Chapter 22- Shattered

It had been a few weeks since Jesse had been released from prison, and he and Maxie had never been happier. They spent all of their time together. Jesse was even getting along well with Sonny and Jason now. They respected him for what he did to help them, and they never gave him problems about being with Maxie. Well, as long as he got her back before midnight. Maxie and Brook had also repaired their relationship completely, and Brook Lynn and Lucas were very happy. As for Diego, everyone pretty much just ignored him. Sure, he was annoying, but he was harmless. For the first time in his life, Jesse felt like he belonged. He loved Maxie so much and he was so happy with her. Plus, he got along well with his friends and before he knew it, they became his friends as well.

"You ready for this?" asked Jesse as he glanced at Maxie.

"Oh I'm ready" she said confidently as she walked into Sonny's penthouse.

"You said you needed to talk to me?" asked Sonny as he looked up from the paperwork he was filling out.

"Actually, I need to talk to Courtney, Jason, and Carly at the same time as you" said Maxie.

As if on cue, the other three walked into the room.

"What's up Maxie?" asked Carly as she took her place on the couch next to her husband.

Courtney and Jason each sat in chairs and Jesse stood behind her, providing silent support.

"These past few months, I'd like to think I've matured…wouldn't you agree?" she began.

"Yes, we'd agree" said Sonny slowly. "Where's this going?"

"I am 19. I need to look out for myself, and although I have become a responsible person with better decision making skills, I still need to be able to learn to be more independent. I can't rely on the four of you for everything anymore. Courtney can't keep doing my laundry, Sonny can't keep cooking me every single meal, Jason can't keep tabs on me, and Carly can't keep buying me stuff. And as long as I live here with you guys, that is all going to keep happening, and I am never going to gain my independence. Which is why, I believe that it is absolutely necessary for me to move into a dorm at PCU, and not keep living here" said Maxie as she completed her well thought out and rehearsed speech.

"Absolutely not" answered Sonny stubbornly.

"Sonny, I spent hours writing, practicing, and perfecting that speech. Jesse even knows it by heart already because of all the times I've practiced it on him. So I will not let you just blow me off with an 'absolutely not' without even conversing with everyone else and coming to a well thought out rational decision" said Maxie as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I agree" said Courtney. "Why don't you and Jesse go get a bite to eat at Kelly's and let the four of us talk, and then we'll get back to you. Ok?"

"That sounds fair" agreed Maxie.

"What if they say no?" asked Maxie as she picked at her cheeseburger.

"They won't say no. That was an excellent speech" said Jesse as he sat across from her, eating his own burger.

"They might say no. Sonny said no" said Maxie.

"Yeah, but Jason, Carly, and Courtney are a lot more levelheaded. I'm sure they can convince Sonny to say otherwise"

"I hope so. I can't keep living there. I'm going crazy. And there's no way in hell that I am going to be a college student who still lives at home. Oh my god! I'm gonna be 30, and still living in Courtney and Jason's house. Ava's gonna bring friend's home and introduce me as her crazy aunt who still lives with her big sister. I'm gonna sit in my room all day and watch Wheel of Fortune and The Price is Right!" cried Maxie.

"Maxie, that is never going to happen" laughed Jesse. "Look, even if you are 60 and still living with Courtney and Jason, I will still love you, and be with you, and take you out. So you may have to TiVo your game shows"

"I just need to get out on my own" moaned Maxie.

"I know" he said sympathetically. "You should just be thankful that you at least have a family who cares"

Maxie slipped her hand into Jesse's and lifted it to her lips, kissing it.

"I'm sorry. That is totally selfish of me. I'm bitching and moaning about my overprotective family, and all you want is a family of any sort" sighed Maxie.

"Hey, don't worry about it" he said, but he still sounded sad.

"I'm your family" Maxie told him with a smile before leaning over and kissing him.

"You are" he agreed. "I love you"

"I love you too" she said as she gently caressed his face.

"Maxie, we've come to a decision" said Sonny as Maxie and Jesse sat down on the couch and looked at the four people who were deciding Maxie's fate.

Jesse knew that this wasn't as big as his trial, but he felt like it. He needed Maxie to be allowed to move out. He liked Sonny and Jason, but he couldn't take them breathing down his neck all the time. And that midnight curfew thing drove him crazy.

"We understand that you've become more mature and responsible" said Sonny. "You've definitely grown up a lot in just two months. And so, after much talking, we've decided that you can move out and live in a dorm" he announced.

"YES!" yelled Maxie as she jumped up and gave Sonny a big hug before doing the same to Courtney, Carly, and Jason. "Yay! Thank you thank you thank you!" she kept repeating as she hugged them all a trillion times.

"I thought they'd never leave" said Jesse as Courtney and Carly finally left with Jason and Sonny in tow.

