Disclaimer: I do not own any of the General Hospital characters except for Marilyn.

Chapter 2

It was nearly 11:00 by the time the Marilyn and Spinelli made it to Kelly's and there were few people still there. Mike, who was behind the counter wiping it off with a rag, looked up as the two entered and offered a warm smile.

"Hey Spinelli, you're here late tonight." Then noticing his companion, he smiled wider with a slightly mischievous glint in his eyes. "Who's your friend?" Spinelli seemed slightly flustered for a second and realizing what probably had run through the older man's mind, Marilyn hastened to clear things up.

"Uh hi. I'm Marilyn; I just moved here and was looking for someplace to eat but managed to get myself pretty turned around. Mr. Spinelli here was kind enough to show me to your diner."

"Well it's nice to meet you Marilyn, I'm Mike. Why don't you make yourself comfortable and I'll get you a menu."

"Thanks a lot" Marilyn said as she gratefully sank into a seat near the window, Spinelli sat across from her hesitantly. Mike walked over and handed her the menu and she scanned it for a minute before looking up with a smile. "Could I get the biggest sundae that you have on the menu please." She glanced coyly at her companion across the table before adding "Uh with two spoons."

"Coming right up." Mike gave one more curious glance at Spinelli before grabbing the menu and heading to the back.

"Okay" she said as soon as Mike got out of hearing range (A/N: And I mean completely out of hearing range, because in case some of you haven't noticed, some of the people of Port Charles seem to have bionic ears and hear just about everything that they shouldn't. Just thought I would point that out, lol.) "So what is it that's gotten you to think so badly about yourself?"

After a couple of minutes of reflection, Spinelli began to haltingly tell her all about his friendship with Georgie, her death, (leaving out the true cause of course), and his subsequent friendship with her sister. About half way through the story, Mike returned with a huge ice cream sundae with all the fixings and the two ate as Spinelli continued to ramble on. By the time he came to his growing feelings for Maxie and her ignorance of his affections, the bowl as well as the diner were empty.

"Wow." Was about the most that Marilyn could say at the end of the tale; surprisingly enough she had no trouble in understanding the sporadic way that Spinelli attempted to explain himself. She considered him for a few minutes as he sat with eyes averted, playing with his spoon absently. "This Maxie must be pretty special for you to be so head over hills for her, but if you ask me, she seems to be pretty blind." Spinelli opened his mouth to protest, but she held up her hand to stop him. "Let me finish, I don't know anything about Maxie, but in the one hour I've known you, I can tell just how incredibly special you are and that any girl would be damn lucky to be with you. Now maybe Maxie just needs more time to realize that, but if you need to change yourself in order for her to like you, then she doesn't deserve you and your doing yourself a serious injustice. Just relax and continue to be yourself, if it's meant to be then it will happen." She gave him an encouraging smile, and was delighted when he hesitantly met her eyes and offered a small hopeful smile of his own."

"You truly have a most noble and beautiful soul; you rescued me, a complete stranger, from the depths of despair and helped me to see a ray of hope."

"Well, I don't know about all of that…" Marilyn said blushing. "I think I just told you something that you already knew; sometimes it takes the perspective of a stranger to open your eyes to what's already in your heart." Before Spinelli could reply, their conversation was interrupted by Mike who approached them with a regretful look on his face.

"Hey guys, I hate to kick you outta here but…" He looked around to indicate the diner that they had somehow failed to notice, had emptied out completely while they were still talking. "I'm bout to close up shop for the night." Marilyn jumped to her feet alarmed after stealing a quick glance at her watch.

"Ohmigosh I'm so sorry! We must have lost track of time, we'll get out of your way." Mike caught her arm as she scrambled for her wallet.

"Hey now, don't worry about it, you two looked to be having such a good time I hated to disturb you. I hope that you decide to come back." He gave her a friendly smile that seemed to relax her once again.

"Definitely, that was one of the best sundaes that I've had in a while!"

"Glad to hear it." By this time Spinelli had gained his feet and gotten his money out and was stopped from handing it to Mike by Marilyn.

"Whoa, you don't have to pay for anything Spinelli, it was my ice cream and I kinda did drag you in here with me."

"It is the least the Jackal can do to repay the kindness of this noble beauty who took time to impart words of wisdom and hope to this broken down soul." Marilyn blushed, speechless by the words of high praise, but released his arm and allowed him to pay. After thanking Mike for the service and saying their goodbyes the two kids headed out into the night.

"Wow. I don't know about you, but I had a lot of fun tonight, I didn't even realize just how late it was." She paused, yawning, then laughed self-consciously. "Umm it's been kind of a long day, I hate to ask another favor of you, but could you direct me to the Harbor View Penthouses?"

"That's where you live?" Spinelli asked surprised.

"Uh yeah. I just moved in with my sister yesterday and I haven't really learned my way around yet. Why?" She regarded him warily at his sudden change in demeanor.

"Fates hand must have brought us together on this night, Noble One as I too am in residence at that location with Stone Cold, my master and mentor."

"Really, that's great! I live in PH6 what about you?"

"Penthouse number 4. We seem to be neighbors."

"I'm glad about that; you're the first friend I've made in Port Charles. It's good to know you'll be close by." At that, Spinelli laughed and offered him her arm.

"Well allow me to escort you to your home, my Noble Beauty." Marilyn blushed at the nickname but smiled all the same and took his arm.

"Right, home." For a moment she allowed herself to remember the circumstances that forced her to come to Port Charles in the first place, and all that she left behind in her small town back in Virginia. She at first had been depressed to move and figured that she would never be able to be happy anywhere else; but now having made a friend and knowing her sister would be returning from her business trip in the next few days, she dared to hope that one day she may be able to truly call this home. As the two of them began the walk home, a question popped into her mind.

"Hey Spinelli? Who on earth is Stone Cold?"