A/N: This has proven to be an incredibly hard chapter to write…..and I really have no idea why.

Oh and I didn't beta this very well, sorry...i just had to get it out of sight and out of mind. Honestly....drove me nuts this chapter.

Chapter 5

Maxie was asleep when her head hit the pillow again and Jason quietly closed the door behind him. He didn't look in on the boys because he knew Jake would be in the living room any minute and Cameron would sleep another hour or two. He walked in to the living room and lay down on the couch. He pulled the afghan from the back and noticed the yellow knit no longer smelled like Elizabeth and hadn't for a long time.

He was actually surprised Maxie hadn't replaced it yet.

He rolled onto his side and looked out the glass in the front door. Eying the Watson home he made a promise to himself. He and Robert Kemp were going to have a little talk. And then he dared the boy to set foot near Maxie again.

Maxie woke up three hours later and Jason and the boys met her in the living room having just come in from their short trip to Walgreens. He picked up Maxie's prescriptions and her six or seven fashion magazines. The boys were promised toys the morning before by Maxie for picking up their rooms.
Of course, because of Robbie, when she got home from work, she didn't follow through with taking them shopping so Jason had to do it.

"Maxie!" Jake shouted and ran up to her wrapping himself around her legs.

"Jake, leave Maxie alone, she's not feeling well." Jason said as he moved toward the kitchen. "Would you like for me to make you some breakfast?"

Eying the clock on the wall, "Or Lunch?"

"No, I'm not really hungry right now." She groaned as she picked up the three year old and moved toward the couch to sit down.

"What's the mattew Maxie? You have a tummy ache?" Jake asked as he put both of his little hands on each side of Maxie's face and squeezed. His brilliant steel blue eyes penetrated her skin and she felt a warm glow grow inside her at the affection she held for both boys. "I had a tummy ache wast night and Daddy said I ate too much candy. Did you eat too much candy?"

Maxie smiled at the little boy. She had grown so attached to him and his older brother over the past nearly two years. It was impossible to imagine her life without them in it anymore.

It was such a shock when she found out about Jason and Elizabeth and especially Jake being Jason's son and not Lucky's. At first she was hurt that Spinelli had not included her in his secret. And finding out Lulu knew hurt even more. But then reality sunk in and she had to admit, if only to herself, she would not have trusted herself with that secret either.

She would have gloated because Elizabeth had acted so morally superior to her when she faked her pregnancy with Lucky's baby and the whole affair debacle. Not that Maxie didn't realize, even if it was in hindsight, that she was wrong on so many levels when it came to Lucky Spencer. Even after the affair and the faked pregnancy, Elizabeth treated her with disdain. Yet, the whole time she was carrying another man's child and then lying for years about her youngest son's parentage. Maxie had done some really bad things in her life so she understood the instinct. She didn't really blame Elizabeth.

However, the one thing Maxie didn't do that Elizabeth thrived on, was to act like she was innocent or the victim in all of it. Maxie's faults, she owned up to. She didn't feel Elizabeth could have really said the same.

However, being thrust into a situation where those two boys relied on her didn't allow her to gloat for too long. Besides, you can't very well snark at or seek retribution from a dead woman.

Oh she'd had quite a few snide remarks for Jason though. Always making sure he knew that she would never forget how he had treated her back then as well. Even up to Elizabeth's death that December Jason treated Maxie as if she were nothing more than an annoyance to him. Not that he treated her much better now but still…

It was little things he did, like rescuing her the night before and staying with her while she slept. Even agreeing to take her with him, to provide for her just like he was the two boys, was rescuing her. There was no doubt in her mind that if anyone were coming after her, within Jason's shield of protection was where she felt the safest. The whole hero complex was not lost on Maxie. She was just glad he didn't exclude her from the long list of those he would save.

"Jason just bought Jake a doctor kit. Maybe we can fix you." Cameron interrupted her thoughts holding up his own bag of goodies from the store.

"Oh yeah!" Jake exclaimed and jumped off of her lap and ran to his brother.

Maxie looked over at Jason who was pulling odds and ends out of the bags and she raised a questioning eyebrow.

"He says he's going to be a doctor." Jason shrugged. "Might as well acclimate him to his tools of the trade now."

"Didn't Jason Quartermaine want to be a doctor?" she asked and then felt guilty when she saw Jason cringe at her words. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay but I don't think we should say that name out loud just like we don't say the others." He said as he looked over at the boys and then moved toward her to hand her the magazines and her prescriptions. Yet another thing that Jason did for her that was a sign of his need to provide for her.

