A/N: I have some bad news. As I'm sure you all know it's been over a month since I last updated any story, and lately, I haven't been reading or reviewing other stories. The truth is I have completely given up on GH. The show bores me now and I haven't watched it in weeks. Not only that, but I just don't have the time between the SATS, Drivers Ed, and all of my APs. So, this is the end for me. I'm done with the show, and I'm done with fan fiction. Don't get me wrong, nearly all the stories I've read are fantastic, but I'm just not invested in the characters anymore. I'm going around and finishing all the necessary posting, and then that's it. I'm retiring so to speak.

Thanks to everyone for their support over the months, I really appreciate it. So, I hope you all enjoy the end of Tangled Secrets.

Chapter 21- Trial Day

The day of Jesse's trial finally arrived. Maxie had brought a suit for him to wear down to the prison, and he was now trying to calm his messy hair. Giving up on the hair, he let the guard know that he was ready, and he was handcuffed at the wrists and ankles and led off to court.

Maxie kept staring at the door, waiting for Jesse to come through it. And finally, he did. Forgetting where she was for a moment, she ran over to him and leaned over the divider kissing him.

"I love you so much" she whispered. "No matter what"

"I love you too" he whispered back, wishing he could hold her in his arms, but the handcuffs prevented that. "Oh thank god" he said as he looked over at the prosecution's table.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Durant's the DA, not a judge" he said breathing a sigh of relief.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"It's nothing. I just had this weird dream and…well, it doesn't matt… what's Diego doing here?" he asked.

"I dunno. But I wish he'd go. Nobody wants him here"

"You don't want him here?"

"Of course not baby" she said a confused look on her face. "What's with you today?"

"It was just this dream. It was my court date and you were there, and Diego was your new fiancé, and Durant was the judge, and…"

"And did you have to click your heals three time to get back home?" she teased with a smile.

"What?" he asked, a smile on his face too just because one was on hers.

"That whole story just sounded very Wizard of Oz-like. 'and you were there, and you…'" she said with a laugh, but she suddenly got serious. "It's ok to be scared about the outcome of the trial Jesse" she said softly as she touched his face. "But just remember that I'm standing by you, no matter what, just like you stood by me"

The two kissed once more before the bailiff announced the entrance of the judge, so Maxie returned back to her family.

Courtney held Maxie's hand throughout the trial. Maxie hated sitting there as Durant interviewed witness after witness, interrogating them about Jesse; ripping apart the man that she loved. Maxie wanted to knock Durant off of his pedestal and tell him just how great Jesse was. In fact, she had begged Ric, Justus, and her brothers to let her testify in Jesse's favor. But none of them wanted her to be Durant's mercy, and neither did Jesse. So, she was forced to sit back and not do anything to help her. And it was so frustrating. Everything that Ric or Justus said didn't matter, as Durant was able to discredit it and rip them apart.

The only words that truly stuck in Maxie's head throughout the trial were the bad ones. The ones that included "prison for life", "obstruction of justice", and "criminal". She just hoped that better words stuck in the jury's head.

Maxie could hardly stand to think about Jesse in jail. She didn't want to ever have to live that nightmare. It had been bad enough that he was being held at the PCPD until the trial. But if he were to be shipped off to Pentonville… she didn't even want to think about it. He had given up so much for her, and she wished there was something she could do to help him.

When the trial broke for a recess, Maxie was immediately on her feet and over by Jesse.

"How are you?" she asked as she tenderly touched his face.

"I've been better" he said in a small voice.

Maxie threw her arms around his neck and gave him a long hug, holding him tightly and whispering in his ear about how much she loved him. Jesse buried his head into her shoulder, wishing more than anything that he was in Maxie's arms, but anywhere but there. That courtroom had turned into his own personal hell. It was worse than his cell back at the station. This courtroom was the place where his fate would be decided. Durant was right, just like doctors don't make great patients, cops don't make good inmates. He knew that he wouldn't be winning any popularity points in prison due to his occupation. Then, there was Maxie. How could he be kept away from her? He didn't think he could survive.

The trial continued on for a few more hours that day, and then a few days after that. Maxie was bored of it, but at the same time, she didn't want it to end, just in case the verdict was not what they wanted. And the trial was shaping up to be in Durant's favor. By the last day of the trial, Jesse going to jail seemed to be inevitable.

Jesse had already been led back to his jail cell and the court had been emptied as the jury went off to decide Jesse's fate. The verdict would be read in the morning, and Maxie knew that she wasn't going to be getting any sleep that night.

"Ready to go?" asked Sonny quietly as he walked back into the courtroom and found his baby sister just sitting in her seat, staring straight ahead.

"I don't know" she said quietly, her voice emotional. "You go ahead Sonny. I think I'd rather just take a little walk and then go home"

"You sure?" asked Sonny. "You want some company?"

"I just wanna be alone now Sonny" she said in the same quiet voice.

Sonny walked over to her and gave her a kiss on her forehead.

"I love you" he told her.

"I love you too" she said as she hugged Sonny.

Maxie had sat for a few more minutes in the courtroom before giving up and finally leaving.

"Hey, what happened to Jeff?" she asked Max as she saw him waiting for her.

