Maxie Jones grabbed her fur jacket off the limo floor and slunk aross the car. Her tiny hands pulled the coat over her bare torso. How did she get here? Why was she doing this? Across from her, Johnny had grabbed a few napkins and began wiping at his pants. "This never happens. I swear Maxie. It must have been too much champange." he laughed nervously, averting her eyes. But she stayed silent, looking at him with shock and shame in her blue eyes. Maxie knew it had nothing to do with the champange. It had to do with this. This situation. The whole thing was dumb and silly, actually, just another self-destructive choice in their lives.

For weeks now she and Johnny played this game. It started out innocently enough. Arkward glaces, little jokes riddled with inuendos. But everything changed the night of their little car accident. They had kissed in some abandoned garage. And even though Maxie swore to herself it was a mistake that would not happen again, she knew that it would. They were two of a kind, her and Johnny. Like two moths strangely addicted to a bug zapper. They would fly up to the glowing light, knowing full well what would happen if they got too close. But the light was hypnotiziing. So every once in a while, when they thought no one was watching, they'd brush their wings against it and feel the sting. And although it burned like hell, the part of them that needed the hurt, couldn't help but smile. How many times did she singe her wings now? Lucky? Logan? Coop? All the means things she said to Georgie she couldn't take back? This? Too many to count. Picking up the Maha Chang original silk blouse, she slid it on. "It happens" Maxie said to Johnny, forcing a sympathetic smile on her lips.

The two fixed their attire in an uncomfortable silence. Maxie too ashamed to say anything and Johnny too embaressed. After he was finished fixing his black tie, he joked "Last time I drink champange". He was hoping to ease some of the tension. When Maxie didn't respond, he just leaned back in the soft leather seat. He also knew the Cristal wasn't the cause.

Sure Maxie was hot and sexy. She had those amazing blue eyes and cute little body and she smelled so goddamn good. He'd be lying if he admitted he never thought what she'd be like in bed. But, tonight, when Maxie was on top of him kissing and groping him, all he could think about was Lulu's smiling eyes. Now he feared what those beautiful eyes would look like if she found out about tonight. The thought convinced Johnny to reach for the bottle of scotch on the bar. He poured a glass and offered it to Maxie, who seemed lost in her own thoughts.

Not knowing what else to do, Maxie took the glass and drank it down quickly. "Thanks" she muttered. "Can I have another?" She passed the glass back to Johnny who quickly refilled it and passed it back. And that was how the two enjoyed the rest of the limo ride home. Maxie staring out the window, clutching her empty cup like it was all she had left. And Johnny pretty much doing the same, except he held on to the bottle of scotch. They both knew the game they had played was over. Neither of them had won, but both desperately hoped they didn't loose either.

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Lulu sat at her desk at the Crimson office typing an email to Federico about the details of Monday's photo shoot. Looking down at her watch, she knew the event was over and Johnny and Maxie should be back soon. She hated the fact that her boyfriend had agreed to be Maxie's escort to these fancy gatherings. But Johnny needed the money she constantly reminded herself. And once he had enough to open up that garage, he'd stop. Atleast that was what he told her. Why didn't she believe him? Maybe it was because of some silly insecurity she had. Maxie Jones, afterall, did sleep with her last boyfriend. Or maybe it was the way she'd catch him staring at Maxie sometimes. It would be like he was imagining what she looked like naked. Then there was that one time Johnny called Maxie beautiful. Well whatever it was, Lulu couldn't wait for these little "dates" to be over.

Hearing the elevator doors open, Lulu turned around to see Johnny and Maxie walking towards her. "So how did it go?" Lulu asked, getting out of her chair. As she walked over towards Johnny, she noticed something was off. Usually when they came back from one of these things, they'd be laughing and Maxie would go on and on about all the celebrities she saw. Instead, Maxie uttered something about her uncomfortable shoes and how she couldn't wait to change out of them. And Johnny's head hung low. Hoping that the night had been a disaster, Lulu looked at him and asked "Bad, huh?"

"What?" Johnny asked as his head looked up and caught her eyes staring back at him. It was the same smiling eyes he had in his head when Maxie was on top of him. He couldn't bear to see look at them. They were tearing his heart apart.

Sensing the growing silence in the room, Maxie chimed in. "It was like every other event, you know?" she glanced at Johnny who just nodded in agreement. "We walked the red carpet, got our picture taken, hob-knobbed with a few designers, ate fancy hor d'oeuvres, drank champange and came home." Maxie finished.

"So is that what happened to your pants?" Lulu laughed pointing to some little white spots around Johnny's zipper.

Looking down at his pants, Johnny's face flushed red. Busted! He just knew he got it all out back in the limo. What was he going to do now? Looking back into her eyes, those smiling eyes, the last few pieces of his heart fell to the floor.

"I'm gonna change out of these clothes. Like I said my feet are really killing me" Maxie blurted, hoping to deflect attention from Johnny's pants. Before she scurried off to the back room, she stared at Johnny, raising her eyebrows, trying to tell him with her eyes to keep quiet. This was not one of those cases where confession was good for the soul.

