*** Two Months Later***

"You're starting to get big," Skeeter said with a grin, as he nodded toward Max's burgeoning stomach. "How's everyone doing in there?"

"Good, although it's moving around a lot," she admitted. "And kicking me lately."

"Being pregnant looks like it agrees with you," he replied. "Um, is there anything I can do? It's gotta be, uh, . . ."

"I'm fine Skeeter," Max replied quickly, as she laid her hand on her almost six month pregnant stomach. "We're both fine."

"You know you can call me and Linda if you need anything at all," he continued. "We know it hasn't been easy, with everything that happened. You haven't been able to . . ."

She nodded. "I can't find him. I tried for almost two months. Every hospital I could find, every specialty center, doctors, his parents and friends. No one will tell me anything. He doesn't want to be found Skeeter, not by me. I can't . . . I can't keep chasing after him. There are other things I need to take care of now."

"I'd like to pop him one."

"Yeah."

"Skeeter, Max. My office, now," Jimmy called from the doorway. She's still beautiful, he thought, as he watched Max waddle over. She's glowing, despite everything she's glowing. "Have a seat."

"What's going on?" Skeeter asked.

"Carter finished the autopsy on the body pulled out of the river, and an id just came in," Jimmy rattled off, "Skeeter, go down to the morgue and consult with him. Max, stay here. We have some things to go over."

"Not a problem," Skeeter replied, shooting his boss a look. "I'll let you know when I get back."

"How are you feeling?" Jimmy asked, after Skeeter left. "Work isn't causing you any stress or discomfort?"

"I'm fine, I promise," Max replied, ignoring the aching in her back. "Jimmy, I'm good. It's just an adjustment to say the least, but I'm fine. How are you doing? And the kids?"

"It hasn't been easy," he admitted. "With Jill gone and everything. I still don't know who he is. She's gone though, and calls the kids every few days."

"That's something at least."

"I guess. What are you doing tonight?"

She shrugged. "Soaking my feet?"

"You want to get something to eat?"

"Sure."

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"He's getting worse," Carol whispered. "The seizures, they're coming so much more frequently."

"The doctors know what they are doing," Tom argued. "These gliadel wafers, they have to work. His body just has to adjust to them first. Kenny won't give up."

"I'm starting to wonder."

"What?"

"He calls out for her every night, and she has been looking for him all of this time. Maybe it would give him something to hold on to."

"He doesn't want her here. Kenny has made that perfectly clear."

"I don't think he knows what he wants. He is in love with this woman Tom, and he needs here, whether he is going to admit it or not."

"Don't. It'll just upset him more."

"Max," Kenny groaned from the bed. "Don't go. I love you. I can't lose you."

"I think it will upset him more if she doesn't come," Carol argued. "Listen to him, Tom."

"Let's ask him when he wakes up," Tom relented.

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"This is great," Max admitted, savoring the pizza. "Perfect. Thanks."

"We need to eat," Jimmy replied, watching her as she rubbed her back. "Are you sore?"

She smiled at him. "A little bit. I'm not used to carrying around all of this extra weight."

"You look incredible," Jimmy countered. "Here let me."

"Hmm, that feels wonderful," Max sighed, as he massaged her shoulders. "Don't ever stop."

"Just relax," he countered. "Here, lean back."

She settled back against his chest, as he continued to knead her shoulders and he back. "Thanks for this."

"Anytime," Jimmy replied softly in her ear. "Max?"

"Hmm?"

"Nothing."

"What?" she asked, turning to face him. "Jimmy? Are you okay?"

He shook his head, as looked at her. I have to let go of her, now. Right now, or I won't be able to. I can't do this . . . this is Max. It was just a fantasy, and she is pregnant. With Kenny's baby. The asshole who ran out on her.

"Jimmy?"

"Max," he replied, stroking her cheek with his hand. "Don't say anything. Just let me . . ."

"What?"

"Ssh," he whispered, pulling her closer to him. He slowly lowered his mouth to hers, and kissed her gently.

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"Why isn't he waking up?" Tom demanded. "I thought these wafers were supposed to work!"

"Nothing is a 100% guarantee," Dr. Chalmers replied. "The tumor is growing, and nothing has worked so far. There is one more thing, but the consequences might not be worth it."

"What is it?" Carol asked, "You can't just leave him like this."

"There is a new surgery," he replied. "And this tumor is located in the speech section of the brain, so if it goes wrong . . . he will be a vegetable. If it goes right though, he should be able to live a normal life."

"What are the percentages?" Tom asked. "His chances?"

"Without the surgery, he will die. With it, he gets about 25% chance of survival."

"What is there to think about then?" Carol interjected. "We have to give him that chance."

"I want you to sleep on it," Dr. Chalmers replied. "He could be in a vegetative state for the rest of his life. We'll talk again in the morning."

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Max kissed him back, and sunk into him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she tilted her head back to deepen the kiss. Ignoring the thoughts racing in her head, they stumbled back toward her bedroom. Looking up at him, she shivered, as he pulled her t-shirt over her head. Slowly, she undid his belt, and eased his pants down.

"Max," he groaned in her ear, as he slipped his fingers into her waistband. "God, I want you."

"Ssh," she whispered, as she pushed his shirt back. "Kiss me."

He paused and took in the young body in front of him. So slim and smooth, minus the expanded stomach. She's beautiful, he thought, more so then I thought. He lifted her into his arms, and slowly lowered her to the bed. He leaned in to kiss her again, and stroked her breasts with his palms. Trailing his hands down her stomach, he slid her pants down.

"I've wanted you for so long," he breathed. "I tried to deny it, but I couldn't."

"Ssh," she whispered again, just wanting to be touched again. "Touch me."

