-- Sort of a companion piece to Little Girl Lost.

--

- 12/12 Spinelli overhears Maxie Talking to Sam

- 1/15 Lucky finds Nikolas and Liz having sex

- 2/22/10 Lucky nearly runs Maxie off the road

February 23, 2010 – AU Maxie and Lucky

Maxie walked into Jakes, hoping to find Lulu instead she sees Lucky warming the barstool. Lulu had convinced her to take the night off and go out and have fun. Checking her phone, Maxie noticed a text in her inbox from Lulu canceling; instead of heading home she decided to hang out with Lucky. Just yesterday he'd told her about Liz and the baby, and today he was drowning his sorrows. With his history that didn't bode well. They'd had it bad -Maxie and Lucky- many people think that the only reason she chose Lucky to have an affair with was because he was Jesse's partner and in a rough spot, but that was only half of it. People just didn't understand she remembered the guy who helped her make a Power Stranger costume when she was little, she remembered her teenage crush; she'd needed someone she loved to share her pain and that person was Lucky. It was selfish of her to involve him, to supply him with drugs, but she'd wanted him to stay with her.

Now watching him sitting at the bar crying over that bitch Elizabeth pissed her off. Lucky was one the few people in this town she couldn't imagine her life without. She'd warned him about Liz and her treachery. How she wished she'd realized Liz was creeping around with Nikolas, after all Lucky had done for Liz and her kids. But she hadn't known she'd been so caught up in her own world drowning herself in work to keep her mind off Spinelli.

All she'd wanted was to get Franco to do a spread for Crimson instead she had sex with him. Franco was a moment of insanity, she just couldn't say no to an opportunity to ruin her life. She should have been on guard especially after her and Spinelli's non-wedding. She always did this, just when she finds happiness she destroys it. That was why she spent her days working too hard at Crimson and her nights crying herself to sleep. The inevitable had happened; Spinelli found out about Franco and broke things off with her. To top it all off Franco is serial killer. The story of her life continues but at least Spinelli got out alive. Lucky Spencer also managed to survive her.

Shaking herself out of her stupor she made her way over to her friend, "Hey Lucky, mind if I join you."

Nodding he called to Coleman.

"I'll have a beer." She said surprising Lucky.

"I though you fashionistas only drink the fruity stuff."

"Ha-ha. I like a good beer on occasion."

"What's the occasion?"

"I'm moving on. I realized yesterday after our talk that I need to get out. I can't live my life in fear of running into Spinelli."

"I thought he forgave you."

"He did, but he wants nothing to do with me. I changed who I was to be with him and he just left." Everyone leaves, she though sadly.

"At least he forgave you, I can't forgive Liz."

"You're not Spinelli, and I'm definitely not Liz. Spinelli forgave me because it was best for him. You don't have to forgive her until you're good and ready."

"If this baby turns out to be mine…"

"Then you'll take care of your son or daughter, that doesn't mean you have to make things work with Liz."

"Every other weekend huh?"

"However often you want she can't stop you from being there for your kids."

"You're right."

Maxie watched as Coleman poured Lucky more Scotch and decided that it was up to her to get them both out of their slump. Standing up in her Manolos, "Well I don't know about you but I didn't get all dressed up to drown myself in liquor. Dance with me?"

"Maxie…"

"Lucky." She pulled him to his feet, dragging him to the dance floor.

"What does this solve?"

"Nothing, stop thinking about your life and just live. I plan to take my own advice."

"We've gone down this road before Maxie."

"Ow." He exclaimed limping a little after she stomped his toe.

"I'm never going to let myself drown in grief and self hatred like I did after Jesse. Lucky you were there for me through some of the worst moments of my life; I just want to be there for you." Some one made a selection on the juke box surprising Maxie, Trust by Keisha Cole and Monica started to play.

Laughing Maxie laid her head on his chest, "What is it?" Lucky asked.

"I may not have romantic feelings for you at the moment but listen this it's our song. I won't hurt you, I'm down for you. I want let you down. For this song to just start playing, it's got to be a sign."

--

--

Maxie drove Lucky home.

"Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?"

"That you're there for me."

"Lucky, you and I have been through a lot together without you I would have broken after Georgie died. You held me while I cried. You have been apart of my life since I was a child, I used to have the biggest crush on you."

"I think the worst part of all this is that she slept with my brother. At least when she went to Jason, he wasn't family, there wasn't any love lost between us. But with Nikolas."

"You trusted him with your love, your family and he betrayed you. I get it; I did the same thing to Coop. I slept with Logan. So I can sympathize with Liz. Sometime the temptation is too much. But for you to have witnessed them together, that must have ripped your heart out."

"I wanted to kill my own brother. I never want to feel that kind of pain and rage." Lucky swiped the tear that spilled down his cheek. He'd done his fair share of crying already. He was man enough to know that just because you cried that didn't make you weak, but he hated that all these tears were for Her. He remembered the scared, broken girl he'd found in the snow. He was her hero. He built his life around her and what they had; no matter how often they broke up she'd never done anything as heartless as this. Maxie, Sam, Carly, they wore their flaws proudly. They never lied or made excuses for their behavior, he unlike Liz, who painted herself in this blinding light. He felt stupid for not seeing through it, for being blind to the truth.

Maxie Pulled into Lucky's drive way, "We're here."

"What were you really doing at Jake's?"

"I was suppose to be meeting your sister but she texted me to say she was spending the night with Dominic."

"What do you think of those two?"

"Dominic loves her. She loves him. They both know that love hurts and are trying to make."

"You gonna be okay."

"Spinelli is just another crack along this broken road. He taught me so much, I know now that I shouldn't change who I am to fit what some guy wants me to be. But I also know that I can't go around making other people miserable just because I am. He helped me to love myself just as I am."

"So you're over him."

"I'm not seeing anyone, if that's what you mean. I plan to take things one step at a time."

Nodding he opened the car door, "Goodnight Maxie."

"Lucky."

"Yeah"

"Stop drowning your sorrows, you're better than that. You'll find your happily ever after someday, don't let Liz and Nikolas make you loose faith in love."

"I won't." He closed the car door. Stopped and turned around to reopen it, "Maxie, thank you for tonight"

"You're welcome, goodnight Lucky."

"Sweet dreams Maxie."

That night Maxie dreamed of happily ever after just as she saw it when she thirteen, she and Lucky dancing under the moonlight with forever in front of them.

--

-- I really loved Maxie when she's a mess. My ultimate Maxie pairing is Jomax. Johnny is her Jason and Sonny all rolled into one (referencing Carly) He gets her but together I think they'd burn each other to a crisp. I hope that someday they see their fourth wedding, but in the end when she's old it and gray I imagine it will be Lucky by her side. Btw my fantasy pairing is Jaxie (Jason and Maxie). I hope ya'll enjoyed my trip into Lumax/Luxie/Mucky or whoever.

Funny tidbit - I'd just finished writing Maxie's lines trying to think of a song for them to dance to when Trust came on the radio. - Jaz