Jesse and Maxie were standing in Maxie's brand new dorm room. Brook, her roommate, had already moved her stuff in and was out with Lucas. Maxie's family had been helping her move in, but Sonny and Jason had to work now, and Carly and Courtney went back to the penthouses to get some more of Maxie's stuff, leaving Jesse and Maxie to themselves. Maxie flung her arms around Jesse and started kissing him.

"I'm just so cool, making out with a college girl" joked Jesse.

"You betcha" Maxie said playfully. "I can't believe I'm finally here. Living my independent life. Of course, sleepovers are always nice" she said seductively.

"That can be arranged" he said. "But what about Brook?"

"We'll figure it out" she said as she kissed him again.

"So, do you know what you're going to major in yet?" he asked her as they broke away and sat on Maxie's newly made bed.

"Mm, not yet" she said. "But I have some time luckily. I'm just taking basic classes for now. The core stuff" she said.

"Is this your schedule?" he asked as he picked up the piece of paper.

"That's it" she said as she watched him read it.

"Wow, you sound busy. But I can meet you everyday for lunch at least" he told her.

"That sounds perfect. But Jesse, what about your life?" she asked.
"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, you lost your badge. Being a cop was pretty much your life"

"Well, now I have you" he said with a fake smile.

"Look, I didn't mean to tread into uncomfortable territory" she said as she scooted closer to him, taking his hands in hers. "I'm just worried about you. Not only do you need a job to keep your sanity, but what about money"

"I've got money saved up" he said nonchalantly.

"And what happens when it runs out?" she asked.

"Don't worry about it" he said as he pulled out of her grasp and walked over to the window.

Maxie walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind.

"Let's not fight" she mumbled as she kissed the back of his neck and smiled as she felt the shiver run up his spine.

"Don't worry about me living on the streets and starving, alright. You're brothers are helping me out" he admitted as he looked down shamefully.

She tilted his chin up so that she could look into his eyes.

"Jesse, that's nothing to be ashamed of. Think of it as severance pay" she joked.

"I can't. I think of it as my girlfriend's brothers having to support me" he mumbled.

"Jesse, you know that it's not like that" she maintained.

"They offered me a job you know. I might take it. They want me to be your body guard again"

"Jesse! NO!" she cried, shaking her head.

"What do you mean? I thought you'd be happy. We could spend all of our time together"

"As great as that sounds, I won't let you put yourself in danger like that"

"Maxie, it's not your decision to make" he snapped.

"Jesse, please. I love you so much. And I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you" she said, pulling on his arm as she started to cry.

Jesse immediately felt bad when he saw her cry, and he pulled her into his arms and held her tight.

"It won't be that dangerous Maxie. I'd just be protecting you, which I'd do anyway. Maxie, I'll always protect you with my life. You mean the world to me. I'd jump in front of a bus or take a bullet for you. The only thing is, now I'll be getting paid for it"

"What about college Jesse?" she asked.

"What about it?" he asked.

"Don't you wanna go? You can find something your really interested in"

"College isn't my thing. I never liked school, and I never got good grades or anything. Maxie, this job is perfect for me. Plus, unlike Max or Jeff, I blend in. You won't be embarrassed by me. And I'll go with you to your classes. So, I'll kinda be in college"

"It's not the same Jesse" said Maxie shortly.

"Maxie, please" he begged.

"No Jesse! Don't work for them! I'm begging you! Do something that you want to do"

"I want to do this Maxie" said Jesse. "How 'bout we talk about this later? Let's just focus on moving you in and being happy with the limited alone time we have now"

"Fine" she said as she moved towards him.

He held her in his arms and mumbled into her hair about how much he loved her.

They finally broke away and got back to unpacking, laughing and talking as they did. All the sudden, all hell broke loose. Before they knew what was happening, loud noises sounded and the windows shattered. Jesse threw himself over Maxie's body to protect her from the showering of bullets that was now raining down on them. She screamed and pressed herself to him. Finally, the bullets stopped.

"Jesse, are you ok?" she asked. "Jesse?" she repeated when she got no answer. "JESSE!" she cried, squeezing her way out from underneath him. "OH MY GOD!" she cried as she looked at the big, red gaping hole that was now in his back.

She quickly grabbed a towel that was in one of her boxes and started applying pressure.

She hardly noticed that Max, Jeff, and the other guards were surrounding the room. She had hardly noticed that they had fired back during the fighting and sent men out the window and on to the fire escape to search for the shooter. She didn't notice them calling 911 and telling her that it would all be alright, and that the ambulance was on its way. All she noticed was Jesse, lying there, so lifeless, as the blood poured out of him. All she noticed was the undeniable pain that the man she loved was in.

Finally, the ambulance arrived and pulled her away from him as they started working.

"I'm going with him" she said, and everyone knew there was no stopping her.

As the ambulance drove off towards GH, Maxie held his hand tightly and begged him to be ok. She needed him more than anything.