A/N: Guys, I am a terrible person. Terrible! I had a contest, and I was too wrapped up with my own personal school drama to even remember it! Although, in my defense, nobody tried to guess what the quote was from. It was from NewsRadio, the funniest sitcom ever. Anyway, I wasn't planning on updating so soon, but I remembered the contest, and I felt bad. So, here's an update, but it's going to take some time for the next one to be posted.

Also, I would like to assure you all that this is not just a repeat of Journey. It's going to be quite a few chapters till the big reveal, but there's more to it. Re-read the extended summary for a clue.

TwoBrokenToCry- I'm glad you like it! Yes, Sonny tends to be annoying!

Vicki316- I'm glad you love it. I want them to have the perfect first kiss that people dream about!

Journeylover062- History repeats itself, but in how many ways? Dun dun dun! (Was that dramatic, or not really?)

brittany- This was actually my third time seeing Rent. It's my favorite show, and you should see it like, this week, because it was the most amazing cast ever. Better than the original cast even! I was blown away. The Mark was the funniest I've seen, and the Roger was the sexiest! Go see it! BTW, I can tell you're dying for an update!

Lauren- school sucks! Junior year sucks! It's like, a big tease. You have all the work, but you can't drive, you can't do anything, and you don't get the senior benefits!

brucasbrathangrl- Sonny's an overprotective warthog. He really just needs to loosen up!

LANCELOTTRISTANBABY- I'm glad you like it so much!

emmalee05- All writers really do abuse the poor cellphones! It's not their fault, it's the callers'! Lol.

MelindaM- That chapter focused mostly on Jesse's thoughts. I promise you I have plently of Maxie thoughts and reactions, I just need to flip between the two characters!

Rivercity-Chic- Maxie and Jesse are the best!

middiegurl08- First of all, to correct you, she's HIV positive, she doesn't have AIDS! (Sorry, I get defensive of this stuff because I know people) And second of all, thank you for your lovely compliments! Your reviews are always great, please don't think I'm yelling at you: )

tania- There's been some confusion! I have the next two chapters already written, I just have to post them. And I post them quicker when I get pretty reviews! And thanks for the early birthday wishes!

5432run- I'm really not reading much fanfiction lately, I'm mostly just posting and writing. Truthfully, I'm getting a little pissed off at GH. Give it some time and I'll start reading again. I just have to get into my school routine and what not.

AnAngelofAStar- Aww, thank you. I'm trying to stay positive, I really am. I even found a song that makes me feel better. It's called Bad Day by Daniel Powter, and if anyone's ever having a bad day, they should totally listen to it. Or at least read reviews! They always make me feel better.

MattMarraccinilvr- Glad you love it!

anon14- Thanks for the birthday good thoughts! By the time I actually make them kiss (it may be this chapter, it may not) it's going to be intense. Believe me!

Chapter 5- Babysitting

Sonny had eventually forgiven both Maxie and Jesse for the party incident, although neither were willing to tell him about Maxie getting attacked, instead choosing to keep the secret between them. Maxie and Jesse continued to spend a lot of time together, but the both lied to themselves by thinking it was because it was forced, and by thinking that they didn't enjoy their time spent together. Nothing more happened between them, short of a few hand brushes and the occasional arm pat.

Maxie was the girl who saw the boy and went after him. But with Jesse, it was different. It was complicated, and as much as she wished that it wasn't, she couldn't change anything. Maxie never pined over anybody like she was pining right now. All she wanted was to be held in Jesse's arms. But she couldn't let it show. Not to her friends, or her sisters, or her brothers. Especially not to Jesse. She needed to stay strong and fight her heart.

It was a Friday night and Maxie was pulling babysitting duty. Leticia had the night off and the Corinthos', Morgan's, and Lansing's decided to go out for dinner together. They were all making it past the animosity they once held for each other and were attempting to keep it all together and form their own kind of family. Maxie would be watching Michael, Morgan, Kristina, and baby Trevor. Michael didn't really need a babysitter, but there was no way he could take care of his brother, sister, and cousin, so Maxie stepped up to the plate. As she attempted to scrub chocolate off of Morgan, she realized that she would have been better off using a pinch hitter. Blowing off a strand of hair that fell into her face, Maxie finished cleaning up Morgan and instructed him to go play. She was just about to collapse on to the couch in exhaustion when Trevor started screaming. Maxie went into the guest room where his crib was and picked the nearly two year old up.