"Now that Maxie's gone, why don't you really tell me what's going on John?" Lulu crossed her arms, waiting for him to explain his strange behavior.

"Today's just been one of those days I guess." he shrugged. "Claudia's determined to make her marriage to Sonny work. You know she invited me to a cocktail party she and him are hosting for the five families? Then I have to go to some stupid party with Maxie where I spill some type of cream sauce on my pants, which I know Kate's gonna bitch about because this is one of 'Feddie's' original designs. And now I got you questioning me all crazy. What can I say, it's been a hell of a day!" He didn't mean to yell at her. But the guilt he felt had begun mixing with the champange and scotch, making his stomach turn and the room to tilt ever so slightly to the left. Taking Lulu soft hands in his, Johnny took a deep breath, calming down. "I'm sorry Lulu. It's been a long day. I'm just tired and ready for this day to end".

Lulu pulled Johnny into her arms. "I'm sorry too, Johnny. I had no idea about Claudia". It seemed ever since Claudia's marriage, Johnny's been on edge. He worried constantly about her. She wasn't one of Lulu's favorite people, but she understood how important Claudia was to him. Lulu wished she could do something to help him. "And don't worry about the pants. We'll take them to the cleaners in the morning. I'm pretty sure they can get the stain out." Pulling out of the hug, she asked "You ready to go?" He nodded at her, his eyes fixed on her's. "Maxie, you ready?" she called out.

"Yeah, I'm ready" Maxie hollered back. Johnny kept looking into Lulu's sparkling eyes. He knew he successfully dodged another bullet. But how many more could he avoid? Too many secrets and lies were out there. If Lulu caught wind of one of them, that sparkle would surely fizzle. He gave her one last kiss on the lips before joining Maxie at the elevator. The three of walked into the open doors. Johnny's hand tightly around Lulu's, while his eyes looked at Maxie's. They were telling her that he did his part. Now she had to do hers.

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All the lights in the apartment were off, indicating to the trio that Spinelli was asleep. Quietly Lulu turned on the light in the livingroom. Johnny headed straight for the couch while Maxie hung her fur up in the closet. Sitting next to Johnny, Lulu grabbed the remote off the coffee table and turned on the T.V. After flipping through some stations, she finally settled on Nick-at-Nite. "I'm hungry you guys. I'm gonna see if we still got any left over pizza. You want something?" she asked Johnny and Maxie.

"No!" they responded in unison. Faking a yawn, Maxie spoke. "I'm just really tired. I think I'm going to turn in."

"Well, alright Maxie. Goodnight." Lulu said turning toward her friend. She could tell Maxie was faking and probably wanted to check on Spinelli, which was fine by Lulu. She really could use some alone time with Johnny. Maxie headed straight for the bathroom so she wash her face and get ready for bed.

When Maxie got to her room, she stopped at the edge of her bed. A sad smile crept across her lips. Spinelli was balled up asleep. His brown hair was covered his eyes. He looked so peaceful. Sitting at the edge of the bed, Maxie watched him. How stupid she had been. This "game" was not worth Spinelli. He had risked everything to stay with her, and how did she repay him? By hooking up with Johnny in the back of some limo. Silent tears made their way down her cheeks as she pressed her fingertips to her lips and then placed them gently on Spinelli"s cheek.

"Maximista, are you home?" she heard him ask her groggily.

"I'm home" Maxie sniffed, trying to stop her tears that seemed like they'd never end.

"Maximista? Are you crying?" Spinelli said as he reached for the lamp on the bedside table. Turning to face her, he was taken aback by the sadness in her blue eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked, concern replacing the sleppiness in his eyes.

"I just missed you tonight." she whispered.

"You-you, you missed me?" Spinelli's voice crackied. He tilted his head in confusion at her words.

Maxie smiled and laughed to herself. She loved how innocent he could be. And how oblivious he was to the power he held over her. "Yeah Spinelli, I missed you. Believe it or not, I do miss you when your not around. It's like the best part of me is missing. You know, the part that wants to be a good person and make the right decisons. And now, I'm just scared that I've done something to drive you away".

Thinking that Maxie was referring to her convincing him not to flee the country and his F.B.I. woes, Spinelli pulled her close to him. "The Jackel assures his fair Maximista there is nothing she has done that could drive him away." he said as he stroked her blonde curls. "Nothing." he whispered again.

Maxie so wanted to believe that was the truth, but knew it wasn't. Not if he ever found out about tonight. Pulling out of Spinelli's embraced, she ran her hand down his cheek. He closed his eyes and grinned. He loved the feel of her soft fingertips traveling along his skin. Maxie then pressed a genltle kiss on his lips.

When Spinelli opened his eyes, he was saddened to see that Maxie's tears hadn't stopped falling. "Please tell me Maxie, what can the Jackel do to assist you? Apparently your still troubled?" he asked.

"Hold me" she simply whispered. With that, he moved over, making room for her under the covers. As she layed there in his arms and he rubbed her back, Maxie couldn't stop thinking of that bug zapper with the attractive blue light. And how soothing Spinelli's hands were soothing to her scorched wings.