Jimmy merely nodded, as he fell down on the bed next to her. Pulling her close again, he let his hands travel over her, as he slid into her for the very first time.

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"He's not home? How are you doing, Sweetie?" Jill asked. "Is everything all right in school?"

"Fine," Matthew replied. "When are you coming home Mom?"

"That's what I need to talk to your father about. Do you know when he is coming back?"

"He and Max have been spending a lot of time together. I guess because they were both dumped recently. You know that she is pregnant, Mom?"

"I heard. Tell him I called, and that I need to speak with him."

"When can we see you?"

"Soon, I promise. I just need to work some things out. I love you, Sweetie."

"Me too. I'll see you soon."

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"Max," Jimmy groaned, rolling over on his side. "Max? What are you doing?"

"Nothing," she said softly, as she turned away from the window. "Just thinking."

Jimmy paused to watch her, and his heart began to pound at the shadowy figure that was illuminated in the moonlight. Kenny is an idiot, he thought. "About?"

She turned back to look at him, as she tried to ignore her racing thoughts. "About? What do you think? What did we just do, Jimmy?"

"I think it's obvious."

"You think that this is a joke? You're married. I'm pregnant. You're my boss. This was a terrible mistake. You should go."

"What if I don't want to go? You're who I have been dreaming about, Max. The reality far exceeded the dream though."

She shook her head. "It was a mistake. I . . . we shouldn't have done this. You have three kids at home. Go, be with them."

"I want to be with you. You make me feel like a man again, and I haven't felt that way since before Jill left."

"We can't do this," Max stressed, as she struggled not to cry. "I can't do this."

"We already have," Jimmy countered, as he led her back to the bed. "My marriage is over, and you know that as well as I do. All that is left is to file the papers. The kids will accept it. This isn't a mistake Max, and you know it."

She gulped back her tears, as she looked up at him. "It can't work. Think about it."

"Give it a chance. Let me take care of you and the baby," he said quietly, as he kissed her again. "Let me."

Max nodded, as she kissed him back. What am I doing, she wondered, how can I be doing this? She fell back against the pillows, in Jimmy's arms, as their bodies came together again.

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"I'm going to hell," Max said under her breath, as she forced herself to focus on the paperwork in front of her the next day.

"Why?" Skeeter asked, sneaking up behind her. "You okay?"

"Peachy," she replied.

"Well you certainly sound like it. Anything you want to talk about?"

"Not really."

He nodded slowly. "If you're sure. You look like you're about to spit nails though. Is that a side effect of going to hell?"

"I'm going with hormones."

"Max, I need to see you in my office," Jimmy called, from his doorway. "Bring the Easton file with you."

"Good luck," Skeeter added. "Linda wants to throw you a baby shower by the way. Actually she's insisting on it."

Max smiled despite everything. "Okay. Sorry about being, well a bitch, this morning."

"Accepted. Go, before he gets mad."

I don't think he's mad, Max thought, as she pushed the door open to his office. I'm not sure what he is anymore. At least to me. Last night . . . it was amazing.

"Here's the file," she offered, as she dropped it on his desk. "Was that all?"

"Not even close," he replied, shutting the door behind her. "I need to talk to you."

"What about?"

"Don't play dumb Max. It doesn't suit you," Jimmy said, pulling her down on the couch next to him. "Jill called this morning. She wants a divorce."

"I'm sorry," Max said softly. "Do the kids know?"

"Not yet," he scoffed. "I'm going to tell them tonight."

"I'm sorry," she repeated, as he intertwined his fingers with hers. "What are you doing?"

He kissed her gently before responding. "It's been over for a long time. She's been seeing this guy for almost a year. They're going to move to California together, and she's giving me custody."

"She probably doesn't want to uproot them," Max replied, as he pulled her closer to him. "Jimmy, not here. Please."

"I need you," he replied, stroking her hair. "I can't do this alone, Max."

She nodded slowly, as she lowered the wall she had built around herself since Kenny had left. "You've kept me going these last few months. I don't know what I would've done with you. I need you too."

"We can make this work," he breathed, looking down at the beautiful creature in his arms. "Do you want to?"

She nodded again. "Oh Jimmy. This is going to be complicated."

He smiled at her, as he kissed her again.

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"The surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning," Dr. Chalmers said. "Again, are you sure about this?"

"It's his only hope," Tom stated. "It's either that or death. What would you choose?"

"All we can do is pray now," Carol added. "And possibly make one phone call."

"If he pulls through, we'll call her," Tom replied. "Until then I'm not causing that woman any more grief then Kenny has."

Carol nodded, and let her husband pull her into his arms.

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"How can you get divorced?" Zach asked his father. "Why?"

"There are a lot of reasons," Jimmy replied. "It doesn't have anything to do with the three of you though. Your mother and I . . . we've just grown apart."

"Is she seeing someone else?" Kimberly asked. "I heard you two fighting awhile ago, about affairs. She thought you were having on. Are you?"

Jimmy flashed back to the past few days with Max. "You'll have to ask your mother about that."

"Who is she seeing?" Matthew asked. "Do we know him?"

"She won't tell me," Jimmy offered. "but she is going to explain it to you three at dinner tomorrow."

"I don't want to go anywhere with her," Kim replied. "Why is she doing this Dad?"

Jimmy shook his head, "I don't know, but she loves you three. You'll always have her in your life."

"Why does she have to move to California?" Zach asked. "Why can't she stay here?"

"He's opening some business out there," Jimmy replied. "Your mother wants to go with him, so she is. You can visit her anytime you want though."

"I hate her," Matthew spit, as he stormed upstairs. "And her new boyfriend."

TBC . . .