The Winter Harbor

Chapter 3: Kids Will Be Skeletons

Time wasn't on the duo's side.

An exhausted Max Caulfield concentrated all of her will and mind power. But...

Nothing.

Blood dripped onto the ice they were resting on. A concerned Chloe shook Max with her foot, scared to come any closer as to add more weight to the already fragile ice. "What the fuck Max, you're bleeding?"

The horrible pain in her head had returned. Chloe saw the pain etched on her face. Feeling defeated, Max dropped her hand. This was the first time since Kate's incident at Blackwell that she was not in full control of her powers. "I've been better." Max wiped off her nose with her sleeve. "I think you should go get help."

"No way I'm leaving you." Chloe snapped back.

"If you don't we both are going to be under this lake."

"Then I'm coming with you. Pirates go down with their ship." 

"Chloe, please."

Max's head was pounding. Her headaches get worse every single time she tries her power. They had to be still within her as her nosebleed gave her any indication.

So why wasn't it working? Why now?

Chloe noticed her friend's eyes glazing over. This prompted Chloe to take action. She wasn't going to watch her favorite person in the world die before her eyes. "Just— just stay right here and don't move, Max."

Exhausted, Max nodded her head as Chloe carefully tiptoed back on the ice and back into the woods. She gave one last look to her best friend before vanishing from Max's sight.

And Max had drifted off to sleep.

Some time later, Chloe was pacing back and forth in a waiting room at Bay Hospital. William and Joyce were sat, anxious as well, with the results of her condition. William had tried to reassure Chloe since they got there that everything was going to be fine but Chloe was having none of that dad pep talk. Not today. Chloe kicked the table in impatience. Right then, a nurse walked through the door and Chloe ran up to talk to her. "She's going to be okay right?" Chloe held up her hands in a prayer-like manner and bit her bottom lips nervously.

"She's stable. But she may have a concussion. She's displaying all the signs of one."

"Max never hit her head. It was so weird. She just held up her hand and a fountain of blood was pouring from her nose."

"We are going to keep her overnight to see if there's any changes in her condition. Please try not to worry."

Fucking doctors are always so goddamn vague.

It upset Chloe that Max would have to spend the rest of her Christmas in a hospital. "Can I at least go back and see her?"

"Of course. 15 mins is all I can give you." The nurse advised and pointed in the direction of where Max was being held. "Turn left down this hall and her room is 212."

Chloe had to keep from running down the hall to see her partner in crime. It took no time to find her room. Chloe walked in and Max perked up in her hospital bed having just woke up. Chloe pulled up the doctor's rolling chair and planted herself beside Max.

"How you feeling?" Chloe felt reassured seeing her freckled pirate was awake and alert.

Max turned to her still showing fatigue. This medication they gave me helped my head pains but I'm just more shocked than anything. It all happened so quickly. You saw it, right?"

"Saw what?"

"A deer. I used to see a deer all the time. I didn't know what it meant for awhile, and today was the first time I've seen it in awhile, but I feel like every time it appears, really bad things seem to happen. Like its trying to tell me something."