Once Again
A story about two people who found love in the place they least likely expected.
Prologue
She stood in a room full of guests, guests to her Cousin Robin's wedding. The reception was almost over and for most of the hour she had been dancing with multiple gentlemen, but the man she really wanted to be in the presence of, the man she really wanted to hold her hand and have his other around her waist, she had yet to dance with. Instead of telling him that she never thought their friendship would transpire into something as beautiful as love she was in the presence of her father who was holding her beautiful four month old baby and listening to him talk with her obstetrician, the handsome new doctor at General Hospital who joined the staff over a year ago. She stood there listening to them briefly converse on politics, golf and work, but as Mac began to hint around her relationship with the doctor, the feeling in her heart that had slowly been building up for the past couple of minutes, had finally reached it's breaking point. As she felt his hand press against her back, she got this awful feeling in the pit of her stomach and an even stronger feeling in her heart. This feeling in her heart was like a voice, Robin had once told her that even though Georgie was gone, she could be found in all of us and those that knew her best had a piece of her in their heart, that piece was a little voice telling them what was right and what was wrong. At that moment Maxie Jones's heart was telling to go back to the man that wanted to dance with her, go back to the man who looked hurt when she chose the doctor over him, go back to the man who's the father of her child and the keeper of her heart.
The conductor of the band nodded at the song to be played, "And now for the last dance of the night, a special request, Once Again by Frankie Jordan."
She knew she had heard the title before, it sounded familiar, but it wasn't until the lyrics played that she became reminded of where she had heard it.
I welcome you inside my life
For what you do
Oh you make me happy
So very happy
Once again
"Spinelli," she said under her breath turning around hoping to see him sitting at the table, but instead saw a small box on the chair.
Here I stand
So inspired
To take your hand
And never take for granted
What I was granted
Once again
"Where is he?" She frantically looked around the room.
"Who?" Mac asked.
"Spinelli!" She yelled at him before running off to the table where she picked up the box, "Shoot." She looked up from the sparkling ring wondering where her prince had run off to and then she saw Robin and Patrick who pointed out the room and like that, she was gone.
I never thought I could love again
I never thought I'd let somebody else in
I never thought I could trust and then
Here I am in love once again
"Spinelli!" She shouted at the top of the stairs.
He stood at the bottom of the set of stairs she was at, every ounce of him was telling him to keep going, to not turn around, she'd only break his heart further.
"Is this for real?" She asked as he slowly faced her for the voice in his heart was telling him to hear her out.
"Is what for real?" He fully turned around to see what she was talking about.
Walking down the steps she waited till she stood in front of him, "Is this, what I think it means?"
"What do you think it means?" He asked her hoping she'd be able to figure out.
She looked at him not amused by the back and forth questioning; all she wanted was simple answer.
"Yes, Maxie, can I have it back," he looked at her just wanting to forget this night.
"Only on one condition," she looked at him hoping he would know what she wanted him to do.
"What?" He tried to grab the box but she whisked it away.
"That you don't leave here without asking me," she put it in plain sight for him to grab.
"What makes you think I want to ask you now?" He took the box.
"You don't?" She looked worrisome at him for she never thought she'd be too late.
"I don't know Maxie," he walked away from her down the next flight of stairs.
"Spinelli wait!" She ran after him.
"Maxie I'll pick her up tomorrow, I hope you and the doctor live happily ever after," he slid his hands in his pockets slowly walking down the stairs.
"The doctor?" She looked confused and then finally realized he had jumped to the wrong conclusion.
She ran down the stairs as fast as she could till she caught up to him where she placed her hand on his arm forcing him to stop and look at her, "Spinelli you can't be serious."
"No of course not, I Damian Spinelli can't be serious, I only quit working for best friend, decided to be a father thus giving up my free nights of ruling cyberspace, and oh yeah let's not forget the part where I stopped speaking 'spinelli' and use the rest of my energy when I'm not running my detective agency, to be jerked around by you, I do it all for you, to make you happy and you don't think I'm serious?" He frowned at her while nodding in disappointment before turning away from her and slowly making his way down the stairs.
