The flight was boring and Max slept through most of it.

She waltzed through the Arcadia Bay Airport, tired and stiff. She glanced around, looking at the signs that people held up for a sign of her chauffeur.

"Hey." She jumped and whipped around, blinking once before drowning in a hazel sea.

Her mouth felt dry as she stared at the woman in front of her. She was taller than Max by at least a few inches. Her hair was golden rays of sunlight that fell perfectly over small shoulders, framing her perfect and spotless face. Her eyes were hazel, flickering like embers from a fire. Her eyebrows were perfect, arching slightly as Max's eyes found her lips. Perfect in shape, they were stretched in a loose grin. The photographer blushed as her eyes wandered to the woman's chest, shapely and filled. Her stomach was flat and-oh dog. Her shorts, barely long enough to cover her ass, which by the way was nice looking as well even from the front, were ripped showing more skin of her upper thigh. A tattoo of an octopus was poking from the hole, it's tentacles stretching beyond the bounds of the shorts. A few poked from under her shorts but the rest was concealed.Max couldn't help but wondered where it ended. From her too-small shorts, came shapely legs that ended perfectly into a worn pair of converse and on one calf Max could see a dragon tattoo.

All in all, Max found out two things.

One, this woman was a fucking goddess, and two Max was super fucking gay.

A warm bell-chime laugh made her eyes fly up and stare at the strangers face. The girl grinned, "Maxine Caulfield right?" She asked, stretching her left arm out. Max noticed a little star on her wrist. "Names Rachel Dawn Amber, I'm your escort."

Rachel Dawn Amber, dog even her name was ethereal. "Max." she said hoarsely, "Never Maxine."

Rachel lifted a perfect eyebrow, "Alright then, Max it is." She said easily, a smile on her face. "So, shall I grab your bags?"

"Uh-" Max glanced over at where her stuff had been brought out by staff. "There's allot, how are you gonna fit it in your car?" She asked.

Rachel snorted, "You'll see." She walked over to one of the staff members and exchanged a few words before she turned to Max and gestured for her to follow her out.

Readjusting the strap of her bag around her body, Max paused, gazing at Rachel. She was standing in the sunlight and she practically glowed. In a trained, experienced movement, Max pulled out her camera and snapped a picture, the film sliding out immediately. She shook it out of habit and put it into her bag before she sighed and followed Rachel Amber.

The girl was already packing her luggage in... what the fuck?

Max tilted her head, of all things she expected this certainly wasn't it.

The truck was to beat to death and desperately needed new paint. Hell, it was a wonder the thing even ran, it looked like it was found in some junkyard.

She quickly learned that it was, in fact,  found in a junkyard.

"Chloe fixed her up." Rachel said with a grin, "She always was a little grease monkey." Rachel said, admiring the ride as if it was a new Mustang.

Of course, Chloe fixed this thing up. Max thought as she climbed into the truck. It was oozing Chloe, Elvis bobblehead on the dash and ominous messages of you're about to die and this is much bigger than you written crudely in sharpie.. though it was much darker than the Chloe Max remembered it was still Chloe. The messages didn't help ease Max's anxiety.

"How is this even running? It looks like a trainwreck." Max scoffed, her body trembling slightly. From how chilly it was near the coast or from anxiety she couldn't tell. Probably both.

Rachel glanced at her from the driver's seat, the engine roaring to life as she drove out of the airports parking lot. "As I said, Chloe fixed her up. Spent a bunch of money on her as well, the thing runs better than most sports cars. She replaced the engine and everything, got new tires, and even patched up the hole that used to be down there." She nodded to the floor on the passenger side. "Even touched up the breaks. Runs like a dream honestly, though, I wish Chloe would fix the paint job, she refuses. The color is sentimental for her apparently." Rachel shrugged and Max couldn't believe the motion could look so attractive.

Max nodded mutely and smiled as she stroked the soft blanket that was stitched over the leather. "She ever gonna replace the leather?"

