It was like a flash of light. Suddenly, Max found herself sitting on the ground. She was outside the Blackwell school building. Her clothes didn't match anything that she would normally wear. A purple cardigan and jewelry were never her style. The good news was that she appeared to be back in the present. Now it was a matter of figuring out just how much she had changed reality. On her wrist, she noticed a curious looking bracelet. It was blue in color with leather ribbons. She could swear that she had seen it before. Around her, the entire Vortex Club elite was assembled: Courtney, Victoria, Taylor and also Nathan and a few others. Looking at Nathan, Max panicked for a moment, remembering her encounters with him vividly. Thankfully, he seemed rather comfortable and happy with himself and didn't seem to pay too much attention to her. For once, he didn't look like he was about to murder someone. That was different.

"Are you ok Maxine?", a voice said. Max turned to see none other than Victoria Chase sitting next to her, getting way too close to her face, with a slight expression of concern.

"Max. Never Maxine."

Getting up, Max noticed the sun started going down. It must have been late in the afternoon. A warm glow enveloped the entire schoolyard. It felt so peaceful, yet somber. She had to get to Chloe's place before dark.

"I knew we shouldn't have let her into the Vortex!", a voice proclaimed. It was Courtney, one of Victoria's lackeys.

"You don't want anyone in the Vortex Club Courtney!", Victoria replied.

It appears that Courtney was now running the Vortex Club.

Max didn't care about any of this and started walking away, trying to piece together what had just happened. She went back to the present. Or was it the future? Just thinking about it made her head spin. While the Blackwell campus seemed unchanged, it was clear that things weren't the same as when she left. William and Chloe must have been somewhere. Max wanted to immediately go to the Price's house to find out. As she headed to the bus stop, she spotted Warren holding hands with Stella. They were both smiling and had their eyes locked, having a pleasant conversation. A part of Max wanted to go up to Warren and ask what the hell this was about but realized that in this timeline, he probably never got interested in her, for whatever reason. He wouldn't even look at her as she passed them. As if they were strangers. Max wanted to be sad about this but somehow wasn't. Warren has always been a good friend to her but she never felt receptive towards his obvious advances. Apparently, the Max of this time was even less so. Either that or this Warren didn't care about her.

Right now, there was no time to dwell on this, she had a bus to catch. Chloe and William had to be out there.

Waiting for the bus, Max wondered how the hell she could ever be friends with the likes of Victoria, let alone the rest of the Vortex. After she witnessed what they had done to poor Kate Marsh, being friends with such people seemed impossible to her. But then again, Kate's attempt at taking her own life might not have occurred here. Still, what was she thinking? Or rather, what was her counterpart from this timeline thinking? It made her head hurt. A question for another time, Chloe was her priority now.

Max saw the school bus pull up to the curb to pick up the students. The driver wasn't who she expected though. It was David Madsen. It would appear Blackwell hired someone else as security in his place. It was no surprise, considering him and Joyce never hooked up. His life had taken a different path just as hers must have. With him not seeming to recognize her, Max was about to get on the bus when, out of nowhere, someone jumped her from behind. It wasn't in an aggressive kind of way, but rather a playful one.

"Hey selfie-queen, thought you could just leave without me?", an unknown voice said.

Max turned to see a strangely familiar face. She beheld a girl about her height and age with hazel-colored eyes and a blue feather dangling from her left ear, wearing a red and black flannel. Max recognized it as the same outfit she was wearing just a little while ago. It couldn't be. Was this Rachel Amber?

Max felt nervous and wasn't sure how to react. She was drop-dead gorgeous, even Max could admit that. Her missing person photo did not do her justice in the slightest. No wonder Rachel managed to turn everyone at Blackwell into a fan of hers, or a hater. Max also felt something strange, as if a powerful aura surrounded Rachel, something that defied description.

"Uh... a.. are you Rachel Amber?", Max managed to jumble.

Rachel raised an eyebrow in response.

"Did you hit your head taking pictures with your phone or something? Or did Victoria sneak something into your coffee this morning?", Rachel said.

Max noticed Rachel looking right at her as if her eyes were probing her mind. She couldn't explain it, but somehow it felt like Rachel was seeing right through her.

"Don't you remember that we wanted to hang out after school? We were going to walk into town for your weekly shopping spree, unless of course you made other plans?", she asked.

