Archive of Our Own

Work Text

“You stay the fuck away from me!”

Those were the words of Moses Murphy, Max’s only friend left, before he stormed out of her darkroom. A sob escaped Max as she watched him go, stumbling forward while desperately searching for the words to make him stay. She couldn’t lose anyone else. She couldn’t.

But what was she supposed to do? Max was always alone. She had condemned herself to a lonely fate the moment she’d let her best friend die in a dirty bathroom. Then she’d failed to keep up her friendship with Kate, pushed away her parents, and spent years traveling by herself through abandoned landscapes that fit her perfectly.

Safi had been the one to save her. Sure, her mom had hired Max, but Safi had dragged her into friendship. She’d reminded Max what it felt like to be happy. Now she was dead, and all clues pointed to

Max

being the one responsible.

Her face twisted in anger. She would

never

kill another friend. Never. It made absolutely no sense, and someone was setting Max up. She didn’t know why or how, but she knew it wasn’t her in that photo.

Max forced herself to turn around, walking back toward the computer that displayed the last photo Safi ever took. Sure enough, her own face stared back at her, the other Max pointing a gun directly at the camera.

It wasn’t Max. She knew that, but the remaining shreds of her heart wilted at the display. Nothing made sense anymore. At least in highschool, the clues she’d obtained toward Rachel Amber’s disappearance had pointed her in a continuous direction. Now, a day of searching had left her with nothing but more questions.

Then there were her powers. No longer could she rewind her mistakes. No, she got to travel between two separate timelines so she could hurt

double

the people with her recklessness. Did she even deserve to see the Safi who was still alive?

For the past decade, Max had woken up every day regretting her choices. Yet she had pushed on, taking each day one at a time. That’s what Chloe would have wanted, and Max had to respect her wishes. It was the right thing to do.

The right thing. What was right and what was wrong anymore? Max had been kidnapped and locked in her perverted teacher’s murder bunker, but holding onto her one anchor through it all was a crime?

Max didn’t want any of this. She wanted to go back, to save Chloe without having to make an impossible choice. She wanted to return to when the world made sense, when the horrors had faces besides her own. There was nothing for her at Caledon. Back then, she at least had hope.

Fuck these powers.

Max lifted her trembling right hand.

I never wanted to be sucked back into this! I just want to live my life!

It was only then that Max noticed the pounding in her head. A pained hiss escaped her as she bent forward, squeezing her eyes shut. Even then, her vision danced with colors, and her head felt like someone was taking a jackhammer to it. Lifting a finger to her nose, Max wasn’t surprised to find wetness. Except this wasn’t like the nosebleeds she got when rewinding. The blood was pouring out of her, dyeing her blue clothes red.

Max could no longer hold herself upright. She collapsed, but never hit the floor. It was as though she were floating in an endless void, trapped in a limbo of her own making. In the back of her mind, she wondered if she was finally paying the price for fucking with time. Was she trapped between timelines, forever drifting aimlessly? If so, maybe that’s what she deserved.

Her assumptions were proven wrong when she finally landed on something hard. She was pretty sure there was shouting, but she couldn’t make out the words over the ringing in her ears. All she knew was that the blurry, fluorescent lights overhead were not from her basement. Yet they were familiar, like they had been etched into her mind.

Rustling, movement as she was thrown off of whatever—or whoever—she’d fallen on in the first place. She hit a cold tiled floor, increasing the shivering that she only now noticed. A few more words were said before a door opened and closed, leaving her alone in the familiar room.

No, not alone. Max only realized as much when a face appeared in her scattered vision. Blurry, hidden by black spots, but still immediately recognizable. Max was staring into the wide eyes of her 18 year old self.

Her mind swam with confusion, until finally, she lost consciousness.

She was back. She was in that

fucking

bathroom, about to let her best friend be shot by Nathan Prescott. On instinct, Max pulled the blue butterfly photo that had doomed her and Chloe to this fate from her camera, before letting it drop to the floor. Her movements were almost robotic as she put her camera back in its bag, peeking out from the stall door. A part of her prayed things would somehow be different this time, but Max knew she wasn’t that lucky.

Sure enough, the door burst open as Nathan entered, rambling. “It’s cool, Nathan. Don’t stress, you’re okay, bro, just… count to three. Don’t be scared. You own this school… If I wanted, I could blow it up. You’re the boss.”

As though taunting Max, that blue butterfly fluttered onto one of the sinks. She could swear it was watching her, judging her sins. She wanted to tell it to fuck off, but her voice was locked in her throat.

Once again, the bathroom door opened. Nathan, gripping the sink, not even turning to face the newcomer. “So what do you want?”

“I hope you checked the perimeter, as my step-ass would say.” Hearing her favorite voice in the world, Max couldn’t help but sink to the floor, tears flooding her eyes. Chloe checked all the stalls, but didn’t go far enough to see Max in the corner. If she did, would Nathan run away? Would he leave them alone?

“Now, let’s talk bidness.” It didn’t matter. All of Chloe’s attention was now on her soon-to-be murderer.

“I got nothing for you,” Nathan spat. Max hated him. He had plenty of cash. He could have just given some up and walked away. Chloe didn’t have to die here.

Max gripped her head, the next few sentences sounding muffled to her ears. If she could make time freeze at that moment, she would have done so in an instant. It wasn’t fucking fair!

She tuned in just in time to hear what she’d been dreading. “You don’t know who the fuck I am or who you’re messing around with!” She knew. Nathan had his gun out and was pointing it at Chloe’s sternum. In just a few seconds, he would shoot her.

“Where’d you get that?” Poor Chloe sounded so scared. “What are you doing? Come on, put that thing down!”

“Don’t

ever

tell me what to do. I’m so sick of people trying to control me!” Insanity leaked from Nathan’s voice. Maybe he needed help, but Max didn’t care. This was all his fault. He killed Rachel. He kidnapped girls for Jefferson’s twisted ends. Now, he was going to kill the love of her life. He was a monster, and Max hoped we would rot.

Chloe tried pleading for her life, in her own Chloe way. “You are going to get in hella more trouble for this than drugs.”

It was pointless. Max clasped her hands in front of her, bracing herself for what was coming.

“Nobody would ever even miss your punk ass—”

“Would they?”

Max’s mind completed Nathan’s lie, so it took her a moment to realize he hadn’t spoken it. Instead of a gunshot, there was the sound of bodies hitting the floor, alongside a surprised shout from Chloe.

Something was wrong. Max dared to peek from her hiding place, only to stiffen at what she saw.

A woman had appeared in the bathroom despite not being there a moment ago. It was like she had materialized directly on top of Nathan, the two of them on the ground in a pile of limbs. Chloe stood above them, mouth hanging open in shock.

She recovered quickly, though, grabbing Nathan’s gun from the ground. “I’ll be taking this, you freak!” she growled, storming out of the room. Alive.

Max was almost too confused to think. She hadn’t done anything to alter time. This shouldn’t be possible. Where had this woman come from, and who was she?

“Get off me!” Nathan snapped, pushing her off. Only then did Max notice the blood pooling around them. She stifled a gasp, wondering if the gun had gone off after all. But no, there wasn’t enough blood for that. The woman was having a nosebleed, worse than any Max had seen or experienced herself. She was also pale, shivering on the floor.

“Bitch, are you dying!?” Nathan shouted. Then, he shook his head. “No, forget it, I’m getting the fuck out of here.” With that, he scampered away like the coward he was. That just left Max and the woman who had disrupted time.

Right before the bathroom door closed, Max noticed she could see all the way to the end of the hallway. She was no longer within the bounds of the photo. Her confusion only grew, but right now a woman needed help, and Max owed her everything.

“Hey!” She scrambled forward, kneeling beside the woman. “Are you okay? Can you hear—”

Max froze. The woman’s eyes were droopy and starting to close, but at that moment, Max

recognized

her eyes. Not just the eyes either. The face was far too familiar, even with the added age and stress lines.

She was looking at herself. An older version of her, but definitely still Max Caulfield.

As stunned as she was, Max almost didn’t notice when yet another person stormed into the bathroom. “What the hell is going on in here!?” David Madsen demanded. A strangled noise escaped him when he saw the body, and he glared at Max. “Who is that, and what are you two up to!?”

“I-I don’t know!” Max blurted. “I swear, I was just in here to wash my face. She came in and suddenly collapsed with a nose bleed!”

“Likely story,” David mumbled. He crouched down and forced open one of the other Max’s eyes, shining a flashlight from his belt in her pupil. “Her eyes are dilating at least. I’m going to call an ambulance while

you

wait in the principal’s office to explain yourself. Don’t even think about running away.”

There were so many responses Max could give to that, but for now she bit her tongue. She knew it was a losing battle with David, and complying would be her best way to get answers. She would accept being suspended again if she at least knew what was going on.

Still, as she made her way to Wells’ office, Max couldn’t help but be grateful. Whether that woman was her or not, she had saved Chloe’s life. She had saved Max from having to live with that guilt. There was no telling if the storm would still come, but for now, Max was grateful she didn’t have to watch her best friend bleed out on the fucking Blackwell girls’ bathroom.

Just wait, Chloe,

she thought.

Once I figure out what’s going on, I’m never leaving your side again.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Chloe was shaking.

In a way, she appreciated how she couldn't stop trembling, how her chest seemed to be twisted in knots while her breathing came in ragged gasps. Those sensations were proof that she was alive. That she hadn't been left to bleed out in Blackhell’s disgusting bathroom. Even if she couldn't understand how she'd been saved.

She had seen it in Nathan's eyes. He had been about to shoot her, and nothing she could say or do would have stopped him. They were the only two there, no one would have fought for her. So where the hell had that woman come from?

Chloe hadn't stuck around to get a good look at her on account of almost

dying

, but the woman really had materialized out of nowhere. Except that was impossible, so maybe the stress had just fucked with Chloe's brain? Either way, she hoped her savior got out okay.

Now, Chloe was sitting in her truck in Blackwell’s parking lot, waiting for the panic attack to pass so she could drive. The last thing she needed was to get into a wreck. Unfortunately, her body hadn't received the message that the danger had passed, and she'd been here for over 30 minutes. She regretted not bringing any weed with her to chill out.

God, how much was she going to keep fucking up? First she let that pervert Nathan trick her into his room for his weird photography fetish, then when she tried to get him back and make the little prick squirm a little, she'd nearly died! And she was no step closer to paying off her debt to Frank. At this point, Chloe seriously had to wonder if her best bet was to drive her truck as far away from this shithole town as possible.

But if she did that then she'd never find Rachel. When they left Arcadia Bay, they were supposed to do it together. There was no way Rachel had left her behind, no matter what everyone said. Something had happened, and Chloe would find her no matter what.

You won't find her just sitting around here, dumbass. At least go put up some more posters at the Two Whales.

Releasing a shaky breath, Chloe started her car to get the hell out of here. That was the plan, at least, until tapping at her window made her whirl in that direction. What she saw nearly made her eyes fall out in shock.

That freckled face had been in more of Chloe's dreams that she cared to admit. Her style hadn't changed a bit, and though her hair was shorter now, Chloe could never forget those eyes.

What the fuck was

Max Caulfield

doing at her window?

Wondering if she'd been shot after all and was in a dream, Chloe lowered her window and gave Max a look that she hoped conveyed her bafflement. “

Max?

”

Once upon a time, Chloe had called Max her best friend. Because of that, she knew how to read the girl, and she could tell Max was scared shitless. She had a tight grip on her arm, shuffling on her feet while her eyes darted between Chloe and the ground. Chloe had to admit it gave her a not-small amount of pleasure to see Max squirm.

Then she noticed the tears in Max's eyes, and any sense of satisfaction evaporated into horror. She could never see those sad doe eyes without wanting to pull the other girl into a suffocating hug, and apparently that impulse hadn't diminished over 5 years.

Before she could stop herself, Chloe leaned over and opened the passenger door, gesturing for Max to come around. “Come on. You look like you've got something to say.”

Some of the tension leaked out of Max's shoulders. “Thanks, Chloe,” she whispered, before getting inside. She didn't even blink at the trash and graffiti scattered around the truck, which was more than a small shock. The old Max would have been afraid to step foot inside.

“Gotta say, I wasn't expecting to see you here,” Chloe said. “This continues to be a hella long day.”

Max managed a small smile. “You're telling me. I had my scholarship threatened earlier.”

“Let me guess, photography?” At Max's nod, Chloe couldn't help but grip the truck's steering wheel. “So you've been back in Arcadia Bay for almost 2 months and could even drop a text. Just like the past 5 years.”

From the way Max recoiled, one would think Chloe had accused her of murder. “Chloe, I… I'm so sorry. I swear I wanted to see you, but I was a coward.”

“Wow, she admits it!” Chloe kept her voice sarcastic. Otherwise, she would start screaming. “You couldn't have cared that much since you were willing to forget about me.”

Chloe wasn't prepared for how strong a reaction her words would cause. Max yanked one of her hands off the wheel, clasping it between her two own. “Chloe, I would

never

forget you! I fucked up big time, and I have no excuse. All I can ask is that you give me a chance to make it up to you. Even if you can't forgive me, I want us to be Max and Chloe again. Just like old times.”

Jesus, was this girl trying to give her a heart attack? Chloe just knew her face had lit up like a bonfire, so she forced herself to look back at the road. “We're not talking about this here. Let's go to my place, then I'll decide how I feel.”

“Actually,” Max mumbled, “can we go to the lighthouse? There's… something I need to tell you. Something hardcore.”

“Oh, did Mad Max join a gang?” Chloe chuckled and got her truck moving. “Or are you actually here on the run from some guy you owe hella cash?”

Max was smiling again, which was a relief. “Neither. Though I did have a close call with a serial killer recently.”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “Very funny, Maximus. I'll get the truth out of you at the lighthouse, just you wait.”

They didn't speak for the rest of the drive, Max prepping herself for whatever she had to say and Chloe not even knowing where to start. It was more awkward than those times Chloe had to drive Rachel home after a fight. Chloe was relieved when they reached the base of the hill, hoping that whatever Max had to tell her would at least dispels the tension around them.

“Come on, hippie.” Chloe shut off the car and hopped out. Max was right behind her. “Let's see how our old haunt is holding up.”

As it turned out, the lighthouse was holding up fantastically. The map of Arcadia Bay still had a marker-drawn skull marking their treehouse fort, and their tree carving remained untarnished. Chloe took a seat on the bench, waiting for Max to join her.

When Max didn't sit right away, Chloe nearly opened her mouth to ask what was taking so long. Then she remembered who she was dealing with and rolled her eyes, staying still for Max's picture.

Sure enough, she heard the

click

and

whirr

behind her, followed by Max pulling out the photo and shaking it. God, she was such a dork.

Chloe missed her.

Her photo taken, Max sat down next to Chloe. The sun wasn't quite setting yet, but it had moved far enough in the sky to cast them in a bright glow. It made it tougher to avoid looking at Max.

“I guess I should jump into it,” Max said. “One week ago, I discovered that I could rewind time.”

Oh, that… Chloe really hoped this was a prank, because the alternative was her former friend going insane, and she hadn't wished for that even in her darkest moments. “Max… that's impossible. People can't rewind time.”

“I can,” Max said, “and I can prove it. You have eight cigarettes, 86 cents, and a cute panda keychain in your pocket.”

Unable to keep the skepticism off her face, Chloe reached into her pocket and pulled out the items in question. That skepticism morphed into confusion when she counted it all out and realized Max was

right.

“Holy crap!” Chloe felt chills run down her back. “That's… pretty impressive, but you won't convince me that easily.”

Max gave her a cheeky grin. “How about this, then? See that squirrel?” She pointed to one at the bottom of a tree. “In about 15 seconds, another one is going to come down from the branches and start chasing it. They'll run down the path before hiding in the bushes.”

Chloe watched, her jaw dropping further with each second that passed as Max's prediction came true. She couldn't help but wonder if they were both going insane.

“This is crazy!” Chloe jolted when she realized Max had matched her words and tone perfectly. “Max, how are you—” You know what? She had to test this. “Piss bang dildo fuckweed porcupine Ryan.”

There was a moment of silence following their synchronous speaking, broken by a question from Max. “Why did you include my dad's name in that?”

“Max!” Now Chloe was the one gripping her friend's hands. “You can rewind time! This is amazeballs!”

Rather than share in her excitement, Max flinched and looked away. “That's what I thought at first,” she mumbled. “But it's only brought me grief.”

Chloe frowned. “What does that mean?”

Seeing Max's full-body shudder was far from inspiring. “I need to tell you what's happened this past week,” she said. “But it's a long story, and it's going to hurt to hear in many places. Please,

please

promise me you'll listen to the end and not do anything yet. I need your help, Chloe.”

Was this really a promise Chloe wanted to keep? The more Max spoke, the more personal she feared this story would be.

“I promise,” Chloe said, because how else could she respond? As Max launched into her story, that promise immediately became difficult to keep. At this point, it wasn’t all that surprising to hear Max had been in the bathroom earlier, but Chloe definitely didn’t remember a fire alarm going off. She literally had to bite her tongue to avoid interrupting.

If Chloe had any lingering doubts about Max’s story, they evaporated when she perfectly recalled Chloe’s room and the junkyard. She even recited some of the graffiti Chloe had scribbled onto the walls long after Max had moved to Seattle.

Hearing that she almost died again from a goddamn train left a pit in Chloe’s stomach, but hearing about Kate’s suicide attempt was so much worse. Chloe didn’t know the Christian girl at all, but no one deserved to go through that much pain. At least Chloe’s other self had helped Max keep her spirits up, though Chloe was infinitely jealous over the midnight swim. She would have to convince Max to recreate that part of their escapades at some point.

Chloe reached her limit when Max began talking about Rachel and Frank. “No way!” she shouted. “Rachel wouldn’t fuck that pig Frank behind my back!”

Max cringed. “Chloe, you promised…”

If Chloe had been paying more attention she would have noticed the fear on Max’s face. Her anger left her blind, though, and she couldn’t stop a snarl from escaping her. “Yeah, and you promised not to ditch me for 5 years while living it up in Seattle! Rachel was the one person I could trust when you bailed! There’s no way she betrayed me!”

“Chloe…” Max tried reaching out for her, and Chloe slapped her hand away.

“No!” Chloe rose from the bench. “I’m done listening to this bullcrap! Just leave me alone.”

She began to storm off, but didn’t get more than a few steps before a shout made her freeze in her tracks. “

Chloe Elizabeth Price, sit back down right now!

” Turning, her eyes widened at the glare Max was sending her. She had never seen that kind of vitriol on her best friend’s face. It had always been her getting angry while Max tried to pacify her. But there was no trace of doubt on Max’s face. Somehow, that anger was natural to her now.

The realization, more so than the words themselves, compelled Chloe to return to the bench. “I’m…” Dammit, she had to swallow her pride. “Sorry, Max. I know you’re trusting me with something big. I just… why Frank? Why would she do that to me?”

Chloe couldn’t stop her voice from cracking at the end. Still, she wasn’t prepared for Max to pull her into a tight hug, leaning Chloe’s head into her shoulder. Her anger had entirely vanished.

“I’m sorry, Chloe,” Max whispered. “You don’t deserve to be caught up in any of this. I wish we could just… be pirates again without a care in the world. But too much has happened.”

A choked laugh escaped Chloe. “No kidding.” She flexed her arms so Max would let go. “You can keep going, Max. I’ll be alright.”

She shouldn’t have said that with such confidence, but in her defense, who would predict Max would see

Chloe’s dad

again? Chloe nearly begged Max to save him again, but that request died on her lips when Max described the other timeline. Even then, it might have been worth the cost, if it weren’t for Chloe’s final request in that world. A request Max had granted.

Now Chloe was the one hugging Max. “Fuck, I’m sorry.” She blinked away tears. “I shouldn’t have put that on you.”

Max trembled in her grasp, shaking her head against Chloe’s chest. “I didn’t want you to suffer…”

“I’m not suffering, Max. I’m right here, and I’m better than ever.”

The words felt lame to Chloe, but somehow they were enough for Max. She was able to continue talking, this time in Chloe’s arms. That ended up being for the best when she described the Dark Room and what had come after.

“Chloe?” Max asked, no doubt feeling how Chloe’s hold had stiffened. Chloe shook her head, both as reassurance and to banish the images of Rachel’s body her mind was giving her. When she spoke, she could hear the tension in her voice.

“Finish your story. If you don’t keep going, I won’t be able to stop myself from driving to Blackwell and shooting that fucker in his face.”