"You know, I should go ahead and order subscriptions for these instead of you picking them up at the store for me." She said absently as she started thumbing through Cosmopolitan. It wasn't lost on her that he was providing for her which is one of the main reasons she insisted on having a career. She was independent and wanted to make her own way in the world.

"I already sent them off and paid for them. They just haven't started arriving in the mail box yet. As soon as they do, I won't need to get them at the store." He replied as he tugged at the plastic surrounding Cameron's Rubic's Cube and then gave up, pulling out his pocket knife and cutting though the plastic.

Maxie smiled up at him. For someone who always seemed like she was such an intrusion and a pain in his side, he was always so thoughtful when it came to her comfort. And last night and this morning just proved it.

Jake came toddling over with his plastic blue and yellow stethoscope and immediately stuck the white circle on the end and his little fist up Jason's t-shirt that was covering Maxie's entire body.

"JAKE!" Maxie exclaimed tugging the little boy's hand from under her clothes. "You aren't supposed to stick your hand up my shirt."

"But the doctow does it to me." The little boy looked puzzled.

Jason laughed and moved back into the living room and picked Jake up. "Maybe it's time you and I had a talk about girls and boys."

"No, he's too young for that talk." She said as she stood. "He just surprised me, that's all."

She walked the two steps around the coffee table and moved toward Jason and Jake. She smiled at the little boy and took the white plastic circle and pressed it above her shirt to where her heart was. "Can you hear my heart beat?"

The little boy moved with Maxie's hand guiding him around her chest. Jason couldn't help but notice her bare breasts being outlined by her movements. His eyes traveled over his t-shirt on her and then groaned, his face twisting into something between disgust and lust when he realized what was going through his mind...and his groin.

They spent the day around the house. The boys were playing in the back yard. Jason was working out with his free weights so Maxie went out back to keep an eye on the boys while thumbing through her magazines. She had already tabbed a few pages to see if she couldn't find something online similar to display in the boutique.

"Jason?" she sing-songed, looking up from her magazine to see Jason mid set, arms stretched tight, muscles glistening with sweat. Yet another reason she went out to watch the boys. Jason's weight set was in the back yard in the corner of the patio behind the huge gas grill.

Watching Jason work out was a past time she rarely missed when she was home. Sometimes she would call Hannah and they would both sit and watch. And lately, Billy had been working out too. He wasn't as good looking as Jason but his body was still in great shape. And he and Hannah had been slowly hooking up, thanks to Maxie's efforts.

So when she and Hannah caught both boys working out it was double the pleasure, double the fun.

"WWWHHHAAATTTT!" Jason grunted loudly as he hefted the barbell up above his chest.

"Do you think my boutique has enough money for me to give away a prom dress?" She was reading about Mylie Cyrus attending her prom in US magazine and suddenly had an idea.

"You mean for Brittany? Sure you could give her a dress." he said as he let out the breath and lowered the barbell with the two fifty pound weights and two twenty five pound weights on it.

"No, not for Brittany...although you know...I think that's a good idea. It will be her bonus." she set down the magazine, scanned across the yard making a mental note that Jacob was in the sandbox and Cameron was on the swing. She then walked over to the weight bench and stood towering over him.

"I was thinking...it's too late for prom but what if I advertised at Brittney's high school and held a contest somehow. The winner would get their Homecoming dress for free for the Homecoming Dance. Those things usually happen around October at the high schools. That would be plenty of time to get the word out. I'm thinking it would bring a lot of girls in to look at dresses. And with those high school girls come their mothers...and their credit cards."

Jason looked up at her to see a pleased look on her face. He didn't know anything about prom dresses or homecoming or dances but he did know that with her formal wear, if she were to sell four dresses, the profit would pay for one given away. Besides, his projections showed that by the end of summer she should be showing a decent profit.

"We could expense the dress as advertising. You know, you could make the contest for those that buy dresses from the boutique." He grunted again as he lifted the weights.

"How would we do that if they've already paid for it?" she asked.

"Well, anyone who comes in to buy a dress, you put their receipt in a bowl. Then you pull the winning receipt out of the bowl and credit that person's card for the price of the dress. That way you show the sale, collect the taxes, have use of the money while the contest is going on and then when you issue the credit, you expense it as advertising."