"Oh no, it's just that I didn't think I would see you today. But wowser, am I glad to. Chloe will be so happy to see you!", Max replied hastily.

Rachel angled her head slightly, apparently confused by what Max said.

"Who is Chloe?"

The words hit Max like flying bricks. Rachel had no clue who she was talking about, didn't she? After bending time and space, trying to change Chloe's life for the better and trying to find Rachel, this was it? They didn't know each other. How could that be?! Max wasn't about to give up just yet.

"Are you sure? She is a bit taller than you, blue hair and wears punk clothes. That and she's got hella attitude at times."

Rachel seemed to think for a second but then said, "No, I'm fairly positive I don't know her. I know everyone around here. But blue hair sounds badass, I admit."

Max could feel her stomach sinking. She somehow managed to find Rachel but yet failed at the same time. Life was so not fair. Her disappointed expression didn't escape Rachel's attention.

"Just what is going on with you Maxine? Do I need to worry about you?", a tone of genuine concern in her voice.

Overwhelmed by emotions of failure and sadness, Max felt herself tearing up and tried her best to wipe away the tears. She failed her best friend. Again. Even if she were to find Chloe now, how could she possibly explain to her what happened without sounding like a crazy person? Would she even listen? And most importantly, does she even know her in this reality? Rachel mattered so much to Chloe, how could she just take her away like this? Did Max just screw up everything? First, she abandoned Chloe for 5 years straight and now she also took away her lover. Way to go Supermax.

Suddenly, she felt a warming embrace. Rachel had laid her arms around her. Frozen like a deer in the headlights, Max wasn't sure what to feel. What was going on?

"You know you can trust me right? You always have. If there is something wrong, please tell me. You know I hate being left in the dark.", Rachel said almost in a whisper.

Max's mind was racing. Where she felt sadness a moment ago, she now felt utter confusion. Were her and Rachel best friends now or something? Or possibly even more than that? Her mind had a hard time processing this.

On the verge of freaking out, Max uttered: "I'm not sure if I understand it myself. Everything is so different now! How do I know that this isn't just a nightmare? What are we? Are you even real?"

Max looked down to the ground, feeling overwhelmed with the situation.

Rachel took hold of her arms. "A nightmare huh? Well, I think I know something that should snap you out of it and convince you otherwise."

"Like what?", Max asked with a slight hint of trepidation in her voice.

Before she could react, Max could feel making contact with Rachel's lips. For a moment, time seemed to stand still. It felt so weird and she was reminded of that time when Chloe had dared her to kiss her as well, which she did back then, but it didn't feel like this. This was less playful and felt more like a passionate kiss between lovers and it was way more intense. The experience felt like it should have been a familiar one to her, but it wasn't. Part of her wanted to wrestle free, the other wanted to endure.

When it was over, Rachel looked her dead in the eyes and asked: "How about now? Do you still think this is a nightmare?"

Max wasn't sure what to think. On the one hand, the fact that someone could truly love her seemed so surreal, but on the other hand, she knew deep down that she had been craving this feeling her whole life, without knowing it. But she didn't know Rachel at all. Everything she ever knew about her came from Chloe and the people Rachel used to hang with. How was she gonna deal with this so suddenly? How can she avoid hurting Rachel's feelings? Someone who might as well be a total stranger to her. It made her mind numb. Then her conscience kicked in and reminded her why she came here. Although in the meantime, the bus had left the school grounds.

"Rachel, this is going to sound hella strange, but you got to believe me. I need to find Chloe. It's why I was about to get on the bus. I'm sorry that I cannot explain it better right now, but it is important that I get to her place as soon as possible."

Rachel's expression was hard to read, but it clearly was not the reaction she expected.

After a moment of thinking it over, she replied by saying, "Well, I'm a sucker for mystery, as you should know, so if it means this much to you, then fine, let's do it. Although it seems you missed your bus. I can give you a ride though."

Although she didn't say it, it was clear that there was a hint of disappointment in her voice.

As they approached the parking lot, Max spotted Warren's old car. What she didn't expect was for Rachel to unlock it and get in. It appeared as though Warren had to find himself a different set of wheels this time around.

"Are you still planning that Vortex Club party for Halloween?.", Rachel asked.