From the way Max squeezed her hand, she knew Chloe was serious. Chloe wasn’t surprised to hear how her other self began to hunt Nathan, but when Max mentioned the text, her heart dropped into a stomach. She had a bad feeling…

It was so much worse than she could have imagined. As Max described her horrors in the Dark Room, trapped by Mark

fucking

Jefferson, it took every ounce of self-control Chloe had left not to go on a rampage. When she got her hands on that fucker…

Eventually, Max reached the end of her story. Through multiple realities and trips to the Dark Room, she’d finally reunited with Chloe at the cliff. Only to be faced with an impossible choice.

“Dammit!” Chloe slammed her fist into the bench. “Does the universe have it out for me or something? Yeah, sometimes I wish I could drop a bomb on Arcadia Bay and turn it to glass, but I… I don’t actually mean that shit!”

“I know.” Max sat up straight, meeting Chloe’s eyes. “That’s why I… honored your last request. Or at least tried to. I only did it because you begged me.”

“The bathroom earlier.” Chloe felt the blood drain from her face. “I was supposed to die. I would have, if…”

“If future-me hadn’t appeared,” Max said, making Chloe jolt.

“Future you?”

“I saw her, Chloe.” Max was coiled like a spring ready for release. “She had my face. Older, but… I think she was

me

. I don’t know how she could rewind so far, or why I’m still here, but you were saved by Max Caulfield.” She looked down then. “Just… not the pathetic one.”

“Hey, cut that out.” Chloe gently cuffed the back of Max’s head. “If Nathan had shot me, it wouldn’t be your fault. He was the crazy fucker that brought a gun to school. You… You did so much for me, Max. You went through hell just to keep my sorry ass alive. Thank you…”

Max sniffled, and that was when Chloe decided to stop holding back. All that crap about time travel and a future Max could wait. Right now, her best friend needed support. Chloe pulled her into a ferocious hug, running a hand through her hair.

“You can cry, Max,” Chloe muttered. “Don’t bottle it up for my sake.”

The words burst the dam within Max, and tears came flooding out. She let out all the emotions of the past week in a loud, ugly cry. Between sobs, she kept apologizing to Chloe, and each time Chloe would tell her it’s alright. She didn’t care how long it took, she would hold her friend until she felt better.

Then

she’d drive Max to Arcadia Bay Hospital so they could get answers from her older self.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The first thing she was aware of was the howling wind. It pierced her ears, digging deep into the part of her brain that held back her worst memories. It felt like the gale would cut her skin open, letting the freezing rain soak through her veins.

Max opened her eyes and saw a gun in her gloves hands. That alone was enough to make her yelp and nearly toss the awful thing, but she held back when she realized who was there with her.

Smiling up at her from a bench, heedless of the storm around them… was Safi. She was really here. But this… This was the overlook where Max had found her body. And the gun in Max's hands… No, she couldn't have actually shot Safi, could she?

Safi herself didn't look scared. The fondness in her voice was clear when she spoke. “So that's what it feels like to capture the perfect photo. It feels good. Final.”

Max took another look at the gun in her hand, wishing it would somehow vanish. Yet it remained, and she could only focus on what was in front of her. “Safi—”

She was cut off by a gust of wind, making her cover her face with one arm. Turning, Max saw the face of her nightmares. A massive vortex was swirling on the lake, threatening to swallow up Caledon University. For a moment, Max forgot how to breathe.

“Hm. It's here too,” Safi said, sounding more curious than scared. Then, her voice rose, drawing Max's attention back to her. “Maybe we are cursed. You, me, and Maya.”

Max's confusion hit a crescendo. “S-Safi, I don't understand. How did we get here, who's Maya? What… What's going on?

Safi just grinned. “Stop stalling, Max.” She leaned back on the bench, as though waiting for something.

“Tell me how to stop this!” Max pleaded. “What do I have to do?” She would do anything to save Safi. To keep herself from losing another friend. Except Safi's response was the last thing she could have expected.

“Pull the trigger.”

This time, the first thing Max noticed was a faint beeping.

Was that… a dream?

She could still hear a faint gust of wind, and her skin tingled with the memory of a thousand droplets. Yet the more her senses returned to her, the clearer it became that she wasn't at the overlook.

There was a soft bed underneath her, and a blanket pulled up to her chest. Max finally recognized the beeping as a heart monitor, which was apparently connected to her. Opening her eyes, her suspicions were confirmed at the sight of a bland white hospital room. It was extremely similar to the one Kate had once stayed in after her suicide attempt. Actually, it was…

too

familiar. Like, scarily so.

Her eyes fell on her calendar, and her heart nearly stopped at the sight. October 7, 2013. But that was… impossible! Max knew the date too well as the worst of her entire life, but she never revisited it outside her nightmares. Was she trapped in some fucked up dream again?

Her panicked thoughts were interrupted when the door opened. A middle-aged doctor with stubby facial hair entered the room, smiling at the sight of her. “Ah, Miss Caulfield. You're awake. We have some questions for you, but first, your sister is anxious to see you.”

My… sister?

Max barely managed to avoid asking the question out loud. Thankfully, before her mouth could decide to betray her anyway, he left the room and ushered in her visitors, closing the door behind them.

There comes a point where whatever's happening is so outlandish your brain forgets to freak out. That's what was happening now, and Max could only stare with her jaw wide open while a pathetic “Uhhhhhh” escaped her. Seriously, this was impossible even for her standards. She wanted to scream, to cry, and mostly to beg the universe for this to be real. Because stausing next to a younger counterpart of Max was

Chloe Price.

“C-Chloe?” she whispered, almost afraid that speaking her name would make her vanish. Yet she remained, an eyebrow raised as she looked up and down Max's form. Max was incredibly grateful the hospital staff had left her in her comfy blue shirt and jeans.

“Damn, Maxaroni, you weren’t kidding,” the girl herself said. “She’s like your older twin.”

Fuck, now Max remembered! The photo of herself aiming a gun at Safi, Moses looking at her like a monster, Max desperately wishing she could fix the one moment where everything went wrong… Her powers had listened. She had rewound

10 years

, right into the Blackwell bathroom. Her younger self was still around too, looking just as confused as Max felt.

“I… have so many questions,” Max admitted, “but I should probably start with the most important one. She met her younger self’s eyes. “This is October 7th, 2013, right?” When the girl nodded, Max took a deep breath. “Is it… the first time you’ve been through October 7th?”

She didn’t need the younger Max to answer. The way her eyes widened confirmed Max’s suspicions. She’d gone through the photo to let Chloe die, and Max had interrupted with her sudden appearance. That was… Max should have worried, but she could only feel relief. That relief was shown in tears that flooded her eyes, her hands trembling under the blanket.

“Chloe,” she whispered again, hearing her own voice break. “You’re alive.”

The younger Max had no idea what to do, but somehow Chloe did. She approached Max’s bed and bent down, putting a hand on her shoulder. Max found her own hand moving over it, desperate to confirm this touch was real. Chloe seemed to understand, smiling softly when Max squeezed.

“I am, Super Max. All thanks to you.”

Max sobbed at the familiar moniker, and suddenly she couldn’t hold the tears back. Her arms moved to clutch Chloe tightly, while Max buried her face in the now-younger girl’s shoulder.

Ten years. An impossibly long time to live with one’s regrets— soul crushing grief and trauma that no one could try to understand. Max had resigned herself to coasting through the remainder of her life, hoping she could at least make Chloe proud with her photography. There were some days when the only thing that had kept her going was the thought of how disappointed Chloe would be if Max gave up. Everything had been so dull without her, as though Max had been viewing the world through a monochrome filter. For so long, all she’d wanted was to hear Chloe tell her everything was okay.

To hear those words now, whispered in her ear while Chloe held her close, it nearly broke Max. Yet the joy of the moment filled her so greatly that she had the absurd urge to laugh. If this really was a dream, Max never wanted to wake up.

Eventually, her tears ran dry and she pulled back, wiping at her eyes. “S-Sorry…”

Chloe just laughed. “Hey, that’s two Maxes I’ve had to comfort today. I think I’m getting good at this.”

Max felt her face heat up and wasn’t surprised to see her counterpart blushing as well. “How did you get here?” the other Max asked. “You couldn’t have used a photo if I’m still here.”

God, talking to herself was so fucking strange. The last time she had done so was in a twisted nightmare during the storm, and that Max had been determined to tear her down with all her conscious and subconscious fears. Now that she thought about it, that memory was only a few hours ago for this Max. It would be a close contest to determine who was reeling more right now.

“I don’t really know,” Max admitted. “I didn’t use the rewind for over 10 years. Earlier today— or rather, on December 6th, 2023— my powers suddenly came back. But they were different. Instead of the rewind, I was able to jump between parallel universes. Some things happened and… I found myself wishing I could fix my mistakes. Then suddenly, I was here.”

It was a lackluster explanation, but Max knew they didn’t have the time for a full story right now. Especially since she didn’t have an ID on her, and the doctors would be asking questions soon enough. Actually, that doctor from before had said something…

“Why did the doctor call you my sister?” Max asked, making her younger self blush again.

“When we said we were here for a patient with a nose bleed, they asked for help identifying you. I… kinda said you were my older sister, so if anyone asks, your name is Mary Caulfield.”

Chloe grinned and slugged Max’s shoulder. “Someone turned into a real troublemaker this past week. Hey, older Max, please tell me you keep that up in 10 years.”

Seeing Chloe’s love for mischief after so long was nearly enough to make Max cry again. Thankfully, she was able to cover it up with a genuine smile. “Well, I do break into abandoned buildings all the time for photoshoots. And earlier I gave a cardboard standee a black eye.”

Her younger self had wide eyes, but Chloe looked like a kid on Christmas. “Hella yes! My best friend is back and with a newfound penchant for trouble making. This is gonna be so fun.”

“I’m not using my powers like a toy, Chloe,” the younger Max said. “We still don’t know if the storm is coming.”

Max grimaced at the reminder. She looked out the hospital window, seeing the mostly set sun and not a trace of snow in sight. That was good, right? They still couldn’t say for sure how Max’s time travel had brought the storm. Did her 10-year rewind make some sort of loophole? Or was Vermont going to suffer a tornado in a decade’s time?

Considering those possibilities would make Max go insane. Right now, she had to deal with her immediate problems. She was stranded in the past without any form of identification, no hope of seeing the friends she’d come to know again—

Nope. Put that thought away too, Max. Have your breakdown later. You know how this week goes, it won’t slow down for you.

Taking an extra second to make sure her emotions were in check, Max faced her other self again. “Have you used the rewind at all since going through the photo?”

The other Max nodded. “I… figured time was already changing from your appearance. I’m cutting down on using it as much as possible, but…” She clutched her left elbow with her other hand, a nervous habit Max herself had only grown out of a few years back.

“You’re probably right on both accounts,” Max said. “Do you mind using it again? Your story isn’t going to hold up for very long. We should get out here before they find out I’m not really your sister.”

After a moment’s consideration, the younger Max agreed. “We’ll have to be careful. Chloe, maybe you can scout ahead?”

Chloe gave a thumbs up. “Sure thing, Max. Maxes. This is going to get confusing, isn’t it?”

“Just use the name she gave me,” Max said. “It’ll probably be easier for me, too. I keep calling you ‘the younger me’ in my head.”

“Mary it is, then.” Chloe gave a mock salute. “Be right back.” She ducked out of the room, giving Max and Mary a moment alone.

She wasn’t surprised when Max turned her way. “So in your timeline, Chloe was…

gone

?”

The question brought up a thousand memories, each feeling like a stab to her heart. Max—

Mary

— forced herself to speak through the pain. “I went back through the photo like you. Nathan… he shot her, all while I hid behind that fucking stall. I jumped back to Friday just in time for the funeral. A beautiful ceremony that she would have hated. After that… I ran. Joyce gave me Chloe’s shitty truck, and I drove it as far away from Arcadia Bay as I could.”

Max squeezed her eyes shut, but was unable to conceal the tears that fell. When she spoke, Mary barely heard the words, but the pain within rattled through her ears. “Then what?”

Mary forced herself not to think too deeply about the memories while still giving an answer. “I spent months getting by on odd jobs until I could stomach looking at a camera again. Then I returned to my photography and began taking pictures of empty buildings. People liked them enough for me to get real commissions, and after 10 years I finally landed a stable job at Caledon University. Then… then I ended up here.” She wasn’t ready to talk about Safi. Not yet.

Fuck, Safi. Now I’ve lost you twice.

The thought was unbidden and brought a fresh wave of tears to her eyes. Sure, Safi was alive in this timeline, but she’d only be 15. Even if Mary sought her out, they’d never be able to reforge the friendship that had brought her the first true specks of joy since Chloe died.

“I…” Max began, but was interrupted by her phone buzzing. She pulled it out and read the message. “Chloe says we’re clear. I’ll rewind if we’re spotted.”

That would have to be the end of their conversation for now. Mary still had a hundred questions, and there was no doubt her equally nosy counterpart was the same. First, though, they had to get out of here and find a safe place to hole up. Knowing their blue-haired companion, Mary’s guess was the junkyard.

They made their way out with no major hiccups, though Max had to rewind twice and have them change directions. Once outside, they rushed into Chloe’s car and she drove off, breaking at least two traffic laws along the way. They drove in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. For Mary, that entailed a single question, one that her brain refused to answer no matter how hard she tried.

What now?

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Something good

Oh, something good

Oh, something good

Oh, something good tonight

Will make me forget about you for now
The music woke Max from her slumber, making her groan as her mind adjusted to being awake. For a moment she just lay in bed, wondering if she could get away with a few more hours of sleep. She still hadn’t gotten a full night’s rest since… fuck, since before she’d gotten her powers. Even last night, she and Mary had stayed up late due to their “excursion.” If Max didn’t catch up on sleep soon, she swore she’d collapse in class.Today was going to be a busy day though, so before long she sat up and looked around her dorm room. It was cleaner than it had been at the end of this week last time around, when Max had started to neglect it due to all the other concerns on her mind. The only major difference was the woman on her couch, sitting up and stretching her arms over her head.“Man, I haven't heard that song in forever,” Mary said, pointing to Max’s phone alarm. “Now I know I'm in the past.”“Because everything else left room for doubt,” Max teased. She thought it'd be weirder talking to her older self, but the more time she spent with Mary, the easier it was to separate the two of them. Mary had 10 more years of experience, and that time had shaped her into a different person.“Do you have the goods from last night?” Mary asked, as though trying to prove Max's thoughts. Max decided to leave the song on to mask their conversation as she reached under her pillow and out a manilla envelope.“Five thousand dollars from the Blackwell handicap fund.” Breaking in last night had been easy. Using their knowledge from the last timeline, they'd had Chloe “acquire” David's keys to get into the school. Max had remembered Warren's bomb-making instructions and gotten them into the office with just one rewind, upon which they'd grabbed the money and ran out. No late night splish splashing this time, despite Chloe’s protests.It was crazy how just 1 week ago, Max would never have dared such a crazy stunt. The first time around, the guilt at taking the money had nearly made her rewind the decision, only stopped by Chloe's puppy-like excitement. Yet now she hadn't thought twice when Mary mentioned they would need cash to get through this week.Max knew the main reason for her lack of hesitance. She'd seen how Wells treated Chloe in that alternate timeline. That bastard had left her out to dry the moment she'd gotten into her accident. He didn't care one bit about his handicapped students, but would gladly accept a bribe in their name. Well, now Max and Mary would be putting that bribe to better use.“I know three thousand of this is going toward clearing Chloe's debt,” Max said, “but what about the rest?”Mary stood and stretched. “I need a fake ID and records. We can't break me out of the hospital every time I get hurt. I'm hoping that Frank will be in a good mood when we give him the cash and will help out for an extra 2K.”Max had her doubts. Frank never seemed to be in a good mood, and he was anything but the generous type. It wasn't like she had any better ideas though, and she didn't think he'd attack them for just asking, so she held her tongue. Finally getting up, she reached for her phone to turn the alarm off. The time of 6:00 was way too early to be rising, but they'd have to sneak Mary out of her door before the other students woke.“We'd better get moving. Chloe said she can slip you into her place for a shower, then we'll all meet up at the Two Whales and— oh crap!”Her phone had been in sleep mode during their heist and then she'd gone straight to bed, so Max had missed any texts she'd gotten in the past 10 hours. As she read all the messages that had been sent last night, she started to seriously regret not checking them sooner. Mom: Maxine, your father and I received a call from the hospital that our other daughter is there? Last I checked you're an only child. What’s going on? Mom: Answer your phone. We need to talk about this. Mom: This is serious, Maxine. That woman you claimed was your sister broke out of the hospital. Mom: We're paying her bills to keep you out of trouble. You'd better have a good explanation for this. Mom: I assume you're sleeping and not ignoring our texts. Mom: We'll be driving down to Arcadia Bay early tomorrow. You'll be meeting us for breakfast or we will get in contact with your principal.There were just as many texts from her dad that went down a similar path. Max felt her face pale at the final messages, and when Mary asked what was wrong, all she could do was silently hand the phone over.“Oh no,” Mary muttered, eyes widening more with each message. “No no no no no. We can't let them know about me.”“I don't think we have a choice,” Max said. “They'll probably drag me up to Seattle if I don't have an answer for them.” Seeing the look on Mary's face made her hesitate, but she had to ask. “I… don't suppose you figured out ways to deal with them in the next 10 years?”Mary cringed with her whole body. “I… haven't been the best daughter. Once I started traveling alone, I only called them once or twice a week. We only saw each other on holidays, and even then I missed some years. I was planning to stay on campus this Christmas before everything went down.”So Max wasn't going to get any better at her avoidance issues with age. That… made her sadder than she cared to admit. She could only hope Chloe would help make things different for her, selfish as that felt.Then she remembered what else was going to happen today and had to sit down before she fainted. “We can’t meet with them today. Kate might end up back on that roof, and I have to be there for her.”“Oh, God,” Mary mumbled, clenching her hands together and taking a deep breath. “Okay, well, you texted David yesterday, right?”Max nodded. “Hopefully he checked out the bunker like in some of the other timelines… but I’ve learned by now not to take events that happened before for granted. For all I know, he was too busy “busting” me yesterday to make time.”Maybe that was unfair of her. David was the only reason she hadn’t died alone in the Dark Room. At the end of the day, even if he went about it wrong, he was trying to protect everyone. Max had texted him before even approaching Chloe, and she’d stressed how dangerous Jefferson could be. Surely he wouldn’t ignore that.Mary exhaled and rubbed her temple, taking a moment to think. “Alright, here’s the plan. Give me the money and I’ll slip out of here to settle things with Frank. You stay and wait for Kate to wake up. Tell her we have hard proof that will take those bastards down , so she won’t have to suffer much longer. Be there for her. Once she knows she’s not alone, and sees Nathan being dragged out in handcuffs, I think she’ll be okay. After that, text Mom and Dad to meet at the Two Whales. I’ll find Chloe and let her know what’s going on, and we’ll meet you there.”Was it a perfect plan? No, but it was the best they were going to get. Signs of the storm had yet to appear, making Jefferson their biggest concern. David would take care of him, so Max just had to make sure his actions didn’t hurt anyone else. Then… Well, she wasn’t sure what would come then. How did one move forward after all she had experienced? She would have to ask Mary.“Okay,” Max said. “Let’s get started.”It was so fucking weird being back in Arcadia Bay.In the 10 years since driving off in Chloe’s shitty truck, Mary hadn’t once looked back. She hadn’t wanted to, every painful reminder of that week tearing off a little piece of her soul. If she let the memories overwhelm her, she knew she’d end up as empty as the buildings she photographed. Oh yeah, that’s 10 years of my portfolio gone too. The reminder made her stumble before resuming her pace across the Two Whales parking lot. It seemed like every time she began to accept her new reality, another reminder of what she had lost slapped her in the face. Everything from the life-defining friendships to the little knick knacks she’d picked up at tourist traps were gone. Even her possessions from before 2013 belonged to a younger version of herself. Mary had nothing.Well, she could start with a name. An identity of her own to actually place her in this timeline. Maybe then it would feel more real. That was why she was here, making her way to the run-down RV parked haphazardly across the street from the diner. The sun had fully risen by now, but she doubted Frank would be awake yet. Meaning her visit would piss him off before he even opened the door. She had to hope the money would be enough to placate him.Except when she knocked on the door, there wasn’t any response. Frowning, Mary walked to the Two Whales itself and peeked through the windows. Sure enough, despite it just opening, Frank Bowers was sitting at one of the booths wolfing down a plate of beans. What the hell was he doing there so early? Right, he did ambush Chloe and me. Maybe he got up early to stake her out. Creepy bastard. Mary closed her eyes and forced the revulsion off her face. Right, so they were doing this inside the Two Whales. A place full of so many wonderful, agonizing memories for Mary. Fuck.Mary counted to ten in her head, reminding herself that Chloe was alive now. And no matter what happened, she was going to stay that way. Mary would do everything she could to save Arcadia Bay, but this time she refused to sacrifice Chloe. She could tell her younger self felt the same way.That in mind, Mary was able to muster up the courage to step through the front doors. Being assaulted by the smells of home and the warm embrace of gentle country music, she still almost cried on the spot. The Two Whales really never changed.It was because she already had to pause and compose herself that Mary overheard the cop sitting by the bar. He wasn’t the one she had spoken to all those years ago— whose name had slipped from her grasp. Instead he was a balding white man who had to be reaching retirement, guzzling down his coffee like a dying man.“What a fucking night,” the cop was talking on his phone. “I always hated Prescott, but I never thought his son would be into such twisted shit. And now he’s dead— by his own hand. The media is going to love it when this gets out.”Mary forgot how to breathe.“Nah, Madsen’s anonymous tip was wrong about an accomplice. We only found the kid’s fingerprints, and there’s photo evidence that he’s behind the Amber disappearance. Maybe the guilt finally got to him.”No, Oh, God, please no. Jefferson was supposed to be caught with Nathan!“I don’t know, man. All I know is that the Prescotts are about to be in some deep shit. Well deserved if you ask me.”Mary couldn’t listen to this. Her thoughts about settling into this timeline had evaporated— all she could think about was warning Max and Chloe. Fuck, why had this changed!? No way Nathan had committed suicide, but why would Jefferson kill him now? Maybe Nathan babbled about a woman appearing from thin air and the bastard decided to cut his losses. The thought made Mary want to throw up, and she turned and bolted out the front door.She didn’t get far before slamming into someone, the two of them crying out and collapsing onto the pavement. As freaked out as she was, Mary nearly scrambled to her feet and ran off without saying anything. She only remembered at the last minute that she shouldn’t be an asshole and stood, offering the other person her hand.“S-Sorry,” Mary mumbled. Then, she saw the person’s face and paled. Of all, people she had to run into Joyce out here.The woman herself was looking at Mary with wide eyes, staring at her face as though trying to confirm what she was seeing was real. “Max?” she blurted in a tone she had never heard from Joyce before.That was when everything changed. Because it wasn’t actually Joyce in front of her. Before Mary’s eyes, the woman’s appearance shifted, hair and skin darkening and age lines disappearing from her face. The waitress uniform was replaced with a simple gray shirt and jeans, chestnut eyes meeting Mary’s own. Mary could only stand there, not believing what was happening.“What the fuck?” a 25 year old Safiya Llewellyn-Fayyad blurted.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