"Shits' expensive." Rachel said with a snort, "She wanted to but the price was too much. Most of what she got was recycled or sold for dirt cheap. It was only relatively expensive because of the sheer amount of fixing up she needed." The girl drummed on the steering wheel with her index fingers, "The leather costed more than it took to fix the truck."

"Are you cereal?" Max asked, giving Rachel an incredulous look.

Rachel glanced at her, her eyebrow raised at the old phrase.  "Super." She responded with a smile.

The two eased in comfortable silence but as they sat Max couldn't help but wonder who Rachel was to Chloe. The girl seemed to know Chloe well and they seemed to be close as Rachel's hazel eyes would light up when she spoke about Chloe. Were they just friends or more?

Max's gut clenched, she didn't want them to be more.

Suddenly she felt sick and she groaned softly, curling up into the corner of the truck. Her body trembled. She should have stayed in touch. She should have fought the move more. She should have called earlier. She should have... She should have..

Then she remembered why she didn't. The smell of booze assaulted her. The sound of glass breaking and screaming echoed hallow in her ears. She let out a sob and held her head, trying to shake her way out of the memories. It worked for the most part, but she could still smell the booze.

"Hey." Max didn't turn to Rachel's voice but she flinched as Rachel touched her back and rubbed it. "Hey.. you're okay. You're safe.."

For some reason, Max was inclined to believe her. Unconsciously she pressed into Rachels touch and soon her breathing became normal.

"Better?" Rachel asked, eyeing her in concern.

"B-Better." Max bit her lip, "I wanna..I wanna lay down." she said, thinking of her only escape from the hellish life of her past. Sleep. "Bed."

Rachel blinked and nodded, "I'm taking you to me and Chloe's apartment," Max felt her heart drop, they lived together? "You can sleep on the couch or in my bed." My bed, thank dog they didn't share the same room.

Guilty, Max nodded and shook her head. Rachel had been nice so far and helped her through her mini panic attack. She shouldn't be thinking such awful jealous thoughts. So what if she and Chloe were dating? At least Chloe found someone better and moved on.

Something Max had yet to do.

Yet, Chloe had said she didn't but how could she have not? Rachel was in her life and even though Max didn't even know her well, she could tell that Rachel was a ray of sunshine. She radiated energy and, if Chloe was still the same mischevious kid that made Max drink wine and stain the carpet, Chloe would be all over that.

Max bit her lip and choked back tears.

She wanted to sleep.

She wanted to get away.

The truck came to a stop and Max rushed out immediately, releasing a breath that was a high-pitched sob. She covered her mouth and fought the stinging tears back, her chest rising and falling unevenly.

The memories were back.

"Max?" Rachel's voice was now close and she looked up, not realizing that the girl had moved over on her side. Her hazel eyes were alight with concern and her eyebrows were furrowed, her lips in a frown. "Max, what's wrong? Did I.." Rachel hesitated and Max blinked, seeing a vulnerability in this seemingly celestial being. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No." The words came out immediately and it surprised Max as much as it surprised Rachel. The hipster paused as she thought over the words and found that she meant them. "No, you didn't..." She shifted from foot to foot and looked down, not willing to show Rachel her eyes, "I just..am stupid." she sniffed and wrapped her arms around her body, protecting it and hunched her shoulders in defense. She could feel something winding up and pressed against the truck as she prepared for something to go flying towards her.

Rachel eyed her with wide eyes before she cleared her throat. "You aren't stupid, overwhelmed maybe, but you aren't stupid." Rachel reached out a hand to touch Max but paused as she flinched and slammed shut her eyes, body trembling. Dread crept in the girl's stomach as an idea of Max's problem formed in her mind. "Come inside." She said softly, ghosting her fingers over Max's shoulders and feeling her heart break as the girl flinched and shuddered at the touch, "You can sleep there." She bit her lip as Max, still tense as ever looked up through her lashes.

Nodding rapidly and still refusing to meet Rachel's eyes, Max followed her inside.

Rachel showed her Chloe's room, thinking being around something mildly familiar would calm her down, and immediately Max flopped onto the girls' bed and passed out.

The door opened and slammed shut as a groan escaped familiar lips.