You touched my heart
Now I can breathe
You saved my life
And still I can't believe you made it happen
Made it happen
Once again
"Spinelli stop! Just stop okay…" She continued following him closely down the stairs asking him to stop and when he finally did she tripped on the last step and fell directly into his arms.
His eyes fell upon hers and he suddenly found himself having a hard time asking "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," she said as she slowly fixed her position and was now standing right in front of him looking into his eyes, "Spinelli…"
He looked at her not wanting to be this close to her anymore, it hurt to much for her to look at him the way she does and it all be for friendship and nothing more.
As he tried to walk away she placed her hand on his cheek, "How could you ever think I'd want to be with our Obstetrician over the father of my child?"
"There's only one man I want to be with and he's standing right in front of me," she looked into his eyes and pulled him into a kiss.
I never thought I could love again
I never thought I'd let somebody else in
I never thought I could trust and then
Here I am in love once again
The kiss was great, but like all her other kisses, he felt like it lacked truth behind it; it lacked what she was really trying to say. It was as if she used it to change subjects, to make things okay for the moment, but later would change her mind.
He leaned out of the kiss with a frown, "I'm sorry." He removed his hand off her cheek and walked to the doors.
"What do you want from me?" She wondered why the kiss wasn't enough.
"Not a kiss to patch things up for the moment," he stood at the exit getting ready to leave.
"Wait!" she shouted as he placed his hands on the doors.
"What if that's not good enough for me?" She walked towards him, "What if I want something more?"
"I'm listening…" He removed his hands from the door.
She walked towards him as he leaned on the doorframe, "After we came from the abortion clinic you could see I was scared, you knew that, you knew I was afraid to have a baby and what did you do?" She stopped right in from of him.
"We sat in your car while that song played and you told me everything was going to be okay. You told me you would take care of me and you said I had nothing to worry about," she placed her hand on his cheek, "And then you let me cry on your shoulder all night, you held me in your arms and I felt so safe that I stopped crying because I began to believe you and when you looked into my eyes you knew that, that's why you kissed my forehead and told me you would always be there for me no matter what. Regardless of the baby you said I could always count on you."
"You still can," he looked deep into her eyes wishing her next words would answer his prayers, his wishes, his dreams.
"A part of me realized that night that not only was I thankful that the guy that knocked me up cared enough to stay and be my best friend, but I realized that I could love you," she saw his eyes look up at hers, "I fell in love with you that night because you kept me from falling apart and I fell in love with you everyday after that because you cared not just about the baby, but me too, you loved both of us and I love you now for giving me the best life I could have ever imagined."
And when I see you baby this is when
I want to scream it at the top of my lungs
I love you baby!
I know I'll never have this chance again
She planted both hands on his cheeks, "I love you and only you."
"Good because there's something I've been meaning to ask you," he removed her hands from his cheeks.
Getting down on one knee he looked up at her and smiled, "I love you and I love our daughter and I would be honored if you would be my wife, will you marry me?"
Tears fell from her cheeks, they were the words she had been waiting to hear for a long time, "Yes, I'll marry you."
He laughed in disbelief, the moment he had only dreamed of was finally coming true and little did he know that this had been a moment she had been dreaming of all her life and in a way the mysterious man whom she never thought was revealed to her in her dreams, it was him all along, she just wasn't looking.
I never thought I could love again
I never thought I'd let somebody else in
I never thought I could trust and then
Here I am in love once again
He quickly got off his knee and took the ring out of the box and placed it on her finger, "You've made me the happiest man on earth…"
"Don't you mean cyberspace?" She put her arms around his neck.
He laughed nodding his head in playfulness, only she would say that, only she would say it and make him laugh, "I love you Maxie Jones." He swept her off her feet, "Spinelli! Where are we going?"