To convincingly mimic someone, you had to understand what made them tick. Find out who they were beneath the surface. For Safiya Llewellyn-Fayyad, slipping into another person’s skin was as natural as breathing.She didn’t remember exactly when she’d gained this power. After her dad left, her mom had been obsessed with making Safi the perfect daughter. As time passed, it became clear that Yasmin wanted Safi to be someone she wasn’t. More and more, Safi found herself wishing she could be someone else entirely. Then, one day, she could.Though she didn’t understand the source of her powers, that didn’t stop Safi from using them. Like earlier, when she got payback on that bitch Gwen for canceling her book deal. She’d thought Gwen had her back! Turns out she’d abandoned Safi like everyone else.That book was supposed to be Safi’s revenge. Her way of exposing that fuckwit Lucas Colmenero for stealing Maya’s own writing and publishing it as his own. All his fame— all the luxuries he’d been granted— they belonged to Maya. To Safi’s best friend. But Maya was gone, dead. She had killed herself, and it was Lucas’ fault. Then Safi’s own mom had Vinh put out a statement that Maya had been “mentally troubled,” all to protect her star professor.So what had Safi done? She’d gone to Gwen, her mentor. And Gwen had suggested she use poetry as an outlet for her anger. Safi had listened, and that was how All the Daughters we Don’t Talk About had come to be. So why the fuck had Gwen ruined the book deal? Had she gotten cold feet? Was Safi’s mom involved?Safi didn’t know, but she knew she had to get revenge. She’d tried doing this the easy way, now the gloves were off. Using her powers, Safi had damaged Lucas’ relationship with his son and got Gwen in trouble for dealing drugs to students. She wouldn’t stop there, either. She could shapeshift into anyone, and she would find out every last person getting in her way and ruin them.Right now, Safi was worried one of those people would be her best friend.Standing in front of the mirror, Safi completed her transformation into Max Caulfield. All the details were there, down to the last freckle. The disguise was based on the outfit she’d seen Max wearing the other night, with a yellow beanie, gloves, and heavy cyan jacket.“Ohhh, look at me,” Safi scoffed, poking at her face. “I just love digging into other people’s lives while keeping my own secrets from my friends.”Okay, maybe she was being unfair. She hoped so, at least. It wasn’t like she enjoyed doubting Max. All she knew at the moment was that she’d started looking into the whole cow skull thing on her own. Safi had no clue why Max cared so much, but the other woman going off on her investigation without any warning irked her.It was possible Safi wouldn’t even need this form. As long as Max didn’t stick her nose any deeper into Safi’s business, she’d let it be. From what she’d learned of Max in the past few months though, that wasn’t likely. Hence, practicing her Max Caulfield.“It’s not that special,” Safi mumbled, doing her best impression. “I just take pictures of places that speak to me.” She watched herself in the mirror with a frown. “No, she’s not that meek. She’ll brush off her talent like it’s no big deal, not get embarrassed about it.”Safi prepped herself to go again, only for pain to suddenly stab through her head. She cried out, clutching the sink in surprise. “What the hell?” Stress migraines were familiar to her, but this was far worse than any head pain she'd ever felt. With growing alarm, Safi noticed blood from her nose pooling into the sink.A moment latet, Safi had to squeeze her eyes shut, bending forward so the blood wouldn't get everywhere. Her grip on the sink only got tighter, yet she stopped feeling it beneath her palms. The quiet hum of her bathroom fan faded, and even with her eyes shut she was blinded by a sudden flash of light.
“You don’t know who the fuck I am or who you’re messing around with!”

“Where’d you get that? Come on, put that thing down!”

“Don’t ever tell me what to do. I’m so sick of people trying to control me!”
The shouting voices reverberated through Safi's brain, but she couldn't make any sense of them. All she could do was clutch her head, falling to her knees. “What the hell is going on!?”A pop was the only answer she received, making Safi gasp when the pressure in her head suddenly vanished. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself, then dared to open her eyes.“What… the actual… fuck?” For a moment, Safi was sure she'd had a seizure or stroke or… something. Maybe a brain aneurysm that put her in a coma, because somehow the environment around her had completely changed. Instead of her bathroom, Safi was now kneeling on the top of a cliff that gave her a stunning view of the ocean. It was the kind Max would kill to get a picture of.Slowly standing, Safi took a closer look at her surroundings. She was right in front of a wooden bench, and to her right a lighthouse loomed over her. Spotting one of those tourist maps, Safi saw she was in some town called Arcadia Bay. What she couldn't comprehend was that this town was apparently in Oregon, on the other side of the continent. Seriously, how was this possible?She wouldn't get many more answers up here. She tried the phone in her pocket, but of course it wasn't connecting to jack shit. So, with no other option, she began hiking down the path. Though not before noticing one of the many trees had the words “Max and Chloe BFF Pirates 2008” carved into its trunk. A coincidence? Safi couldn't accept that.It was a longer treck to the bus stop than she'd like, but eventually Safi made it. By now she'd dropped her Max disguise, figuring the woman would be very confused if word somehow got back to her that she'd been spotted in Oregon. More concerning was how it was too damn hot for Safi to function. It wasn't sweltering or anything, but she'd been dressed for the dead of winter in Vermont and was now in a surprisingly humid coastal town. By the time she made it to the bus, she pretty much collapsed into the seat, grateful for the chance to rest.While the bus drove her into town, Safi tried getting her phone to work again. It still wouldn't connect, and she knew it wasn't a signal problem since other people on the bus were on their own private calls. If whatever magic warp that brought her here had broken her phone, Safi was going to be pissed.The bus eventually stopped at some dinner, and figuring it was a better option than any, Safi got off there. Maybe she could ask someone inside to borrow their phone. Her mom's number was about the only one she had memorized, born of necessity. She'd freak out the moment she heard where Safi was, but she'd also get Safi a plane back to Vermont tonight. Right now, all she wanted was to go home and lie down in her own bed, wrapped up in a blanket burrito.Anyone you'd want joining you in that burrito, Miss Llewellyn-Fayyad? Safi told her inner voice to stuff it and got off the bus. She could deal with her maybe developing crush on a certain infuriating photographer some other time.There was a waitress in the diner, serving the last few customers before closing. Short, blonde hair, age-lines— she was pretty much the stereotypical west coast diner employee. Still, Safi took in the details in case she'd have to stick around. It was surprising how much information you could get from drunk truckers if they thought you were an unassuming waitress.“Excuse me,” Safi said. The waitress looked up and met her eyes. “Is it okay if I borrow your phone? Mine's dead and I need to call my mom for a ride.”“Oh, sure thing, hun.” The woman's accent was exactly what Safi would expect. She smiled at Safi as she handed over her phone, seeming more than happy to help a complete stranger. At least there were nice people out here.Safi opened the phone, intending to dial her mom's number right away. Instead, she found herself staring at the screen, eyes widening as two anomalies appeared before her.The screensaver caught her eye first, because why did this woman have a picture of the blue-haired girl from Max's wallet? That alone would have left her stunned, but things only got more confusing when Safi saw the date. Today was December 6th, she had checked this morning. But according to this phone, it was October 7th. Two months in the past. Or… was it more than 2 months?“Today's October 7th?” Safi found herself asking, surprised at how normal her voice sounded.“Sure is,” the waitress said. Safi only now read the name “Joyce” on her nametag. “Why do you ask?”“What year?” The question escaped Safi before she could reel it in, making the woman frown.“What was that?”“What year?” Safi repeated. “Please.”“It's October 7th, 2013. Are you okay— hey, where are you going!?”Safi had just enough sense to leave the phone on the counter so she wouldn't be branded a thief before darting out of the building. She didn't stop there, her legs carrying her across the parking lot and down the road without any destination in mind. Though she couldn't explain why, Safi felt the need to get as far away from that diner as possible. As though it were the source of some time anomaly, and she could fix everything if she kept running.Of course, all she got for her efforts were burning lungs and legs that felt like jelly. Eventually, Safi had no choice but to stop and figure out where the hell she'd ended up now.American Rust. That was Safi's best guess based on the sign, though she wasn't sure if that was just another of many pieces of junk scattered here. Her legs had carried her to a junkyard of all places, filled with crashed cars and broken beer bottles for all to enjoy. Or to get tetanus from. Both options seemed likely.Safi could have walked back into town, but the sun was starting to set and it wasn't like she had the money for a motel. Nor could she access her bank account from 10 years in the future.Fuck, was she seriously in the past? It seemed impossible even with all that Safi knew. No, more than that, what was she going to do if it was real? She was stranded here with nothing to her name…
So? Girl, you have superpowers. Hell, you have future knowledge! Stocks, super bowl winners— If you play your cards right, you'll be a millionaire in half the time it takes to catch up to the present.
That was her immediate thought, but her second was far more important. Maya was alive. It would be years before that parasite Lucas plagiarized her writing. But with her time traveler's wisdom, Safi could warn her and stop the whole thing. She'd have her best friend back!It was likely Safi would start to miss her old life in time, but right now she had too great an opportunity to wallow. Tonight, she'd be sleeping in a junkyard. Next year she'd have an apartment. A few years after that, a penthouse suite. If the universe wanted to challenge her, she'd come out the other side thriving.Safi found an old shack in the middle of the junkyard. It seemed used, with some friendship bracelets and a makeup kit on the tables, a dart board pinned to the wall, and even some graffiti saying “Chloe was here” and “Rachel was here.” Among the haphazardly scattered trash was a flier for a rave in LA 2 months back. Some teenagers probably hung out here after school when they needed a place to chill.There was also a fraying chair set up, and while it was far from Safi’s ideal resting place, it was serviceable for a single night. At least her being overdressed meant she probably wouldn't freeze.Already she was planning out how to set her plan in motion. Tomorrow morning, she'd return to the diner disguised as that waitress from earlier. She'd gather a bit of local town gossip before slipping out, using the information she gleaned to figure out her next face to wear. It wasn't the perfect plan, but it was good enough for her needs.She couldn't have expected it to be so thoroughly derailed by the appearance of a certain brunette from her future.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

To say Mary was stunned would be an understatement. Ten years. For 10 long years, she had assumed she was the only one with powers. Yet that whole time, Safi had been shape-shifting, free from worry about creating a storm or killing her best friend. How many others like them were out there? Did any of them have major drawbacks to their powers, or was Mary the only one cursed by the universe?After Safi, Mary had shared her story, starting with what had happened in Arcadia Bay the first time this week occurred. She'd glossed over her time in the Dark Room, but from the look in Safi's eyes, that trauma wasn't going to stay buried forever. At the very least, Safi didn't press her now, letting her explain the impossible choice on the cliff and Mary’s decision to let Chloe die.In comparison, sharing how her powers had reactivated after Safi's death in another timeline was surprisingly easy. Mary discussed the desolate days without Safi, the sudden new ability to shift, and finding the photo on Safi's camera, making her desperate to return to the past and fix what she had broken.“My rewind somehow responded to my despair,” Mary said. She and Safi were now seated at a table in the Two Whales, Safi having ordered a belgian waffle while Mary ordered a bacon omelet. If Joyce noticed Mary's resemblance to Chloe's childhood friend, she didn't say anything.“I didn't mean to go back so far in the past,” Mary continued. “It just… happened. And somehow you were pulled along too.”Safi sighed, poking at her waffle. “That one might be my fault. Maybe because I was shifted into you at the time, your power saw us as the same person or something. I don't know, man, this crap is strange.”A pit settled in Mary's gut, and she couldn't meet Safi's eyes. “I'm sorry.” Her words were a whisper. “Your whole life's been upended because of me.”Movement in the corner of her vision was the only warning Mary got before a sudden sting struck her forehead. She yelped, looking up to see Safi retracting the finger she'd just used to flick Mary.“Okay, putting a stop to that now,” Safi stated. “Max, you didn't do anything to me. Our powers mixed in some impossible to predict way and dragged me along for the ride.” She shrugged. “Hey, it's better than being dead, right?”“You were only dead because of me,” Mary argued. “Because I shot you.”“Allegedly.” Safi reached out, and Mary thought she was about to get flicked again until the other woman took her hand. “Max, quit dwelling on everything that might go wrong, and think about what could go right. We're in the past, think about all we can do!” Her eyes widened and she leaned forward. “Ohhhh, do you think we can stop Trump from getting elected?”Mary shook her head rapidly even as her lips quirked into a smile. “Remember what I said about the storm? That's way too dangerous.”“There was no snow last night,” Safi reminded her.“Still, no changing major history. Seriously, Safi, we're playing with fire as it is.”Safi groaned, but acquiesced. “Fine, but I'm saving Maya. You got your best friend back, so you're not allowed to stop me.”Mary really wanted to argue on that point, but she'd been pushing Safi enough this morning, and she had dragged her along into the past. “Okay…”They finished their breakfast, paid for with a bit of Wells’ dirty money. Though she had to wait for Max and Chloe, Mary figured she could still talk to Frank. He'd returned to his RV now, probably stalking out the Two Whales for Chloe. With Safi here, Mary would have to delay getting records falsified, but Frank could at least help them both acquire fake IDs.Before they reached the RV, Safi stopped Mary with a hand to her arm. Looking her way, Mary knew she was about to be asked another probing question, one she probably wouldn't get away with dodging.Sure enough, Safi's eyes lit up as she pulled Mary close to whisper. “So be honest. Before you knew about the storm, did you ever use your rewind to prank someone consequence free? You must have had so many opportunities.”Of course that's where Safi's mind went. Mary thought back to that week, and between all the trauma and fighting, she did remember one instance. “The man we're about to visit? I never really liked him, so I might have fucked with him at one point.”Safi's eyes widened. “Spill the beans.”Unable to help herself, Mary burst into laughter. It was so intense that Safi had to keep her from falling over. It probably wasn't even that funny, but after these past few days, she'd desperately needed to relieve some tension. Laughing in her friend's arms, for the first time since finding Safi's body on the overlook, Mary thought everything might turn out okay.“That's exactly what I did!”“Thank you, Max. For the first time in a while, I truly feel blessed.”Max couldn't keep the smile off her face as she held Kate in the other girl's room, both their eyes wet with tears. It had felt a bit like cheating, repurposing her words from Kate's attempt and the aborted San Francisco timeline to help her through her depression, but Max would give anything to see the smile currently plastered on Kate's face.Kate knew she had been drugged, that Max believed her, that justice would soon arrive, and— most importantly— that she wasn't alone. Sometimes, that support was all a person needed to get through difficult times. Kate wouldn't wake up tomorrow cured of her depression, but now she had the confidence to fight for her happiness. And Max would be there for her every step of the way.“Promise you'll text if something comes up,” Max said, meeting Kate's eyes to show her sincerity. “If anyone insults you— Victoria, Courtney, even Mark Jefferson— dont listen to them. Just let me know and I'll be there.”“Mark Jefferson?” Kate frowned. “You don't think he'd be on my side?”It took all of Max's effort not to let the full extent of her thoughts show on her face. The last thing she wanted was to freak Kate out when she'd just started feeling better. She would learn the truth when that piece of shit was carted to prison anyway.“I've… heard him make some weird comments about the female students at Blackwell,” Max said instead. “Just try to avoid him when you can until this blows over, okay?”Kate gave Max a look that made it clear she knew Max was hiding something, but nodded anyway. “Okay. I trust you, Max.”Max smiled and gave Kate one final hug before heading for the door. “I'm getting an early lunch with my parents, but I'll be back later for our tea date. See you then?”Kate's smile was genuine, lifting a weight that had stubbornly clung to Max's shoulders. “Of course. Tell them I said hi.”With that, Max made her way to the dormitory entrance. It was weird— she had changed into the same shirt and jeans that she'd worn the first time this week occurred. If the pattern kept up, she'd be thrashing in Rachel Amber’s clothes again tomorrow.The image of a rotting corpse in a shallow grave— the smell — caught up with Max. For a moment, the memory left her frozen in the middle of the hallway, her stomach twisting and bile rising in her throat. Maybe not this time. Fuck, she had to make sure they avoided the junkyard at any cost.Her phone buzzed in her pocket, providing her with a much needed distraction. It was a text from her mom, confirming both of Max's parents were waiting for her in the parking lot. Right, time for another conversational landmine. Sure enough, her dad's 2009 Toyota was in one of the spots. Max didn't even make it halfway across the parking lot before both of her parents stepped out. Her mom was as well put-together as ever, brown hair neatly combed and wearing a dress with no wrinkles. In comparison, her dad has the scruffy, rural look that he liked to joke made him one of a kind in a big city like Seattle. Both of them smiled at the sight of Max, pulling her into a sweeping hug.“This isn't what we wanted to visit for,” her mom said, “but it's good to see you.”“It's good to see you too,” Max mumbled, taking in their familiar scents. Dog, she hadn't realized how much she'd missed them. Being sandwiched between her mom and dad after everything that had happened, Max had the absurd urge to start crying. She managed to keep it reigned in. She didn't need them worrying any more than they would once she told her story.Eventually, they separated, and her dad put a hand on her shoulder. “How would you feel about visiting the Two Whales? For old time's sake.”A giggle escaped Max. “That's what I was going to suggest.”He grinned and thumped his chest. “Ah, the old father-daughter psychic bond. It never fails.”Her mom rolled her eyes. “Something like that. Now come on, let's go surprise Joyce. I'm sure she'll be thrilled.”It was a nice moment. Max knew the interrogation would begin the moment she got into the car, but found herself smiling regardless. This banter was so familiar, so easy to slip into. That proved she was still herself, despite everything.In hindsight, she shouldn't have let her guard down.“Max!” The voice rang out behind them, paralyzing Max in her tracks. She immediately felt her breath catch in her throat, and she didn't dare turn around in case the person who had called caught a glimpse of the terror washing over her. At the same time, leaving her back exposed made her neck sting with the prick of a thousand phantom needles.
No, please, not him. I can't face this.
She had no choice. Hearing his footsteps stop a mere foot away from her, Max stifled her sob and forced herself to turn around.Seeing his face was so much worse. Mark Jefferson looked the same as ever. The same as when he'd pumped Max full of drugs and dragged her into his bunker.
“Oh, Christ… Look at that perfect face.”

“You all have the same doe-eyed look when you wake up here, replaced by fear as you realize what's about to happen.”

