Chapter 6

It was late August. Cameron was starting school in one week and Jacob was finally speaking without lisps or mispronunciation of any consonants or vowels. Oddly, it was a song that Hannah's mother, Vonnie, used with her children when they were little. It was an old Irish drinking pub song called Lilly the Pink. And by summers end, Maxie, Hannah and the boys even had Jason humming the ridiculous tune.

Of course he always said it was to help his sons speech when he was caught but strangely enough, Jacob Martin Johnson was never around when Maxie would bust the brooding ex mobster.

The summer had taken on a sort of bizarre family existence within the household at 538 Fourth Street. First, Maxie was learning to cook. She was even taking classes on the matter. However, the boys and even she, herself preferred Jason's cooking or take-out. Yet she insisted that she needed to learn. Besides, Hannah was taking the class as well. The two twenty-four year old girls had truly become inseparable over the summer.

The same went for Jason and Billy. They had so many common interests. They were very close in age, Jason thirty six and Billy thirty two. Plus the fact that Junior and Cameron were fast becoming friends. They worked together, their kids played together, they enjoyed working out, playing pool or tinkering on Billy's newly found 1970 Chevelle muscle car or Jason's 1966 Triumph Bonneville classic motorcycle.

To the girls, both machines were useless pieces of junk but Jason and Billy had worked hard through the summer to prove them wrong. The men spent hours upon hours fixing the two machines. The two antiques had undergone mechanical and cosmetic restorations to bring them back to their original forms. And both were a paint job away from completion. Both boys were boasting a race they would have, one against the other, within weeks when they unveiled their new 'old' masterpieces.

As suspected, Maxie took back the garage without much trouble when the summer storms started interfering with Jason's down time. Maxie would call him to move the truck so she could pull in since it was raining. Or she would ask him to go start the car and bring it around to the front where she had less distance to the car exposed to the elements to ruin her dress, shoes, hair or whatever her superficial complaint was. Finally Jason offered for her to park in the garage because of the storms that seemed to pop up out of nowhere. Maxie smiled and ran to her room to text Hannah that it had only taken three weeks.

A big change at the start of the summer was that Maxie was spending more afternoons at home. She would open the shop in the mornings and many days, except Thursdays, she would let Brittany close the store for her so she could be at home with the boys or shopping with Hannah or at her cooking class. The boys loved their daycare so she would take them in early, handle all of her business at the boutique and by three, head home.

Jason had noticed Maxie's behavioral change since her break up with Robbie. She was starting to be the old meddling Maxie. Boredom was not good for Maxie. Boredom led to plans. Plans led to scheming. Scheming led to wild plots and wild plots led to her need to be rescued from whatever mess she got herself into.

He called Spinelli a few times and even asked if maybe Mac could come visit. Spinelli had been overloaded with a case. Counterfeit artifacts were being sold on the internet and the trails were long and nearly unhackable so the FBI had him working on it twenty four seven. Mac had also been busy with the trials of the Zacharra's and Sonny Corinthos. Just keeping Sonny from being killed was taking up all of his time. He was safest being kept at the PCPD instead of Pentonville. But that meant Mac practically lived at the precinct.

Hannah started dating Billy, thanks to some creative prodding and plotting by Maxie. Since Jason and Billy were inseparable it hardly took Maxie much effort to make the match. Jason would roll his eyes or flat out growl at her to mind her own business. Maxie didn't care. His pleas would fall on deaf ears as Maxie made sure that Hannah was always over when Billy was there. She would show up with Hannah in tow when the men were spending the day with the boys and anytime they all went to dinner, she made the excuse that she and Jason were both left handed to have Hannah and Billy sitting opposite them in the booth.

But the one thing she didn't factor in her matchmaking was that once they truly started dating, their time would want to be spent alone with each other more than out with Maxie and Jason as friends. So Jason was left to try to keep Maxie as occupied as possible.

She was lonely. She needed adult interaction. And he, Billy and Hannah were her only true sources. So when she turned her attention to the dark blond, icy blue eyed roommate, Jason could hardly do anything but beg her to refrain from interfering and resign himself to the trouble that would eventually come from Maxie's meddling.