"That could work." she said as she watched him lower the weights again.

"It would work. That's why I said it. Your way, you'd run the risk of no one buying a dress waiting to see if they won a free one. Not really the best way to go about gaining customers."

Maxie put her hands on the barbell and pushed down as hard as she could. "You are such a jerk!"

Jason smirked and easily pushed the weights back up. Maxie tried to resist his advance and went so far as to lean her upper body onto the weights to add more weight and pressure. Still, Jason pushed her up as well as the weights. In a last ditch effort Maxie moved so that her stomach was on the bar and she pulled her legs up effectively putting all of her weight on the bar. Jason just grunted a little louder and raised her and the bar of weights up over his head, locking his arms in place.

"JASON PUT ME DOWN" Maxie yelled realizing she was literally four feet off the ground and wobbling on the bar trying to steady herself.

"Apologize for calling me a jerk." he grunted, his voice strained a little from the weight he was holding above his chest.

"NO"

"Then I'll wait you out." He said, adjusting his legs so that he was more stable and then adjusting his grip on the bar.

"You can't hold me up that long." she whined raising an eyebrow at him.

"Maxie, you only weigh about a hundred pounds soaking wet. I can bench press three hundred if I wanted to. You plus this buck fifty is nothing. Now apologize and I'll let you down."

Surprised and intrigued by his response she hesitated then asked, "Can you go up and down with me on this?"

"You mean press you and the weights?" He wasn't touching the image her question conjured up with a ten foot pole.

"Yeah"

"Will you..."

"Apologize?...sure"

"Nope, I don't want the apology anymore. I was thinking...you'd give up your spot in the garage so that I can start working on my bike."

"That hunk of junk is never going to run Jason. I don't know why my car has to suffer the sun and the elements just so you can junk up the garage." she said as she wobbled down to where her head was coming close to his stomach.

It was an odd angle but she was upside down and facing the opposite way so talking with him was looking at him upside down. She used her one hand to push herself up away from his stomach and smiled when she heard him grunt.

"I'll get you a car cover."

"You have to push me and the weights up like twenty times." she bargained. She didn't really care if the car was in the garage or not. Besides, she'd just complain until Jason relented and gave up his spot in the garage for her car.

"Five" he countered.

"Fifteen"

"Ten"

"Deal"

He lowered the barbell and she stood up. "Turn around and sit down on the bar and hold on."

She did as she was told and turned with her back to him then lowered her behind, with her little pink short shorts and her white halter midriff top. She looked down at him and realized how intimate this situation would be if it were two lovers in this position. Jason's face, specifically his mouth was cradled just inside her thighs.

Jason noticed the position as well and could not believe the things he did. How did he end up in situations like this? Realizing she was staring at him and he was staring at...well...not her face, he drew in a deep breath and pushed up.

"One" she said and then held on tighter as she started to wobble.

He lowered her down while letting out a breath and then took in another and raised her up again.

"Two" she said her voice raising. "This is fun."

"Right...fun" he grunted as he breathed out.

Down and up again. "Fwee" came Jake's voice from behind Maxie and she turned quickly to see the boy and Jason lost balance tipping her and the weights to the side.

"Woah" Maxie said as he lowered her and her thighs gripped his face.

"Uh...Maxie" Jason said realizing that she had slipped off the bar and basically was practically sitting on his face.

"Oh shit" she looked down and immediately spread her legs and scooted back onto the bar. "Um...that's only three. I win."

As soon as that came out of her mouth he grunted pushing her up again. "FFFFFFOURRR"

"Shit" she said as she rose into the air again.

"Ohhhh...Maxie said bad wowds Daddy. She has to put a toy in the box." Jake said.

"What did Maxie say?" Cameron asked as he ran over from the swing.

"I'll give up my flat iron" Maxie groaned snarling at the little rat for pointing out that she cursed.

They had set up the 'bad word' box when they first all started living together mostly because Jake was repeating everything. Jason and Maxie weren't really used to being around kids all the time and it seemed like a good way to teach Jake not to say bad words and also help them curb their vocabulary to PG rated when the boys were around.

Jason had to give up his pool cue several times.

"Nope, not the flat iron...you haven't been using it lately...your" he grunted pushing her up again and Jake and Cameron both counted out eight. "your Karaoke microphone."

Taken aback that Jason even noticed she hadn't been using her flat iron then assuming he was probably just following behind her checking to make sure she didn't burn the house down she pouted.