“Oh, Max, it's an honor working with you on these final sessions.”
Max couldn't help it. Tears pooled in the corner of her eyes and she took a step back, nearly falling into her dad's arms. He put a hand on her shoulder to steady her, his narrowed eyes piercing Jefferson. “Can we help you?”Jefferson paused as though only now noticing her parents were there. He recovered fast though, putting up the mask of a suave teacher. “Oh, hello. You're Mr. and Mrs. Caulfield, correct? We met briefly on orientation day. Mark Jefferson, Max's photography teacher.”“I remember.” Her mom's spoke in a flat tone, positioning herself between Max and Jefferson. “Is there any reason you're hounding my daughter?”The bastard laughed as though this were just a misunderstanding. “Blackwell is participating in the Everyday Heroes contest. It's a big photography event where the winners have their pictures displayed at an art gallery in San Francisco. I was hoping I could convince Max to enter a photo.”
“You're the winner, Max. I choose you… your portrait.”
A whimper escaped Max before she could stop it.“Surely you have better things to do than chase down a single student,” her mom challenged, crossing her arms with a glare that would have melted Jefferson if possible. Only now seeming to pick up on how poorly the conversation was going, the man himself frowned and looked at Max. The sight of her shivering only deepened his frown.“I don't think—”“Enough!” her dad snapped, and Max recognized that tone. It promised to bring hell down on anyone who dared draw it out of him. He got up in Jefferson’s face, one hand gripped tight on the monster’s shoulder. “I don't know what you did to my daughter, but if I find out you hurt a hair on her head, I will bury you alive. Understand?”If Max hadn't been so consumed by fear, she would have appreciated the way Jefferson’s face paled and he sputtered for a response. Again, he looked toward Max, and his eyes widened in realization.
He knows I know. Heknowsheknowsheknowsheknowsheknowsheknows—
“Of course. I understand.” Released from her dad’s grip, Jefferson stepped back and straightened his suit. “It's good to see Max has parents who will always look out for her. If you'll excuse me.”He retreated, and Max struggled to rewind. She couldn't even breathe right then, much less raise her hand and draw upon her powers. Fuck, fuck! She couldn't let him know! She had to fix this.She couldn't. She could only let her parents lead her to the car, her mom sitting in the back alongside Max while her dad climbed into the driver’s seat.“Max.” Max had never heard her mom’s voice be so soft. She had Max’s hands in her own and gently squeezed. “Please, tell us what happened. Did he hurt you?” No, Max wanted to say. He didn't hurt me. Even now, she didn't want to make her parents worry. It was in a timeline that was gone now, she was fine.Instead, she broke down in her mom’s arms, sobbing and holding onto her like the world would end if she let go.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Frank was surprisingly agreeable when you were handing him a fat stack of cash. Despite his confusion at a stranger paying off Chloe's debt, he hadn't questioned her. And when Mary had offered an additional thousand to get fake IDs for her and Safi, he'd just said he'd need to work with some contacts and would get back to them in a few days. Mary wasn't even sure if a thousand was the right price for two fake IDs. Maybe she was giving him way too much money, or not enough but paying off Chloe's debt gave her leeway.

Either way, their business was done, and with a little over 900 dollars in pocket cash left. It wouldn't last long though, since Mary and Safi would need phones to keep in touch with everyone. Safi had her old one, but it was… indated? Was there an opposite term of outdated, for when a piece of technology was too advanced to function in the modern era?

“You have that look on your face,” Safi said, pulling Mary from her thoughts. When the words registered, she blinked in confusion.

“That look?”

Safi nodded. “Yeah, that look when you're deep in thought about something that doesn't actually matter. Your face scrunches up with these adorable little wrinkles.”

Staving off the blush Safi's words provoked was a futile effort, so Mary just let it happen. While looking away, because she had

some

integrity left to preserve, dammit. “Was thinking about our phone problem. How much was Apple charging in 2013 again?”

“Dude, you think I remember? Mommy dearest bought all my toys growing up, I never paid attention to the prices.”

Mary sighed, but conceded the point. She would just have to ask Max when they met up. Speaking of, she recognized the black Toyota pulling into the Two Whales’ parking lot. Which was good, because Mary was seriously starting to feel like a creep standing out here and waiting for them. That was part of why she'd treated Safi to breakfast, the other being how clearly they'd both needed the food. Even now, Mary was ready for that brunch, if not the difficult conversations that would accompany it.

All thoughts of food left her the moment Max stepped out of the vehicle. The girl's eyes looked haunted, and Mary could spot the tear streaks on her face even from a distance. Vanessa was right behind her, keeping a gentle hand on Max's back as though worried an invisible weight would make her collapse.

Seeing Vanessa caused a maelstrom of emotions in Mary's gut, only worsened when Ryan stepped out the driver door, eyes wide with concern when he saw his daughter. Fuck, Mary couldn't do this. Her legs shook with the desire to run, but she forced herself to remain still. Max needed her.

“So those are the Caulfield parents, huh?” Safi asked. “And baby Max too. She's… not looking great. What do you think's wrong?”

Mary let out the breath she'd been holding. “What isn't wrong? I wish I could help her…”

“Then do it, girl,” Safi gave Mary a nudge, only to roll her eyes when she planted her feet. “Come on, it can't be any more awkward than the last 24 hours have been for you.”

“Would

you

want to help your younger self recover from a breakdown with Yasmin right there?”

“Touché,” Safi said, and then, because she was Safi, grabbed Mary's hand and started pulling her toward the trio.

“Wha— hey! Safi, let go, this isnt—” Oh. They were right in front of Mary's parents. Mary swallowed, confident everyone was able to hear the sound.

“Max…?” Vanessa asked, staring at Mary like she was an alien. Ryan was in a similar state, looking back and forth between Mary and his daughter with his brow furrowed. Mary doubted either of them actually believed she was Max, but it was also clear they couldn't comprehend what they were seeing.

“Mom, Dad…” For a moment Mary thought the words had slipped out of her, until Max turned to face her parents. “There's a lot I have to tell you, and most of it won't sound real, but I swear it's all true. And the most important part of it is that… This is Mary, and she's me from 10 years in the future.”

The looks of denial on their faces were expected, but still made Mary’s heart drop. “Max,” Ryan said, “that's not—”

“Please believe her,” Mary interrupted, unable to bear hearing the rest of that sentence. “Trust me, what your daughter needs more than anything right now is people who won't say she's lying or crazy.” She remembered the sleepless nights, agonizing over who she could confide in while knowing anyone would label her as disturbed. That isolation had been her own personal hell. Whatever it took, she wouldn’t let Max suffer the same fate.

It was clear they didn't know how to respond. Neither of them could take their eyes off Mary, analyzing her like she was some specimen in a lab. She couldn't help but squirm on the spot, staring at the ground.

“You act just like her,” Vanessa muttered, and though Mary wouldn't agree with that statement she chose to remain silent.

“Can we talk inside?” Max asked. “I'll explain everything, and I promise I can prove it to you.”

That would mean another demonstration of her powers. Mary swallowed her discomfort at the idea. What else could they do? There was no way of telling for sure whether the storm would still arrive. They could only hope things would be different this time, even if the reasons were unclear. At the end of the day, the rewind was Max's power, and she chose how to use it. Mary had tried demonstrating for Safi earlier, and it seemed she'd burned away her own power traveling back 10 years. Or perhaps, it had changed again and she didn't know how to use it now. She would have to experiment more another time.

Were these thoughts just a distraction from the situation in front of her? Probably. Still, when her parents reluctantly agreed to listen, Mary found herself following the others back inside the Two Whales. Whatever happened next, she told herself that she'd at least have Safi by her side.

Sitting down in the booth at the back of the diner, Vanessa kept a close eye on the woman claiming to be her daughter. Mary certainly looked the part, having Vanessa’s blue eyes and hair that matched Max’s in thickness and shape. Though unlike Max, Mary had trimmed away her bags.

Was Vanessa seriously considering this idea? By now, she’d put together that Mary was the woman Max had claimed to be her sister in the hospital. Part of Vanessa believed they were putting together this elaborate story to excuse whatever behavior had driven Max’s recklessness. But then she remembered how her daughter had responded to that teacher. She never wanted to see such terror on Max’s face again. If it helped her feel better, Vanessa would listen to whatever Max had to say.

That would have to wait a minute, since Max had gone to the bathroom to freshen up after her breakdown earlier. Vanessa had nearly followed her in until the girl insisted she could handle it on her own. So now she was here, sitting next to her husband across the booth from 2 strangers, wondering how she was going to help her daughter with whatever trauma she had experienced.

The silence between them would have been suffocating if it weren’t for a certain waitress’ intervention. “Well I’ll be, you’re a sight for sore eyes.” Joyce walked up to their table, smiling at Vanessa and Ryan. “I didn’t expect to see you two around here.” She turned to Mary and the other woman then. “And you two, weren’t you here this morning?”

Vanessa took over before either woman could speak. “They’re friends of Max’s. She’s in the bathroom now, but she wanted to introduce us, and we’re taking the chance to catch up over an early lunch. Hope you don’t mind the surprise.”

“From the Caulfields? Never.” Joyce lifted her notepad. “What can I get you all?”

Having not eaten since they left Seattle, Vanessa and Ryan ordered the biggest meals on the menu. In comparison, Mary and her friend simply asked for a plate of bacon to split between themselves. Max wasn’t back yet, but Vanessa had asked ahead of time and ordered a belgian waffle for her.

Joyce went to prepare their food, just as Max returned and wedged herself at the end of the booth next to Mary. Vanessa recognized all the telltale signs of apprehension in her daughter— the way her eyes glanced down, how she gripped her left elbow, and the way she would shift slightly side to side in thought. Seeing how nervous she was, Vanessa didn’t immediately press her for answers, waiting for Max to speak on her own time.

“It started last Monday,” Max began. “Technically yesterday, but for me it was a week ago. The day I saw Chloe get shot in the Blackwell girls’ bathroom.”

From there, Max told her story. It should have been impossible. Time travel? Teachers abducting their students? Vanessa didn’t want to believe it, but there were far too many details to ignore. Max didn’t hold back, mentioning every moment of that week from confronting Chloe’s stepdad to euthanizing the girl herself in another timeline. Some of it lined up with what Vanessa knew too. She had been planning on sending Max a reminder to water but not drown her plant before everything happened, and according to Max, she had done so in the other timeline.

Even then, Vanessa might not have believed it had Max not demonstrated her powers. It was hard to deny the possibility of time travel when your daughter was able to predict a cockroach messing with the diner jukebox.

For most of the story, Vanessa and Ryan remained silent. They didn’t interrupt, knowing Max needed to get this out all at once. She only paused for a moment to say hi to Joyce when the woman returned to hand them their food. After their conversation, she launched back into it, not stopping all the way until they found that horrible bunker and discovered Rachel Amber’s body. She went on, discussing trying to find Nathan at the party— and though Vanessa wanted to chide her for being so reckless, she didn’t dare speak.

It was only when they returned to the scene of the crime that Max froze in her recount. She said they had received a threatening text and rushed off, then went silent, tightly clasping her hands together.

Vanessa was ashamed to admit she didn’t reach out right away to comfort her daughter. Instead, Mary took Max’s hands, separating them and giving them a gentle squeeze. “You don’t have to tell them this next part,” Mary muttered. “We can skip to the end.” From the look her friend was giving her, it seemed Mary had done just that in her own explanation.

Max shook her head. “I… had a panic attack in front of Jefferson earlier. Dad had to scare him off.”

At this, Mary paled. Vanessa had put together that the photography teacher was the culprit behind this series of crimes, but from the way every muscle in Mary’s body seemed to tense, she feared she had yet to hear the worst of his actions. Some sort of understanding passed between Max and her apparent older self, before Mary closed her eyes and took deep breaths. Breathing exercises— Vanessa recognized them from her old college roommate who would suffer from anxiety attacks all the time.

At that instant, Vanessa’s hesitation washed away. Seeing the woman in front of her struggling, every last one of her motherly instincts kicked in, and she knew this was her daughter. She reached out, putting one of her hands on the shared grip between Max and Mary.

“Whatever happened,” she said, “you’re safe now. We won’t ever let him hurt you. And I’m so proud of you for telling us about all this. I know how much courage that must have taken.”

Max managed a smile at that, and Mary gave her hands another squeeze. It seemed she hadn’t realized Vanessa was directing the praise at

both of them

. She’d have to make that clear later.

Finally, they let go and Vanessa leaned back. Max exhaled, then took a sip of water to delay the explanation a little longer. When it was clear that could no longer go on, she began to speak.

“W-When we got to the junkyard, I felt a prick in my neck. T-The drug kept me from rewinding, so I tried to call out to Chloe, but…” Max squeezed her eyes shut, and Vanessa’s heart broke when she saw the tears leaking from them. “It was too late. He… he

shot her

. In the head. She landed in Rachel’s grave and I… passed out.”

“You said you ran and used a photo,” Mary’s friend muttered, to which Mary shook her head.

“I can take over,” Mary said, looking toward Max. “If you don’t mind.”

“Please.” Vanessa had never heard such vulnerability in Max’s voice.

“We woke up in the Dark Room.” Mary’s eyes were open, but it was clear she was seeing as little of the diner as Max who still had them closed. “Strapped to a fucking chair by our wrists and ankles.” Her hand sought her friend’s, who took it and squeezed.

“I remember… calling for help. It was me and… and Victoria Chase in the room. I found out later that by warning her about Nathan, I sent her right into that bastard’s hands.” Her own hands trembled, and Vanessa wanted nothing more than to get up and hug both her daughters. “I was able to get an ankle free and pull a cart over. On it was… a picture. Of me.”

She didn’t need to say what kind of picture. Bile rose in Vanessa’s throat, but she continued to listen. At some point, she and Ryan had grabbed onto one another for comfort. She was grateful she wouldn’t have to face this alone, but that thought just reminded her that Max had suffered by herself. Never before had she felt murderous intent, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from strangling Mark Jefferson if she ever saw him again.

“I went through it, and at first it didn’t seem to help much. All it did was give me nightmares that wouldn’t go away for years. That piece of shit

loves

to hear his own voice, and I’ve never met someone with a more twisted mind.” Mary took a deep breath. “But I did manage to knock over a vial of the drugs he was using onto his photos. Because of that, when I returned to the present, there was another photo of me. One where I was more awake.

“Long story short, I was able to trick Jefferson into letting me see my diary. It opened on the photo I took in his class Monday morning, and I used that to escape.”

Any relief Vanessa might have felt was annihilated when Mary continued her story. Though everything had seemed okay in San Francisco, the appearance of the storm had caused Max to go back in time again. This time, she had returned only to find herself back in the Dark Room.

Beyond the tide of horror that threatened to overwhelm her, Vanessa paid attention to how Mary told the story. Her voice was flat, eyes distant as she laid out the facts in a clear level of separation from how she would have felt at the time. While the wounds were too fresh for Max to do anything but cower, Mary had learned to disassociate. Neither option was healthy, and Vanessa was determined to find a way for them both to work through this trauma.

Max took over again after Mary’s recount of being saved by David. It was easier for her daughter to recall driving through a storm and making her way across a street with dead bodies strewn across it than to remember her time in that bunker. Vanessa couldn’t help but dwell on how fucked up that was.

Eventually, she came to the end of the story, to returning to the bathroom only for Mary to drop in and inadvertently save Chloe. Mary gave a brief explanation to that, saying her powers had reactivated when her friend— who Vanessa finally learned was named Safi— died. Yet now she and Safi were both in the past, and everything was changing.

“I believe you,” was the first thing Vanessa said once they were finished. “It’s difficult to accept, but I know you would never lie about this.”

“Exactly,” Ryan said. “Max, we should have been there for you. I’m sorry.”

Max shook her head, but she couldn’t hide the tears in her eyes. “You had no way of knowing… I’m the one who hid it from you.””

“It’s hard to talk about,” Mary added. “There’s no evidence any of it happened. When I first returned to my timeline, I had to act like all my trauma was from being there when Chloe was shot. A lot of people… didn’t understand why I reacted so strongly to being poked or to camera flashes.”

Tears finally started to mist Vanessa’s own eyes, but before she could speak, Safi suddenly rose to her feet.

“So you just let that motherfucker get away with what he did to you?” Safi’s fists were clenched tight enough for her knuckles to turn white. “Fuck that, Max, you can’t just let that stand!”

Mary cringed and looked away. “Nathan confessed in the other timeline and Jefferson was arrested. He got what he deserved in the end.”

“Maybe for what he did to the others, but to you? Max, you had to

remember

. You know the truth that he’s a murderous, fucked up piece of shit. A normal cell is way too good for a monster like him. Ignore what the system did, you deserve your own revenge.”

“Safi, please—”

“No, listen. That bastard is about to get away with it. You told me yourself that he killed and framed Nathan for everything. No evidence means he’s not going to rot like he deserves.” Seeing the way Max’s eyes widened and her face turned green, Vanessa opened her mouth to make the woman stop. Safi just pressed on. “We have the power. We can ruin him.”

Mary reached for her. “We don’t need powers. He’ll be trying something at the Vortex Club party for sure. If we catch him in the act—”

“And risk him getting his hands on another girl?” She swatted Mary’s hands away. “Fuck that. Here’s a better idea. I shapeshift into that bastard and confess everything.”

“Then you’ll get arrested and the real Jefferson will slip away.” Mary stood as well. “Being reckless is what made everything go wrong before. We need to be more careful this time.”

Safi sighed, and for a moment it seemed she was going to let the argument drop. Then she stepped out of the booth. “I’ll prove it to you, Max. And I won’t let him hurt you again.”

“Safi!” Mary cried out, but it was too late. Safi was already out the door. Mary bit her lip, looking back and forth between the fleeing woman and her family. In the end, she decided to sit back down with them, deflating like a balloon with a hole poked into it.

None of them knew what to do now. So of course, that was when the door opened once more, a blue-haired girl strolling in with a smirk and swinging over the booth to sit between Vanessa’s daughters.

“Sup, Mr. and Mrs. C?” Chloe asked. “What’d I miss?”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Mary felt like a wrung out towel. After 10 years of keeping her memories of the Dark Room locked away in the deepest corners of her mind, recounting them now was like living through a dream. Those moments only returned to her in her nightmares, or during the waking hours of her worst days. She had planned on dying without revealing them to anyone.

She certainly hadn't been expecting Safi’s reaction, but maybe she should have. This was the woman who had ruined Lucas's relationship with his son and framed Gwen for dealing drugs to avenge a lost friend. Mary still wasn't sure how to feel about those actions. Lucas had certainly deserved to go down, but targeting his kid? And Safi hadn't even tried talking to Gwen before ruining the poor woman's career. How far would she go to deal with Jefferson? Who else would get hurt? Would she consider Victoria a safe target for sucking up to him?

Fuck, that wasn't fair. Mary hated doubting her friend like this. Safi was maybe the one person besides her younger self who could understand Mary's grief. Maybe that was why she'd had such a strong reaction to the story of the Dark Room. More than anything, Mary wanted to find Safi and beg her to stay.

Except Max's parents were here, and Mary knew they'd drag the girl back to Seattle if they got her alone. Mary would have hated that when she was 18, so it was safe to say Max felt the same.

After Chloe's poorly timed entrance, they explained the situation to her and left the Two Whales. Mary smiled at the way Chloe kept a close eye on Max after hearing about her breakdown. That protective streak was something she and Safi had in common.

Be honest, coward. You're jealous of Max. She gets to have the life with Chloe that you threw away.

The intrusion to her thoughts made Mary wince. Of course now of all times would be when the nightmare version of herself from the diner returned to haunt her. And here she thought she'd left that cruel shadow behind years ago.

“Mary?” The voice and sudden hand on her shoulder made Mary jump, looking into Vanessa's worried eyes. The familiar sight made Mary's heart ache with longing. “Are you alright?”

Mary forced herself to swallow before speaking, knowing her voice would break otherwise. “I-I'm fine. Sorry for causing so much trouble.”

Ryan grinned and shook his head. “We always knew we'd be there for you whenever you needed us, even after you grew up. It just happened a little faster than we expected.” Mary didn't know what to say to that, but his next words gave her something else to focus on. “We can all figure this out back in Seattle.”

Everyone froze at his words. In Vanessa's case, it was likely because she'd been waiting for a moment to throw the idea out there. Mary, Max, and Chloe, however, all immediately scrambled for a reason to avoid this outcome.

Unsurprisingly, Max was the one to speak first. “I can't go back to Seattle. I'm studying at Blackwell.”

“In a photography program led by a goddamn sadist.” None of the scorn in Vanessa's voice was directed at Max herself. “You're not going back to that school, Maxine. Not while it has perverted teachers and students that freely carry guns around with them.”

From the perspective of an adult with a decade more experience than Max, Mary fully understood where Vanessa and Ryan were coming from. Max had gotten Jefferson's attention. The smartest thing to do would be to get as far away as possible. She'd been through enough and needed to heal, not throw herself back into the lion's den.