Rachel was staring at nothing, as she had been for the past hour, her brow furrowed when she looked up, grinning slightly as Chloe walked in.

"Hey, Chloe." She said easily, that smile still on her face but she knew Chloe wouldn't buy it.

And that fact remained true as Chloe took one look at her before her face, framed by beautiful light blue hair, contorted in concern. "What's wrong?" She asked, frowning. "Where's....?" Max, the name didn't need to be said as she glanced around.

"Sleeping." Rachel looked away, biting her lip. Chloe blinked in confusion as to why that was said as though it was bad. "In your bed."

"Oh." Chloe stood still for a moment. "Jet lag?" She asked, confusion still on her face.

"No time difference."

Chloe's face twitched with annoyance, "Then what-"

"Something's wrong with her." Rachel cut her off, "She had a panic attack in the truck on the way here." Chloe's eyes widened, "And I heard her sobbing in her sleep, she was crying out.." Rachel closed her eyes, remembering how Max writhed, tears pouring down her face as she cried out in pain and desperation yet still stayed asleep. "Something happened Chloe, so you can't yell at her for her lack of communication."

Chloe blinked and searched Rachel for any sign of exaggeration but found none. The aspiring model could see that a million thoughts were racing in her mind but eventually, she nodded, "Okay." She promised, "I already sorta yelled at her anyway." Chloe said with a sheepish look.

Rachel nodded, "I'll go get her." She said getting up before she paused, turning to Chloe with a small grin, "Also, you didn't mention the fact that she was hella adorable."

Chloe grinned slightly, "She's still adorable? Of course, she is." She answered her question with a shake of her head.

Rachel disappeared down the hall and entered Chloe's room.

Max was up but she was holding her head and rocking back and forth, repeating something under her breath.

As Rachel shot forward she froze as she heard what Max was saying.

"Pathetic, you're pathetic. Worthless. Ugly." Max was repeating that like a mantra, tears pouring down her face.

No. Rachel surged forward and wrapped Max in a hug, warm and comforting.

Max's breath hitched as she was suddenly embraced and she looked up, tears at the corner of her baby blue eyes.

Rachel's heart broke and she wished she didn't know how to read people so well. She remembered her mom telling her that eyes were a picture into someone's soul.

She hated the picture she saw in Max's eyes.

Something did happen to Max. Something terrible. Something that left her broken and shattered. Something that stole her innocence and kept her from Chloe.

"I'm sorry." Max's voice was barely audible. "I'm so sorry."

"Sh." Rachel rubbed her back and mumbled sweet nothings. "You're okay. I'm here. You're safe."

She felt Max trembling and press closer to her and a wave of protectiveness crashed over Rachel.

Whoever hurt you, whoever made you believe your anything less than perfect is gonna regret the day they were born, Rachel pledged silently as she squeezed Max tighter.

Max let out a shaky breath. "I don't even know you and yet you calm me down so easily." She laughed but it sounded more like she was trying not to cry. "Why are you helping me?"

A million words flew to Rachel's tongue but she only chose three.

"Because I care."

Baby blue eyes widened as tears flowed down Max's freckled face. Her entire body shook and her sobs came out raw as Max clung unto Rachel's flannel.

She cried for a while until it was all out and she felt empty. She wanted Chloe.

Rachel had held her close at first but the contact made Max tense and struggle so she opted to rub Max's back instead to try to calm her.

"I.." Max's voice was raw, "I want Chloe."

Rachel moved immediately, "I'll get her."

Max nodded mutely and curled up in a ball. Her arms were covering her stomach, and her lip was bloody from her chewing it. She probably looked like a zombie or one of those puppies on those abused dog commercials.

Both of those descriptions were scarily accurate.

The sound of boots made her look up, her heart racing as the sound was familiar, she was rushed into a memory, it happened four years ago but it was fresh in Max's mind.

Uneven boot-steps came down the stairs, stalking closer to her room.

It was supposed to be a quiet Wednesday night but that wasn't the case here. Not in this house. Not anymore.