"Hey kid, what's up?" she asked him as the baby cooed at her.

"Bah-bah" he said.

"Alright, let's go get your bottle" said Maxie as she adjusted the baby on her shoulder and walked with him down into the kitchen.

Maxie was just about to pop the bottle in his mouth when Kristina came running full speed into the kitchen. Morgan followed her and she shrieked as he attempted to tackle her.

"Guys! Enough! Cut it out already!" she yelled, unable to deal with any more of their complaining, whining, and fighting.

"He hit me!" Kristina whimpered.

"She hit me first!" Morgan yelled.

"I don't care who hit who first! Just stop hitting each other!" she yelled.

"Hello?" came a voice from the living room.

"WHAT!" bellowed Maxie in her anger.

Jesse walked into the kitchen and saw the overwhelmed Maxie.

"Need a hand?" he asked her.

"Jesse, hi. I didn't realize it was you. And as for that hand, yes, please" she said handing him Trevor.

Jesse picked up the bottle from the counter and fed it to Trevor as Maxie took care of Morgan and Kristina. She set each of them up with a TV with a movie to watch in separate rooms. She checked on Michael, who was sitting in his room, on AIM and listening to music, being a moody teenager. Once she was sure they were all ok, she breathed deeply, taking a full breath before starting downstairs. Jesse sat on the couch and Trevor was in his arms. He tenderly fed the little baby the bottle and looked down at him with a smile on his face.

"You're good with him" said Maxie as she started down the stairs.

"Thanks. Who is he?"

"He's my nephew" said Maxie with a laugh. "Well, kind of. He's Sonny's brother and his wife Alexis' little boy"

"Ah, the complicated family life" said Jesse with a smile.

"You sound like you're speaking from experience" said Maxie as she got closer to Jesse on the couch.

"I am. I grew up in a very…odd family. I had a brother named Will and he was the apple of my parents' eyes. I was the son that they shuffled in back. The one that no one liked to talk about. I was the family bad boy. All I wanted was to prove myself one way or another. And Will, he looked up to me, god knows why. He was supposed to be the smart one. He was supposed to go to college. You…you don't need to hear this"

"You might as well finish" said Maxie as she put a reassuring hand on Jesse's. She turned her head so that she was looking into his eyes and tentatively brushed some hair off of his forehead. He took a deep breath, as though he was collecting himself before starting again.

"One night, we were out cruising, me and Will in the back seat. And I saw this car. I heard this shot, like this crack. I looked down and I saw blood, and Will had this look on his face…you know, kind of stunned. I told him I'd be ok. I don't know why I'd say something stupid like that. And his eyes glazed over. He slumped back. That's when I saw it… an exit wound in his chest. The bullet had gone all the way through him and hit me.

"Jesse, I'm…."

"God, I… I held him. I tried to keep him warm. But he died right there. Right there in the back seat, in my arms, terrified and in pain. His whole body trembled with it. If he hadn't slowed down that bullet, then I wouldn't be here."

"Jesse, I am so sorry" said Maxie. "I know that it doesn't mean anything, but I'm sorry"

"After that, I wanted to swear it all off. I wanted to do something that would help people. Something that would save lives"

"And instead you became this. Someone who does the opposite" said Maxie.

Jesse faltered for a second, and realizing that she wasn't helping the situation, Maxie promptly apologized.

"Don't be sorry" he told her. "It wasn't your decision to do this. It was mine. This job, it devastates people, doesn't it"

"You lose a lot by being a part of the organization" said Maxie softly.

"Have you ever been, you know, kidnapped, or shot at?"

"I was shot at once before, but I was never kidnapped. But my sister was. She lost her first baby because she was kidnapped. It destroyed her relationship with Jason, and it took a while, but she got it back on track. As for my brother, he lost his first wife and their unborn child. He's lost so much because of a stupid job"

"You hate what your brother does?" asked Jesse.