Although they had been spending all their time together, Billy and Hannah had been steadily fixing Jason up with different friends of theirs. He'd gone on a few dates but none of the women really struck his fancy and that was just fine with Maxie. None of them were ever good enough for Jason anyway. Either they were too fat, too thin, didn't dress right, had freckles or webbed feet or anything else Maxie could find to disparage the women to Jason. And Maxie started showing up on his dates. Or calling with lies about the boys asking for him or needing him to come home.

It didn't really matter to Jason though because he never seemed to click with the women either. Rarely was there a second date. Only one caught his attention for a handful of dates but it turned out she was still married and trying to get back at her husband for cheating on her. Maxie had vetted that information and was waiting up to tell him as soon as he got home from date number three. Date number four was confirmation that Maxie was telling the truth when he mentioned what he had heard. The woman didn't deny it and Jason ended it there having no desire to be used to make her husband finally take notice of her.

The desire for some meaningless sex was still prevalent but the women never made it to the threshold of the door. He just couldn't do it now that he was a father. Someone responsible for the lives that lived under his roof. He couldn't imagine explaining to Cam or Jake who the woman was in Daddy's bed so he simply didn't go there. And there was no way the boys would ever wake up and him not be there. So his memories and "private" time was what he settled for.

But the fact remained that Maxie was becoming possessive and protective of Jason. When he would work at the boutique and women paid attention to him, she became incensed. Jason hadn't noticed but he overheard Maxie telling Hannah over the phone that traffic had tripled on Thursday afternoons but that sales had not. She said women flocked to her store to watch Jason as he unloaded boxes, changed light bulbs, repaired or erected shelves or whatever odd or end Maxie had on her list for him to do that week.

Both blond roommates had been struggling with underlying tensions, jealousies and strange new unexplainable feelings between them.

On a particularly fun Sunday when the boys went with Junior and his mother to the movies and then out for pizza, they all decided to take Billy's two jet ski's out in the Bay. All four had a blast. Jason loved the feel of the jet ski. It was very reminiscent of riding a motorcycle. The turns were intense and the speeds, although not quite as fast, were still neck breaking. And Maxie on the back, holding on to him and screaming her lungs out caused a strange pang in his heart.

They were driving back to Billy's place to drop off the jet ski's and then planned to go out for a late lunch and a few beers before the boys were to come home. They were in Billy's truck and Maxie was on Jason's lap with Hannah on the seat between him and Billy. Maxie was animatedly talking, gesturing wildly, about the wave Jason had jumped with her on back. A large boat had gone speeding by and Jason could not resist the urge to get airborne. And she kept wiggling on his lap. He tried to stop her hips from moving but she was too into her version of their death defying feat to notice.

Finally, Jason grabbed onto her hips with bruising force and gritted out through his clenched teeth "Maxie stop moving."

As soon as Maxie stopped, puzzled by the request, she felt it. Jason had grown hard from her grinding on his lap and he was literally throbbing against her bikini covered rear end. They didn't even have towels or shorts separating them from his surf trunks and her bathing suit. His thin material and hers did little to hide the feel of each others flesh. Maxie gasped at the feel of the steel hard thick shaft pulsating underneath her. She jumped up, hit her head and then impaled herself back down into his lap.

"OH MY GOD JASON YOU HAVE A HARD ON!"

The only thing Jason could do was groan because the added friction and stimuli from her pounding down on his lap did nothing to ease his predicament. However, the rage burst out of him when Maxie announced to their two friends his predicament.

They were at the corner of Missouri Avenue and Belair and Jason quickly jumped out of the vehicle at the red light, shoving Maxie back into the seat he had occupied and quickly grabbed his wallet and phone from the dashboard.

"Jason what are you doing?" Billy yelled out the window.

"I'll walk home." he announced.

"That's like fifteen miles man, come on get back in." Billy pleaded with his friend while trying to keep a straight face.