"Everyone likes the Karaoke machine. That's not a fair take away. It's not just me that uses it."

"Only you and Hannah use it and you both sound horrible. The microphone. One week" he grunted and then "NNNNINE"

"Fine no Karao..."

"What do we have here? Not in front of the kids you two." Billy called from the gate.

"JUNIOR" Cameron yelled as he ran over to meet them.

Maxie looked up to see Billy, Junior and Hannah coming through the gate. Hannah smirking at her and Billy smiled a grin that spread the width of his face. Then she looked past them to see Robbie standing at his car watching her. She quickly scrambled off of the barbell.

Jason let out a loud OOOF when Maxie pushed off of him. He was working on pushing up for ten. He heard Billy's comment but ignored it. Billy was always making suggestive remarks and Jason would remind him that Maxie and he barely could stand each other.

"What are you three doing here?" Maxie asked quirking an eyebrow at Hannah then tugging her arm to pull her aside.

"Well, we were wondering if maybe you guys wanted to go get some pizza for dinner. I have to get Junior home by seven thirty so I was thinking we'd get an early dinner and then I'd drop him off. Hannah saw both your cars here so she suggested we see if you guys wanted to go. Ya'll didn't answer the phone so we figured you were in the yard." Billy explained.

Jason sat up from the bench and pulled the towel from the hook wiping off the sweat running down his chest. Billy walked over to the garage door, opened it, grabbed two bottles of beer from the refrigerator and walked back over handing one to Jason then twisting off the top and sucking down the cool liquid. Maxie and Hannah moved over to the lounge chairs. Hannah pulled a magazine from the pile on the fire pit table then sat back. The three boys were already arguing over who went down the slide first. The oldest Cameron, the guest Junior or the youngest Jake.

"Boy's don't fight!" Maxie yelled.

"What did we walk in on Maxie?" Hannah whispered, looking back at Jason and then smiling at Billy when he smiled back.

They weren't as pretty a couple as Maxie and Jason were but they fit really well together. She was thankful for Maxie and Jason. Had it not been for their friendships, she and Billy never would have met. This weekend was their first official date with Junior around. They had gone to the zoo the day before and had a great time. Hannah could not wait to talk about it with what was quickly becoming one of her closest friends but now she had other things she wanted to talk about first.

"Jason and I made a bet." Maxie sighed then smiled and raised her voice so the men could hear. "A BET THAT I WON!"

"No, you gave up. You lost!" Jason pointed his beer bottle at her with a smirk.

"I did not Jason! You only got to nine you ninny!" she stood and put her hands on her hips.

"Yep, I got to nine and was starting on ten and you jumped off the barbell. You quit so I won." He moved toward her. "I'm pulling the bike from the shed and your car is now officially parked in the driveway from now on."

"No it's NOT!" she shouted and punched him in the gut to make her point. He grabbed her hands to stop her assault from going further.

"Uh...Maxie? Can I talk to you a minute?"

All heads turned toward the fence where Robbie was now standing. Jason pulled Maxie by the arm behind him and looked Robbie in the eye.

"She has nothing to say to you. You need to leave." Jason growled.

"I was talking to Maxie." Robbie responded with a bit of a spark to his own tone.

"Well I'm talking to you. Get out of here. No one wants you here."

"Jason..." Maxie grabbed his forearm. "He's Hannah's brother remember?"

"That's okay." Hannah murmured looking at her brother and then back at Jason and Maxie as she stood from her chair. "I already heard from Joanne, Rick's girlfriend, what happened last night. You know...Nana and Papa didn't say you could stay at their house so that you could trash it. You're a real piece of work Robert."

"Shut up Hannah, no one asked you." Robbie spit back at his sister.

"Hey bubba...I don't really care that she's your sister. Speak to her with some respect when you are around me. Ya hear me boy?" Billy responded moving toward Hannah and wrapping a strong arm around her shoulders.

"I got your boy, dude." Robbie rolled his eyes. "Maxie? Can we talk?"

Maxie went to move and Jason held onto her hand that was still resting on his forearm. "No Maxie. Don't you remember what happened last night? Our talk this morning?"

"I remember Jason but I'm still going to talk to him." She sighed as she looked up into his eyes. She could see the concern and anger reflected in them. Concern for her, anger toward Robbie. "I'll just be a minute."

"I don't like this."

"Yeah well...you're not the boss of me so let go."