"Back to the reception hall, I want to see the look on his face when he sees me walk in with you and then after that we're switching back to Dr. Lee as your Obstetrician okay?" He walked towards the elevator.
"Okay," she laughed as he pulled her into another kiss and pushed the button up to floor of the reception.
"And then…" She looked into his eyes hoping he'd say what they would do afterwards.
"Then you're gonna dance with me."
"Oh I am?" She planted her hand on his cheek, "Well there's a reason I saved the last dance for you."
He looked at her puzzled and she rolled her eyes, "Because you always remember the last dance," she leaned into kiss him, but he pulled away, "Just to let you know, you had me at Spinelli."
He smiled seeing her face turn into a playful annoyance, "Spinelli!" She hit his shoulder wanting to go on a rant, but he put his fingers over her mouth, "Shh…you'll ruin it."
He waited for her to smile and then he pulled her into a kiss, a kiss that started it all, a kiss that was now ending it all, it was sealing there fait as forever in love, forever together and forever living the fairytale they dreamed of.
I welcome you inside my life
For what you do
Oh you make me happy
So very happy
Once again...
This is their story, from beginning to end, this is how two people came together as friends, but ended as lovers.
Chapter 1: Words are like weapons they wound sometimes
"SPINELLI!" Spinelli jumped at Jason's harsh calling of his name in the interrogation room.
"It's best for Jake," Jason quietly muttered as Mac opened the door and entered the room.
"You're free to go," Mac motioned while cringing at having to let the town's number one hit-man once again leave the precinct.
Jason nodded, getting up from the chair and walking to Spinelli who was slowly shuffling to the door when he suddenly stopped as Mac addressed him, not Jason, but him.
He turned to the commissioner not at all expecting the words he was about to say, words that would make him realize once and forever what Jason had been trying to explain to him all along.
"Some how I know you're the reason Maxie almost got killed last night," Mac pointed his fingers at him. There was time when Mac liked Spinelli, there was time when he thought the odd boy whom he knew was sweet for that was why Georgie befriended him, was good for his daughters, but now, now he wasn't so sure.
Jason glanced at Spinelli knowing he didn't need to hear Mac's lecture for he would repeat the same words later, but in a manner that wouldn't hurt him as much as Mac's were just about to, "Come on Spinelli…"
"You can leave," Mac pointed his fingers to Jason, "I need to have a chat with Spinelli."
"No you don't," Jason looked at him like he didn't need to talk to him at all.
"This doesn't concern you Morgan, now get out!" Mac raised his voice.
Jason looked away from Mac onto Spinelli, "Wait outside."
Spinelli was quite cautioned by Mac's behavior wondering what he had done wrong, he and Jason had saved Maxie's life, it wasn't there fault that she had snuck into the mob mobile and had traveled with them to Canadian border.
"Stone-." He stopped speaking after getting Jason's cold stare, "I'll be out in a second."
Spinelli nodded, turning to the door and as he turned the door knob he looked one last time at Mac's glare which had only intensified since Jason stepped in.
Closing the door behind him he stood right outside the interrogation trying to get an earful of what was being said when Lucky looked up from his desk to see the computer geek eavesdropping, "Hey!"
Spinelli quickly turned away from the door, "Aw the brother of the blonde one."
Lucky looked at him with annoyance, "Don't start that! My name is Lucky! Now sit your ass down and don't you dare walk over to this door, you hear?"
Spinelli nervously nodded and then became worrisome when Lucky planted his hand on his shoulder and forced him to sit down on the bench, "I don't know why my sister puts up with you, but I sure as hell don't have to."
Lucky smirked at him before looking up to see Cruz walk towards him with paper work, "Hey the autopsy on Devlin just came in."
"Thanks," Lucky smiled, "Be sure this paper work doesn't get filed onto the computers, I'm sure Spinelli here will be hacking into it in less that an hour right?" Lucky looked up at Cruz who was laughing and then put his own two cents in, "Cause we all know that's the only reason your buddy Morgan puts up with you…"
Spinelli frowned at their attempts to get him to act out and as he slowly glanced at the door Lucky blocked the view, "Morgan can't help you now Spinelli, you're all alone, you might want to take notes on that computer of yours, title them, "how to defend myself without the help of Jason Morgan."