"Party? Uh no. I'm not really in the mood for any parties right now."

"Well, that's a first. I'm sure your bootlicker Victoria will be all over that opportunity then."

There was no way Rachel would buy her story about rewinding time and traveling through pictures, so Max elected to not mention any of it, at least not yet, which became progressively harder as Rachel clearly became more suspicious. Eventually, she would have to come clean unless she wanted to be thought of as a lunatic. At the same time, Max found it hard to act like someone who she wasn't. Partying with the Vortex Club? Not in a million years! Especially not after what happened to Kate there.

"You are being so weird today. Are you suffering amnesia Maxine?"

Max turned to her saying, "I guess you could say that. It feels like a different world today. Like I woke up as someone else. And also, please just call me Max, never Maxine."

Rachel raised an eyebrow at that remark.

"Ok, now I know something is wrong with you. You insisted on me calling you Maxine ever since we met online all those years ago. You really do seem like someone else today. I don't mean that in an offensive way, but I can't help but notice you know.", she said with a hint of suspicion in her voice.

After Max told her where to go, Rachel drove along the shoreline. Hopefully, Chloe's address didn't change. The view of the ocean was amazing as always, with the golden hue of the late afternoon sun painting an amazing image. What a perfect shot this would have made. Too bad she didn't carry her camera anymore. How could any version of her live without one anyway? Then she noticed a pod of beached whales, lined along the beach like logs. It was an unnatural and unsettling sight. Was the world just going completely stir-crazy? Flocks of seagulls swarmed over them like vultures. An image so majestic yet so dark. Evidently, the eco-disasters continued. Was the storm still coming? And what else would occur until then?

Then something else occurred to Max, "Hey Rachel? Do you know someone named Frank Bowers?"

"Can't say I do. Who is that?"

"It's not that important. I was just curious.", Max answered with an audible sigh of relief. That was one problem avoided.

"How was school?", Rachel asked her.

Max wasn't sure what to say. She had no clue what to say, considering she was unfamiliar with her schedule here.

"It was alright, I guess. Yours?"

"I nailed it in drama class, as usual. I really hope we get to do another performance soon."

So Rachel was into acting, something Max was not aware of. This caused her to become a bit more curious.

"What was your favorite role you ever played?", she asked Rachel nervously.

"I'm pretty sure I told you that, but it was the role of Prospera. Remember that I told you that a few years ago Blackwell adapted "The Tempest"? They had recast the role of Prospero to me. I would love to go back and do it all over again.", Rachel mused.

"That sounds cool, must have been quite the show.", Max said, before catching herself staring at the lighthouse in the distance.
She didn't notice it, but Rachel kept giving her concerning glances all the way to Chloe's house.

Before getting out, Rachel said to Max: "I hope that whatever this is about will snap you out of it. I have never seen you being this strange before."

She did not reply, her mind being entirely focused on making sure that Chloe and William were alive and well. After getting out of the car, Max immediately recognized the house. It looked mostly the same, now sporting a full coat of blue paint and what seemed like a wheelchair ramp at the door. There was no doubt that this was the same building.

"Are you sure you want me to stay?", Rachel asked.

Max turned to her saying, "Yes, please. I absolutely need you to be here for this."

After ringing the doorbell, Max stood anxiously waiting to find the answer to her most important question. The waiting felt like hours when in reality only a few seconds had passed. Then, someone came and opened the door. It was William!

With an expression of pleasant surprise, he welcomed her.

"Max Caulfield! Back from taking a break after taking Seattle by storm? We thought we would never see you again after you left for the big city."

Shaking her head in disagreement, Max proclaimed, "No. I would never do that Chloe. Oh and this is Rachel, she is a friend of mine as well and I would like for Chloe to meet her too."

William took a step back inside the house.

"Speaking of... I know she's been dying to see you. Hold on." He turned around and yelled, "Chloe! You have visitors!"

What happened next, hit Max like a punch to the gut. There was Chloe, coming down the hallway. But she wasn't anything like Max remembered her. She was strapped to a wheelchair with a tube that was attached to her throat. It was obvious that she was not able to move. Gone were the blue hair, instead she donned her natural blonde and gone were the rebellious punk clothes and tattoos. Max couldn't help but cover her mouth with her hand in shock. This is not how it was meant to be!