Those few words were like a bucket of cold water over Jason. His day was officially shot. He was pissed. They had been having a good day. Now Maxie was tossing it aside, once again to make a colossally bad decision. In all the years he had known Maxie, she just couldn't walk away from trouble even if it were wearing a neon sign that said "Danger Danger"

"Boys, go inside and play video games." Jason barked and all three boys recognized the tone and took off for the back doors to the house.

Jason stood still as long as he could but when he watched as Maxie and Robbie talked quietly and then Maxie went toward the gate and Robbie opened it for her he had to move. And loudly.

He tossed his beer bottle into the trashcan where it promptly exploded into shards of glass in the metal container. He then stalked over to the fence.

"Maxie you need to get inside and check on the boys." He growled, never letting his eyes stray from the man who held her attention.

"Maxie, why don't we go get something to eat. We can go to the little cafe on Ulmerton Boulevard that you like so much. That way we can talk this out in private." Robbie said wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"She's not going anywhere with you." Jason took a threatening step toward Robbie reaching out for Maxie's arm to pull her from his clutches.

"Jason what are you doing?" Maxie asked, her brows knit in confusion.

"What am I doing? Maxie, what are you doing? This guy got you shitty drunk last night then passes out so that his friends could leach all over you. He's treated you like...like crap Maxie. What happened to staying away from him? What happened to all that you said this morning?"

"You know what man...being a big brother is one thing but you are stepping over the line here. Maxie wants to go with me so she'll go with me." Robbie interjected.

"He's not my big brother" "I'm not her big brother" Maxie and Jason both said in unison.

"Then it's settled. You don't have anything to say about what Maxie and I do." Robbie said as he threaded his fingers with Maxie's. He turned and started walking toward his car, pulling Maxie with him. "Come on babe. Let's leave these lame asses."

Jason watched as Maxie followed behind Robbie then got into his car. His fury building higher and higher as he watched the mustang peal out of the alleyway, kicking up dust and pebbles as Robbie spun his tires in a show of triumph at Jason's glaring figure.

All Jason could do was watch them disappear into the summer sun.

"Hey, why don't you go put something on and let's all go get some pizza." Billy broke the silence.

Jason looked up at him, then at Hannah who had a look of remorse and embarrassment over what her brother had just done.

"Yeah...let me get a quick shower, I'll be ten minutes max." Jason said quietly.

"I'll go get your boys ready. They looked like they needed at least a change of clothes." Hannah said as she quickly moved to follow Jason into the house, throwing back a fearful smile and a shrug at Billy.

~%~%~%~%~%~

Jason was pissed but knew there was nothing he could do about it. In all reality, Maxie was an adult. She got to make her own decisions even if they were horribly bad ones. He just had to accept that fact and move on.

He was sitting staring at the beer bottle, peeling the label off with his fingernails. He hadn't eaten a bite. Had barely said ten words and was still nursing his first beer.

"Dude, snap out of it. She'll be okay. Robbie is an asshole but he won't..."

"Won't what?" Jason looked up. "He already did."

"Technically it wasn't him." Billy already knew the story because Jason and he had talked briefly on the phone that morning about the events of the previous night.

"Technically I want to ram my fist down his throat." Jason replied then cringed when he heard Hannah clear her throat. "Sorry, I know he's your brother but..."

"It's okay." she smiled back at Jason. "I know what you mean. I want to punch him myself at times."

She looked across the restaurant at the boys playing airhockey. Jake was standing on a chair so she figured Jason needed a man to man talk and she would go attend to the boys. "I'm going to go get the boys under control. We probably need to head out to get Junior home pretty soon."

Jason and Billy looked up at her and Billy smiled his crooked grin at her. Thankful she understood Jason needed to talk.

"Hey man. She'll be okay."

"You know what Billy, I don't give a rats ass anymore."

"Sure you do man. Maxie's like your little sister."

"No she's not!"

"Okay?..." Billy was hesitant. He didn't quite understand the dynamic between Maxie and Jason. Sometimes he thought that there was an attraction underneath all of the friction but sometimes he figured it was a familial level of relating to each other. Just like brothers and sisters. "So...Maxie's not your sister....Is there maybe something... is she something more?"

The familiar words that Billy had no idea he had said caused Jason to shoot up out of his seat. "There is nothing....NOTHING...more between Maxie and me. I loved...her sister."