As someone who remembered being that 18 year old girl, Mary knew Max had to stay. For one thing, there was no way she'd be willing to leave Chloe's side ever again. Mary herself wanted to grab onto the punk and never let go, and she'd had 10 years to try and process her grief. For Max, the memories of watching her over and over would be fresh in her mind.

Beyond that, Max and Mary had a common goal tying them to Arcadia Bay. They were going to see Jefferson taken down no matter what. No way were they going to leave and let that slimebag slip away.

Max clearly felt the same, as she squared her shoulders and looked up at her parents. “I'm staying. I'm not leaving Chloe again.”

Ryan frowned. “This isn't up for debate. We never should have sent you here in the first place. We're going home and that's final.”

Chloe looked ready to cuss out Max's parents, but Max herself beat her to it. “Seattle isn't home!”

Even Mary's eyes widened as she realized Max was about to reveal a secret she'd never had the courage to air. That proved they weren't really the same person, not in the way that mattered most. Of all things, Mary felt a swell of pride as Max pressed onward.

“I never belonged in a big city like Seattle. I was just the small town girl everybody could ignore. The photography opportunities never felt right— even The Golden Hour felt weak without the ocean to reflect the light. The constant smell of smoke and rain was sensory hell, and the schools were so big they made me feel small in comparison. It was all I could do not to drown in that environment… and that made me freeze up and lose contact with the person who mattered most.”

She reached out then, taking Chloe’s hand in her own. For her part, Chloe was stunned— jaw agape even as her fingers interlocked with Max's. “More than any of that, my home is right here. With Chloe. I won't let you take me away from her. Not again.”

Fuck, there were tears in Mary's eyes. Looking over, she could see Ryan and Vanessa were in a similar state. “Max…” Vanessa whispered. “We had no idea. You had friends and school, and your grades were fine once we got you into that IEP. If we had known…” Mary caught the pain on her face as the truth settled in. It wasn't like they would have moved back to Arcadia. Ryan needed that job, and Seattle was a far more promising place than the small town being squeezed dry by the Prescotts.

“We're sorry,” Ryan choked out. “We didn't think of you enough.”

“No!” Max let go of Chloe’s hand and hugged her parents. They were quick to wrap their arms around her in a tight hug. “You didn't have a choice, and it's not like I said any of this before. I don't blame you. I just… need you to trust me now. To respect my decisions.”

Vanessa and Ryan shared a glance, though there wasn't a need. The two nodded, Vanessa cupping Max's cheek. “We promise,” she said. “You've grown into a remarkable young woman, Maxine. We're proud of you.”

A sniffle escaped Mary before she could stop it. She then blushed, mortified as all eyes turned to her. Though she wiped her tears away, the damage was already done, and Ryan reached out to pull her closer. Mary took a step back before he could.

“I-I’m okay,” she managed. “Focus on helping your daughter.”

At this, everyone present frowned. Vanessa pulled back from the embrace to face Mary. “We want to,” she said. “She has to let us in first.” Then, she reached out her hand, making Mary’s breath catch in her throat. She instinctively shook her head.

“I’m not—” She cut herself off. As painful as that truth was, she couldn’t speak it into existence.

Ryan and Vanessa were having none of those thoughts. “Mary,” Ryan said, and this time she didn’t resist when he took her hand. “You may not be the same Max we remember, but you are still our daughter.”

“If we did anything in the past decade to make you feel alone—” Vanessa began, stopping when Mary vehemently shook her head.

“It was my fault,” she whispered. “I pushed you away, like I do with everyone. Why would you want me as a daughter? There’s still hope for Max, but I’m too much of a mess…”

Ryan’s hand squeezed Mary’s own. “You’re wrong. You’re our wonderful, brilliant child. You think we never thought about having two kids? We would’ve done so way sooner if we could afford it.”

In desperation, Mary turned her wide eyes toward Max. The girl just shrugged, a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. “I always wanted a sister.”

And those were the words to break the dam on Mary’s emotions. Because what Max held back was that they’d always wanted a

baby

sister. Someone to look after like Chloe had for them as kids. Mary heard the unspoken promise between them.

I can be that person for you,

Max was saying.

There’s still a place for you here.

Mary stumbled, and would have fallen had her parents not been there to catch her. “It’s okay,” her mom muttered into her ear. “We’ve got you.” A moment later, her sister joined the hug, and Mary couldn’t help but sob at the warmth she felt from her family.

Something inside her reacted to that warmth. A soft, childish giggle reached Mary’s ears, making her loosen the embrace slightly. “Did anyone else hear that?”

“Hear what?” her father asked, but Mary could still make out faint voices. They sounded familiar, filling her with the same happiness as her family’s acceptance. The warmth traveled to her hand, which Mary instinctively raised. Power thrummed through her veins, released in a single gesture as she pulled on the threads of time.

That was when their surroundings

pulsed

.

Max wasn’t the only one to gasp at the sight in front of her. It was like a light show, showing two young, laughing girls leaning on one another as they walked across the Two Whales parking lot. One was a long-haired girl wearing a pirate hat, laughing so hard that the small, freckle-faced girl with an eyepatch had to stop and catch her. They were no older than 10, yet they seemed like the happiest girls in the world.

Though the scene appeared to them as orange lines of light outlining the girls’ figures, Max didn’t need the full view to recall that day perfectly. After a sleepover at Chloe’s the night before, the two of them had begged William to bring them to their pirate treefort. Afterward, he’d driven them to the Two Whales for Joyce’s spectacular cooking. It was the moment being replayed for her now— when Chloe had lost herself in laughing at Max’s dumb joke— that the young Max had fallen in love, even if she hadn’t realized it yet.

“Come on, Chloe,”

the 9 year old Max in the hologram giggled.

“It wasn’t that funny.”

In the joke, she had asked what a pirate says when they turn 80, barely managing to keep her grin back when she revealed the answer.

Chloe shook her head, squeezing the younger girl’s hands. Max still remembered the way her stomach had done somersaults at the affection.

“It was

hilarious.” She then echoed the punchline with another round of giggles.

“Aye matey! I’m so making that joke when we get old enough.”

Remembering what came next, the present Max felt her own stomach twist itself into agonizing knots. Sure enough, her younger self looked down, skidding her foot along the pavement. Max mouthed the words as her younger self spoke them.

“So we’ll still be together, even when we’re old ladies?”

“Uh, duh.”

Chloe had finally recovered enough breath to stand on her own, and she met Max’s eyes just to roll her own.

“Pirates for life, remember? What’s a captain without her first mate?”

“B-But what if we go to separate colleges, or we get jobs for rival companies?”

The young Max had her hands clenched together.

“It happens all the time on TV…”

Not deterred, Chloe had clasped her hand onto Max’s shoulder.

“Those guys on TV are losers. You and me, Maxi-mito, are the real deal.”

“R-Really?”

The smile on Max’s face had been so wide it hurt.

“Then we should get a house together when we’re old enough!”

Max’s face went red at the memory. She’d been too young to realize what she was asking for at the time, but now she was all too aware. Glancing at Chloe, she saw a similar flush on the blue-haired girl’s cheeks.

Her younger self, however, beamed.

“Heck yeah! It’ll be a

real

pirate fort, three stories tall and surrounded on all sides by an imp-impet-impont—”

“Impenetrable.”

“Yeah! An impenetrable gate. We’ll make the entire backyard into a pool for our own ship and live as pirates every day.”

“We can do that?”

the young Max’s eyes were wide with wonder.

“We’re pirates, we can do whatever we want. Wanna seal it with a blood oath?”

The young Max blanched at Chloe’s suggestion, the orange lines making up her face turning a shade lighter.

“H-How about a pirate oath instead?”

She offered her pinkie.

“Max and Chloe, together forever.”

There had been no hesitation. Brave, sweet Chloe, had put her own pinkie around Max’s right away, the brilliant smile on her face rocking Max’s world.

“Together forever.”

With their oath made, the two little pirates walked into the diner itself, giggling again at whispered jokes between them. That was as far as the hologram went before fizzling out, leaving the parking lot in stunned silence.

After a moment, it was broken by a whistle from Chloe. “That brings me back. How’d you do that anyway?”

Mary’s voice was stunned, eyes rapidly blinking away tears. “I-I don’t know,” she admitted. “The rewind changed once before. I guess it has again. Now it lets me… project the past.”

“Like your own personal time capsule.” Chloe grinned, turning Max’s way. “Nothing like that box we buried as kids, right, Max—

Max!?

”

The shout came when her eyes locked onto Max’s face. Max knew she had to look like a mess— tears streaming down and snot pooling in her nose. She couldn’t bring herself to care, not overwhelmed by grief as she was. A crushing weight in her chest kept from speaking— from making any sound other than a low wheeze.

“Chloe…” she finally managed as the others crowded around her, eyes wide in concern. She couldn’t stay upright, but even on her knees she managed to grab Chloe’s hand and clutch it so tight she feared drawing blood. “I-I’m so sorry…”

Now the sobs were coming, leaking out of Max in wet, desperate noises. “I’m sorry!” she repeated, the apology sounding more like a wail than proper words. Still, now that she’d started, she couldn’t stop. Her family around them, the onlookers that had thankfully missed the use of Mary’s power, it all went away while she drowned in despair. All that remained of her world was herself and the blue-haired angel in front of her. The angel Max had betrayed.
“I abandoned you!” she cried. “You were my everything, Chloe, I swear! I was horrible, and wrong, and so fucking stupid!”
“Hey, Max—” Chloe tried, but Max barely heard her over the whispers in her ears telling her how much of a monster she was.

“I never forgot you,” Max swore. “I thought about you every day. I dialed your number so often I could do it in my sleep. I know I should have called, texted,

anything.

I was such a fucking coward, a-and I have no right to ask for forgiveness but I…” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I need you, Chloe. I need you more than anything. Please, please forgive me.”

Chloe bent down to pull Max close, and only then did Max she was crying too. “Idiot,” Chloe mumbled, giving Max a squeeze. “I already forgave you, remember? Nothing’s gonna separate us again.”

“But you died,” Max whispered. The tears blinded her from any recrimination she might have seen in Chloe’s gaze. “I wasn’t there for you.”

“That’s where you're wrong.” A gentle finger caressed her eyelids, wiping away the tears. “You were there, Max. Because I never forgot you, either.”

“Chloe…” Max knew she could search all her life and never find someone as beautiful as Chloe. Not just physically either. Despite going through so much, despite her brash punk exterior, Chloe was the kindest and most forgiving person Max knew. Max would go through that horrible week a thousand times if that was what it took to keep her love by her side.

With a familiar warm grin, Chloe held out her pinkie. “Together forever?”

Max couldn’t help herself. She laughed, the weight finally starting to lift. It would take time before she fully broke free from its suffocating presence, but each day spent with Chloe was sure to lighten it further. Finally able to smile, Max wrapped her pinkie around Chloe’s.

“Together forever.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After all the breakdowns, tough conversations, and revelations, Mary was confident in saying she had experienced the longest morning of her life. Thankfully, the remainder of the day was by all accounts normal. Ryan and Vanessa— Mary’s

parents

— had offered to take everyone to a movie, and no one had wanted to refuse. It brought back so many memories of her childhood with Chloe, begging Joyce and William to take them to the movie theater in the next town over.

So, with Max called out of her classes for the day, the five of them had squeezed into her dad's car and driven off. The movie was a cheesy romance flick, perfect for Mary to just shut her brain off to cry and laugh along. She also caught Max and Chloe sneaking glances at one another, and there were a few times she thought one of them would reach out to take the other's hand. It brought a smile to Mary's face even as something churned in her gut.

You've gotta get over this jealousy, Mary. She's 9 years younger than you, and you're not the same girl who was crushing on her back then. There's still time to find someone else.

Of course, no sooner did she have that thought than the image of brown eyes, dark hair, and a mischievous grin entered Mary’s mind. Apparently, she had a thing for falling for her best friend. Safi probably wasn’t interested though, given how she’d been trying to pair Mary up with Amanda before all this time travel bullshit. It would be best for Mary to move past that crush too.

So why did that seem harder than accepting Chloe would be with her younger self?

Mary tried to push those thoughts out of her head for the rest of the movie, and was actually able to enjoy it. Though a large part of that was feeling more comfortable around her parents than she had in years. Ever since Arcadia Bay, there had always been a level of separation between them and her. Yet somehow, they had bridged that distance, 10 years sooner than they could have hoped to in her original timeline.

There was plenty from the future that she’d missed. Her photos, her friends, even her job. She

missed

having students to look after, even if it was still a challenge to get through lectures without thinking of Jefferson. Maybe someday she could teach again, and she could always take new photos, but some things were irreplaceable.

Yet what she had now might be more valuable. Her family had grown, and there were no major secrets between them anymore. And it might have been selfish of her, but she was glad the most important person from her timeline had come back with her. She wasn’t sure what she would have done without Safi, and though she worried over what the other woman was up to, she knew it wouldn’t be long before they saw each other again.

After the movie, Mary’s parents had offered to take everyone out for dinner— an offer Chloe had been more than happy to accept. Mary wondered just how big that girl’s tab at the Two Whales was by now. Still, she didn’t go crazy with her order, getting a single burger that was more than within their price range.

By evening, Mary considered the day to be a success. Chloe had somehow convinced Mary’s parents to let Max stay at her place for the night, so it was just the two of them and Mary herself who found a nearby motel to stay in. Mary couldn’t help but feel guilty over not being able to pay, but she had at least volunteered to go on a grocery run.

That was how she found herself inside Arcadia Bay’s convenience store shortly after sunset, shifting through cereal boxes to find the cheapest brand. It all seemed cheap to her compared to the prices in 2023, but her parents wouldn’t see it that way and it was their money she was spending.

In the end, some basic Cheerios seemed to be the safest option. She put a box into the cart, which already had some vegetables, a gallon of milk, bread, and a few snacks to get them through the next few days. With any look, they wouldn’t need enough to go past Friday.

Her cart full, Mary began to steer it toward checkout. Of course, like any grocery store, she couldn’t see who was around the corner when exiting the isles, and nearly crashed directly into someone. Only instinct let her grip the cart and pull back just in time to avoid running the man over. Letting out a sigh, Mary got a proper look at her would-be victim.

She nearly screamed.

Mark Jefferson stepped back, trying to give Mary that disarming smile he used on all his students. “Oh, sorry,” he said. “Didn’t see you coming. Are you okay?”

Fuck. What the

fuck!?

No, this wasn’t happening. Of all the people for her to run into, why did it have to be Mark

fucking

Jefferson? Was her luck really that terrible? She knew she should say something, assure the man she was fine before moving on as quickly as possible. But her body wouldn’t listen, having locked up like a statue while her lungs forgot how to breathe. Ten years, and she hadn’t forgotten a detail of that face. It haunted her far too many nights for her to ever forget. How could she stand in front of this monster now and act like he wasn’t a sadistic piece of shit?

She had to. For Max’s sake. Jefferson surely suspected she knew something, and he would only get more desperate if he thought anyone else had figured him out. To protect her, Mary could get through this.

“It—” She coughed, hoping that would help her voice not sound so weak. “It’s fine. I’m fine. Excuse me.”

Those six words were all she could manage, and it took all her willpower not to run as she pushed her cart past the man. For a second, she was

right next to him

, her entire body tensing up while her heart seemed to stop. She could

feel

his hands on her limbs, posing her like a doll for his twisted photos. Though the real Jefferson stood silent with a frown on his face, his shouts from 10 years ago echoed in her mind.

“Hold that stare there! Stay still!”

Mary wasn’t religious, but she thanked God regardless that the tears didn’t enter her eyes until her back was turned to Jefferson. She was able to blink them away, leaving him none the wiser.

Her body moved on autopilot then. She knew she paid for the groceries, but she couldn’t recall what words she exchanged with the cashier or what the final price was. She didn’t even remember packing the groceries or leaving the store, but somehow the bags had been put in her dad’s backseat and the cart pushed against the others. The sky was dark above, clouds hiding any trace of the moon and stars. At the moment, Mary was grateful for that. It felt like there was less of a chance anyone could be watching her.

Finally, she made it into the car, locking the doors from the inside far more times than necessary. Once it was on, she blasted the AC, hoping it would shock her out of the numb feeling that had smothered her like a thick fog.

It worked, and Mary finally let herself have a panic attack.

Mark watched the woman leave, making sure his staring wasn’t too obvious. He’d come here to restock on some emergency meals and tape, since his previous workshop was no longer usable. He never would have expected to run into someone so interesting.

She wasn’t anything like his usual subjects. He tended to work with younger models, since they were far more likely to possess that naivety he sought. Jaded adults never made for strong portraiture— There was no innocence to watch fade away picture by picture. By all accounts, he had no reason to give that woman a second glance.

Yet there had been a spark in her gaze, one Mark had never seen before. He couldn’t pinpoint the emotions raging in her expression when their gazes locked, but he wanted to learn more. Maybe her voice was a part of that— She sounded so much like Max that she had to be a family member.

Max. That was his real objective. Mark wasn’t sure when, but somehow she had discovered his activities. There was no other way to explain the sudden shift in her attitude, from earnest passion in his lectures to sheer terror at the mere sight of him. Max knew the truth, and his time to capture her was running out. She’d already tattled to her parents, given their hostility toward him. They had no proof— Mark had been careful to tie everything to Nathan— but a sob story from that little bitch could ruin his career.

Stay calm. You’re still in control. And now you may have a new opportunity.

A smile crept onto Mark’s face. First, he had to confirm the woman had some relation to Max. Sister, cousin, it didn’t matter. Max was known at Blackwell for being far too nosy for her own good. If a relative went missing, she would hunt for them. That would surely leave her exposed for Mark to grab.

In the process, he’d get to capture a subject so different from the students at Blackwell, yet with just as much potential. The thought alone made his hands itch to hold a camera.

It was decided. Mark would be leaving Arcadia Bay soon, but first he had a final session to complete. Of course, the situation meant he would have to dispose of his subjects afterward. There would be no way to write off what happened to them as getting drunk at a party. All the more reason for him to hurry so he could get out of town before any heat fell on him.

One more session. Mark suspected it would be his best in years.

Mary couldn’t sleep.

It wasn’t too surprising after what had happened. Even after she’d calmed down from her panic attack, she’d had to drive around town aimlessly for a bit before returning to the hotel. Then, she'd sat in the car for a few minutes, fixing herself up as best she could. Only then had she been confident she could face her parents without giving anything away.

To her credit, it had worked. Her parents had noticed she wasn’t feeling great, but accepted her excuse of being tired from the long day. They had all agreed to call it a night as soon as the groceries were put away.

An hour had passed, and Mary kept tossing and turning in her bed. Her leg bounced restlessly, and her mind flashed to the Dark Room every time exhaustion crept in, jolting her awake. Her only saving grace was that her mom and dad were both snoring in the other bed, so at least they wouldn’t know she was still up.

Now that she thought about it, it felt weird to be sharing this room with them. Mary had traveled to so many motels like this one over the years, but every time she had been alone. When she’d been accepted to Caledon, Mary had thought it could become her home. That wasn’t an option any more, but perhaps what she had gained was worth the sacrifice.

She didn’t want to lose any of it. Not her rekindled relationship with her parents, not her bond with Safi, and definitely not her new little sister. Whatever happened, Mary had to protect Max.

Even so, Mary knew she was just as much a mess as the younger girl. Jefferson didn’t

know her

in this timeline, but Mary couldn’t get the image of his face upon seeing her out of her mind. Was that sinister glint real, or had she imagined it? He wouldn’t suspect her, would he? He had to see dozens of strangers every day, there was no reason Mary would draw his attention. She was safe. She was

safe!

Mary grabbed the pillow next to her and used it to muffle her groan. She had to be cursed. There was no other explanation for her shitty luck. Was this her karma for abandoning Chloe for 5 years and letting her die? Maybe the storm had been Rachel’s revenge after all.

God, the storm. There were no apocalyptic signs this time around, so why couldn’t Mary shake the sensation it was still coming? Lying in the dark with only her thoughts, her mind drifted back to the dream she had upon first returning to the past. Of Caledon being caught in a tornado, with Safi saying the only way to stop it was to shoot her.

Mary bolted up, eyes widening in realization. Safi had mentioned Maya’s name in the dream. It had been easy to forget with all the other craziness going on, but Mary hadn’t

known

about Maya being Safi’s friend at the time. That couldn’t be a coincidence, but what did it mean?

Fuck, my head is a mess. I should have bought melatonin while I was out.

Sighing, Mary settled back down, forcing herself to close her eyes. None of these questions were getting answered tonight, and she would be in no state to solve them tomorrow unless she got rest. Maybe if she thought of something else, she would drift off to sleep.

