After the Storm

What Remains

Quick A/N: If you prefer to read things on fanfiction.net, this is also on it if you look up juiluscaesar. You can also simply follow the link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12773858/1/After-the-Storm

Remnants of the destroyed town were scattered along streets which were once cleared for Max and Chloe to venture around just five years back. Although Chloe knew it was highly unlikely that her house survived through the storm, she wanted to check to be sure. She had mostly everything that she held near and dear to herself, having had prior knowledge of the storm thanks to Max's celestial, unexplained powers.

Max was slouching on the other side of the truck, trying desperately to wipe away the tears before Chloe could notice. However, Chloe knew, but she had no idea how to comfort her. Max just wiped out an entire fucking town for her, she could barely comprehend that in the first place. They both wanted to forget that it ever happened. They just wanted to sail away and explore the treacherous crevices that the world had to offer them, like pirates. Neither of them wanted to accept that their worlds have now changed forever.

Both of them wanted to break the silence, but it was impenetrable. As they pulled up to what remained of Chloe's house, Max grasped Chloe's hand. Max wanted to show support in some way, at least. Chloe looked at her and acknowledged it by nodding. It was a sad nod, however, and just looking into Chloe's sad, blue, puppy-dog eyes made Max's eyes glossy. The carpet where Chloe and Max spilled wine was gone, the television where they watched Blade Runner countless times was gone, almost everything was destroyed, the tornado made sure of that. The only thing that still remained were Max and Chloe's fond memories of childhood, even including the past week where they danced, laughed, reconnected, kissed. No one could tarnish that. No living thing, nor any natural disaster.

Chloe started the truck, but Max put her hand on Chloe's arm and furrowed her eyebrows. "You're not going to check it out? You could find something!" She tried to be as optimistic as she could, but the memories of every person she possibly killed haunted her brain as soon as she ripped that picture apart.

"Why would I? It's a shithole now. There's literally nothing left."

Max got out of the car in protest and ran over to the house. Chloe quickly ran after her, "Hey! What are you doing? That's dangerous!"

"Just saying, there are still some pieces of wood!" Max retorted. She picked up a piece of paper, which somehow made it out of all things. It wasn't just paper, though, it was a picture of Chloe and Rachel, the one that was on all of those posters that were once scattered around town.

"Holy shit," Chloe grabbed the picture from Max's hand, "how did that survive?"

"I have no clue, Che. Maybe her spirit is that powerful."

"After everything we've been through this week, I wouldn't be too surprised if that were the case." Since Chloe, well, Max, found the picture of her and Rachel, she wanted to see what else she could find.

After what seemed like hours of searching through the rubble, Chloe fell to her knees from exhaustion. "Let's jet, Mad Max. I don't think there's going to be anything else left."

Max sighed, wiping her hands on her, as Chloe called them, generic jeans. "Should we check to see if anyone is still alive?"

Chloe perked up and ran into the car, starting it immediately. "David might be if he stayed in the bunker, and I just need to know if the Two Whales survived that storm. I have to, Max." Max jolted as Chloe slammed her foot on the gas pedal, not caring about anything else that could possibly happen in that moment.

"I don't want to lose anyone anymore." Chloe muttered to herself as a single tear strolled down her face and onto her lap.

Max wiped it away and frowned, "I know, Che, you'll always have me forever. No matter what."

Chloe nodded, swallowing back the tears that she had been choking on since that fateful Monday morning. She had Max, she showed all of the love that she could possibly give to Chloe within those five days. She knew that Max was trying to make up for the lost time between them. Even though she practically had the concept of time at her mere fingertips, she could never change the fact that her parents moved and that they lost touch. Chloe did appreciate it, though, and she knew how much love they had for one another. Everything that Chloe had believed previously has now become a clean slate.

As they pulled up to the bunker, the two realized that the farm itself was completely gone, but the hatch leading to the bunker was still there. They ran to it and opened it, walking in and finding David with Jefferson unconscious next to him.

David's jaw dropped at the sight of them as he brought them into his arms. "Max, Chloe, you two are okay!"

"You have no idea how happy we are to see you, David." Max smiled in glee, just as Chloe did.

"Ugh, why did he survive?" Chloe pointed to Jefferson, who was making slight movements.

"I could not answer that even if I tried. Um, i-is Joyce okay?" David asked, stumbling over his words in nervousness.

"We don't know. We wanted to see if you were okay first." Max chimed in.

"Good lord, I really hope she is. Where were you two during the storm?"

"We were at the lighthouse. The storm didn't reach there." Chloe's voice was still shaky from crying earlier, as well as thinking about the possibility that both of her biological parents might be dead now.

"Oh. Well, thank goodness you two are alive. Go check on Joyce, though. Tell me what happens." David said, still with a tinge of nervousness in his voice.

"Why can't you come with us?" Max inquired.

"Gotta keep this shithead in place," David pointed to Jefferson, "I'm hoping for the best, though, for all of our sakes."

"Me too, David." Chloe slumped her shoulders as she turned around and left the bunker.

Chloe and Max bolted to the truck and Chloe sped off. The wait was killing both of them, they just had to know. Max turned herself to Chloe, "No matter what we find, I'll always be with you. I'll always support you through thick and thin."

Even though Chloe wanted to bring up that Max never had her back during those five years, she stayed silent. She couldn't let this consume her forever. She loved Max, she always has and she always will. There isn't a thing that she wouldn't do for her and Max showed her through sacrificing Arcadia Bay that she feels the same way about her. They were soulmates, and they knew it. But the term 'soulmates' is typically misconstrued. It has more than one meaning. It can be the person that you're meant to be with for the rest of your life, it can also just be your best friend that you get along with very well, it can be many things. Chloe knew that Max fit perfectly into each and every category, and Max knew the same.

"Thank you, Max. I'll always have your back, too. I kind of owe you after you sacrificed an entire town for me," Chloe chuckled, but Max frowned, "shit, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up."

Max's eyes started to well up, so she turned away. Chloe looked over to her and pulled over to the side of the street.

"What are you doing?" Max wiped away the tears.

Chloe brought her in for a hug, making sure she knew how grateful she was for someone in her life like Max. Fuck the past five years. Fuck everything. Chloe is Max's number one priority, so Max is her number one priority. Max reciprocated the hug, letting the tears flow. There was so much love in that one hug. Chloe made sure of that.

"Max, I love you. I feel like I've neglected to show you that through these five days. You went through fucking hell and back for me so many times when I'm not worthy of it. I'm not worthy of you, Mad Max. Thank you, I'm sorry." Chloe let go of the shorter girl and pulled onto the road.

"Chloe?" Max's voice cracked.

"Yeah?" Chloe looked over at Max for a brief second before refocusing on the road before them.

"I love you, too."