"Nice one," Cruz cheered only for them to become distracted by the tapping of a designer shoe.
"Or maybe he should title his notes "how to deal with corrupted cops." Maxie smirked, "bullet number one, ignore their petty comments."
Maxie walked towards Spinelli where she stopped right in front of him and turned to Lucky, "Bullet number two, stand up." She looked at Spinelli to stand up, "And bullet number three, walk away." She took Spinelli's hand and walked him away from the cops.
"Are you okay?" She asked gently letting go of his hand and placing it on his cheek in concern for his well being.
"Yeah," he slowly nodded, "The jackal is fine, I just wish I could say the same about Stone Cold." Spinelli looked at the closed door of the interrogation room wondering what Mac was saying to Jason.
"Look! I know you weren't the reason Maxie was there last night, but he…" Mac raised his voice as Jason began to interupt him.
"I'll talk to him okay? But you need to tell Maxie to stay away while he's working for me; she got herself into this because she can't mind her own business," Jason pounced back for he wasn't about to let Mac blame this all on Spinelli, Maxie was just as much guilty.
Maxie looked away from the door that Spinelli was staring at, "Are you really okay though?"
"Spinelli?" She asked again and he finally tuned back in.
"I'm sorry blonde one," he formed a slight smile.
Lucky sat on his desk while Cruz stood there, "I don't get it…"
"Don't get what?" Lucky looked at him.
"What does she see in him?" Cruz asked knowing he wasn't her type.
"Hell if I know, all she knows is cops," Lucky grinned at Cruz reminiscing their history with the girl.
"All she's fucked is cops," Cruz corrected him which surprised Lucky for he never once thought that Cruz would speak such strong language around the precinct.
"I think it's time we alert Spinelli on the kind of girl Maxie is," Lucky raised his eye brows and Cruz couldn't agree more.
"You know Spinelli it's sad when a girl has to pick your fights," Lucky crossed his arms.
"And it's sad when police officers can't solve their own crimes," she smirked at them knowing she had won by the looks on their faces, "Come on Spinelli, let's get out of here."
"Stop right there!" Mac shouted opening the door, "There is no way in hell you are leaving with him."
Maxie looked at him surprised, "Daddy he's helping me with a project…"
"That's not all he's helping her with," Cruz suggested and because Mac was so irritated with her he let the comment fly.
"I think he's helped you enough," Mac walked from the doorway of the interrogation room, "Dragging you off to random parts of Port Charles, accusing innocent people of crimes and my favorite deed almost getting you killed last night…"
"Dad," Maxie looked at him to not do this, to not blame Spinelli for her mistake.
"No Maxie, I already lost one daughter, infact I think, if I recall, I believe that's how it started with Georgie."
"Mac," David Harper looked across the room knowing he'd regret his words later.
Mac ignored the looks of his officers, "You don't even care do you?"
Spinelli nodded as if Mac couldn't be any more wrong, "Sir…"
"Georgie was supposed to go to Europe this summer, she was supposed to be planning her trip with you, not solving a mystery, not trying to figure out who the text message killer was." Mac placed his hands on his hips, "I trusted you to draw the line, to have sense like Morgan does, to not involve people you care about."
Maxie couldn't believe her father's words, "Well dad maybe if you hired smarter cops Spinelli wouldn't have had to take matters into his own hands," Maxie stood tall next to Spinelli not at all letting her father's words hurt him.
"And because he took matters into his own hands, like he's seen from his great role model," Mac glanced at Jason, "Georgie died."
Walking closer to Spinelli, "You didn't put the rope around her, but you sure dug her grave."
"Enough," Jason emerged from behind Mac, "Spinelli let's go."
"That's the answer Jason? Not even talk about it? Just ignore what you and I and every officer in this place knows is the truth?" Mac looked back at Lucky and Cruz, "People get hurt and die because of you."
