Maxie sat on the bed, watching as Georgie folded the last of her shirts into the bright pink suitcase. She had grown up with her sister, the one person that she could count on to always be there. Now, she was watching her leave her family's home, and part of her knew that she wasn't going to ever come back. As the brunette dragged the zipper closed on the overstuffed bag, Maxie felt tears starting to well in her baby blue eyes. She knew it was stupid to feel so emotional over her forced departure, but things were bound to change. "If Logan doesn't take care of you, I will kick his ass," she vowed bravely, biting her bottom lip to keep from crying. "I don't care what you say. He's still not good enough for you."

"Don't," Georgie warned wearily. Running her fingers absently through her ponytail, she scanned the room to see if she had left anything behind. She was tired from the all night talk Mac had forced her into when they had revealed their big plans. Logan had sat bravely by her side the entire time, answering question after question without giving her father any true insight into why she was leaving. It had been hard to lie to her father, something she had sworn she would never due after Dillon. However, with the support of the man she was growing to love, she swallowed her guilt and reassured herself that this was the best thing. She was just trying to protect her family while saving her own life. "I know you're scared that he will hurt me, but Logan is going to take care of me. You don't have to like him, but I hope that you'll at least support me. It's not like you're never going to see me again. It's just time that I grow up."

The blonde crossed her arms over her body protectively, feeling only slightly childish. No one, not even Dillon, had ever managed to take Georgie away from her, but now, she felt like she was losing her best friend. It was hard to imagine not being the most important person in her sister's life. She hated that she was jealous of the cocky Texan that her boyfriend somehow managed to call his best friend. Watching them together, she couldn't help but be. He looked at Georgie in a way that no man had ever looked at Maxie. She couldn't help but feel like her baby sister had finally the man that was going to make all of this real. "I'll do whatever you need," she promised before standing up to face Georgie. Wrapping her in a tight hug, she allowed herself to be comforted in the familiar warmth of her sister's embrace. "Logan is downstairs waiting. I guess you need to go."

Georgie smiled brightly, repeatedly telling herself not to falter. Someday she would be able to explain to her sister why she had to go, but for now, it was better to be tight lipped. Kissing her cheek chastely, she followed Maxie out of the room and down the stairs to the living room. Logan was sitting on the couch, listening to yet another lecture from Mac. As she sat her suitcase on the wooden floor with a notable bang, both men drew their eyes toward her. "I'm all packed," she told them. Pacing the length of the living room, she stopped short of her father and gazed down at him. "I know that this isn't what you want for me, but it's what I want for myself. I hope you can understand that and forgive me."

Mac stood up, his lips pursed in quiet disbelief. He had always expected that it would be Maxie to come up a rash decision to leave. Now, as his youngest daughter waited for him to say goodbye, he could feel his heart beginning to break. "I love you, and nothing will ever change that," he promised her. Georgie smiled the same smile she had always thrown his way, the cute grin that had made him fall in love with her when she was only two or three. Turning to Logan, he looked straight into the young man's eyes to let him know that he meant business. "If you hurt her, if you so as much disappoint her," Mac threatened, "I will find a way to make you pay. I will do anything to…"

"What? Protect her?" Logan asked evenly. His voice was soft but strong, meeting Mac's every demand head on. "So will I."

"That's enough," Georgie announced softly beside him. Stepping away from her father, she slipped her hand into Logan's and pulled him toward the door. One more minute in that living room and she knew that the story would come pouring out. Dragging the suitcase behind them, she didn't allow herself the luxury to look back. She just had to get out of there. She kept moving forward and didn't stop until she was safely in the passenger seat of Logan's black SUV. Jason had given him the new armored vehicle along with their new security team. Hiding behind the darkly tinted window, she finally allowed herself to look up at the house she had always called home. "Let's leave."

Logan turned to her from behind the steering wheel and shook his head vehemently. "I'm not leaving until I'm sure you're okay," he retorted. Reaching across the console, he took his hand in hers and brushed his thumb over her knuckles tenderly.

"I thought that this is what that was all about," she shot back, turning her head to avoid his probing stare. "Please, Lo, don't make this any harder than it needs to be. I just want to go back to your apartment and pretend that this isn't happening to me."

"It's happening to us. We are going through this together. Everything is moving so fast right now, and the only thing that is keeping me sane is knowing that I have you with me. I am lying to everyone that I love to keep you safe, but that's not the part that even bothers me. I'm scared that someday you're going to look back and regret your choice. I don't want you to blame me, or worse yourself. Before we leave, you need to be sure."