"Fine with me. Fifteen miles is good exercise." He replied, his back to the group facing the enclosure for the bus stop that was hopefully shielding him and his bulging pants from most onlookers.

"Jeez Jason...what's the big deal...so you got all hot with me on your lap. I have that affect on men. Besides, you haven't had sex in like...three years so I'm really surprised you don't get that way when the wind blows." Maxie yelled out the window.

"MAXIE" Hannah hit her friend in the shoulder for her insensitive comment.

A horn honked and Billy looked up to see that the light was green. Knowing his friend well enough to know they weren't going to change his mind, especially after Maxie's comment, he yelled goodbye and said call him if he wanted him to come back and pick him up.

Jason sat down on the bus stop bench and mentally berated himself and his body for betraying him so. And cursing Maxie.

That was nearly two weeks ago and tensions around the Johnson house had not eased in the slightest. When Jason got home that night he and Maxie fought. Mostly because Maxie was teasing him. Then Jason uncharacteristically made an underhanded comment about not being turned on by little girls who slept their way through every man she met. Manipulating them, using them and even going so far as to feed their drug habits for their attention. Then he finished it off by saying he would never have a desire to be with trash like her.

Although Maxie could not deny that was how she was back in Port Charles, she had certainly tried and mostly succeeded in changing her ways of using men for sex. She had only been with Robbie and surely he could not believe she was the one doing the using in that short lived relationship. Then there was Spinelli but she hadn't seen him since they had first moved there and that was nearly six months ago.

She ran to her bedroom crying and didn't come out for at least a day. They had not spoken since.

But now, there was a hurricane heading straight for them. Hurricane Fiona was traveling right behind Tropical Storm Earl headed for the coast of Mexico near Texas when the stronger storm took a drastic turn, shocking even the most respected meteorologist in its near one hundred eighty degree turn back toward the Florida coast. It was gaining speed but was expected to hit at a category two in the next forty eight hours.

Maxie and Jason had no choice but to talk to prepare for the impending storm.

An evacuation was being waged but Jason decided they would wait out the storm at their home. He had the stronger shingles put on his roof at Mr. Watson's suggestion. He had also done the same for Maxie's boutique. He then installed the electric hurricane shutters on every window in the house and her boutique. Therefore, he had done what he could to protect the two structures.

Maxie went to the store and bought enough essentials, candles, batteries, charcoal, water and ice to last them for three weeks. She was terrified and Jason knew it, but she was outwardly showing strength. If for no one else but the boys.

Hannah had called her grandparents since they were literally on the road headed home. The Watsons decided to go to Jacksonville to visit their niece and her family to wait out the storm. Then she asked Billy and Jason if they would help her brothers secure the plywood to the Watson's house. All four men had the house boarded up within two hours.

Jason invited Hannah and Billy to come wait out the storm with them but Billy declined saying that he and Hannah were going to go stay at the animal shelter to help with all of the farm animals and pets. Hannah was a veterinary tech for the equestrian department of the University of South Florida and they had lots of animals at their facility plus a stable full of Clydesdale horses that Bush Gardens housed there during the busy tourist season.

The boys were scared since the power had flashed on and off a couple of times so Jason and Maxie made a pallet on the floor and were playing games with the boys by candlelight.

"Jason?"

"Hmmm"

"Are you still mad at me?"

"Maxie, I never was mad at you." Jason replied as he moved the candle to search for the gumdrop mountains to move the Diego piece since he pulled that card. "Jake, your turn."

"You were too mad at me." she shifted to sit on her legs since she was starting to go numb in the indian style position she had been in for the past hour. "and before you say anything, I want to say I'm sorry."

"Maxie, you...you don't need to apologize." Jason sighed as he helped Jake count the two purple squares his Backpack piece was to move to.

Maxie turned over the card from the Candy Land game and moved Dora to the next yellow square. "Yes I do. I'm really sorry I embarrassed you. I know it wasn't me that you were reacting to. It just freaked me out and...."

"Maxie..." Jason cut her off. "I don't think now is the time to discuss subjects of this nature. Not around the boys....Cam, no cheating or we won't play."