He continued, "Georgie died because of her connection to you and I'll be damned if I lose another daughter."
Jason caught Spinelli's hurt face, a face of fear, a face of innocence, "Spinelli let's go." Jason gently put his hand on Spinelli's shoulder.
"Don't walk away from me!" Mac tried to make a go at Spinelli, but Jason turned around to have his hand on Mac's chest and his other on Spinelli's shoulder.
"Let the commissioner go Morgan!" Lucky, Cruz and every other officer in the room had their guns drawn.
Maxie looked at them like this was ridiculous, Jason was barely touching her father and yet they were ready to kill him. She wanted to say something to them, but her dad beat her to it, "Men stand down."
Lucky eyed Morgan aiming his gun at him, "Commissioner are you sure?"
"Yeah I'm sure!" Mac pushed Jason's hand off him knowing he had misled his men.
Jason looked at Mac, "You made your point." Jason was practically begging him not to continue this further, but Mac wasn't even close to being finished.
"Spinelli, Jason has too much sense to put Maxie in danger, but you, you don't have any sense at all." Mac ignored Jason's glare to shut up, "Cause if you did Georgie would still be alive."
Jason looked away at Mac knowing he wasn't going to stop mouthing off so he turned away from him and grabbed Spinelli harshly around the shoulder, "Spinelli let's GO."
"Stay away from my daughter," Mac warned ignoring Maxie's whines, "Maxie!" He looked straight at her before looking back at Spinelli, "Don't you ever go near her again and if I or my officers so much as find you within in hundred yards of her or Robin for that matter, so help me…"
"Spinelli you don't have to hear this," Jason forced them to walk, but Spinelli just stood there and the harder he pushed the more Spinelli brushed him off, "No."
"Spinelli he's not gonna reason with you, now come on," Jason insisted, but Spinelli pushed his arm away and walked to Mac.
"I would never…never wish Maximista any…any harm, just like I never wished Faithful Georgie any harm, but your wrath is duly noted and I will abide by your command," Spinelli looked at him with his heart shred to pieces.
"Spinelli," Maxie spoke his name almost as sad as he was, "You can't possibly…"
Spinelli looked away from her not at all able to stand the look of her face, "Commissioner Sir, I'm sorry for any harm I've inflicted on you and your family, Faithful Georgie was a blessing to me, she was someone I cared very deeply for and was a very brave and dear friend to me. I promise that Maxie will not face the same faith Georgie faced, you have my word."
"No," Maxie wiped a tear from her eyes, "Don't listen to him."
"I'm sorry blonde one," he frowned before looking away and making his way out the precinct.
"Spinelli," Jason said firmly trying to grab his arm so they could walk out together, but Spinelli pushed it aside knowing exactly what he had to do, "I'll see you at home Stone Cold."
Jason stood there with a slight frown at how hurt his friend was, "This was why I wanted you to let me talk to him," Jason turned around to Mac, "Because now you've taken something from him that he'll never get back." Jason nodded in not only disappointment, but in anger.
As soon as Jason left the precinct Maxie looked at Mac, "Are you happy now?"
"It's for the best," he insisted.
"Maybe for you! Georgie was the only one that saw something good in me and when she died, I had no one!"
Mac nodded in disagreement, "I…"
"No!" She put her hand up to stop him from walking towards her, "Spinelli is the only one that makes me feel the way Georgie made me feel and now he's gone."
"Maxie honey, please understand Spinelli is a threat to your life because he works with Morgan and Corinthos, do you want to end up like Georgie?" He honestly looked at her not knowing anymore.
Never had he felt her cold hand hit his face, "Maxie…"
"At least Georgie lived, she lived more in her 19 years of life than I ever have, she knew what great love was like and that was because of Dillon, another person you didn't want Georgie's life, but she fought to be with him and because of that I know I can look back on her life know it didn't go to waste, I can look back and know she lived a lifetime's worth…" She looked at him coldly before walking away.
