Hello all. Here is a new chapter for you! I want to let you all know that I am terrified on how the dialogue for Spinelli turned out. I am a fan of his, and Spixie as friends so there will be no Spin hate here. However please note that I do think Spixie as a "couple" is very toxic and so that view will be present throughout the story. As always please let me know what you think, and I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with the show General Hospital.


Johnny walked out of his sisters room. He tries to pull out his phone but his hands are shaking so bad that he has a hard time. For someone who embraces being on the edge of loosing control so often, it was ironic that right now Johnny was willing himself to not collapse; to not loose it in the middle of a hospital. The last few hours had been hell for him. Between getting a call from Max that Claudia had demanded to get out of the car about a half mile from the house, to finding her on the ledge about to jump, and then the long talk with the doctor about what was happening to Claudia and how they were going to put in orders immediately to get her into Shadybrook; he felt like he had been hit by a race car going 100 miles an hour. He kept walking, trying to ignore the many faces giving him weird looks as he passed by them. After what seemed like an eternity, he got to a stairwell barreling through the door and collapsing on the first step, trying to take deep breaths to keep himself from hyperventilating. The breathing gave him enough calm for him to dial the number he wanted on the phone.

Damn it, voicemail.

"Hey Maxie, it's John. I really hate to bother you...I mean you probably have a lot of important things going on-"

Johnny could feel the tears welling up in his eyes, he couldn't remember the last time he had actually cried. He swallowed hard, trying to keep the tears from falling.

"It's just- I...I really need to talk to you, if...if you have a moment could you call me back."

He hung up the phone and stared at it for a moment. Then he heard voices coming near the stairs so he stood up and quickly moved down them and didn't stop still he saw and felt the sun as he came out the stairwell. The light was too bright and there were too many noises, he briskly walked to his car and got in, he needed to drive, he needed to outrun the pain and fear he was feeling.

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"So anyway I said EXCUSE me I was going to sit there and this little witch just replied by saying, apparently you took too long."

Spinelli observed his Maximista going on about what had taken place on the while she was on her little outing of shopping with Lulu .

"And I tell you Spinelli it was taking every ounce of me to not knock that stringy hair witch right off that bench."

Spinelli smiled. "So I take it Maximista did the right thing but is still upset that the...stringy haired one prevailed at taking her seat?"

"Oh no actually what happened next is the best part of the story, Lulu had gone to get some water in her cup from lunch and was apparently observing the whole thing."

"Oh?"

Maxie's eyes were shining as she continued with the story.

"Yeah, and she waltzes up and "trips" and pours all the water onto the girl. You should have seen her doing the over the top apology! When the girl called her out and accused her of doing it on purpose Lulu said, well if you were going to dampen everyone elses day around you, I thought you needed to know what it feels like!"

Maxie was grabbing her stomach as she began laughing in a fit.

"I tell ya I was so proud of her in that moment, I ended up buying her a pair of shoes for having my back like that."

Spin frowned. "As much as the girl should not have been rude to you, I fear Lulu's response was over the top in her recourse."

Maxie had began to calm down and his response stopped her giggle fit. She became quiet for a moment.

"I guess you're right, but it was only water and I think Lulu was right to put her in her place."

"I think you two make a very dangerous duo, I will make sure not to get in either of your bad graces."

Spinelli realized that again he had made her question herself, and her goodness for enjoying the event. And while he was a bit more sensitive to those who have had to suffer public humiliation, he hated that he seemed to make her second guess herself so much. He was trying to find the balance for both of them, but so far...things were still not right between them.

"I am very pleased to see you and Lulu doing so well, two lesser women would have not fought for their friendship. It is most impressive."

Maxie looked at him and gave him a smile. For a second she allowed herself to wonder what Johnny would have thought. Johnny would have laughed his ass off.

She jumped up and headed into the kitchen, forcing herself to not think about the man she let get away. She had made a choice and he had probably moved on from still wanting her a long time ago. I guess even Maxie Jones will have one that got away, she thought. As she pulled her head out of the fridge she thought she heard the last note of her cell going off.

"Did my cell just ring?"

Spin just nodded, he had gone back to focusing on his laptop.

She just giggled softly and picked up her phone.

One New Voicemail

Maxie begins to listen to the message, and her face falls as she reacts to what she is hearing.

"Spinelli!"

Spinelli almost knocked his orange soda onto his laptop from being startled by Maxie's scream.

"What on earth kind of message have you received to make you so distressed?"

Maxie was already halfway to the door by the time he had asked his question.

"It was Johnny, something's wrong and I have to go. Don't wait up for me."

With that the door clicked behind her leaving Spinelli alone and staring at the door.