"I don't wanna play this baby game." Cam pouted as he moved the Boots piece back to the correct space his card indicated.

Maxie patted the curly headed boy on his leg. "Cameron Webster Johnson we played your game and now we are playing the one Jacob wanted to play."

"It's not a baby game CAM!" Jake shouted trying to keep his tears in check.

Cameron had been picking on his brother lately. Maxie and Jason had been having a heck of a time dealing with Cameron's mean streak and Jacob's hurt feelings ever since they had bought Cameron's school supplies. The boy had been relentless since he was gearing up for school knowing that he was transitioning to elementary school while Jake was still staying in daycare.

"Alright you two. Why don't we lay down and go to sleep? We'll finish this game in the morning." Jason said as she stood, stretching his muscles. He picked up the board from the floor and moved it to the table to resume the next morning. If the weather allowed.

Maxie busied herself with the boys, situating pillows and snuggling in between them while Jason headed to his bedroom to check the weather on his laptop. He found that the storm was moving fast but had been downgraded to a category one and was expected to hit land within the next four hours passing over Fort Myers so the winds, tornadoes and lightning was expected to be much less for the Largo area.

Ten minutes later he shut down his laptop to conserve the battery. He walked toward the living room to check on Maxie and the kids when he heard her telling them a story. He leaned up against the threshold of his door and watched as the petite blond, whose hair had grown quite a bit longer over the summer, ran her fingers through both boys hair and then down their arms and then back up again.

"Your Mommy was a nurse. She was the best nurse ever. She did surgery and everything."

"What's a surgery Maxie?" the spiky blond on her left asked as he climbed up onto her lap and faced her, laying his head on her chest so she could run her fingers up and down his back as Jason had seen her do a million times before to get him to sleep.

"A surgery is when a doctor and a nurse have to cut your skin to fix something underneath it. Maybe they have to take out your appendix or fix a super bad tummy ache called a hernia."

"Mommy had a surgery after the fire cause she cut her leg saving Jake." Cameron murmured half asleep.

"Yes she did. And you know never to play with matches again don't you Cam."

"Mmmhmmm" he replied as he rolled into her side and threw an arm over his little brothers legs.

Jason watched, amazed that Maxie always told them stories about their mother. Jason had asked her once about it and she told him that she would make sure they remembered her and eventually he could take over telling his boys more stories about their mom...when he was ready.

Maxie continued telling the story about the time that Spinelli was in the hospital and their Mommy was his special nurse. She told them how well she took care of Spinelli and was nice to her because she was so scared for her friend. Finally the boys were asleep and Maxie just kept rubbing their backs to make sure they were sleeping soundly.

Jason moved into the room and picked up Jake first. "I'll take them into my room. They can sleep with me tonight."

Maxie nodded and once Jake was off her lap she stood herself and started folding the yellow afghan and draped it over the back of the couch in it's proper spot.

That was another thing Jason noticed. Whenever the boys were wanting to hear stories about their mom, Maxie always wrapped them all up in the yellow afghan that had become the symbol of their mother. Jason's heart always constricted with admiration and respect for Maxie. The two women never got along but Maxie made it her mission to make sure the boys always knew how much their mother loved them. Jason figured it was partly her way of respecting Elizabeth's memory but also something she felt was missing from her own childhood since Felicia and Frisco had basically abandoned her and Georgie. There was not much for the boys to have of Elizabeth's so the stories and the afghan had become the unspoken sign of her presence in the boys lives.

Jason grabbed up Cameron and headed to bed. Maxie headed to her own room after blowing out all the candles lit in the house, grabbing a bottle of water and checking to make sure she had her cell phone and a radio and flashlight on her bedside table.

Two hours later Jason was awakened by shuffling in the bed. The storm had picked up and tree limbs and debris could be heard flying around outside. Rain was pouring down and hitting the metal storm shutters. But the shuffling in the bed, to his surprise, was Maxie.