Remembering what night it was, her mind naturally drifted to her pool date with Chloe. A smile crept onto her face at the memory of sneaking through the school and putting together a make-shift bomb. She had never suspected Chloe would suggest something as daring as breaking into the Blackwell pool afterward.

Funny how Max was spending the night at Chloe’s again. Some parts of history seemed destined to repeat themselves. No doubt Chloe would rope Max into some sort of trouble before they went to bed. She still had David’s keys after all, and—

Wait.

Chloe had David’s keys. She knew they had snuck into the pool this night before. She would definitely be jealous that Max had the memory while she didn’t. And no doubt Max would go along with anything she suggested, including reenacting their little date.

They wouldn't, right?

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

They would.

Max found herself giggling like a schoolgirl, following Chloe into the Blackwell pool. With her knowledge from the previous timeline, she was able to get the lights on in under a minute, returning to Chloe just in time for the other girl to strip.

Yeah, Max couldn’t stop her face from turning red. Sure, she had seen Chloe in this exact state of dress a week prior, but that was before she had realized her feelings. Now Max’s eyes were drawn to the curves of Chloe’s body she had ignored before, and she hesitated to take off her own clothes.

That was, until Chloe flashed her a smirk and cannonballed into the pool. When the splash died down, she was grinning wildly at Max. “Come on, hippie! The water’s warm. Hurry up before I drag your skinny ass in.”

“Don’t you dare!” Max demanded. She knew Chloe wasn’t bluffing though, so she kicked off her jeans and threw her shirt on top of them, right before jumping in herself. “Cowabunga!”

In the few seconds she was submerged, Max reflected on how absolutely crazy this was. But in hindsight, she should have seen it coming. This was Chloe, why wouldn’t she suggest they raid the Blackwell pool when Max was about to get ready for bed? The smart thing would have been to shoot her plan down with stories of how they almost got caught last time, Instead, Max had agreed almost instantly. Could anyone blame her when this night was full of so many good memories?

When Max emerged, Chloe reached out and grabbed her arm. “Why look. An otter in my water.”

Max couldn’t stop herself from laughing. “You are so predictable.”

“How dare you?” Chloe pouted in fake outrage. “We sharks do whatever we want. There’s only one thing you can say for certain about us.”

“Oh yeah?” Max asked. “And what’s that?”

“We bite.”

Of course, Chloe had to punctuate her words with a wink. Max had to splash the other girl to hide her blush. “Well we otters swim fast. You’d better not underestimate us.”

“Is that so?” Chloe retaliated, and Max had to prove her words and swim fast to avoid getting splashed. She pumped her arms to escape, but it took no time at all for Chloe to catch up. Max cried out as an arm wrapped around her and pulled her up against the other girl.

“No fair,” she protested. “You're so long and lanky.”

“Gee, thanks, Max.” Max squealed as Chloe started tossing water in her face.

“Okay, I'm sorry! I yield, I yield!”

Thankfully, Chloe ended her assault and let Max go. Seeing the massive grin on her face, Max realized she was smiling just as widely. No doubt her face was flushed from exertion, but the longer she was in here with Chloe, the more her embarrassment washed away.

Chloe is amazing like that.

“You're amazing, you know that?” It took Max a moment to realize Chloe had been the one to speak and not herself. She blinked, a confused noise escaping her throat.

“Me? You know I'm nothing special.”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “Oh please, Super Max.” She swam to the edge of the pool, and Max joined her to rest their arms on the asphalt. This whole night was just nonstop deja vu.

“You've saved my life how many times now?” Chloe continued. “You went through hell for me. Honestly, I don't know what I can ever do to deserve it.”

“Hey, stop that.” Max reached out and poked Chloe's forehead, smiling when the girl recoiled. “Since this week began, you've given me so much courage. Because of you, I've learned so much about myself that I'd have never realized otherwise.”

“That so?” Chloe's grin was incorrigible. “Like what? Enlighten me, Min-Max.”

“You are ridiculous.” Max made sure Chloe saw her exaggerated eye roll. “Really though. I've learned to stand up to others, instead of letting them walk all over me. And I… I can help people. Sure, I used my rewind all over Blackwell, but by the end of the week I was able to just…

talk

to them. I know that sounds stupid.”

“It's not stupid,” Chloe assured her. “You found your wings, girl. I know you'll go on to do amazing things.”

Butterflies dancing in her stomach, Max scooted closer to Chloe. “You know, I think I actually believe you.” It was meant to be a moment of blind faith, but then she remembered something Mary had said earlier. “Do you think Mary was serious about winning an IPA Award?”

“She has the same tells when lying that you do,” Chloe said. “I would've known.”

She had a point. Max thought back on her two days with the woman she could have become. Mary seemed so…

put together

compared to Max. Knowing the fledgling confidence she was gaining could grow into that sort of comfort in her own skin could only inspire her. It was no wonder she already looked up to the woman as an older sister.

Of course, she would never want the life Mary had been forced into. A full body shudder ran through her at the thought of a whole decade without Chloe. She'd come

so close

to living in that reality. What would that have done to her? Chloe was her light, her anchor. Max could live a thousand lifetimes and never find someone so perfect.

“You're spacing out, Mad Max.” Chloe nudged Max, bringing her back to reality. “What's going on up there?”

“Just thinking about Mary. It's weird to see exactly what type of person you could be in the future, you know?”

“Ah.” Chloe nodded. “Well, spend some more time around me, and you'll end up as a thrasher instead. Got any tat ideas, Max?”

“Dog, no.” Max crossed her arms as though she could hide from Chloe's evaluating gaze. “I don't think I'll ever be that bold.”

From the look on Chloe’s face, this wasn’t a topic she’d be dropping anytime soon. She at least spared Max for now, pushing away from the edge of the pool to wade in the water. “We’ll see about that. We can start small and dye your hair. You’d look great in red.”

“You think so?” Max had to admit, she’d been wondering how she would look with dyed hair after seeing Chloe again for the first time.

Chloe turned to her and smiled. “If you wanna start small, I’ve got enough spare dye to give you a blue streak. That’s how I started out.”

The idea had so much appeal, Max was nodding before she knew it. “Let’s do that first thing tomorrow then.”

“Hella yes!” Chloe pumped her fist, looking a bit silly in the water. “You’re gonna look badass, Mega Max. Mary and your parents won’t know what hit them.”

Max chuckled. “They’ll think you’re corrupting me.”

“Of course I’m corrupting you. What sort of best friend would I be if I didn’t?” Chloe winked, and only then did Max notice how close she’d drifted to the other girl. They were practically touching, only separated by a thin veil of water.

God, this was torture. Their shared kiss on the cliff lingered on Max’s lips. Chloe had tasted like salt and cigarettes, and Max had lost herself in those sensations. For a moment, the storm had faded around them. Nothing else had mattered. More than anything, Max was dreading that being her last kiss with Chloe.

But it wouldn’t be fair to put those expectations on this Chloe. She had just learned about Rachel, no way would she be ready for another relationship. Even then, they weren’t treading the same path as they had that week. Who knew if Chloe would fall for Max again?

At least, that was what Max thought, until she felt another hand take hers. Eyes widening, she turned Chloe’s way.

“Max…” Chloe swallowed, seeming shyer than Max had ever seen her. “I really am glad you came back to me this week. It’s like for the first time in years I have… I don’t know, hope. Like things can really get better for me.”

“They will, Chloe.” Max squeezed her hand. “You talked about everything I might do in the future, but I know whatever you go on to do will be even more spectacular. You’re Chloe Price, and once you put your mind to something, you’re unstoppable.”

Chloe’s laugh was soft, and Max realized how badly she wanted to protect it. “If I do succeed, you’ll be there, right?”

“Of course I will.” Max closed her eyes, a shiver running down her spine. When she opened them, she made sure Chloe saw the promise they held. “I’m never leaving you again, Price. Like it or not, you’re stuck with me.”

What happened next, Max never could have predicted. Chloe reached out, resting a hand on Max’s cheek. “I don’t mind that at all. But do you realize what you’re getting yourself into? I’ll be driving you crazy before you know it.”

Max’s own hand, settle on Chloe’s deepening their touch. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Chloe wrapped her other arm around Max, and suddenly they were pressed fully together. Their lips locked, and Max lost herself in the love Chloe gave to her.

She tasted like chlorine this time, but Max didn’t care. Though Max didn’t use her powers, she felt as if this moment lasted for hours. The touch of Chloe’s hand in her damp hair, the softness of her lips, the promise shared with this action— all transcended the moment. Max would remember this kiss for the rest of her life.

Eventually, it had to end. They parted at the same time, but didn’t go far, leaning their foreheads against each other. “Chloe…” Max mumbled. “Are you sure…?”

Chloe kissed the bridge of her nose. “If you’re worried about Rachel, don’t be. She’d want this for me. And…

I

want it, Max. I want it so bad.”

The words, and the tone Chloe had spoken them in, would have made Max’s knees go weak if she wasn’t already swimming. “Okay.” That was all she said, all that needed to be said before she pulled Chloe in for another kiss.

They spent a few more minutes inside the pool before both agreeing they were pushing their luck. Stepping out, Max was quick to dry herself off with one of the towels hanging around. Once her clothes were on, she checked her phone for any new messages. There were some from Kate, which she checked right away.

Kate:

Thank you for speaking with me earlier, Max.

Kate:

The police spoke with me today. I can’t share all the details, but I know what was done to me. I’m okay, just in shock. It’s over now, and that’s what matters.

Kate:

If you have the time, I would like to get tea tomorrow. No pressure if you’re busy.

Max: I’ll be there! ;)

It was late, but she sent the reply anyway. She knew better than anyone what Kate was going through right now, no way was she about to leave her out to dry.

Ah, but… “Chloe, I…” Max swallowed, remembering when she had taken Kate’s phone call in the last timeline. “I… need to check on my friend Kate sometime tomorrow. She was one of Jefferson’s victims, the one who almost…”

Chloe saw the look on Max’s face, and her own expression fell. “Crap. Guessing you saw my jealous side during the week you erased.” She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Max. “I’ll be honest, Max, I can’t just…

get over

feeling abandoned by everyone. I know you won’t leave me again, but… fuck, losing Rachel

hurts

. I know, I know. I just said… I still want to try this. It won’t be easy, and I have a lot of shit to sort through. But if it means being with you, I’ll figure it out. Pirate’s oath. Can you be patient with me?”

“Always,” Max promised. “And I’ll be with you as much as possible. We’re still heading back to your place tonight, and after my tea session with Kate, my parents will probably want to treat us to dinner anyway. Like I told you, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Good… that’s good.” Chloe sighed in relief, then smirked. “Well then, let’s get going. I’m ready to take my girlfriend to bed.”

She knew what she was doing, and Max faux-glared even as her face turned scarlet. “To

sleep

, Chloe. I’m way too tired for anything else.”

“For now.” Chloe gave Max her third wink of the night. Girl was laying it on thick. “Buuut if you change your mind, you just have to let me know.”

It was a thought that had been in Max’s mind lately. She wasn’t near ready for that step, but despite Chloe’s teasing, Max knew she understood. They would figure it out, just like they’d figure out all the other complications their relationship would face.

They had the rest of their lives to do so.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Click. Click click.

“This angle highlights your purity, see.” The deep voice invaded Max’s ears, making her cringe. It was only then that she realized she couldn’t move, tape pinning her wrists together and her body feeling like it weighed a thousand pounds. “The slightly unconscious model is often the most open and honest.”

Max tried to figure out where she was, but everything was blurry. A bright light shone in her face, and all she could see was a bearded face and glasses hidden behind the lens of a camera. She was lying on her side, and even slightly lifting her head felt like a herculean task. A hand settled on her ankle, repositioning her leg like a doll before more pictures were taken.

Click click click.

“Oh Christ… Look at that perfect face.” The familiar words made her want to shiver, but she could only listen as the bastard prattled on. “It’s an honor to capture it twice, you know? From two different points in time.”

Wait, what?

“Don’t move!” Max’s rising head was slapped back down. “Keep the pose

I

want, Max!”

Click. Click.

A sigh. “Mary was such a better subject. I really have to thank you for delivering her right to me.”

No, that wasn’t right. Mary was with her parents, she was safe. Max was here because she and Chloe had—

“It’s no surprise she tried to save her poor baby sister.” Jefferson’s voice was mocking, even as he continued to take photos. “All I had to do was send her a message from your phone and she ran right into my hands.

No. No no no, he couldn’t have. Please, this couldn’t be real. Max’s breathing grew heavier, soft whimpers escaping her. All she got for her efforts was a kick to her chest, making her cry out.

“Max, you fucked up my shot!” His voice rattled in Max’s skull, making her squeeze her eyes shut in terror. “You really are just a worthless bitch!” He sighed then, kneeling back down in front of her. “But your image is so pure, how can I ignore it? You should stay in this Dark Room forever, Max.”

“No no…” Her denials finally left her lips, barely audible over the clicks of the camera.

Click click click click click.

“Oh, don’t worry.” Jefferson grabbed her arms, moving them over her torso in an unnatural position. “No one will be coming for you. That slut Chloe is fucking her ex in heaven by now.” A pause. “She loves Rachel far more than you anyway, so it's for the best.”

Max began to cry, but her tears didn't move him. If anything, he seemed more eager in his movements, loving every moment of her despair.

ClickclickclickclickCLICKCLICK.

“As for your parents, they've already killed themselves in their grief. And your sister… Well, she'll live on in my photos, same as you. Everything else, I'll get rid of soon enough.”

The words made no sense to her, but when Jefferson gestured to something over his shoulder, she had to look that way. What she saw broke what was left of her will.

Mary was lying on the Dark Room's couch, unmoving. Her eyes were open in an unending, terrified stare, matched by the silent scream from her mouth. The needle was still sticking out of her neck, the light reflecting off it an accusing glare. In its reflection, Max could see the puddle of blood pooling from the dead woman’s nose.

Dead. Mary was dead. So were her parents and

Chloe.

Everyone she loved was gone, and it was her fault.

Her fault.

Her fault her fault her fault
her fault HER FAULT ALL HER FAULT.

Max screamed.

Mary was up bright and early, to no surprise. She promised herself she'd catch up on sleep soon, but right now there was too much work to do. She waved to her parents as they drove off, having dropped her at Chloe's place before taking some time for themselves. They deserved it after going out of their way to help their daughters. They were using up the rest of their vacation time for the year to stay in Acadia Bay, to say nothing of the travel costs. Somehow, Mary would have to make it up to them.

First, though, was breakfast. In a bag she carried the materials to make French toast for everyone. This would be her way of properly reintroducing herself to Joyce, since yesterday had been far too chaotic for that conversation. Of course, that was assuming she could convince the woman to let her cook. When you were in Joyce's house, you almost always had to accept her hospitality.

She'd try her best. And that started with knocking on the door. She did so, then shuffled her feet in anticipation. This was a woman Mary had known for all her life, but to her, Mary would be nothing more than a stranger. What if she made a poor first impression? What if Joyce didn't let her in? What if—

The door opened. Joyce stood on the other side, eyebrows raised in surprise but quick to put on a smile. “I recognize you,” she said, making Mary’s heart rate spike before she continued. “You’re Max’s friend from yesterday, aren’t you? Be honest, you’re not just friends. You’re related somehow, ain’tcha?”

Mary hoped her chuckle hid how nervous she was. “Cousins,” she said. Joyce was one of few people the sister explanation wouldn’t work on, not unless Max was willing to bust out a rewind. “Max told me she was here, and I wanted to meet the woman she called a second mom. And maybe make some breakfast as thanks for looking out for her, if you don’t mind.” She hefted the bag for emphasis.

Joyce considered for a moment. “Well, Max and Chloe are still sleeping. Let me wake your cousin and see if she's okay with it.”

That was probably the most generous reception Mary was going to get. It was only sensible Joyce would want to make sure she was who she claimed to be. Her resemblance to Max surely helped, but it wasn’t normal for a stranger to knock on your door and ask to make breakfast in your kitchen. God, she hoped Joyce didn’t find her a weirdo.

Those thoughts fled from her brain the instant she heard a shrill scream coming from above. Eyes widening, she looked up to where she knew Chloe’s room was. That was Max screaming, and from her own experiences, she knew exactly what was happening. Exchanging a wide-eyed glance with Joyce, they reached a silent agreement and sprinted inside and to the stairs together. Mary practically flew up them and still reached Chloe’s room only a second before Joyce, flinging the door open to reveal a heartbreaking sight.

Max was wailing, in a position between sitting up and lying down with her head buried in Chloe’s shoulders. The other girl’s grip was the only thing keeping Max from falling over completely, though her own hold on Chloe’s shirt was tight enough to turn her knuckles white. Chloe didn’t complain about the treatment, her own face wracked with devastation. She looked entirely helpless, unable to do anything for the girl trembling and crying in her arms but rub her back and call out to her.

“Max! Max, it’s okay, you’re safe! Please come back to me!”

“Chloe!?” Joyce stepped forward, bringing a hand to her mouth in terror. “What’s wrong with Max?”

Chloe looked up, revealing the tears rushing down her cheeks. “I don’t know! I-I think she had a nightmare. She won’t respond to anything I say! Help, Mom! What do I do!?”

Joyce stood frozen, as clueless on how to help as her daughter. Mary, meanwhile, had already rushed forward and was kneeling by the bedside. She pried one of Max’s hands off Chloe’s shirt, wincing when the iron-clad grip wrapped around her own hand.

“Max.” Mary kept her voice low and even, squeezing Max’s hand so she’d listen. “You’re not back there. He doesn’t have you. I know how confusing this is, but if you hear me, I need you to nod, okay? You don’t have to speak. Just nod.”

Thank God, she did so. She wasn’t that far gone. Mary let out the breath she’d been holding, a weak smile on her face.

“Good. Now keep your eyes closed. Clear out the images of the Dark Room. Instead, picture a feather. Put all your focus into that, okay? A gold feather, floating in the air and shining brightly. Imagine every detail. Let your other thoughts wash away. When you have an image of the feather, give my hand a squeeze, okay?”

It took a minute, but eventually, Mary felt Max’s grip loosen, then tighten again. The girl’s breathing was still erratic, coming out as heavy sobs in Chloe’s shoulder, but hopefully they were about to change that.

“You’re doing great, Max. Now, I need you to imagine the feather is floating in front of you, and your breathing is what keeps it floating. Up with each exhale, down with each inhale. You’re going to keep that feather steady, okay? In and out, nice and easy. You can do it.”

She watched as Max followed her instructions to the best of her abilities. At first, her breathing remained uneven, but with each passing minute it grew noticeably steadier. Mary eventually started coaching Max through each inhale and exhale.

It took about 10 minutes for Max to get her breathing under control. Once she finally managed it, she sat up fully and wiped her eyes, which were alarmingly red and puffy. “T-Thank you…”

“Where did you learn that trick?” Chloe asked, still not letting go of Max. Mary flushed, wondering if she could hide the fact it was from a video game that wouldn’t come out for another 5 years. Thankfully, Joyce was there to distract them.

“Max, sweetie?” She approached and bent down to be eye level with Max, who was having trouble meeting her gaze. “What happened? Mary said something about a dark room?”

The words had an immediate effect on Max, curling into herself and pressing up against Chloe. “I-I…”

“Can you give her a break, Mom?” Chloe seemed to be forcibly pushing back the bite in her voice for Max’s sake. “She’s had a rough enough morning as is.”

“Her parents know what happened,” Mary put in. “We’re working on getting justice, so you don’t have to worry.”

Joyce pursed her lips, but eventually sighed. “Of course I’m gonna worry. But if you girls need privacy then so be it. I’m going to give Vanessa a call.” She left then, and Mary wondered if she was going to have to fend off two sets of worried parents. Well, one set of worried parents, a worried mom, and a frustrated David. At least he wasn’t home at the moment.

As soon as she was gone, Mary felt a pair of arms pull her forward and squeaked in surprise. It was Max, of course, clutching her like her life depended on it. “You’re okay,” Max mumbled. “Both of you, you’re safe.”

Those words were enough for Mary to figure out the details of Max’s dream. She returned the embrace with equal fervor. “Hey, that bastard isn’t going to get us. Never again. I’m your big sister now, Max. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Promise?” Fuck, her little sister’s voice was so frail. It brought tears to her eyes, which she quickly blinked away.

“Promise.”

“How long will it take?” Max asked. “Until I’m okay?”

That was the big question, wasn’t it? Some days, Mary wasn’t convinced she had ever healed from that week in Arcadia Bay. Life had pressed on, but the wound in her heart was a constant scab, reopened at the slightest provocation.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, “but you don’t have to let this ruin your life.”

“I can’t even hold a camera.” Max tried to clench her fists, but Mary stopped her so she wouldn’t draw blood. “Every time I try, I feel like I’m gonna vomit. I’m worried the flash of the shutter will take me back there. I

know

it will. How did you get past it, Mary?”

