Jason watched Maxie slam the door behind her before turning back to Spinelli. "You're gonna catch flies if you don't shut your mouth." He chuckled.

Spinelli squeezed his lips together and covered himself with a nearby blanket.

"I'd ask what happened, but it's pretty obvious. Congratulations." Jason headed for the stairs.

"Ah… Master Stone Cold? Your Grasshopper is in need of some sage advice."

Jason sighed. "What is it?" He turned back around and his look of irritation turned to concern. "Are you crying?"

Spinelli wiped angrily at his tears. "Why would Maximista run out like that?"

"I guess I missed something. Did you two have sex or not?"

"We joined bodies and souls, becoming one with the entire universe!"

Jason rolled his eyes. "I'll take that as a yes."

"But just now she apologized and said it was a mistake! Why would she say that? Could it be that the Jackal was not man enough?"

Jason opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off.

"Wait! NO! That cannot be--" Spinelli rambled. "for not once, but twice did the fair Maximista cry out in ecstasy the name of her beloved!"

Jason cringed. "Okay, you can spare me the details—"

"Mine." Spinelli sighed with a sad smile. "And yet now I am a mistake… a bad choice… a deep regret… a moment never to be spoken of again!" He stood up clutching the blanket around him and raised his eyes upward. "I have loved and lost all in the space of one evening, raised to the heights of nirvana only to be dashed upon the rocks of Hades." He lowered his head.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what to tell you. Maybe she's just confused."

"That makes two of us." He looked at Jason with tired eyes. "The Jackal shall retire to his regrettably pink room to cry himself to sleep. Adieu."

Jason watched Spinelli trudge up the stairs. "I know just how you feel,kid," he murmured.

--

Sam McCall jumped at the sound of pounding on her door. "I'm coming! Geez!" She looked through the peephole. "Maxie?" She flung open the door.

"Thank God!" Maxie burst into the room talking a mile a minute. "I'm freaking out! I can't believe I did that to him. And I swore I would never do that! You heard me say that, didn't you? He's my best friend in the whole world and now he's never gonna speak to me again. I threw it all away in one moment of desperation and selfishness. But that's who I am. Love 'em and kill 'em Maxie!"

Sam watched Maxie pace back and forth while she rambled on. "I… take it you did something to Spinelli? And now you think he hates you?"

"He does. I know he does! I hate myself right now, too." Maxie grabbed a pillow off the sofa and buried her face in it. She muffled a scream.

"God, Maxie, what did you do to him?"

Maxie peeked over the top of the pillow at Sam's horrified expression. "I seduced him," she whispered.

Sam squinted at her. "Did you just say you seduced him?"

Maxie turned away, before she could see Sam smile. She paced the floor again. "I'm so ashamed! What am I gonna do? How can I face him after this?"

Sam watched her young friend who was obviously in distress, but she couldn't help giggling. She covered her mouth and stopped herself, putting on a serious face when the girl turned back around. "Maxie, sit down." Sam yanked her by the arm.

Maxie fell onto the sofa. She leaned her head on Sam's shoulder.

Sam put her arm around Maxie and stroked her hair. "Let's just take a step back for a moment, okay? First I have to ask you one thing. How was it?"

Maxie looked at her in shock. "Sam!"

"What? I'm curious!"

Maxie thought for a moment. "Wonderful. I would have to classify tonight as the best sex I've ever had."

"Really? Spinelli? Wow!"

"I'm not saying he's the world's greatest lover or anything. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if it was his first time. But I've never felt so loved and cherished before. He really made me feel beautiful."

"Sounds like heaven. What's the problem?"

"I'm the problem! If we get involved I'm going to mess things up. I always do."

"Maxie, just because you've had bad luck in the past doesn't mean this time will end up the same way."

"I don't want to take the chance."

"Or maybe you feel like you don't deserve a chance?"

Maxie was thoughtful for a moment. "I gotta get home. Thanks for listening. Sam."

"Anytime."

--

Spinelli curled up into a ball on his bed and clutched a pillow to his chest. He stroked the fabric gently. "Maxie," he sighed as a tear trickled down his cheek.

--

Maxie curled up into a ball on her bed, holding her pillow close. She laid her head on it and pretended it was Spinelli's warm body. She ran her hand along the silky smoothness, closing her eyes and remembering how good he had made her feel. It was a shame she would never feel that again. She sobbed into the pillow until sleep finally took her.