"He had to leave. So you've got me instead. Sonny mentioned you wanted to be alone, but with this whole Durant thing…"

"I know, I understand" said Maxie. "I actually changed my mind anyway. Company sounds nice" she said as she and Max started walking.

"You've changed Maxie" said Max softly.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I mean…this trial's changed you. You've become more mature"

"Thanks I think. But I think I've just become sad. That's all I ever am anymore. Sad. Not even angry, just sad. I always thought that was impossible. I never thought you could experience sadness without any anger. But I have no fury, just…tiredness. I'm just worn out" she said in the same quiet voice.

Max put one arm around her and squeezed her into a hug. Suddenly, he pulled her back into the shadows. He put one finger to his lips and pulled out his gun.

"What is it?" she whispered.

"Durant" he mouthed back.

Maxie poked her head out to look and before Max pulled her back; she saw that he was talking to some woman. That woman looked so familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on who she was. Suddenly, it hit her.

"OH MY GOD!" she yelled in a whisper.

"SHH!" Max cried, also in a whisper.

"Max! That's one of the jurors!" she hissed.

"No kidding" he mused. "What do you think they're talking about?"

"I dunno. But I'm sure it's not something he'd want to get out" said Maxie. "We need to move closer" she said as she darted out, crouching down behind some garbage cans, now closer to Durant and the woman.

Max cursed under his breath before following her.

"Maxie, we should go" he hissed.

"Stop being such a worry-wart" she hissed as she rooted through her purse.

Finding her cell phone, she found the voice memo function and hit record, holding it up and capturing Durant's conversation.

"I did as you said, alright! I found the guy guilty, and I convinced the others too as well. There were some doubts, and I did well! So I deserve more money" the woman said crossly.

"Look, the deal was you get me a conviction, you get everyone to go for the guilty verdict, and I give you a quarter of a million. That was it. No room for more cash making" he said stubbornly.

"I could go to the cops with this you know! You're whole career will be blown. And this kid who you're trying so hard to get behind bars will walk free" she said. "If this gets out, your whole life will be blown to smithereens" she woman threatened.

"Look lady, you don't want to do that. Because you're committing a crime yourself. So unless you want to end up in Beaudry's position, I am sure that you will keep your mouth shut" he sneered.

"Hey, it wasn't as if I felt right about this" she said nervously, suddenly making excuses for herself. "I needed the money. I was, and I still am desperate" she said.

"I know, and none of this has to get out. We just both need to stay quiet about this. Agreed?" asked Durant.

"Agreed" said the woman.

"Good. Now don't contact me again. The last thing we need is to be linked to each other" mumbled Durant as he walked away and the woman walked in the other direction.

Once the coast was clear, Max and Maxie emerged from the shadows.

"I can't believe it" said Max in shock.

"I can. Durant is a lying crap-hole. And now, we have the proof to get Jesse released, and bring Durant down, all in one big swoop. When Sonny finds out, he's gonna flip a shit" said Maxie excitedly.

"Crap-hole? Flip a shit? My vocabulary is lacking those choice phrases" said Max as he and Maxie started walking back to the Harborview Towers.

"I think you should pull a Never Been Kissed. You know, go back to high school"

"Yeah, 'cause I'd fit right in" he joked.

"Kids today are tall…" she supplied as the two laughed, now considerably more lighthearted.

Maxie couldn't control her smirk the next day in court. Sonny had in fact "flipped a shit" when he found out what they knew. First, he was mad that they put Maxie in danger. But then, it hit him. He finally had a way to take Durant down. He had grabbed her up into a big hug and declared it a night of celebration. Although Maxie was glad that Durant was being punished, she was more thrilled about Jesse being released from prison. And it was just in time for her to start PCU. Maxie shared a knowing glance with Sonny as Jesse was led in. Maxie went up and greeted him.

"What are you so happy about?" he asked grimly.

"You're coming home today" she said.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Consider it all taken care of" she said as she kissed him again. "I love you" she told him as she went back to her seat as the judge entered.

The judge went though the legalities and formalities, before pausing for a moment.

"Some evidence has been brought to my attention Mr. Durant" she said, turning on the DA.

"Excuse me?" he questioned. "The verdict's already been decided and handed down"

"I'm sorry, but I have no choice but to drop the charges and declare this a mistrial. As for you Mr. Durant, I believe that you are being placed under arrest" she said.

"Excuse me?" he asked again.

But he was cut off as bailiffs rushed at Durant and read him his rights and cuffed him as they charged him with conspiracy, tampering with evidence, and a load of other charges, similar to Jesse, Jason, and Sonny.

The judge nodded at the bailiff guarding Jesse, and the man reached down and uncuffed him. Maxie immediately ran to him, and the two shared their first real embrace in a while.

"What did you do?" he asked her in shock.

"Durant bribed a jury member. I just got the proof" she said.

"You went after Durant?" he asked, pulling away slightly.

"Not exactly. I found out all about this purely on accident. I was taking a walk, and I ran into him. Max was even with me! I've been careful Jesse. I knew that if anything happened to me, you'd be devastated, and I don't want that to happen" she said, her arms still around his neck, his arms still on her waist.

"I would be Maxie. I love you" he said softly.

"I love you too. Now, shut up and kiss me" she commanded.

He smiled, and did just as she said.