Mary exhaled. “Exposure therapy, mainly. Forced myself to take a bunch of pictures somewhere safe until I stopped flinching. From there I did the same thing with selfies, then moved on to taking photos in public. It took months but… eventually I stopped associating photography with

him

and let it be my passion again.”

Max sighed, “I’m here on a photography scholarship. Don’t think I can get away with waiting months.”

Chloe suddenly straightened then, drawing both their attention to her. “Chloe?” Max asked, but the blue-haired girl said nothing. She just walked over to her closet, rummaging around in it like a woman on a mission.

“Come on, where are you?” she grumbled. Then she grinned, triumphant. “Aha!” Mary figured out what was happening right before Chloe revealed her father’s white camera. Seeing it again brought a wave of nostalgia that made her heart ache.

“You won’t have to wait that long, Max,” Chloe said. She returned to the bed and placed the camera down between her and Max. “We’re going to solve your problem using this.”

“Chloe…” Max swallowed. “I-I can’t…”

“Yes you can,” Chloe insisted. “You know how much Dad loved this camera. When you use it, you should think of him, not that piece of shit teacher. It’s at least worth a shot, isn’t it? And I’ll be there with you every step of the way.”

Mary saw the turmoil in Max’s eyes, but she had a feeling on what her sister was going to do. Sure enough, Max reached out, her trembling hand lifting the camera. She looked ill for a moment, but it passed with the shake of her head. “O-Okay. Only if Mary comes with us too. We’ll go to our old pirate fort for a photo shoot. How does that sound?”

“I’d be glad to help,” Mary said. “Let me make breakfast first, though, okay?”

“Fine by me.” Chloe clapped her hands together. “We still gotta give you that blue streak, Maximus.”

Oh? Chloe was already having a greater influence on Max it seemed. Mary was glad to see it. The girl deserved the chance to experiment. Mary had always thought about dyeing her hair, but had never gone through with it. The closest she’d gone was buying orange hair dye meant for her highlights, but she’d never got around to applying it. The container had been collecting dust in her bathroom cabinet at Caledon when all this began.

But hey. Maybe she’d finally muster up the courage to try. After all, this was a week for new opportunities.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Mary was able to make the French toast without any catastrophes. She didn't consider herself a good cook, but being alone on the road for so long had necessitated picking up certain skills. They paid off now, as Joyce smiled and brought the loaded plates to the table. They had bacon on them as well, as Joyce had refused to sit idly by while Mary cooked.

“If you ever need work, Mary, there'll always be a spot open for you at the Two Whales.”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “Not everyone is satisfied working at a diner, Mom. Besides, she's as artsy as Maxi here.” She winked at them, and Mary fought the urge to roll her own eyes.

Joyce signed and shook her head. “Honestly, Chloe, you’re in no position to talk about job choices. Now eat your bacon before it gets cold.”

For a moment, Mary worried a fight would break out. To her surprise, Chloe just continued to eat, whispering something to Max.

“So, Mary,” Joyce said. “Where do you live? Given what Chloe said, I assume you’re a photographer like your cousin?”

Mary had prepared her answers ahead of time, and that was the only reason she didn’t freeze on the spot. She tried to sound natural, and not like she was speaking a rehearsed line. “I lived in Vermont for a bit, but I’m planning to move back to Seattle. I want to work on my portfolio some more.”

Technically it was all true. She was going to have to live with her parents when this was all over, at least until she got back on her feet. That would have left her feeling like a failure not too long ago, but after speaking with them, Mary knew they were happy to help.

Joyce smiled. “Well, it was kind of you to come visit Max. You must be proud of her, getting that photography scholarship.”

“I am,” Mary said, trying not to let her mental stutter show. Was it narcissistic to praise her past self’s accomplishments? Could she acknowledge that the scholarship had been earned even if it hadn’t felt so at the time? Safi had once told Mary that any time imposter syndrome crept in, she should remind it she had earned a goddamn

IPA Award.

So yes, her photos were great, no matter what nagging doubts she felt.

“I know I was thrilled when I learned Max was back in town.” Joyce met Max’s eyes with a grin. “I knew you and Chloe would find each other again, and here we are.”

Max flushed. “I shouldn’t have disappeared for so long…”

“None of that.” Joyce waved Max’s concerns away. “You moved on. It was necessary. I’m just happy you two are together again.”

The conversation turned more lighthearted then, Max and Chloe sharing stories from the time they were apart. It was like any other family breakfast, the warm flavors blending with the laughter to create an atmosphere Mary hadn’t experienced in 15 years.

She was happy.

Then David walked in.

The change was immediate. They all turned toward the front door, Chloe with a scowl and Max with wide eyes. Joyce simply stood and walked toward her husband.

“David. You’re back already?”

“I have to take a nap after writing up vandalism reports last night,” David grunted. “Some little shitass punks broke into the swimming pool.”

Mary pointedly did not look back at Max and Chloe. That confirmed her suspicions. And now that David had started his rant, there was no way he’d stop anytime soon.

“This is what happens at these P.C. bullshit colleges. Entitled students taking over the campus! Well give it time and I’m going to bust them.” He finally noticed the Caulfields present, eyes narrowing as he prowled to the table. Most of his focus seemed to be on Mary. “And why the hell are there strangers in my house? I could have you arrested.”

“Stop that, David.” Joyce swatted his arm, a stern look on her face. “Max is Chloe’s friend and Mary is Max’s cousin. They’re my guests.”

Fuck. The moment David froze, Mary knew she’d made a mistake. He looked between Max and Mary, almost surely recalling the other day.

“Is that so?” His glare focused on Max. “Max, you said you didn’t recognize her when you two were causing trouble in the bathroom.”

“Her face was covered in blood!” Max protested. “I didn’t realize it was her!”

“Don’t feed me that bullshit!”

“Dude, leave her alone!” Chloe got between Max and David, physically pushing him back. “She hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“Stay out of it, Chloe.” He lifted a hand, and Mary caught the way Chloe flinched. That was enough to make her vision go red, but David wasn’t done, whirling toward her.

“You disappeared from the hospital. You obviously have something to hide. What were you doing in the bathroom at Blackwell? Peddling drugs to students? Don’t try to deny it— I saw you with that bastard Frank.”

David had spied— of course he had spied. Mary had had enough. She rose from the table, matching David’s glare with her own.

“You want to level accusations about me? Because I’ve heard plenty from Max and Chloe, and I know your actions at Blackwell go far beyond what your job requires from you.”

She caught David’s flinch, which only deepened when Joyce cut in. “David, what is she talking about?”

“He harrasses students,” Mary said before David could defend himself. “Treats them like criminals and takes surveillance photos without their consent.”

“He’s doing the same thing here.” Chloe crossed her arms with a glower. “Did he even tell you about the cameras he has set up around the house?”

“Cameras?” Joyce’s eyes widened and she turned toward David. “Is this true?”

As expected, David stuck to his anger to defend himself. “I don’t need to hear this slander in my own house! Now I take the precautions to protect the people I care about—”

“Protect?” Mary echoed. “How did your protection help Rachel Amber? Or Kate Marsh? Nathan drugged them at Blackwell events

you

supervised.”

“Now, Miss, that is part of an ongoing investigation—”

“Enough, David.” Joyce’s harsh words were all that could stop him at that moment. “Max, is all this true?”

“It…” Max swallowed. “It is…”

Joyce took a deep breath. “David… I think you should stay at a hotel until we figure this out.”

It was an all too familiar scene. “You can’t kick me out of my own house!” David retorted.

“It’s my home, David. Paid for and in my name. You know the law, right?”

David sighed. “I thought I knew a lot of things… like when I’m outflanked.”

And that was it. David walked upstairs in silence to pack his bag. This time, Chloe didn’t leave him with any sort of scathing remark. Probably because she, like Mary, had caught the conflict on Max’s face.

Mary understood. David was the reason any of them were alive. He had saved her in the Dark Room, and his care for Chloe at that moment had become clear. Still, she’d had 10 years to sit on those events. She would always be thankful for what David had done, but that didn’t change the years of abuse he had subjected Chloe to. Chloe deserved to feel safe in her own home, and as long as David was around, that would never happen.

She just hoped they’d made the right decision this time.

“I’ll admit, I’m surprised you came to me about this, Miss Chase. But I fully agree. Given the events of this week, it would be best for us to cancel tomorrow’s End of the World Party.”

“I’m grateful you think so, Principal Wells.” Victoria dabbed at her eye with a tissue, not bothering to hide the tears shining behind them. “Everything with Nathan… No one is in the mood to party.”

“Of course.” Though he was sitting behind his desk, Wells leaned forward to pat Victoria’s hand. “As Nathan’s principal, I feel as though I failed him. I never realized how… troubled his young mind was.”

Victoria’s face twisted in pain. “No one did. Nathan was so sweet and… he looked out for all of us. His dad always put so much pressure on him… It wasn’t his fault!” A sob escaped her, making Wells wince in sympathy. Though she tried to save face, it was clear Victoria was struck with grief. “I’m sorry… Can I have a minute alone?”

Wells nodded and rose from the soft leather chair. “Take all the time you need, Miss Chase.” With that, he stepped out of the room, leaving Victoria alone in his office. As he left, he could hear her faint cries trailing after him.

The moment he was out of earshot, those cries stopped. For a moment, “Victoria” sat still. That was until her face, previously twisted in agony, morphed into a wide smirk.

That was too easy,

Safi thought as she rose from the chair. Blackwell was like any other high school, filled with dumb gossip and baseless rumors. It had been easy for Safi to blend in— shifting from face to face while she collected information. Once she’d learned about the bond Victoria Chase had with the Prescott kid, she’d made her plan to get into this office. Still, she hadn’t thought it would be this simple. Wells had even left his computer unlocked before leaving!

Well, she wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Safi immediately made her way around the desk, grabbing the computer mouse to navigate Wells’ files. Most of it was junk like financial records or emails from teachers complaining about one student or another. Safi ignored those in search of her real objective, though there was one file that made her pause.

Nathan Prescott. According to this document, he had a rap sheet bigger than all of Safi’s old students combined. Bad grades, teacher complaints, secret probation… All buried away to make his official record seem spotless. This was enough to confirm Safi’s suspicions. Wells was complicit in all the damage Prescott and Jefferson had done. He couldn’t be allowed to walk around unpunished.

That would come later. First, Jefferson had to pay. Safi would make him wish he’d never been

born

. To that end, she closed out of Nathan’s file to find what she was really looking for.

There they were. Faculty files. Filled with all the juicy information Safi needed. She opened Jefferson’s, rolling her eyes at his glowing reviews and the fat checks he got over other teachers. All that mattered was that little line at the top of his file. Safi read it over a dozen times, until she could cite it by memory.

She had Jefferson’s address. The last piece needed to bury him under his own sins.

Safi couldn’t wait to see the look on Mary’s face when her plan went off.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The camera weighed a thousand pounds in her hands. Such a small thing, filled with so many happy memories of being 13 and letting William take her picture. Yet now it felt as though a demon would claw out of the lens and pull Max into the shadows of her darkest nightmares. She had to actively focus on preventing her hands from trembling. Thankfully, the warm hand on her shoulder kept Max from sinking too deep into her worst moments.

“We'll take this at your own pace, Max.” Chloe's voice was imbued with all the confidence Max herself lacked. “Anything here catch your eye?”

She swept to the forest around them— and more specifically the pirate fort they stood under. Max had been surprised it held up so well over the years, only for her heart to break all over again when Chloe revealed she'd come back every few months to clean it up. The sturdy wood, pristine skull and crossbones flag, and chest of childhood treasures inside the fort itself were a testament to her efforts. Fuck, how had Max considered letting Chloe go for even a moment?

It's not a mistake I'll make again.

Max brushed the side of her hair at the thought— specifically the strand on her right side that had been dyed blue. With it, Max felt as though she were carrying a piece of Chloe's courage.

She kept a firm grip on that courage when her eyes spotted a squirrel hanging off the side of a tree trunk. It was a perfect photo opportunity, one her past self would never let go to waste.

“There.” The softness in Max's voice wasn't just for the squirrels sake. “I can do this.”

“That's the spirit.” The hand on Max's shoulders squeezed. “Go get ‘em, Super Max.”

Max let out a shaky breath as she began to lift the camera. Before bringing it to her eyes, she glanced to the side where Mary stood, keeping a slight distance to not overwhelm Max. Still, she gave a thumbs up that made Max smile, and she finally managed to look into the viewfinder.

It was like coming home. Max had spent so long seeing the world through a lens, she had forgotten how blind it felt without one. Then again, the visual aspect wasn't what was giving her trouble.

You can do it, Max. Just a twitch of the finger. It'll be over in a flash. Fuck, no, not a flash. In a blink. Yeah.

If she kept going like this, she'd talk herself out of this whole endeavor. Knowing that, she cast her doubts aside and pressed her finger down before she could think about what she was doing.

Click.

“Oh, those eyes…”

Max dropped the camera.

“Shit!” Immediately she was on her knees, scrambling to pick it up and inspect it for damage. She didn't care about the risks, she would rewind to fix it if she had to. No way was she going to let one of their few remaining memories of William get ruined.

She knew her frantic scouring of the camera's surface was just a distraction of the rampaging thoughts that threatened to choke her at the sound of

his

voice. Chances were she wouldn't notice even if the camera did have scrapes. Her sight was blurry and there was a ringing in her ears, the trembling in her hands no longer able to be kept at bay. Max didn't realize how heavily she'd begun breathing until a calloused hand settled on her own, the other gently cupping her cheek.

“Max.” Chloe was there, her eyes as deep and mesmerizing as the ocean. Max let her gaze be drawn to them. “Deep breaths. Remember the feather trick Mary taught you?”

Max nodded, closing her eyes and picturing a gold feather. She let it sink with each inhale and rise with each exhale, keeping it balanced until her breaths evened out. At some point during the process, she felt the camera be gently pried from her white-knuckled grasp.

Opening her eyes, she saw it was now in Mary’s hands. She pulled out the developed polaroid from the bottom and looked it over with a soft smile.

“It's a good shot,” Mary said, turning it around to show Max. The squirrel was perfectly centered, sunlight shining directly off its fur while it stared at the camera as though posing. “I don't think I could have done it any better.”

Despite the mixed emotions swirling in her chest at having taken a photo at all, Max flushed at the praise. “I'm sure you could…”

“Alright, hippies, don't get started on a self-doubt competition now.” Chloe's voice interjected before Mary could respond. “How you holding up, Maximole?”

Max had to consider the question before responding. The flashback had been as intense as she feared, but with Chloe and Mary right there, she found the smothering hold it had on her heart couldn't linger long. She gave them both a smile.

“I can keep going. Probably get in a few more shots before Kate gets here.”

Yeah, that was a whole other situation. Since Max had made tea plans with the other girl and had been nervous about canceling, she'd ended up spilling her issues with taking photos over an emotional phone call. Kate was smart enough to put two and two together to realize where Max's sudden phobia had come from, and after dragging their current location out of her, had promised to be there shortly. Max wasn't sure what she did to earn such a wonderful friend, but she was going to give Kate the biggest hug of her life when she arrived.

For now though, she had more pictures to take. And though each click got a jump out of her, breathing came more easily with each photo that passed. A weight that had been crushing her for days was starting to lift. Not entirely, but enough that Max no longer felt she would break under the pressure.

You don't get to take this from me, Jefferson. I'll never stop taking photos, and one day I'll be every bit the photographer you pretended to be.

Chloe was a miracle worker.

That was the only conclusion Mary could come to after watching Max snap a picture with a smile on her face. Mary still remembered the months it took her to manage that and have it be genuine. And sure, the tension still hadn't bled from Max's shoulders, but she no longer looked like a scared doe ready to flee at a moment's notice. Mary wanted to believe the bits of advice she dropped here and there helped, but she knew the blue-haired girl with an arm around Max's shoulders every step of the way was the support she really needed.

There was likely more Mary could have done, but she couldn't help the pang in her chest at every soft glance exchanged between the girls, every whispered joke into Max's ear that made her giggle. Those two really were made for one another, and Mary wished she would only be happy for them, rather than tasting sour bitterness on her tongue whenever their hands brushed together.

Ten years and you still can't get over your high-school sweetheart, huh, Max?

She let her actual name carry all the gravity such a personal thought held. Chloe was so much more than that of course, but it was easier to use that term and distance herself from what she had lost.

Yet as she watched Chloe drag Max to the back of the fort for some authentic shots, another emotion filled her. This one was warm, increasing as she pictured herself and Safi in the girls’ places— all the times she had dragged the other woman out for a shoot in some abandoned location. Safi had grumbled each time but never refused her. During those moments, working a camera had been as fun for Mary as it had in her childhood years.

God, Safi, please be okay. I want to see you again. To talk to you, hold you in my arms and—

Wait, where were those thoughts going exactly?

Mary was drawn out of her head when Max started to turn the camera toward herself, only to freeze and quickly lower it. “Nevermind,” she mumbled. “Not ready for that yet.”

Mary winced in sympathy. For as much as Victoria made fun of her for it, selfies were her personal comfort photos. She hated how long it had taken her to enjoy them again after the Dark Room.

“You don't have to force yourself.” She looked over Max's shoulder and smiled at the figure approaching. “Besides, Kate's here.”

Max’s gaze snapped around to the approaching girl, a wide smile blooming on her face. The sight was enough to make Mary grin as well, and she silently chided herself for letting that friendship fade out in her future. She’d told herself Kate deserved a better friend, but seeing the way she stepped up now for Max, Mary realized that was never her decision to make.

That shame pooled in her gut, making her hang back while the younger girls huddled together and started chatting. From the pieces she overheard, Max was telling Kate

everything

. Mary supposed that if anyone deserved to hear the full story, it was her. She’d played such an important role in their investigation, leading them to the truth. Mary wasn’t sure if she ever would have stepped up if not for Kate.

She stayed close when Max began recounting her time in the Dark Room, ready to help out again if needed. Thankfully, Max managed to keep her composure, though her grip on Chloe’s hand looked painful. Kate’s face fell with every detail, and soon she had Max in a tight embrace.

“I’m so sorry, Max,” Kate breathed. “No one should be haunted by such terrible memories.”

Max returned the hug with equal fervor, a sob escaping her. “I’m sorry I couldn’t do more for you… What Nathan did was so fucked up.”

Kate sighed. “Nathan was troubled, and manipulated by an evil man. I can only hope his soul will rest in peace.”

God, Kate was too pure for this world. She waited for the girl to ask for proof about the time travel, her pulse ability ready to activate as an example of what they could do. Yet Kate never asked, focused solely on comforting her friend.

Maybe it would be best for Mary to give them space instead. With no one paying attention to her, she slipped away, walking through the cover of the trees until she was alone. There, she sighed and leaned against a trunk, letting the gentle breeze slide past her skin. She’d forgotten how beautiful the weather could be in Oregon. Experiencing this week without any climate disasters was healing in its own right.

Who would have thought getting my powers back would be a good thing after all?

Mary chuckled at the thought. Honestly, she didn’t know what she’d been thinking, reaching out her hand after 10 years of fearing another storm. She’d thought she was going crazy at first, but then her dead best friend was in front of her and nothing else mattered. If it meant protecting Safi, Mary had been ready to risk another storm. Hell, wasn’t that true even now?

Fuck it. Mary had to find her. She pushed herself off the tree, intending to ask the others if they could wrap up for the day so she could start searching. It was selfish of her, but didn’t she deserve to be selfish just this once? Mary stepped forward and—

Prick

.

“No…!” Mary recognized the sudden sensation. It was one that haunted her nightmares, one that made her cry when she got her first COVID shot. She would never forget the horrible feeling of a needle pressing into her neck.

On instinct, she reached for her power. There was a brief instant when a light started to form in front of her, only to vanish as Mary fell to her knees. Quivering eyes looked in the direction of the others, but she’d wandered too far. No one would hear her, not when she was already too weak to scream.

Tears and drugs both warped her vision into a swirl of colors her mind failed to comprehend. Still, she was able to make out the face of the person looming over her before she passed out. That familiar beard, those stupid glasses, that oh so punchable smirk… She couldn’t scream, but Mary used the last of her strength to snarl at the monster watching her fade. Until, finally, she passed out, Mark Jefferson’s smug words the last thing she registered before surrendering to the darkness.

“Yes, I do believe you’ll be my masterpiece.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Touch returned to her first. She was lying on a freezing, hard surface that made chills seep into her bones. Mary wanted to shiver, but even that was a herculean effort against the smothering weight coursing through her veins. A noise might have escaped her, but it was so weak that it failed to break through the fuzz in her ears. When she tried shifting an arm, she noticed a tight pressure keeping her wrists pinned together in front of her face. Instead she focused on forcing her leaden eyes open, trying to get a sense of where she was.