"Oh, I'm sorry," she realized. Her voice was genuinely despondent at the thought of hurting him so deeply. "This is more than what I want, it's what I need. I know that I've been selfish, only thinking about how this affects my life. I didn't even think what it would do to you. I know that you don't want to lie and that you're only doing it for me. I could never regret my choice because I wouldn't want you to."

Reaching up to cup her chin, Logan manually shook her head no. "I care about you. I would never regret doing something for the woman who makes me feel this way," he vowed. "Now, we can leave."

The drive across Port Charles was quiet and comfortable. Georgie watched the familiar streets pass her by, wondering if the man threatening her was lurking around the corner. The faceless threat of strangulation terrified her beyond words, but she had to be brave. When he pulled the dark car into the private parking garage and killed the motor, she waited patiently while he got out to escort her in. A pair of guards soon appeared to carry in her luggage, never making eye contact or breaking a smile. Riding the elevator up to the sixth floor unit, she felt at disease to share the lift with people she didn't know. She appreciated the fact that Jason wanted to protect her, but it was still uncomfortable at best. That entire disillusion faded instantly when she stepped out of the door and looked up at Logan's front door. She was home.

Logan busied himself over the next few minutes, showing her around an apartment that she had already seen. He ushered her through the kitchen, pointing out where he kept different things. Through the living and the bathroom, he rambled endlessly about minute details, clearly feeling awkward about having another woman live there with him. Lulu had shared the apartment with him for a few weeks, but even then, he had known that it was only temporary. With Georgie, he knew that this was something a little more permanent. A lot more permanent. When he finally brought her into the bedroom, he was starting to feel relieved. They were at home.

"I cleared out the top half of the dresser," he explained, pulling open an empty drawer for her to see. "I also emptied two shelves and a rack in the closet. There are a couple of bare shelves in the bathroom for your things. You didn't really bring much, but I still hope it's enough space."

Letting her handbag drop in the middle of his unmade bed, Georgie surveyed the bare room. It needed a definite woman's touch to feel more lived in, but she saw the potentials of a great beginning. She wasn't sure if the beginning was for a new home or a new life, but either way, she was determined to find out. "Thank you for opening your home to me," she murmured as she moved into his arms.

"That's not all I have," he grinned, pulling back after pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. Holding her hand, he pulled a cobalt blue gift bag from the top of his bureau. Georgie's face lit up as she pulled away the white tissue paper to look at the contents inside "I get up impossibly early some mornings to make coffee. I know you don't drink it, so I got this for your tea," he explained as he handed her a bright red mug. "When I was a kid, my mom didn't really have a lot of money, but she insisted that I take care of my teeth. She saved up for a month to buy me the electric toothbrush in there. I've had it for ten years, but it still works like new. I bought you this pink brush head so I could help take care of your teeth."

"And what's this for?" Georgie asked, pulling the last item, an engraved sterling silver key ring, from the sack. She traced her fingers over the careful script, reading it aloud. "Sweet Potato."

"I was trying to come up with these profound words to express how I felt, but I kept coming back to your nickname. They were the only ones that really seemed to fit," he grinned. "I let you into my heart and now I'm letting you into my home. I guess you kind of figured it out, but that's for your keys."

"Thank you," she smiled back, threading her arms behind his neck. Standing on her tip toes, she looked intently into his eyes before covering his mouth with hers. His tongue parted her willing lips as she cupped his neck to bring him closer to her. "I just have one question left."

"Which is?"

"Well, there's only one bed."

"Oh," he realized aloud, clapping his hand to his forehead. "I can sleep on the couch. I don't want you to think I assumed anything."

"What if I wanted you to assume?"

Just as he was about to answer, Logan's doorbell rang from the living room. Thankful for the temporary reprieve, he headed out of the room instantly. The shrill sound broke the moment undoubtedly charged with electricity. It wasn't that he didn't want to be with Georgie, he just didn't want to happen so easily. He'd fallen into bed with girls in the past, but other than Lulu, none of them really seemed to matter five minutes later. Time and patience is what they needed.

When he pulled the door open, Logan was surprised to see only an envelope sitting on the floor. Georgie appeared over his shoulder, looking confused. "Who's it from?"

"I don't know," he shrugged, tearing open the flap. His hands began to tremble as he read the erratic scrawl on the page. The interesting take on the old cliché chilled him to the bone.

You can hide, but you can't run.