The girl, age fourteen, froze in place on her bed, blanket wrapped around her tightly like armor and papers around her as a dark figure stumbled its way into her room.  The smell of beer that this figure secreted made her want to vomit, overwhelming the scent of vanilla that normally hung in the air.

She held her head down, refusing to meet his eyes. Her throat closed as she trembled lightly, tears already welling in her eyes. She closed her eyes as the figure began to scream, its arms waving rapidly and violently as its speech was slurred. She clenched her fists and covered her ears, drawing her knees close to her chest and screamed as the blanket, her armor, was torn from her body.

She fell with it and pain shot through her head as she slammed the side of it into the floor. The figure was over her now, still screaming, telling her to stop crying, to get up before it gave her a reason to cry. Stubbornly she refused, staying glued to her floor and the figure only screamed more in rage before it stumbled off, slamming the door.

She heard more screaming and went out to investigate and-

"Max!"

Her thoughts ended abruptly and she flinched. "Mom!?"  She cried unevenly, looking around in confusion. She blinked as she took in her surroundings, she wasn't in Seattle.

Then it all came rushing back to her and she rushed to a sitting position. The blood rushed to her head and she closed her eyes as her brain throbbed for a few moments before giving way.

She looked up, seeing Rachel standing there with..

"Max?" The girl was different. Blue hair, punk motif, a full sleeve tattoo but Max could never mistake that voice.

That voice she had been yearning to hear again for years now.

"Chloe?" She echoed in an equal amount of surprise.

Her best friend stared at her in shock and slight horror before she suddenly furrowed her brow. She had a look of conflicted anger and Max only snorted softly.

"Let it out." She ordered, looking down at her lap.

"Five years!" Chloe snarled, "You made me wait five years! Do you realize how shit my life has been without you being there? My dad died, I needed someone and you just bail on me." She paced around and in the background, Max could hear Rachel saying Chloe's name trying to get her to calm down but the blue-haired punk wasn't listening. "How could you do that to me? Why did you do that to me?! You won't even give me a fucking answer and-" Her voice petered out. Max had been clenching the skin of her arms, nails digging into the flesh. She relaxed, deep red and angry crescents now carved into her arms and she looked up into those beautiful ocean blue eyes. Those eyes haunted her nightmares for five years. Chloe looked back, taking in her appearance before she let out a choke.

"What the hell happened to you?"

Max closed her eyes, a single tear rolling off her freckled cheek. "I wanted to call you Chloe." She evaded the question and she knew Chloe caught it because her brow furrowed again, "I wanted to so bad but I.. I couldn't." Her voice lowered into a whisper and she bit her lip again.

"Why not?" Chloe rushed forward and Max choked as suddenly Chloe's weight was against her and her face was inches from hers. Max could smell smoke, weed, and mint on her breath and as she was pressed closer, straddling Max's legs, the hipster should smell cigarettes, weed and mans cologne on her clothes.

Of course, Chloe wouldn't use perfume.

Max looked into those blue eyes and she shook her head, tears pouring down her face. "I'm sorry I can't-" She hesitated, seeing the flash of anger in Chloe's eyes. "I can't tell you." She choked and she looked away, unable to stare into her friends' eyes out of shame.

Chloe was still and suddenly she grabbed Max's arms, making her flinch then relax as she gently ran her thin fingers down the hipster's arm before they wrapped around her hands gently, thumbs rubbing her wrist.

It was something that they did as kids, whenever Max started freaking out. Her anxiety and panic attacks were a thing long before... that. Immediately, Max calmed down and she looked back up to Chloe and was shocked to see her gazing back, her eyes gentle.

"Five years." Max said softly, making Chloe blink, "Five years and you still can't keep your tough girl act up." She smiled slightly as Chloe narrowed her eyes.

"I've gotten better at it." She breathed and Max's heart fluttered in her chest like a caged bird.

"I couldn't tell." She teased back. This was safe. This bantering back and forth. This was them. This was how it was before she left.

The thought made Max's smile waver.

Chloe breathed out a chuckle. "Don't give me that look. At least pretend like your glad to see me." She said.

