The Calm Before The Storm

Heartbeat

~Max~

-March-

Home... home at last, *sigh* finally. Chloe and I had decided to stay in the bay until after the holidays, that way we didn't have to worry about me getting sick again. My dad came to visit for Christmas, well, he and his new girlfriend Misty. She's actually really nice and oddly comfortable with the idea of Chloe and I being a couple. We never actually told her anything. Chloe and I just happened to find each other under the mistletoe one night when we thought we were alone. She didn't panic or anything like I'd originally thought, Misty just stood there and smiled saying, "I knew it, I knew there was something going on between you two!". Anyways it was nice you know, having both our families together for Christmas, it made everything twice as cheery. Joyce, David, and Chloe are closer than I've ever seen, I even caught her calling David 'Dad', no matter how much she tries to deny it. I'm a lot closer to my dad as well. He seems a lot happier than he did the last time I saw him. I really hope Misty is treating him well, cause I get the feeling we're going to see her around a lot more. Oh, and I guess this would be a good time to say that Blue is coming to live with us. She's grown really attached to me over the past six months, so much so that she's almost always around me unless of course Chloe and I sneak out to escape the world for a bit. Huh, I honestly think Chloe's a bit jealous now that she has some competition for my attention. David came up to me right before we left and handed me Blue's leash, saying that I need her more than he does. I'm still not entirely sure what he meant by that, but I gratefully accept his kind gesture. Anyways, the moment Chloe and I have the door open, Blue darts inside and starts sniffing around the apartment. I set my bags down and flop down on the couch, sighing deeply. Chloe sits beside me and wraps her arm around me, "You okay?" she asks. I nod but don't reply. Truth is... my nerves are shot to hell. I had made the mistake of insisting I drive all the way back home and well... I haven't really driven all that much since the accident. I feel like I'm waiting for something bad to happen, remembering what the Voice said... that this was the beginning of the end. I-I think the voice was the reason I ended up at the lighthouse... I mean, I never planned on going there. I had decided to just tell Chloe about what I saw so we can face it together... I just had to build up the courage to tell her. The last thing I remember before the lighthouse was going to sleep the previous night. It's... it's almost as if I was being possessed by the Voice and the only thing that brought me back into reality was Chloe herself. The Voice... it's been uncharacteristically quiet ever since we left Arcadia Bay. Maybe that's a good thing now that I think about it. But... I'm always on edge... waiting... wondering when I'm going to hear it again. I curl up tightly against Chloe, resting my head against her chest; listening to the rhythmic beating of her heart. Boom Ba Boom. "I love you, " I whisper through a yawn. Boom Ba Boom. " I love you, too" She replies, kissing the top of my head. Boom Ba Boom. I take a long deep breath, my eyes feeling heavy. Boom Ba Boom. Chloe hugs me closer as the sweet sound of her heartbeat lulls me into a deep, dreamless sleep. Boom Ba Boom