Author's Note: So this is slightly AU (Maxie is dating Logan, as Coop and Lulu never forgave the pair). The TMK is still roaming PC, and Spinelli and Maxie are still working together to bring the killer to justice.
I wouldn't suggest reading it if you're a fan of Logan, because dimly I'm aware people like that do exist. Also, sorry about all these new stories. I'm on a creative kick. I promise to finish Sometime It's Everything soon...
"Logan! Can you just – wait. Come on! Stop it!" Maxie exclaimed as he dragged her out of Kelly's, his grip tight against her small wrist. "Logan, would you just – Seriously!"
Maxie managed to shake his hand off her arm and stopped walking to rub her wrist. She could tell by the low light of the night that her skin was red, and would probably turn all sorts of fun colors tomorrow. Logan loomed over her, and then suddenly pushed her back against the brick wall unceremoniously.
"Listen, darlin," Logan drawled out, "I don't care whether I'm right or wrong – you never make me look like that in public again. Y'hear me?"
"What the hell is your problem?" Maxie said struggling against his hands. "Is it that time of the month, Logan? I have some Midol in my purse."
"I don't appreciate you talking to me like that," Logan said as he thrust a meaty finger into her face. Maxie smacked it away as he finally let her up.
"I don't appreciate you manhandling me like some sort of caveman!" Maxie shouted as she kicked him swiftly in the shin.
"Ow! Damn it, woman!" Logan pushed Maxie hard against the wall, and she felt the brick smash into her shoulder. She blinked furiously trying to process what was happening. Sure, Logan had never been much of a gentleman with her, especially after he lost Lulu but it had never been this bad.
Logan dropped in height so he could look her in the eye and she actually found herself afraid. She tried to squash it, but it wound up her stomach in tiny little knots. She took a deep breath as she saw him lean toward her, but all he did was brush his lips over hers and stride out angrily into the night.
Maxie slid down the wall, holding her wrist in her hand and trying to ignore the pain in her shoulder. All of a sudden all the tears she had locked away threatened to break. Georgie and Coop dead with the killer still out there somewhere, the way she had never got to fix things with Coop, all the awful things she had said to Georgie, Jesse and BJ. All of it was constantly lurking under her skin.
Laying her head on her knees she let the tears fall. Maxie shoulders jerked with the weight of her personal misery. The ground was cold as it seeped through her jeans, her nose was running something wicked, and her wrist and shoulder hurt pretty bad, but none of it mattered right now.
Maxie heard someone approaching and huddled deeper into herself just hoping they wouldn't notice her. The footsteps reached her, passed her, and then stopped. She wrapped her arms tighter around her knees as she listened to the footsteps walk back to her.
"W-wounded Blond One?" Maxie groaned. Of course The Jackal would happen by and be able to recognize her only by her coat and glimmer of blond hair. After all, they had been working closely enough looking for the Text Message Killer.
"No," Maxie muttered to her thighs. She told herself to just keep her head down and maybe he would leave her alone.
"Maxie, it's I: The Jackal, PI."
"No," Maxie said again. Everything got really quiet for a few minutes and she hopped Spinelli had left. She shivered a little, thinking that she'd have to head home soon, but not just yet. Not until she had control over herself. She heard something and lifted her head, only to see that Spinelli had not left, and was in fact now sitting down beside her. "What do you want?"
"The Jackal found your current state to be somewhat distressing, not to mention that it's late and we still believe the killer to be secretly skulking and slinking the streets," he said. Spinelli was resting his head on his knees, looking over at her. Maxie suddenly felt self-conscious and wiped at her face.
"Right. Well, I'm fine," Maxie said as she stood up.
"Clearly," Spinelli said dryly. Maxie looked out into the dark street, absentmindedly still rubbing her wrist. She heard Spinelli shift a little, and then go still. "Did something happen to your dainty wrist?"
"Uh, no. Why?" Maxie questioned, not wanting to get into it.
"You were favoring it."
"Oh," Maxie said as she dropped her hand away from it. "Nervous habit, I guess. Weird, huh?"
"The Jackal tries not to judge on all things weird," Spinelli said with a lopsided smile.
"Probably a good idea," Maxie said teasingly.
"So, do you want to talk about why you were so clearly fine just a few moments ago?"
"I'd rather not. I think I'm just going to call a cab and go home. I'm exhausted."
Spinelli nodded and fished his cellphone out of his jacket pocket and handed it to her wordlessly. Maxie smiled at him, and dialed for her cab. She flipped the phone shut and handed it back to him, their fingers brushing innocently.
"You can go now, you know. Cab is on it's way," Maxie confirmed.
"What kind of gentleman would I be if I do that?" Spinelli question, and Maxie shrugged indifferently. Even if he left her in the middle of a thunderstorm without an umbrella, he would still be more of a gentleman than her boyfriend.
They waited in amicable silence for the cab to pull up. When it finally did, Spinelli rushed to the door and opened it for her and Maxie hopped inside.
"Are you sure you want to stop by tomorrow to work on the case? We can postpone, or The Jackal can forge onward on his own," Spinelli offered hoping to make her feel better.
"I'll be there, so be ready," Maxie said as she leaned over to shut her door and waved at Spinelli through the window. Sighing, she sunk down into her seat and wondered what the hell had happened tonight, and what she was supposed to do about it.
When had getting what you wanted gotten so complicated? Maxie laughed bitterly as the voice inside her head whispered: Careful what you wish for...
