“In the darkness, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk. Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood like a hundred golden urns pouring out of the sun.”
– Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles
Watching, Max and Chloe sat in wait, existing inside a pocket of reality outside of any timeline. From their perspectives, they were in a booth at the Two Whales diner, cuddled in each other’s warmth, watching the moments before the storm hit Arcadia Bay through a portal window. More specifically, they were witnessing the most intense moment they had ever experienced together, hoping to see Max would choose differently this time.
The litany of emotions Max was experiencing nearly overwhelmed her. She was finally united with her best friend and soulmate, Chloe, causing her heart to brim with joy. She had spent every second since October 11, 2013, wanting nothing more than to be with the one person who mattered most. Now that they were finally united, a large part of her felt a fulfillment she had only dreamt about. At the other end of the spectrum, she was nervous and anxious about the next few minutes, praying she did enough to change the decision at the lighthouse.
The pair remained snuggled in each other’s embrace as they observed through the window.
“Come on Max, we’re almost there! Please wake up! Max, can you hear me? Hang on, Max, we can make it! Listen to me! Max! We’re near the lighthouse! Dammit, Max, don’t let me down!”
A soaked brunette staggered and stumbled towards her destination on top of the cliff, finally catching up to her own reality.
“Max? Max, can you hear me? Please say something.”
“Chloe? I… I must have passed out… Sorry.”
“Oh, thank God… Don’t you ever do that again, okay?”
“I swear… but that nightmare was so real… so horrible…”
Taking Max by the arm, Chloe helped her stand to her feet. Max slowly scanned the area, looking out towards the bay; towards the massive tornado, both terrified and disgusted.
“This is my storm. I caused this… I caused all of this. I changed fate and destiny so much that… I actually did alter the course of everything. And all I really created was death and destruction!”
“Fuck all of that, okay? You were given a power. You didn’t ask for it… and you saved me. Which had to happen, all of this did… except for what happened to Rachel. But without your power, we wouldn’t have found her! Okay, so you’re not the goddamn Time Master, but you’re Maxine Caulfield… and you’re amazing. Max, this is the only way.”
As Chloe handed Max the photo she took of the blue butterfly in the Blackwell restroom, at the diner, tears began burning the back of Max’s eyes. She looked up at Chloe from her cradled position and saw tears sliding down her face as well.
“I love you, Chloe. No matter how this turns out, I fucking love you.”
Chloe squeezed Max, craned down, and kissed her on the cheek. “Love you too, Dude.”
“I hope she makes the right decision. She has to, Chloe. Right? After everything…”
“She will, Super Max,” Chloe interrupted. “She will.”
As Max reached up and wiped Chloe’s cheek, Chloe was already wiping Max’s, tenderly.
“But,” Max started, “what if she doesn’t? What happens then? What will happen to us?” She shifted around and made eye contact with Chloe awaiting her response.
Chloe shook her head and looked away, angling her line of sight towards the portal. Max blinked a few times and returned to watching the lighthouse moment as well.
“I feel like I took this shot a thousand years ago.”
“You… You could use that photo to change everything right back to when you took that picture. All that would take is for me to… to…”
“Fuck that! No… no way! You are my number one priority now. You are all that matters to me.”
“I know. You proved that over and over again… even though I don’t deserve it. I’m so selfish… not like my mom… Look what she had to give up and live through… and she did. She deserves so much more than to be killed by a storm in a fucking diner. Even my step… father deserves her alive. There’s so many more people in Arcadia Bay who should live… way more than me…”
“Don’t say that… I won’t trade you.”
“You’re not trading me. Maybe you’ve just been delaying my real destiny… Look at how many times I’ve almost died or actually died around you. Look at what’s happened in Arcadia Bay ever since you first saved me. I know I’ve been selfish, but for once I think I should accept my fate… our fate…”
“Chloe…”
“Max, you finally came back to me this week, and… you did nothing but show me your love and friendship. You made me smile and laugh, like I haven’t done in years. Wherever I end up after this… in whatever reality… all those moments between us were real, and they’ll always be ours. No matter what you choose, I know you’ll make the right decision.”
“Chloe… I can’t make this choice…”
“No, Max… You’re the only one who can.”
The two men stood in silence in an empty, blackened space watching the end as it approached. From their viewpoints, they could see both Max and Chloe together in the diner and, out the window past the girls, Max and Chloe together on the cliff. William’s arms were crossed at his chest as he nervously fidgeted with a piece of clothing under his elbow.
“I thought you were gone, Voodoo Man – or Tobanga,” William confessed. “Why did you come back here?”
“Did you think I wouldn’t show? I know I do not have a dog in this fight, as they say, but we worked hard to get here. I would not miss it. And, truth be known, I guess I am starting to care for your children, both Chloe AND Max.”
“They’re pretty special, yeah?”
“They are. But do you know what makes me the most curious about all of this, William?”
“No, what?” The blonde man shrugged.
“The girl who provided Max with that bike; the one with the streak of red in her hair. Wrapping my mind around everything we went through; that detail plagues me. I was far from in control of that scenario, but I am thankful that girl was there. I feel like this version of Max would not have made it without her.”
“I’m not sure either. If you don’t know, neither do I.”
The men observed as Max made her way up to Chloe on the cliff.
“Max, you finally came back to me this week, and… you did nothing but show me your love and friendship. You made me smile and laugh, like I haven’t done in years. Wherever I end up after this… in whatever reality… all those moments between us were real, and they’ll always be ours. No matter what you choose, I know you’ll make the right decision.”
“Chloe… I can’t make this choice…”
“No, Max… You’re the only one who can.”
William unfolded his arms and instinctively put his hands over his face, allowing a space between fingers to view Max’s decision.
“Max… it’s time…”
Tobanga stretched his arm out and placed it on William’s shoulder. “I do not believe I will leave quite yet. As much as I want to see my family again, I feel like my time is not finished here. I must find out about that girl. Something tells me she is important.”
“Fuck, Max!” William bellowed towards the darkness. “Save Chloe, PLEASE!”
The decision was made and William dropped to his knees, a deluge of tears spilling down his face. The man was too emotional to speak. His body suddenly glowed with a bright, golden hue. A moment later, he vanished, passing on to his next adventure.
Tobanga waved his hand and the diner and portal window vanished.
“I have to find that girl.”
