Similar powers

Chapter 30. Processing

1 week later

As a result of the events that occurred, many characters suffered physical and/or psychological trauma: Kate after being released had to go back to the hospital for assessments, in which it was noted how shaken she was by what had happened and that it would take a long time for her to recover. She received enormous support from her fellow students at Blackwell, especially Victoria who decided to take her under her wing to make it up to her for how she had treated her previously.

Mark Jefferson and Nathan Prescott

Immediately after being picked up in the RV, both were taken to the police station where Nathan instantly confessed to all the crimes he had committed, of the Dark Room and the kidnapping he had suffered. When the police heard about Dio Brando's and Rachel's phantom powers they dismissed it as the trauma suffered and the drugs the boy was taking, while Jefferson refrained from talking about this knowing they would not believe him. Both are now under arrest for various crimes awaiting trial.

Max and Chloe

After the confrontation, both were again hospitalized for their injuries: Max lost a lot of blood and sustained stab wounds, but her recovery was surprisingly quick, so much so that she was discharged after six days. Chloe, on the other hand, suffered minor injuries that healed within three days. After her discharge from the hospital, Max instantly went to Chloe's home to find out how she was doing both physically and psychologically.

*Max knocks on the door* "Hi Max, good to see you again."

"Same here Joyce."

Max enters the house, and as soon as he sees David sitting at the table he goes to greet him.

"Good to see you're all right Max."

"Same here David, I'm glad everything is finally back to normal. By the way, is Chloe upstairs?"

"David and I wanted to talk to you about that very thing: Max, sadly Chloe is broken. After she was discharged she didn't say half a word in the car, and when we came back she locked herself in her room and goes out just to go to the bathroom. Not even when William died did I see her like that."

"The difference here is that Chloe saw Rachel die in front of her, and the psychological impact of such an event can be really devastating."

"I can imagine that. When I tried to talk to her from outside the door, I tried to move her by telling her to call me step-douche again if it meant she would feel better, but instead she said, 'Leave me alone,' in a dull tone of voice, and meanwhile I could hear her crying, too. It hurt so much to hear Chloe like that."

"I am so sorry David. I will try to help Chloe as best I can, also because Rachel's funeral is in three days.

"You would be a great help Max, maybe you would be able to help her."

Max heads upstairs.

"Chloe, it's Max. Can I come in?"

After about fifteen seconds without an answer, Chloe opens the door and lets Max in. Max sees Chloe with red eyes and swollen, as well as the room full of used tissues, showing how Chloe has been bad for what happened in recent days.

"Thanks for being here."

"It was the least, no need to thank me."

"I can't sleep at night anymore, and the weed doesn't work either. I keep having nightmares about what happened to Rachel, and you can't imagine how that makes me feel bad."

"It's not your fault, Chloe, you did everything you could to help her."

"Bullshit. You told me that Rachel thought I died from that stab wound, and if I didn't do it that way, she'd still be alive."

"We can't know, we do not have the gift of ubiquity; therefore, it is useless to think about ifs and buts."

"Easy for you to say, since Rachel wasn't your best friend."

"It's not easy at all, I'm suffering as much as you, but in a different way. I think again about when I had to stab Dio in the throat, and in that moment I was so terrified that I thought I was going to die of a heart attack, and not by his hand. At night I wake up afraid he might show up again despite being dead, and I saw how bad he was Chloe, and in that moment if I did not scream it was very close.

"I acted like a bitch again, you can tell old habits die hard."

"Chloe, we both need help."

"If we told everything we experienced to a psychologist, rest assured we would be hospitalized who knows where because we would be taken for crazy."

"A psychologist is bound by professional secrecy, and since we haven't committed any crime you don't have to worry about anything."

"But..."

"Promise me we'll go after Rachel's funeral."

"I'm not going to the funeral, and if you want the reason, it's because if I catch Rachel's father, I'll kick his ass."

"You promised Rachel that you would talk to him. I don't know what happened, but if his last wishes were these, you have to respect them."

"That asshole hired a drug dealer to kill Rachel's biological mother, how could I approach him knowing that he did something like that to his daughter and tell him that she forgives him!"

"Chloe, why don't you ask yourself why Rachel wanted to forgive her father? Because she didn't want to die knowing that she was still harboring anger and resentment toward someone, whether it was her father, me, or anyone else. She could have killed Jefferson at the dump and she would have had every reason to, but she didn't."

"I wish I were as thoughtful as you Max, but instead look at me: I'm hurting my mother and David worse again than the other times. At least I used to talk to them, instead now I'm an apathetic shut-in who still thinks like a little girl who never grew up. I'll make an effort and come to the funeral."

"We'll get through this too Chloe, by now the supernatural events have passed, all that's left is to face real life."

"Good one."

Max hugs Chloe, who finally manages to regain a modicum of serenity after dark and sad days.