Chapter 14

"Jesse! Jesse!" Maxie screamed.

"Maxie, shhh calm down- I'm alright, I'm fine. It's over" replied Jesse "Are you okay?"

"What happened- I thought Manny shot you" whispered Maxie as she sat up and threw her arms around Jesse's neck showering him with kisses.

Jesse pulled Maxie off his neck, holding her hands in his and placed his forehead to hers whispering "It's alright, baby, everything is over".

"Hey Jesse, can I get some help over here" said a weak voice from the other side of the dock.

Jesse turned around and smiled "Sure thing Lucky- after this one I owe you for saving Maxie"

"Lucky? Wait did you- you shot Manny?" asked Maxie.

Lucky grinned "Hey Maxie- congrats you two- yeah I shot him, felt good too, although that's strictly off the record Beaudry".

Jesse walked over to where Manny lay and he knelt down to check for a pulse. "Nice shot Lucky- I think you killed him- we better call Mac- he'll hang us for this one" he smiled.

Maxie got up and walked over to where Lucky was sitting on the ground. Lucky looked pretty beat up- his right eye was swollen shut and he had bruises up and down his arms.

"Lucky, what happened to you?" asked Maxie as she gently touched a cut on his cheek.

"Ouch, ouch" Lucky whimpered "I was following Manny to see that he was following his parole when I overheard him talking about finishing the drug job that Jesse and I busted up about two months ago. He must have seen me, because he snuck up behind me and knocked me unconscious- next thing I know I'm tied up in an abandoned warehouse downtown. Manny and some of his buddies- would occasionally come in and beat me- trying to get information on how much Jesse and the PCPD knew. When they told me about the virus that had hit Port Charles I was so worried about Liz and Cam- I knew I had to get out, I had the opportunity to escape almost a week ago, but then Manny came in here laughing about how you were staying with Jesse and he wasn't going to let the chance to get even with Jesse pass him by. So I waited until tonight- and followed him here."

"Well it may have put a little bit of a crimp in my plans for Maxie and me, but I am very glad that you were here partner" said Jesse as he walked up to them. "I just got off the phone with Mac- he is on his way, with Liz and a first aid kit".

"Thanks Jesse- and again congrats- I'm very happy – you two deserve the best" replied Lucky.

"You're so sweet Lucky" smiled Maxie "Listen, you need to take it easy- help will be here shortly- and you'll want to conserve all your energy for Liz". Maxie rubbed Lucky's arm and then got up and walked over to Jesse, pulling him once again into a hug.

"Well I guess we're going to have to tell Mac now, huh, I mean I knew we were eventually going to tell him, but I thought maybe we could keep it to ourselves just for a little while" said Jesse.

Maxie just laughed. "You do realize what this means don't you?"

"No I don't, perhaps you could explain it to me" said Mac as he walked up behind them.

"Mac" said Jesse surprised.

"Beaudry- you better explain to me what the HELL went on here tonight- Lucky is back, Manny is dead, and the dock looks like a scene right out of American Beauty" shouted Mac.

"Well, sir" Jesse swallowed hard as he held Maxie's hand tightly, she was squeezing back to show her support "Manny was holding us at gun point- about to shoot- he was going to kill me because I overheard him on the phone talking to his family in Miami about finishing the drug transfer that Lucky and I had originally busted. That's when Lucky showed up- and shot Manny- it killed him in defense".

"Alright, where has Lucky been and how did he end up here?" asked Mac.

"Manny kidnapped him- and he escaped tonight- following Manny- and saving us".

"Okay well that seems to explain all but two things- the roses and Maxie….."

"Well, sir, right before Manny showed up- I……….well………I asked Maxie to marry me" replied Jesse helplessly.

"YOU WHAT!" screamed Mac.

"He proposed Mac- and I said yes- we're getting married" interrupted Maxie.

"Maxie…." started Mac before he was interrupted by another officer who needed him to sign some paperwork in reference to Manny's death "when I get this place cleaned up, the three of us are going to sit down and have a nice long chat about this".

Jesse and Maxie watched Mac walked away and they turned to look each other in the eyes.

"Well, this night was certainly eventful" laughed Maxie as she put her arms around Jesse's neck.

"You could say that" smiled Jesse "You're not mad are you?"

"No, I'm not mad at all- I'm perfectly happy, actually" said Maxie.

"Maxie Jones- I love you" said Jesse.

"I love you too" said Maxie as she leaned in to softly kiss Jesse.

3 Months Later

"This is it Maxie- are you ready?" asked Georgie as she straightened the bottom of her crimson red bridesmaids dress.

Maxie inhaled deeply "I've been ready for this since the day Jesse walked into my hospital room".

"Maxie- you look beautiful" said Georgie with tears in her eyes.

"Georgie- stop that- you can't cry- or I'll start" laughed Maxie.

"I can't help it- everything is so wonderful- I'm so happy for you Maxie- you really deserve this"

"Thanks, Georgie- I sure hope you're right" replied Maxie.

"She's absolutely right" said Mac as he walked up next to Maxie. "You deserve this more than anyone Maxie- and I've never seen someone look so beautiful at their wedding, Jesse is very lucky".

Maxie couldn't hold it in any longer and the tears began to fall. "Thanks dad- thank you for everything" she whispered.

"That's my cue" said Georgie as she walked through the double wooden doors of the church and began to walk down the aisle.

Jesse was standing at the alter next to Lucky and Dillon who was remarking about how beautiful Georgie looked. All Jesse could think about was Maxie- he couldn't wait to see her walk through those doors. They had finally arrived at the moment that would signify the rest of their lives together. Jesse felt tears well up in his eyes as he heard the wedding march begin to play. Everyone turned to see Maxie walk through the doors- she looked so beautiful; Her dress was a beautiful strapless off-white gown covered in lace and her hair was loosely pinned back with a few curly strands falling on the side of her face.

Maxie's beauty took Jesse's breath away- and it felt like it took forever to walk the aisle on the arm of Mac. When she finally reached, Mac placed her hand in Jesse's and stepped back. Jesse and Maxie took one another's hands and locked eyes- this was it- the beginning of the rest of their lives.