now and shuddered, Nathan and Chloe were already starting their argument, an argument she knew the outcome of. Max tried to focus on the butterfly photo, now on the floor between her feet.

"I got nothing for you." She heard Nathan snapping and cringed, it was coming, she could feel it.

Then Chloe's voice, just hearing it made her struggle to stay calm. "Bullshit, you got hella cash."

Max shuddered again as their conversation continued and tried to remain in hiding.

Her mind was full of events from that week, Saving Chloe, their reunion, the events of the Tuesday at Two Whales and the junk yard, Kate Marsh's suicide attempt that Max only just managed to talk her out of.

The investigation into the disappearance of Rachel Amber, the Dark Room, everything. Yet the thoughts at the forefront of her mind were about one person in particular.

'Why am I thinking about Warren at a time like this.' Max wondered.

Warren Graham, her best guy friend, who harboured a major crush on her. She knew about his feelings for her, during that week, which was effectively erased now, she discovered she felt the same, had even kissed him.

Now Warren wouldn't even remember it, even though she did. But that wasn't important right now, she tried to convince herself. She had to focus on the event currently happening.

She listened and tensed when she realized how much she had missed.

"Shut up, just fucking shut up!" Nathan was yelling, he had pulled the gun.

Sure enough, Chloe's voice trembled as she replied. "What the fuck, where did you get that?"

Max was standing now, her mind racing again.

'I can't, I can't use my powers, that's what caused the whole mess in the first place.' She reminded herself, but her thoughts continued. 'But I can't, I just can't sit and, and do nothing...I need to, God am I crazy, what if this...No, no rewind, no time powers, just...just me...'

She made up her mind, just as she heard Nathan yelling.

"Nobody would even miss your punk ass, would they!?"

Max's mind was made up, she couldn't just stand by, but she wasn't about to use her rewind, she did the only thing she felt she could do. She stepped out from her hiding place, moving as quickly as she could, she yelled out.

"NO, STOP!"

There was a cry of shock from Chloe and Nathan. Nathan spun around, startled, Max froze when she heard the blast of the gun, which then fell from Nathan's hand. But then she looked and saw Chloe was fine, relief crept into her, until she noticed the odd expressions of horror on both their faces.

It was then Max realized she felt odd.

'Huh, what's going on, I feel so...numb...' She realized.

She wondered what had happened, why it felt like her body had gone into shock. But as she looked down, she finally realized it. Her eyes widened as she saw the spread of red staining her T-shirt, spreading out from a single point, just below her rib cage.

It dawned on her with terrible clarity. 'I...I've been shot, the shot...hit me...'

It was then she felt the pain and suddenly, that was all she could feel as her legs then gave out.

End of chapter, read and review please.