Max sighed. She dreamed of this moment right here, being able to see, to touch, Chloe. She had dreamed of it for five years. "I am seriously glad to see you." Max replied after a moment.

Chloe smiled slightly, "I'm sorry, yelling at you was selfish on my part. Rachel told me that you had a panic attack in the truck and.. and I shouldn't have torn into you. I have no idea what happened and I really want to know but.. but I'll wait for you to be ready." She promised, squeezing Max's hand.

The photographer trembled lightly, love and affection and an overwhelming contentedness flooding through her body at how safe she was in Chloe's grasp. She hadn't felt this safe since she left Arcadia Bay. She hadn't been this safe honestly.

Max looked into Chloe's eyes and couldn't help it. She leaned forward and tapped her forehead against hers. Chloe immediately closed her eyes, relaxing into the touch. She slid her arms up Max's and wrapped her into a light hug.

Max stayed like that before she buried her head into Chloe's shoulder and just breathed her in. Chloe did the same, and she heard a faint 'Still vanilla' from her shoulder but she was too tired to speak.

The moment continued on and Max leaned back, a warmth in her chest and stomach. "I'll tell you." She told Chloe, "Everything just.. later." She hadn't come to terms with it herself, a large part of her mind was still in denial about it. But she knew with Chloe's help she could move past it.

She just needed some time.

Chloe nodded, "I can wait." She breathed, her hands wrapped around Max's wrist and immediately Max tore them away, flinching as another memory came to the forefront.

She screamed in pain as a rough hand grabbed her arm. The sting made her dizzy and she struggled. "Let go! Let me go!" She cried, pounding her tiny fists onto the stomach of the figure.

"You hurtin yourself?" The figure slurred deeply, its voice heavy with rage. "What is this shit, Maxine!" It roared.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Max cried, "It's Max! Never Maxine!" She struggled against the figure more, crying as pain danced on her arm.

"YOU WANNA CUT YOURSELF?" The figure roared, glaring at her with blue eyes that were once her second favorite. "FINE LET ME HELP!"

"Max." She flinched and drew her knees to her chest, breathing hard as the memory faded.

"S-Sorry." She said, looking at Chloe who had spoken. She was about to say something when her phone buzzed. "C-Can you grab me water? And my bag." She asked. She grabbed her phone and turned the alarm off.

Rachel offered her a cold bottle and she took it as Chloe handed the bag over.

She shuffled through her bag before she saw the pills, she paused nervously, before she grabbed them and moved the bag away.

Chloe's brow furrowed as she recognized the pills. They were the same ones Sergeant Dickhead used for-

"You have PTSD?" The words rang hollow in Chloe's ears.

Max froze on the spot and Rachel glanced at Chloe with confused eyes.

"How do you know.." Rachel began but Max cut her off.

"Yeah." She said softly. "Yeah, I do." She popped a pill in her mouth and swallowed it with the water, coughing slightly.

Chloe stared at her before she sighed. "Jesus now I really feel like an asshole." She flopped on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

"I told you not to tear her apart." Rachel snapped, "You never listen to me." She rolled her eyes, yet under her false anger, Max could tell that Rachel was just as concerned as Chloe was.

She had no reason to care so much.

Yet she did.

The sentiment made Max smile slightly and she blinked as Chloe's voice sliced through the air.

"There's my favorite Caulfield smile." Max looked at Chloe, the punks eyes were lit with the same childhood energy that Max remembers.

She couldn't help it, a dorky smile split her face in two and the bird in her chest fluttered once more as Chloe grinned.

"I uh-" Chloe rose from the bed and walked over to a shelf. Scanning it, Max could see science books haphazardly spread among other knickknacks, along with a copy of Romeo and Juliet. "I know it was your birthday a few days back." She grabbed something and held it out.

Immediately Max recognized the old Polaroid camera. Memories began to swim in her mind, of waking up to pancakes and laughter... how Chloe wouldn't miss a chance to call him out on his swearing despite cursing like a sailor herself, even at age thirteen...