He sighed and sat back down scrubbing his hand over his face then peeking over the top of his hand at his friend across the table. Obviously Billy was shocked by the ire in his declaration. "Billy..."

"Hey no problem man. I was just...I mean...you said yourself that Maxie and...uh...Beth?"

"Elizabeth"

"Yeah...Elizabeth...you said the two weren't even close. That you hardly knew Maxie. It's almost two years later. Isn't it possible..."

"No" Jason cut him off. "It's not possible."

"Okay man. That's cool. Although it would be really cool if me and Hannah and you and Maxie..." He saw the look on Jason's face and backed down. "Uh...yeah...okay...well then we need to find you a nice girl Jason Johnson. You need a woman."

Jason groaned. That's exactly what he had been thinking lately. Elizabeth was never coming back and his hand was not exactly giving him what he needed as a man lately.

As if reading his mind, the sound of a sultry voice sent the hairs on his neck standing at attention.

"Well hey guys? Fancy running into you here?" she cooed as she slid up next to Jason.

"Where are the girls?" she asked as she drew a little circle on the center of Jason's left bicep.

Jason looked to his left and followed the perfectly manicured toes in the tan sandals up the long, tanned and toned legs that looked smooth as silk. A short white skirt hugged her slim hips and her bright green blouse was tied at her waist showing just a hint of a tanned and tone stomach. Traveling further, Jason let his eyes linger at her pert breasts. They were larger, he likened them to the size of Sam's, maybe a C or a barely D size. The cleavage was being pushed out of a tight white bra that he could see the edges of peeking out of the low buttoned blouse. Finally he rested on her face, framed in auburn curls that were highlighted a golden strawberry blond by the summer's sun. A sprinkling of summer freckles were across her cheeks and her nose.

She was pretty, fit and would satisfy his need for a romp in the bedroom.

"Hey Julia" Jason's baritone voice purred her name across his lips.

"Hannah's over there with the boys." Billy pointed out, realizing as soon as he did that neither Jason nor Julia were paying any attention to him.

Billy sat there uncomfortable as his friend undressed Julia Peyton-Wainright with his eyes. "Where's Cookie?" he asked.

Julia never even glanced over in Billy's direction. "It's her father's week. I just came up to grab a beer or two...maybe play some pool. Watch the ballgame."

Words that were music to Jason's ears. "Well Billy and Hannah are about to leave to take Junior home. I was going to take the boys. Put them in the tub and then maybe an early night. They stayed up pretty late last night. Would you want to come play pool at my house? We can watch the game from there and I've got a fridge full of beer."

"I thought you'd never ask Jason." she purred.

"Good, I'll grab up the boys and head home. See you in a few minutes?" Jason asked as he stood, threw down a couple of twenties on the table to cover his one beer and the pizza they ordered. He knew forty bucks was more than enough including a tip.

He walked Julia up to the bar where she indicated she had her keys and purse and her own beer waiting. "Finish your beer. Take your time. I'll get the boys in the bath and set up a game on the pool table." He said to her as he intimately moved his hand to the small of her back drawing circles with his thumb then flashed his piercing blue eyes at her hazel ones.

"I'll see you soon." she smiled back and tucked her hair behind her ears.

"I can't wait." he nodded and then turned to get the boys and race home.

He needed to get the boys in the bath, change his sheets and rummage through his junk drawer for a condom. Then he thought better and looked over at Billy.

"Hey...you got a couple of condoms on you?" he asked his friend.

"Uh...yeah two but..."

"Billy, you can stop at the store on your way home. I can't exactly do that quickly with the two boys."

"You mean you don't have any at home?"

"Not any that are less that two years old."

"Dude" Billy said in shock at Jason's admission. "No wonder you're moving so fast. Can't say I blame you there. Besides, once you get past Julia's snotty assed attitude, she's a looker."

"Huh?" Jason didn't even consider what he was saying, he was just waiting for his friend to hand over the condoms. He figured one would be enough but two would be great just in case.

"Nevermind. Have fun man. You need to release some pent up energy. You deserve it. See ya at work tomorrow."

Billy discretely handed over the condoms and then they parted ways after gathering up the boys and Hannah and heading to the parking lot. Jason gave a quick look back at the bar and smiled to himself when, as expected, Julia was watching him and then blew him a kiss.

He was getting back into the swing of things. Climbing back up on the horse. Stepping back up to the plate.

Getting LAID.

~%~%~%~%~%~

"Was that Julia Peyton-Wainright I just saw pulling out of the driveway?"

