All That I Wanted

Chapter 12:You Have To Know

She woke up screaming, and when she noticed she slapped a hand over her mouth so hard she jolted. Chloe woke up with a start, a huge intake of air and an exclamation of "Max!" Throwing covers to the side as they both scrambled, legs and bodies moving till they were face to face. They struggled for a minute because she couldn't figure out where she was, or who was calling her name but then it all faded in, like water bleeding into paper. The hum of the fan on Chloe's desk, vibrating in place, The window, cracked open so the breeze could creep through. Chloe, all worried eyes and scratchy voice. She was here, not in some dark room with the click of a camera echoing off the walls.

"Max it's me-" Chloe called to her, and even though she was coming back into herself, every sound was murky. Almost muted.

"I know I know, I'm-" She pressed a hand to her chest, maybe to calm her heart, or just to make sure she was here." Sorry, sorry-"

Hands cupped the sides of her head, squishing brunette hair against her ears, searching with panicked eyes. They pried Max's hand from her mouth and nose, wiping the skin and sighing after her hand came back clean. She squirmed from the touch, flushing at the proximity Chloe had her at, and the cold bite of her fingers against her warm skin.

"What- what are you doing?" She asked, voice choked and small, finally still and coherent.

Chloe was breathing something harsh, diaphragm flexing visibly through her shirt. Her face was kind of blank, but it was dark so she couldn't see her that well.

"I'm- checking. Back in Seattle-" She sat back a little, hands on her lap. Her words finally pierced through the fog in her head."-when you.. we're bleeding." Chloe withdrew, fidgeting with her fingers."That's how it started."

She only remembered that through Chloe's own words, but she hadn't known until now that it affected her that much."Oh, Chloe... I'm ok it was just a...dream." She said, and her spine tingled. It was always more than a dream, always worse than one. More real then the air in her lungs right now.

"A nightmare, more like." She accused, in that way that always drew the truth out of her in seconds.

"Honestly, a memory." She admitted. Her throat was so dry. Her voice was so low, she was glad Chloe was close enough to hear her."But I'm ok. If I can remind myself, I wasn't even there in this timeline, it didn't even happen."

"Doesn't that make it harder?" Chloe's words hit a nerve, and she flinched away from the truth, the urge to agree. She was tired of worrying everyone all the time. She hated the attention. Not Chloe's attention, but just,,the worry. The late nights and screaming over something that didn't even happen.

"Maybe...but it does help."

"You're sure?"

"...kinda.'

"You're shaking. Do you.. want to talk about it? Try a different way?" The punk asked, rubbing her hands over her knees and sighing again, as the danger passed. The initial scare had her heart still beating a mile a minute." To deal with it. Or just go back to sleep? I can spoon you to sweet dream safety." Chloe offered, a small adorable tremble in her voice. Max giggled, her body relaxing. Finally. That smile, the same one from her childhood just always seemed to make everything okay.

"What does that even mean Che?" She inquired, shaking her head softly. Chloe beamed, gesturing to her own body.

"I'm saying all this, will protect you from angry brain attacks." She said, reinstating her offer. Max nodded, rolling her eyes, before taking one of Chloe's hands and pulling her close. She debated with the idea for a moment before she pulled the taller girl onto her lap. With no resistance. Chloe was always there, she knew, putting up fights to protect that image and punk exterior, but never with her.