That became difficult when a bright light assaulted her senses. Mary flinched back, curling her arms closer with a whimper.

“Don't move!” A monster roared above her as rough hands gripped her bound wrists, yanking them back into position. A series of clicks followed the motion. “Much better. You're proving to be one of my best subjects, Mary. Maybe I've been working with children for too long. But I don't think I could find another individual with a spark quite like yours…”

The words made her shudder before even realizing who spoke them. Her vision remained splotches of color, but she was able to make out glasses and a scruffy beard. In the corner of her vision, she spotted the cold instrument used to capture every moment of her helplessness. It continued to click with glee as Jefferson moved her limbs around like a doll, demanding Mary be posed exactly how he wished.

“I wonder if my lens can capture what drives you. What keeps you pure. It makes for a spectacular image, I'll tell you that much.” His voice was like worms digging into her ears. Her gut twisted with each syllable, making a groan escape her.

He continued regardless. “With your senses dulled by my drugs, you can't help but be honest. No vanity, none of those fake smiles you see plastered on the faces of most models. Every aspect is laid bare for me to frame.”

Mary whined, her mind desperately trying to flee from the hell it was locked in. All the while, that incessant clicking continued, only getting louder when Jefferson kneeled down to take shots right in front of her face. Even through the haze covering her eyes, she could see a grin on the bastard’s face.

“Perfect,” he murmured. “Oh, those eyes… So much like Max's yet even more vibrant. Ah, Max… I truly hope she comes after you. It would be a shame not to capture her image as well.”

“No…” Mary choked the word out, squeezing her eyes shut. Her heart shattered at the thought of Max going through this torture again. Please, not her. Mary would stay here forever if it kept Max safe.

“Dammit, you fucked up my shot!” The scream shot fear through Mary's heart, making her whimper. She forced her eyes open and shied back at Jefferson's scowl. Yet as quick as it came, the expression vanished back into that cold, uncaring smile.

“But don't worry. We have plenty of time before Max finds her way here. The girl is too snoopy for her own good, but I'm sure you know that.”

Here. Where was here? The glimpses she could gain told Mary this wasn't the Dark Room, but the space was just as oppressive. A dusty, wooden room with a gray screen laid out in the corner that she had been placed on. There might have been stairs at the corner of the room, but her vision was too warped to know for sure. Was she in a basement?

“Let's see… This angle should be good.” Jefferson was now standing over Mary’s legs, snapping pictures from above. “Perfect. You know, this isn't my usual setup. If only I had my Dark Room, I could do so much to make your figure unforgettable. But an artist learns to make do with what he has. I promise, Mary, I'll make sure you're immortalized in my photos. It's the least I can do since you won't survive the night.”

Tears streamed down Mary’s face. Rather than slowing Jefferson down, they only seemed to embolden him. The clicking grew even more frequent, as the bastard snapped dozens of pictures from all angles. It was too much, and every part of Mary screamed at her to get away. She whined, pulling herself back as much as she was able.

Even that was barely an inch, but it was enough to set Jefferson off. “Stop moving, dammit!” His foot stopped on her shoulder, pinning her into the position he wanted. Once she was in place, he stepped off her and continued taking photos like the interrupting had never occurred. Only his words showed his true thoughts.

“I may have used too small a dose on you. Given how much older you are than my usual subjects, I suppose I should have adapted. That can be fixed, of course.”

“No, no no…” Mary wiggled away, her heart spiking at the thought of Jefferson getting anywhere near her with another drug.

“Yes, you clearly need it.” He set the camera down on a side table, lifting a syringe and vial from it to prepare the dose. Mary sobbed, releasing the anguish and fear churning through her blood. She'd stay in the nightmare if it meant he wouldn't put her to sleep.

Her pleas were ignored. Jefferson kneeled over Mary, her pathetic kicks doing nothing to deter him. Mary's eyes were locked onto the sharp point of the needle, gleaming in malice. At that moment, it looked like a beast threatening to drag her into the depths. She quivered at the sight, at least until Jefferson pushed it against her neck, the steel burning her skin.

“You're not one of my students, so you wouldn't know this,” he said. “But I have a number one rule. Always take the shot.”

There was nothing she could do. The prick in her neck was the last thing Mary felt before her senses went dark once more.

Mary returned to consciousness faster the second time. She stirred with a soft groan, immediately feeling the way her arms and legs were strapped down to those of a heavy chair. Squinting her eyes open, she saw she was in the same room as before. It was definitely a basement— that of Jefferson’s own house if she had to guess. He must have been out of options after Nathan was exposed. He had set up the corner furthest from the stairs as his own studio, placing the chair on a gray backdrop lit by a professional studio lamp. Through the glare, she caught a glimpse of his camera sitting on a tripod, continuing to capture Mary in her prone state.

Jefferson himself was leaning against the wall, examining a printed out photograph. Once he noticed Mary was awake, he walked over to her, setting the picture down on the table. Mary caught a glimpse of herself that made her want to puke. She contained her shudder just before the asshole leaned closer.

“You’re awake, I see,” he said. “I should thank you, Mary. This session has been more enlightening than any since the very start of my career.”

“Go to hell,” Mary spat.

“Maybe I will.” There was a slight smirk on his face, and Mary wanted nothing more than to punch it into oblivion. “But I’m afraid you won’t be going anywhere. Your disappearance will cause too many questions… Better to wipe my hands clean of you entirely.”

It took all of Mary’s willpower not to let her terror show on her face. Instead, she glared and leaned close enough that their eyes were almost touching. “And how many bodies have you left behind already? You killed Nathan Prescott and Rachel Amber, and that was in Arcadia Bay alone. Did you feel nothing for all the girls you dumped in a ditch somewhere in Seattle?”

Mary knew for a fact his body count reached double digits. That had been confirmed during his trial in her own timeline. Jefferson was nothing more than a killer with a sick photography fetish, and she swore to herself that he’d pay two-fold for all the pain he’d afflicted.

If her words had any impact on the piece of shit, he didn’t show it. He stepped back, picking up the vial of drugs and swirling it around with one hand. “I’ll admit, it was more difficult to complete my work in secrecy before coming here. Teenagers are far easier to manipulate, and no one will question when a girl gets drunk at a party.”

“You’re a monster,” Mary growled. “And you’ve overstepped. You’re right that people will be asking about me… and it won’t be long before they point to you.”

“Yet Nathan has already taken the fall for all my prior models.” The way Jefferson spoke of his victims so casually made Mary grimace. “Once you’re disposed of, there will be no evidence tied to me. Of course, that begs the question…” He looked back to Mary, and this time she couldn’t contain her shiver at the hard look in his eyes. “How did you know about me in the first place? Did Max tell you?”

There was a creak from Mary’s white-knuckled grip on the chair’s armrests. “Keep her name out of your fucking mouth,” she snarled. “You won’t touch Max, you hear me?”

Jefferson smiled. “That confirms my suspicions. You are related. Cousins? Sisters? What does Max mean to you?” He shrugged and turned away. “Not that it matters, as long as she looks for you. I’ll just have to wait for the moment she’s vulnerable. I’m not sure how she found out about this project of mine, but her accusations will be remembered as no more than the delusions of a little girl who couldn’t handle the pressure of being a Blackwell student.”

He picked up his camera and began looking through the photos. The look on his face as he did so made Mary feel ill. “The Caulfields only believed her because they’re her parents, and their word will have to be discounted. It’s not like Max will be able to provide a proper testimony. Not after she commits suicide due to losing a precious family member.”

“YOU SON OF A BITCH!” The linger sluggishness from Jefferson’s drugs were washed away by the rage exploding out of her. Mary struggled with renewed ferocity, flaming eyes attempting to melt Jefferson on the spot. “I’M GOING TO KILL YOU, YOU HEAR ME!?”

The outburst only made him sigh. “As wonderful as our time together was, I think it’s time we parted ways. I’ll give your regards to Max.” Saying that, he walked back to the vial and prepared a final dose. Mary’s breath hitched in her throat as he filled the syringe to the highest capacity, panicked eyes darting everywhere for a way out. When they locked onto the photo of her, she tried focusing her gaze that way, only for a sharp pain to stab through her skull the moment she began to hear a voice. Fuck, she couldn’t photojump or rewind! Her new power was worthless here!

Tears flooded her eyes as he approached. There would be no David to save her this time. Mary was going to die at the hands of Mark fucking Jefferson, and there was nothing she could do to stop him. Max would be on her own, and Safi would be stranded in the past. She’d just gotten her family back, and now she was going to break their hearts. Why had she ever tried? She should have known fucking with powers would lead her here again.

THUMP.

The booming sound snapped Mary out of her thoughts, alongside making Jefferson freeze in his tracks. He put the syringe down and looked toward the stairs with a frown.

“Max couldn’t have found this place already, could she?” Despite his doubts, he grabbed the tripod in front of Mary and brought it with him to the bottom of the stairs, hiding behind a cabinet for the intruder to step through after a quick glance to a gun resting in one of the shelves. Mary’s breath caught in her throat, praying this wouldn’t turn out like the mess with David. Whoever was bold enough to break into Jefferson’s house probably wasn’t the type to slow down and reconsider their actions. Was Mary about to have another death on her hands?

A flash of movement by the stairs was all Mary saw before Jefferson slammed the tripod down. She winced preemptively at the strike, bracing herself to see a body collapse to the floor. Instead, there was a resounding

clang.

Jefferson stumbled back in shock as his blow was deflected, the metal bat responsible poking into Mary’s vision.

Except that wasn’t the only reason for surprise. Jefferson normally would have gone for the gun, but his eyes were locked onto the mirror image of himself. The other Jefferson stepped forward with a glower, brandishing his own pistol before the original could recover. His shot was perfectly aimed to graze the bastard’s leg, making him collapse with a scream.

“I had so many ideas to make you suffer that I wanted to plan them out.” The imposter’s tone was laced with bitterness. “But you chose to grab my best friend. No way in hell was I going to wait any longer before seeing you

burn!”

His appearance shifted then, and everything made sense. Because it wasn’t

him

here to rescue Mary, but

her.

Mary stared with wide eyes at the familiar face burning holes into Jefferson’s skull.

“Safi!?” she blurted.

The other woman gave Mary a brief glance, her face darkening further at the sight of her. “Hang on, Max. I’ll get you out of here.” Her glare centered back to Jefferson, who was clutching his leg in pain.

“First, I’d say it’s time for payback.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Mark was facing a demon. Wrath adorned her face, promising to bring down judgement for all his sins. He couldn’t breath at the sight, other than the pained gasps that escaped him with each twitch of his injured leg. The bullet hadn’t gone in, but the torn skin was screaming in agony and kept him from standing. He could only crawl back in a desperate attempt to get away.A gun lazily pointed his way made Mark halt in his tracks. The woman waved the weapon back and forth as though considering whether to just shoot him and be done with it. “I wouldn’t move if I were you.” Her voice was light on the surface, but Mark could sense the darkness boiling within. “I could make this so much more painful for you than it’ll already be.”“What do you want?” Mark demanded. “I have money—”“I’ll burn your money alongside your body, you prick!” She stepped forward, and Mark watched in horror as her appearance morphed in the process. Suddenly, he was staring back at the disappointed scowl of Raymond Wells.“I’m disappointed, Mr. Jefferson,” the principal said. “You pretended to be a professional, but you’ve never made art in your life. All you do is assault girls and jerk yourself off for it. Do you think you’re clever? There are hundreds of sick bastards like you in the world. You’re not special. You’re just. A. Freak!”Each word was accompanied by a stomp on Mark’s leg, making him scream as anguish swept through him. Still, he refused to let his work be degraded like this. “You know nothing!” he shouted through his tears. “I’m the only one brave enough to capture the transition away from innocence!”Wells scoffed. “Call it what it really is.” Again, his face shifted. Now Victoria Chase was the one standing over him with fire in her eyes. Mark swallowed and tried to look away, but the girl bent down and yanked his face back toward her own. “Look at me, fucker! Wasn’t I going to be your next victim before you changed the plan? Nothing innocent about this face— You know that as well as anyone. No, it’s the youth you’re obsessed with. You just looooove the feeling of power you get from preying on kids. It’s those helpless faces. ” A glob of spit slapped his cheek as she shook her head in disgust. “Face it, Mark. Your photos don’t belong anywhere but an evidence vault.”His entire body was trembling. The world around him was dark, like this monster in front of him had subsumed everything. He was a prisoner in his own body, only able to ask a pathetic question. “What are you?”The girl chuckled, and in an instant changed to that blue-haired slut he’d seen with Max. “Maybe a god. Maybe a monster. To you I’m both.”Her amusement vanished as fast as it came, expression twisting into a snarl as her hand lashed out and gripped Mark’s neck. His eyes bulged out of his skull as his airway was cut off, tears blurring his vision. Yet he still saw when the demon took on Kate Marsh’s face. The violent expression was alien on the sweet girl, driving further fear into his heart.“You can’t help but ruin lives, can you?” she growled. “It’s what you did to me. How many other girls broke apart because of you? How many died by your hands? Every life is coming back to haunt you, Mr. Jefferson. They’ll chase you in death and never let you know peace in whatever pit of hell you find yourself in.”Mark wasn’t religious, but at that moment, he believed her. A need to live fueled him, and his eyes wandered to the gun she’d put down before choking him. She noticed the motion, eyes narrowing as her grip on his neck tightened until black spots filled his vision.“Don’t even try it, bastard.” Just when Mark thought he’d pass out, she finally released his neck, stepping back to reclaim the weapon. As she did, her eyes caught a flicker in the corner of the room. Mark managed to turn his head that way and was convinced he’d begun to hallucinate. Two figures of light moved around in the corner— one listening dutifully to the instructions he was given while the other lounged on a couch to flirt. They were familiar faces, making Mark’s heart clench.The monster smirked. “Thanks, Max.” Eyes locked onto the male figure, her appearance shifted to an exact match. Nathan Prescott now stood before him, sadness in his eyes.“You used me.” Nathan’s voice was low, a familiar tone to when he was about to go off on one of his tantrums. Mark began to wonder if his spirit was really there. “Then you killed me because of a little mistake. I hate you!” The cold steel of the gun was pressed against Mark’s forehead, and he knew he was going to die. “You motherfucker! Who else have you betrayed!?”One more time, the demon took on a new face. This one nearly made Mark’s heart stop, terror lancing through his chest. He couldn’t look away from those amber eyes, shining with righteous fury.“You betrayed me,” Rachel Amber whispered. “Killed me and left me buried in a shallow grave.”“That was—” Mark tried to stutter the words out, but the gun digging into his temple cut him off with a strangled gasp.“Don’t,” Rachel hissed. “You don’t get to pin this on Nathan. You know what I think, Mark? I think you wanted me dead all along. You were jealous, weren’t you?”Jealous, him? It was ridiculous, and Mark narrowed his eyes that she would dare accuse him of such pettiness. Rachel had been nothing more than a whore to occupy Mark’s time. There was nothing to admire about such a miserable girl.“Do you think people respect you, Mark?” The question was obviously rhetorical, as he didn’t even get a chance to answer before she continued. “They never did. Your photos freaked them out, and they were so obsessed with that feeling they pretended you mattered. But if they really wanted, they could get their fix somewhere else.“Me though? I gave them what you never could. Unlike you, my talent was real. Everyone knew, and you couldn’t stand the fact. Someone else being superior to the great Mark Jefferson? Unthinkable. And so, like the pathetic creature you are, you had to prove your power. But you never had any. Even when you buried me in a ditch, you could never escape. I mean, you saw my face every day on the posters. People continued to talk about me. And you? You were always the awkward teacher who thought he was hip.”“Shut up!” Mark snapped. Forgetting the risk, he tried to headbut the bitch with her words that cut like knives. His heart was racing and his head swam, but all he wanted to was to make her hurt.She dodged it with ease, and her knuckles collided with Mark’s face hard enough to draw blood. He flopped back to the ground with a pained groan and knew she’d won.“Let me tell you how you’ll be remembered once you’re dead, Mark. Your face will become the poster child for pedophiles around the world. Your ‘art’ will circulate the deepest corners of the web as people wonder how one man could be so cruel. That will be your legacy for a few years. Then everyone will forget. People will move on to the latest hot criminal and your name will be forgotten. Your entire life? It. Was. Nothing!” Mark managed a final sob before she shot him through the skull.Mary felt like she was in a dream. None of this seemed possible, yet here she was. Tied up in a basement with Mark Jefferson dead on the floor after her best friend broke his mind. The whole time Safi had been tormenting him, Mary had considered speaking up. Part of her had wanted Safi to end it already.The rest of her— as the drugs finally started to recede from her system— had craved blood. Mark Jefferson had been a specter haunting her life for so long. She’d never felt safe, and now she doubted she ever would again. Maybe watching him suffer wouldn’t free her soul from that fear, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. Not then.Her power had responded to Mary’s malicious thoughts, summoning ghosts from Jefferson’s past Safi could use to haunt him. Mary hadn’t intended it, but had felt a sick satisfaction at the growing terror in his eyes regardless. He had become the one trapped in a moment, and he deserved every second of it.Once Jefferson stopped breathing, Safi immediately rushed over to Mary and began undoing the straps. She looked like herself again. “Fuck. I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner, Max. Are you okay?”Mary collapsed on the other woman the moment her limbs were free. Cries tore from her throat as she clutched Safi against her, hardly noticing as her friend gently kneeled them to the floor. Her mind was a storm of emotions, sharp thoughts cutting through her brain. Words jumbled together into a bleeding mass, leaving her only able to express her pain through wails.Safi held her the entire time. She was whispering assurances, none of which Mary registered but still brought her comfort. Minutes passed as the two women who didn't belong to this time embraced, the injustices done to them threatening to crush their shoulders.“Why me?” Mary eventually choked out. “H-He wanted to take Max too. It’s always me. He’s fucking obsessed! What did I do!?”“Max, look at me.” Mary leaned back to see the warm yet firm look in Safi’s eyes. “None of this was your fault. It’s all him. He was a sick fuck who should have been dealt with ages ago. But he at least won’t hurt you ever again.”Mary looked at the body. When David had shot Jefferson in another time, she’d been torn between feeling ill and gratified. Now, there was only disgust.“Good,” she spat. “Fucker deserved it.”She was still shaking, she realized. She might have never stopped, had Safi not lowered her hands to clutch Mary’s own. “Breathe, Max. I’m right here.”“Mary,” she corrected. “Any part of me that was still Max died in this room.”There was a sharp inhale following her words, but when Mary looked to Safi, the other woman nodded. “Alright. Well then, Mary, I want to ask you something.”Mary didn’t have the energy to respond. She just squeezed Safi’s hands tighter so she would continue.“I want you to help me fix this town.” There was a gleam in Safi’s eyes Mary had never seen before. “The bastards who gave Jefferson power in the first place— they still have to pay, or they’ll just hurt more people.”Memories came back to Mary in a flood. Principal Wells’ condescending dismissal when she told him Nathan had a gun. Fishermen grumbling about how Sean Prescott was slowly killing Arcadia Bay. Blackwell students partying it up mere days after a girl had tried committing suicide. What was it Mary had thought to herself back then? That if the tornado had shown up, she would wait to stop it? She should have held on to that conviction.“You saw what we accomplished together,” Safi continued. “Your new power is incredible, and combining it with mine, we can make some real changes. This is your home, I want to help you clean the rot out. Think about it. We can make those assholes bend to us. Show them all the mistakes they’ve made.”It went against everything Mary had once stood for. She’d learned about the consequences of being selfish with powers. For a decade, she’d denied every comfort imaginable because the guilt was too strong. To throw all those morals aside would be to betray Chloe. Not the Chloe of this time, but the one she’d let die in a dirty bathroom all those years ago.Then she looked at Jefferson and remembered how dirty she’d felt under his lens. How his worms had infected the blood underneath her skin. No one but Safi had come for her. No one but Safi had cared. Too many people were willing to stand by and let atrocities happen around them. No more. Mary couldn’t let this happen ever again.“How about it, Mary?” Safi was careful when releasing her, rising to her feet only to offer Mary her hand. “You and me. Together. Are you in?”Mary didn’t need to consider the offer any more. Her mind had been made up. She would accept the consequences that came from this decision.She took Safi’s hand.
October ??? (what’s the point of keeping track)

Hey,

The funeral was today. It felt like the whole town came. It was a beautiful service. You would have hated it. I hated it.

The storm is gone. Everybody is safe. It’s like it never happened.

It never happened. I started a new journal because the old one is full of lies now.

I can feel the power underneath my skin. If I wanted to, I could go back and see you again. Maybe I will.

Maybe I’ll break the world again.

END OF ACT 1