"What the fuck's it to you?" Jason grumbled as he took the empty beer bottles to the kitchen.

"Well that's nice. Real nice."

"You do realize it's damn near ten o'clock. That cafe closed two hours ago."

"I...I left there and since it was only about a mile, I walked. I stopped at the Town Square where they are planning the new park."

"YOU WALKED?" He blew up at her, slamming the beer bottles into the recycle bin so loudly he wouldn't be surprised if the boys woke up.

"I...yeah." she sighed as she slumped down in the new chair she had bought that matched the ratty old leather couch she had yet to replace.

"You are so stupid Maxie. You could have been attacked. And where the fuck is that idiot boyfriend of yours?"

"He got pissed so he left."

"He left you at the cafe?" He was standing in front of her towering over her. "What a fucking asshole. You'll never learn Maxie."

He shook his head and turned his back to her.

"You know what...I don't need the lecture right now Jason." her voice was raising just as loud as his.

The fight was rolling and she wasn't backing down.

"What you need is a goddamn leash, a muzzle and a freaking clue Maxie. That guy is no good. I really don't care who his family is. You even said so yourself. What was it?...he treated you like a common tramp?" He stormed across the room pacing back and forth.

Maxie stood and her tightly clenched fists immediately found her hips. The fight waged on with barbs and insults flying back and forth. The whole argument getting louder but not loud enough to wake the kids. These two were experienced at late night, after the boys are asleep fighting.

"And you are a first class jerk that needs to mind his own business and back off of me. I didn't ask for all of this."

"Neither did I"

"Really?"

"Not babysitting you I didn't. You're impossible and take stupid risks and pick horrible men to date."

"And you are pig headed, cruel and bossy and...and...And you slept with that nasty, snobby woman that named her kid COOKIE!"

He laughed. He couldn't help it. He heard her last statement and started deep down in the gut belly laughing. He doubled over and fell onto the couch.

"It really is a stupid name. Jake and I both agree on that one."

Maxie started laughing at his admission and could actually imagine Jake on Jason's lap discussing the stupidity of the girls name. She plopped down beside him on the couch. "Every time I see that little girl I start singing the Cookie Monster song in my head."

Jason looked at her his eyebrows knit to a V.

"C is for cookie, that's good enough for me." Maxie started singing in a raspy grunting voice.

"You're restricted from Karaoke...remember?"

"Right...well just the microphone technically."

"Technically." Jason muttered and looked down at his hands. He thought for a few moments while it was a nice peaceful quiet.

He listened to Maxie's breathing. "Why didn't you just call me to come get you?"

"I didn't have my phone. Actually I didn't have anything."

"I noticed." he pointed to her purse sitting on the counter with her keys and her phone next to it. "You still could have borrowed the cafe's phone."

"I don't know the number's by heart...and before you start yelling at me, I already yelled at myself on my walk home. I'll have them memorized by tomorrow night, you watch."

More easy silence wafted through the air.

"I didn't sleep with Julia" Jason admitted.

He wasn't sure why he said it. He just really wanted Maxie to know that fact.

When Julia showed up she was like a vulture. He tried to get her to slow down but she was ready. They made out like teenagers but it was a little distracting that she was so aggressive. She was shoving her tongue down his throat. He was turned on by her but then he figured...with two years without sex, he'd probably get turn on by just about any woman.

As soon as he put the boys to bed she practically attacked him on the pool table. He tried to hold her off. He tried to take control He was a man after all. He liked women that let him make the moves at first. He still was giving it the old college try and she was near to giving him a blow job...just one zipper away when he saw Maxie's purse sitting on the counter.

He couldn't concentrate on anything except that Maxie was out without her purse, her medication, her phone, her keys. With what she was wearing when she left, he was sure she had no money and she was with a jackass that passed out the night before while she was being groped by his friends.

Then he looked down at the red-head on her knees in front of him and he felt sick to his stomach.

"You didn't sleep with her?"

He shook his head 'no'

"I told Robbie I never wanted to go out with him again. That's why he left me. I told him what a class A jerk he was."

"Good"

"So you don't like her?"

"What's that word you always use....she gives me the skivves."

"Promise?" she asked looking up into his blue eyes shining from the moonlight coming in through the windows.

He smiled and grabbed her hand that was on her lap. He tugged her toward his side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders placing a kiss on top of her head as he chuckled, "Promise"