"It was my dads-my real dads- I want you to have it." Chloe held out Williams camera as Max slowly got up.

She took the camera and tensed when Chloe's fingers brushed hers. "This is amazing Chloe.." she breathed gazing at the camera with love. "But I," she hesitated remembering Williams' face. "I can't take this." She shook her head and held it back out to Chloe who only shook her head back, holding her palm out to stop Max from giving it back to her.

"Yes, you can." She said quickly, "He'd kill me about not using it- probably turning in his grave as we speak- and now I know it'll be used awesomely. Rachel tells me you took some pictures of her, you little sneak." Chloe smiled easily and Max stared at the Polaroid camera a bit longer before she smiled.

"Dog, Chloe- thank you." She placed the camera on the bed, making extra sure it wasn't near the edge, and then hugged the punk.

"Yeah, yeah, don't mention it, hippie." Chloe wrapped her arms around Max's shoulders and leaned her head down, burying her nose in Max's hair.

Max smiled slightly before Chloe pulled away, an impish look on her face. "I'll snag this," She held up a picture that Max took of Rachel earlier when her hair was catching the sunlight perfectly. "As a symbol of our reunion, capeesh?"

Max eyed the picture, it was a good shot and Max felt her photographer's heart break a little at the notion of parting with it, but there would be others.

And this time those could include Chloe.

With a small smile, Max nodded. "Sure." She hummed and Chloe grinned.

"Good, now that all that mushy shit is outta the way." She turned to her stereo, grinning at Rachel, who had leaned back and was idly scrolling through her phone letting the two best friends have their moment and switched it to a track. "I feel like stage diving!" She said as the guitars began to blast out of the speakers. "Let's dance!" She cried, flashing her crazed grin to Max.

Rachel looked up, her hazel gaze lighting as she recognized the song that Chloe played.

"You're fucking insane." Max said with a smile because Chloe's energy was infectious. 

"Yep, yep, I'm fucking insane in the brain, let's dance!" Chloe rushed forward, tugging on Max's wrists, "Shake that boney white ass!" She cried, jumping onto her bed and shaking her hips. She then flashed Rachel a look, "You too Amber!" 

Max turned to Rachel and snorted when the aspiring model came rushing forward, hopping onto Chloe's bed and joining her in her stage diving. 

"Or take a picture with your new camera." Chloe suggested as she continued to dance.

Max watched Rachel, enraptured with the way the aspiring models' hips swayed in beat with the music, her hands up and by her head. Then she flicked her gaze to Chloe, who was also moving her hips but also her arms. 

They both were such similar energies yet completely different. Rachel was like a wildfire, get to close and you might get burnt but you also might get pleasantly warm on a chilly night. Chloe was like electricity, amping everything up to a solid twenty on a ten scale. She was wild and, like a circuit, could spread that energy to other people. 

Max couldn't help it, she fished out her new camera and flashed a photo. She pulled it out of the dispenser and shook it before she placed it on Chloe's desk, grinning. 

"Chloe?" A man's voice came from the door of the apartment.

"Ah, shit! Turn it off, turn it off!" Chloe ushered to Max who scrambled to turn off the radio. 

"How many times have I told you to stop blasting that punk shit?" The man's voice grumbled, "Open the door! We need to talk."

"Aw fuck. Welp, fun is over." Chloe said, moving towards the door. Rachel watched her and hopped off and then grinned at Max. 

"She's something ain't she?" She asked, her eyes still lit from adrenaline. 

Max blinked, dog, Rachel was pretty. It was overwhelming being the focus of her attention, it felt like too much. She swallowed thickly and forced herself to speak. "Y-Yeah." She said, then nodded because she felt like just saying 'yeah' wasn't enough. 

Rachel studied her for a moment, "You don't gotta be so nervous." She said, "I'm not gonna bite." Her voice dropped suddenly in a husky purr, "Unless you want me too." 

Max choked, her body suddenly felt too hot, the room felt too hot. Rachel was too hot. Max was too gay. Holy shit. Holy shit.

Holy shit.

Rachel's laughter made her look up, eyes wide and face flushed. 

