The Pirates of Arcadia Bay

Unexpected

"Max...it's time..."

Max looked up slowly, not wanting to meet Chloe's eyes. She ignored the rain lashing against her. She didn't flinch at the flashes of lightning or the rolling thunder around them. The storm...her storm...seemed distant. One thought consumed her: she couldn't believe what she was about to do.

"Chloe...I'm so, so sorry...I...I don't want to do this," Max said.

Chloe stepped forward and hugged Max tightly.

"I know, Max," Chloe said, moving back and looking into Max's eyes, "but we have to. We have to save everybody, okay? And you'll make those fuckers pay for what they did to Rachel."

Max stared back, despair etched onto her face.

"Being together this week...it was the best farewell gift I could have hoped for," Chloe continued, her voice breaking, "you're my hero, Max."

Max shook her head and stepped forward. She couldn't think of what to say...there was nothing she could say to express how she felt. So she reached up, held Chloe's cheeks with her palms, and pressed her lips to Chloe's. Everything she couldn't find the words for, she put into the kiss. All of the time they'd shared, all of the regrets, and all of the love.

Max pulled away, hoping that Chloe understood.

"I'll always love you," Chloe said, backing away, "now, get out of here, please! Do it before I freak."

Max started to take a step towards Chloe but faltered. She opened her mouth to say something, but words failed her again.

"And Max Caulfield?" Chloe said, pointing and continuing to back away, "don't you forget about me."

"Never," Max said.

She willed herself to turn away from Chloe and out towards the bay, where the massive tornado inched towards the shoreline. Max knew that hundreds of people huddled in fear down below. Joyce? Warren? Alyssa? Daniel? So many...and none of them might survive. And still she almost stopped, almost turned back to Chloe.

But instead she stared down at the rain-streaked photo in her hands: the blue butterfly on the bucket. It seemed like she had taken the photo so long ago. She focused on it and in moments, everything was consumed by a bright light, the sounds of the storm faded, and then...

The click and whir of the camera. Max grabbed the photo, holding it for just a moment before letting it fall to the floor. She turned away and creeped to the edge of the stall, peering out into the dingy bathroom. Maybe something would be different; maybe Nathan wouldn't come. She waited.

When the door burst opened, Max jumped back to hide.

Nathan's voice.

Max stood numbly, listening to Nathan's attempts to reassure himself. A part of her felt sorry for him; a small part.

The door opened again.

Chloe said, "I hope you checked the perimeter, as my step-ass would say."

Max looked to the ceiling and then down in despair.

"Now, let's talk bidness," Chloe said.

Max sunk down to the floor, raising her hands to her head as Nathan and Chloe argued. Max trembled as their voices rose.