Without a word, he scooted over and cradled Cameron to his chest as Maxie picked Jake up and laid him in her arms. Once she was comfortable, Jason shifted, void of sound, and pulled Maxie and Jacob into him. He draped his arm over her shoulder so that the two adults cradled both boys between them, He heard her contented sigh and a whispered 'I was scared.' and smiled as he drifted back to sleep.

His family safe and sound.

~%~%~%~%~%~%~

The storm had passed and the town had not been hit too hard. Cameron was in school and thriving. Each night he and Jacob had new stories to tell at the dinner table, Now that the big kids were in school, Sally O'Rourke was doing more things with the toddlers. Maxie and Jason loved listening to Jake tell the stories of music class and learning the alphabet and Cameron was learning to read and write and do simple math.

The Watsons had returned home and Hannah and Billy had wonderful news for everyone at the celebration bar-b-que for the older couple's return. It seemed Billy had proposed to Hannah on horseback when they were caring for the animals during the hurricane.

And she said yes.

Jason had known he was going to do it and had even helped him pick out the one carat pear shaped diamond ring. The storm kind of blew his plans to propose on the beach at sunset but when the timing presented itself with both of them riding a horse, he took advantage of the romantic setting. Jason took a couple of punches to the gut when Maxie realized he knew but then she freely admitted she would have probably told Hannah and it would have ruined the surprise of the proposal.

The bosses daughter was getting married also and his crew had been invited to the wedding. It was a fancy affair. His bosses wife was a prominent lawyer in Tampa and they were celebrating their daughter's reception at the Cove Cay Country club over in Clearwater.

Ever since the invitation came in the mail, Maxie had been beside herself. She ordered a special dress and shoes and accessories. She stopped by Jason's work to specifically ask his boss what his daughters colors were. Both men looked at her like she had three heads but Maxie talked his wifes cell phone number out of him and she called the mother of the bride to ensure her dress was not in line with the bridal parties colors.

That would be tacky.

She also offered a free dress to the bride for the dinner rehearsal. She called it a wedding gift but Jason knew she was already networking for new clients to the boutique.

And she had succeeded.

The daughter got the free cocktail dress, which only cost Maxie around two hundred dollars and the mother and future mother in law as well as the sister and sister in law all bought dresses from there as well. In the end, Maxie profited three hundred dollars from the foursome.

It was the day of the wedding and Jason walked out of the dressing room at the boutique in the Ralph Lauren single breasted two button navy blue suit with the light blue dress shirt and matching metallic light blue tie. Maxie had insisted he needed the new suit from a famous designer. She said no escort of hers could be seen in an off the rack suit from Sears. It would ruin her reputation.

Jason didn't even want to go to the wedding but Maxie had her heart set on it. She wanted to get out and rub elbows with the elite of the elite. He remembered her argument to convince him they should gol

"Your bosses wife is a partner in the leading law firm in this city. There are going to be lots of local celebrities and very wealthy people. All I do is talk kindergarten and Spongebob. I want to have one night where I'm in my old element. One night where there are nothing but adults and they are talking about things like politics and fashion and world issues not diaper rashes and private schools and OshKosh B'gosh. Johnny and I really went to a lot of high society parties for Crimson. Plus all the benefits for the hospital and the Nurses Ball. I just want to get that rush again. I want to get all dressed up and sip champagne and eat caviar and truffles. Even if it's just this once."

And how could Jason tell her no after that heartfelt plea.

"It fits...it's fine." He mumbled as she tugged at his collar one more time.

"Of course it's fine...it's Ralph Lauren silly. Honestly Jason have you learned nothing living with me for the past two years. I mean I know you are an expert in Levi's and Hanes but when it comes to dressing in style...I'm your go to girl." She smiled up at him as she tugged his tie loose and patted him on the chest.

"Whatever..." he replied and pulled her hands from his chest and started back toward the dressing rooms.

"You know..." Jason studied himself in the three way mirror. "I should have bought off the rack Maxie...people from work won't understand."

"Oh yes they will...we have money put away...I own a high end fashion boutique so I have access to the designer." