Title: All I Need

Author: CRene

Summary: What happens in Port Charles after the dust has settled from Maxie being kidnapped from Levi/Peter Jr? What happens between Nathan and Maxie now?

Pairing: Nathan/Maxie, Mac/Felicia, Dante/Lulu, Nik/Britt

Chapter One

The emergency room of the hospital was busy with victims of a car crash on Old County Line. In one triage room a dark-haired handsome detective was getting examined from the bullets he had dodged and the punches he had received hours earlier. The nurse was disinfecting the large scratch he had above his left eye when a young blond walked into his room.

"Maxie, are you okay," the detective said sitting up straighter.

"Doctor gave me a clean bill of health," Maxie replied putting her hand on the detective's knee. "How about you?"

"A few stitches and some bruised ribs," he commented looking over at the older nurse.

Suddenly Mac and Felicia busted into the room interrupting Nathan and Maxie's moment. Mac's arm was in the sling from the gunshot he had received from the man who had kidnapped Maxie.

"Maxie, you're safe," Felicia said grabbing her daughter into her arms. "I can't believe this had to with Peter."

"Would have been nice if you had told me you had a psycho ex-fiancé," Maxie responded as she pulled out of her mother's arms and looked over at Mac. "Are you okay?"

"Much better now that I know you are okay," Mac stated looking over at Nathan. "Thanks for going after Maxie."

"I would do anything for her," Nathan replied putting his bloody shirt back on.

"I am glad you said that," Commissioner Anna Devane announced walking into the room.

"Anna, what's wrong," Felicia wondered. "What is it?"

"The preliminary findings are not good after our men went through the clinic. Counting for all of the guards and the few patients, there were two bodies missing - Victor's and Peter Junior," Anna explained.

"Maxie you are staying with us," Mac ordered. "After what Junior did at the wedding, there is no way you are going back to that apartment alone."

Maxie pulled away from her parents and took Nathan's hand. She had stabbed Peter Junior in the back with the knife his father and him had created using the Aztec jewels. She had thought she had killed the young man who had tricked her all these months. Maxie wouldn't be alone.

"I won't be. Nathan will be with me," Maxie said as everyone looked to Nathan.

"I am," Detective Nathan West wondered.

Maxie squeezed Nathan's hand shaking her head up and down.

"Can we have a moment, please," Nathan requested looking into Maxie's eyes.

Everyone left the room leaving the two young kidnapped, tortured souls alone together. Nathan knew what he wanted to say, but somehow could not find the right words as he pulled away from Maxie. He turned his back to her running his hand through his hair.

"Maxie, as much as I would love to move back into the apartment with you, I don't think it's a good idea," he explained.

"Why?"

"You know how I feel about you; I don't want it to be awkward between us," Nathan answered turning around looking at her. "I know you don't feel the same way, and I understand that, I don't want to pressure you into anything. I just don't know if I can stay in the same apartment with you knowing that there is no chance with us."

"I never said there wasn't a chance for us. I figured you knew that after we kissed. I wouldn't ask you to move back in if I didn't believe there wasn't a chance. I just want to take it slow. Can you understand that?"

"I can," Nathan replied.

"So, are you coming back," Maxie asked.

"I'm coming back," he stated. "I will move back in."

Maxie leaned over and kissed Nathan on the cheek then left the room. Nathan sat there on the hospital gurney smiling.

"You won't regret this, Maxie," Nathan said to himself.