(I wasn't satisfied with the ending if you sacrificed Arcadia Bay instead of Chloe. I assume it was written that way because it was intended by everyone involve that you go for the tragic, the-innocent-must-die scenario for better plot development/conclusion, but honestly that itself is a such an overused, cliche trope that I think it would have been more interesting if it had been given equality from a writing standpoint in dialogue. Plus, the world is full of such sad endings, man. We need more "happy"* endings in stories [*note "happy" is a relative term, here. Not everything is without a price {OR A PUN!}.]. Hope you enjoy!)
Wowser. The town's totally wrecked.
Max Caulfield stared at the scenery of carnage around her as she and Chloe Price drove cautiously. Arcadia Bay was practically gone. Entire buildings were pulled from their foundations like trees from their roots, debris lay haphazardly scattered everywhere. What was once a gas station a mere day ago was now reduced to still-burning rubble, this was the same for several other establishments throughout the town in varying degrees ranging from "destroyed" to "completely annihilated".
"Fucking hell... This is insane, Max." Chloe said, stopping the car to look at her. Her clothes were still damp and her face was pale, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Max... We did this."
Max didn't regret her decision to save Chloe. She remembered looking at the photo and a sickening feeling settling in the pit of her stomach, worse than any before. Why? She had asked herself. Why does life have to be so cruel? Chloe is so young... Why does the universe want to keep us apart? It's not fucking fair!
Max remembered how time was moving so slowly that moment, though it had nothing to do with her powers. No matter how many times she tried, she couldn't save Chloe. Her best friend in the universe, her soulmate, seemed doomed to never know what it was like to grow old. She would never be able to feel the joy of finding someone to share her life with, to see the world change, to live a full and happy life. She would die young, painfully, heartbroken and scared.
She fucking deserves more than that! Max was filled with bitter rage and grief, her body shaking in the storm. She clenched the wet Polaroid with shaking, white fingers. Max had watched Chloe die so, so many times... She was sick and tired of feeling helpless. Not again. She didn't care if she had to destroy the entire world, she would unravel the very fabric of space and time itself. If it was to see Chloe smile one more time, to hear Chloe laugh again, to see Chloe with wrinkles and lines crinkling up around her eyes from fucking years of laughter and happiness...
It was worth it.
"No, Chloe," Max said, her lips pressed in a firm line and a sombre look on her face "You had nothing to do with it. I made this decision. I destroyed Arcadia Bay."
Chloe looked quickly down at her lap, nervously picking at the already-bitten fingernails of her hands. "But you did it because of me... If it weren't for me, you would have never discovered your powers and save me. I'm such a fuck-up, I can't even live without destroying everything. If I hadn't existed, there would be no one to save, no one to die..."
Max unbuckled her seatbelt and scooted over to Chloe, wrapping her arms around her. She found that Chloe was shaking. "...And no one to be my best friend, Chloe." Max added softly. "No one to have fun with like we did. No one to really know me like you do. No one to share laughter, to serve justice, to talk with..." Max placed a hand gently on Chloe's cheek, wiping the wetness of a tear away, "... To fall completely head-over-heels-crazy in love with."
Max leaned in with eyes closed and kissed the girl she loved, the chaotic Chloe Price, with a tenderness that she had never felt towards anyone before. She was so tangled-up in this person, this wonderful person, that she didn't think she could live without her. Breathing was hard enough when they were together, Max couldn't stand the thought of trying if they were apart. They shared too much.
Chloe pulled away, burying her face in Max's shoulder and sobbing. Max held her tight and rubbed her back soothingly, sadness flooding her suddenly as she too began to process everything that had just happened. Chloe's heartbreaking whimpers and cries that were so uncharacteristic were what broke her, and she felt hot tears stream down her cheeks.
Max bit back the sobs, though she shook. Chloe had always been the strong one for Max, and now she needed Max to be strong for her.
"... Chloe Price, I would undo time itself to be with you. I don't know what's going to happen next, but I know we're going to face it the way it should be. Together."