"Yo, calm down. I'm just dicking with you." Rachel smiled, but now it was warm and comforting and Max immediately loved it. "But seriously, don't be so nervous. I won't hurt you, not intentionally and I'll try not to unintentionally." There it was, there was that vulnerability that was so well hidden. 

Max opened her mouth but then jumped as a man suddenly burst into Chloe's room, the punk on his heels.

"Yo, ever hear of personal space?" Chloe said, slightly irritated. 

The man was short and well-cut. He was wearing a plaid shirt with some faded blue jeans with a belt and buckle holding them securely in place. He also had boots on.

"Rachel." He said stiffly and the girl smiled, but now Max could tell it was forced.

"Mr. Madsen." She greeted.

He turned his head towards Max and narrowed his eyes. "Whose that Chloe? Another one of your friends?"

"Oh my god, I don't even live with you anymore and you're still getting into my shit." Chloe groaned, flopping onto her bed and rolling off the other side to land on her feet beside Max. "Yes, this is my friend. Kind of my best friend since I was like... four?" She thought about it, "Earlier. Either way, yeah she's a friend, a good one." She flashed Max a soft smile which the hipster returned.

Good friend? No, I wasn't a good friend. I still am not a good friend. Max thought self-deprecatingly.

"What's her name?"

Chloe let out a soft growl that definitely shouldn't have been hot but was, "Max. Do you want her address? Social security? Birthday? Tell Rambo to eat shit." She crossed her arms. "Are you done interrogating me David?"

David glared at her, "Watch your mouth, show some respect." He snapped, "And I'm not interrogating you. Ever since you moved out, your mother hardly sees you anymore. She was worried." 

"Then she should have come to visit me instead of sending her guard dog to bite me in the ass." Chloe snapped, looking away. 

David's eyes flashed with anger, "Chloe Price!" He roared, "You know she loves you, she's just-"

"Too busy to come to see her only daughter." Chloe cut him off, glaring back at him. "Too ashamed to come to see her fucked up child," She went on, "Too scared to come to try to make amends." Her voice dropped into a tone of sadness and her punk facade faltered for a second before it came back with a vengeance. "Tell her to stop sending you and to come herself." She snapped, "I'm done with this shit."

David eyed her up and down, his eyes burning. "You're ungrateful." He said coldly. "You don't care about anyone but yourself, even your own mother means nothing." 

Immediately, Max felt searing anger rush through her.

"That's not true!" The words came out of Max's mouth before she could think twice. "No one cares more than Chloe. She's always thankful for everything, it's not her fault everything seems to bite her in the ass in return!" The ball was rolling and coming in fast. "She's had to deal with so much, you have no right to come into her home and yell at her for shit you can't ever understand!" Max froze and she trembled as his angry eyes towards her. She backed up and closed her eyes. "Y-You.." She tried not to cry but she couldn't stop the tears. "Y-You have no idea what she's had to endure just cause I.." Left. 

She looked down tried to calm herself down. His eyes reminded her so much of his.

Please don't hurt me. Please don't hurt me. Please don't hurt me.

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"Max." She froze and looked up, seeing hazel eyes looking at her with concern. "Breathe okay?"

"I think you need to go." Chloe said to David, who was staring at Max with a confused and dazed look. 

The man opened and closed his mouth before he nodded, "Y-Yeah.." He said distractedly, "I'll uh-" He paused, gazing at Max. "Are you okay?" 

"Go!" Chloe snapped and David immediately nodded, turning stiffly on his heel and walking away.

Max let out a gross sob and slumped onto the floor. 

Chloe and Rachel eyed her before they looked at each other. 

"Max," Chloe said softly, bending down. "Come on, he's gone." She lifted the hipsters chin and smiled. "Y'know what, let's go somewhere. All three of us, I know somewhere perfect." 

Max stared at her then turned to Rachel who smiled encouragingly. Her eyes flicked back to Chloe's and she felt her heart stutter as Chloe was looking at her with a softness she thought she'd never see again.

"Alright then, take me away Captain."