"Of course I do. I hate the violence, I hate the killings. I don't know how you willingly got yourself into this"

"Sometimes people need to do what they have to do"

"You said you wanted to save people, yet you're just hurting them!" she exclaimed. "Have you ever killed before?" she asked him softly as her voice trembled.

"Yes" he answered in a voice so soft she barely heard it.

"And was it worth it?" she asked, her voice now thick with tears.

"It was for protection. I needed to"

"You should never need to kill" she told him.

"There is more to me than you will ever know Maxie! So don't start judging!" he cried, jumping off of the couch and handing her the baby.

Jesse stormed out, leaving a confused Maxie all alone with just a sleeping Trevor in her arms.

Maxie had put the kids to bed (with the exception of Michael) when Jesse walked back into the penthouse.

"I came over for a reason before. I needed to see Sonny" he explained.

"Well, Sonny's not here" said Maxie coldly.

"Yeah, I got that"

"But you came back. What's your reason this time?" she asked.

"To apologize" he said, walking over to her and taking her hands in his own. "What I said to you was completely uncalled for. And the way I stormed out was wrong too. But I just don't want you thinking of me as a killer. I couldn't take it if that was the image of me that you kept in your head"

"Why is that so important to you Jesse?" asked Maxie.

"Because, I care about you!" he exclaimed as he dropped her hands so that he could pace about the room. "You're a friend, one of the first true friends that I have ever had"

"Is that all that I am Jesse? A friend?"

"You're easy to talk to. You actually listen" said Jesse as he continued to rant, ignoring her comment.

"Jesse, look at me!" demanded Maxie, walking over to Jesse and pulling him towards her. "I don't think of you as a killer. In a way, I think of you as my protector. The man who watches over me and makes sure I don't do anything stupid or harmful. I don't think any less of you because of what you do" she assured him.

"How? How can you just accept those who kill willingly? Those who take the lives of others?"

"They're my family. They're my friends. You're my friend" she told him.

"I regret what happened to Will everyday" he said in a voice that was deathly low. "I think about my brother every day of my life"

"It's hard to lose the ones we love" said Maxie softly as she put one hand on his face to comfort him.

"I don't want to lose anyone else" he admitted to her.

"You don't have to" she said as she pulled him in for a hug. He buried his head in her shoulder and the two stood there for a moment, holding one another tightly.

"You're beautiful" said Jesse as he pulled away from her hug and ran his hand over her face, watching as she closed her eyes and savored his touch as he did. "In so many ways, you are beautiful" he whispered.

"I feel like you see me Jesse. You really see me. Not as Sonny's little sister, or Georgie's best friend. Or the party girl, or the wild child. You truly see me" she told him.

"You're hard to miss" he said with a smile as he cupped her face with his hand.

Jesse bent down and lowered his lips to hers, stopping for a moment to look into her beautiful blue eyes. Those enchanting eyes. Again, their lips had almost just touched when they were interrupted and felt themselves pulling away from each other as the adults sauntered into the penthouse, talking and laughing.

"Jesse, what are you doing here?" asked Sonny in confusion.

"I needed to talk to you. But not anymore. It's not important. I forgot. I need to go. I'm going" he said nervously and distractedly as he hurried from the penthouse leaving the group who had just walked in to stare at his retreating back in confusion.

"What happened?" asked Carly.

"Nothing" said Maxie sadly. "Nothing happened"

Jesse sat on the pier, the thoughts running through his head. He had said too much. He had gone too far with Maxie. He needed to distance himself from her, a task he knew to be impossible. He couldn't resist her anymore. She was so beautiful, and so perfect. He wanted to hold her in his arms and kiss her all over. Jesse ran a hand through his hair as he got up and kicked a rock over the side and into the water, watching how it made dark ripples in the water where it fell. He heard the footsteps behind him and he felt her presence.

Maxie just stood there and watched his hunched back. It was so obvious that he was hurting. His pain was so evident, and it was killing her. But she was hurting too. She was dealing with the same longing that she was. She just wanted to run to him and launch herself into his warm embrace.

Finally, Jesse turned around and met her eye, his dark eyes even darker than usual. He cleared his throat and with a scratchy and thick voice he asked her a question.

"What are you doing here?"

A/N: Transcripts for the Jesse's brother thing come straight from the TV Megasite.