"And you know what?" She stopped, "Spinelli and Jason weren't the reason she died, you and this people here you call 'Police officers" are the reason she died."
"Where are you going?" He looked at her not at all amused by her comment for now she had insulted him and his department.
"I'm gonna find Spinelli and tell him that I don't care what you think, I'm gonna do what Georgie did, I'm gonna fight like hell to be with the person I need…"
"And if you do, you can consider yourself out of my house…" He felt like this was the only way to stop her.
"Then I'll stay with Spinelli, Lulu did it, I'm sure Jason won't mind if I stay with Spinelli…"
Lucky and the officers looked at her in disbelief, "You're gonna stay with the enemy?" Lucky walked towards her, "After everything Mac has done for you, you're gonna stay with his worst enemy and the guy who can't even protect you?"
"Spinelli saved my life more times than you can count, which you and I both know isn't very high when you're not under the influence," she insulted his intelligence.
"You bitch," Lucky snarled at her embarrassed by her bringing up his addiction to pills.
"Lucky," Mac glanced at him to watch his language even if she was acting like one, only he wanted to be the one to call her such names.
Maxie smiled at her how quick Lucky lost his confidence to go off on her, "You're all pathetic, no wonder you can't solve any crimes, you all let your anger and your egos get in the way which is why Spinelli has more sense in his little finger than your entire department put together."
"Get out," Mac looked at her, he wasn't gonna take this from her anymore, if she wanted to throw her life away, then so be it, he sure as hell wasn't gonna watch.
"Gladly," she smiled, "I'll call Robin to help me get my things." She started to walk away.
"Give me your key," he put his hand out.
"Fine, if that's what you think is gonna make you feel better, here, goodbye Mac, have fun with your idiot officers," she placed the key in his hand and walked out of the department with one thing on her mind, Spinelli.
She ran into the parking shouting Spinelli's name, "Spinelli!" But of course he and Jason were no where to be found. Running to her car she began compounding a list of places he might be at; Jason's penthouse, Kelly's, Georgie's grave?
She put the key's into ignition and just as she put the car in reverse her phone rang, "Spinelli?" She quickly assumed, but it was Kate.
"No it's Kate Howard, Maxie I need you to go downtown and meet Federico at the Metro Court," she asked knowing her number one assistant wouldn't turn this down.
"Can't Lulu do it?" Maxie asked as she pulled out of her parking space.
"No, he asked for you, now Maxie this man has a lot of connections, he can help you further yourself in the fashion world, this is a career decision right here," Kate was a little confused as to why she didn't seem interested.
"Plus," Kate continued, "Lulu called in sick. I have no one else to go," Kate looked down at the lunch plans she had made with Sonny, "I have to meet Sonny for lunch, but I guess I could cancel…"
"No," Maxie quickly stated as she got ready to pull out of the precinct, "You don't have to do that," Maxie didn't want to let her down.
She looked at the road in front of her, if she took a right she'd be on her way to the Metro Court, if she drove straight across to turn into the left lane and go north she would be going to Jason's penthouse. She studied the road for a few brief seconds wondering what to do, Spinelli had always been there for her, had always stopped what he was doing to help her and now when she should be able to do the same, to be there for him, she couldn't find her self making the same sacrifice, "I'll do it Kate, I'll see him, don't worry about it."
"Thank you," Kate smiled in relief, "I promise you won't regret it."
"Yeah let's hope not," she hung up and pulled into the right lane making her way to the Metro Court meanwhile wondering where Spinelli was and what he was doing.
Hey so what do you think? I'm gonna test the story out for a few more chapters and then see if it's worth continuing. Don't forget to review and if you have any suggestions let me know! Thanks! By the way the italics in the prologue, were lyrics to the song "Once Again" by Frankie Jordan, if you've seen Win a date with Tad Hamilton then you know the song, I was listneing to it and I just thought the song would fit perfectly for Spixie. I think this is going to be a cute story!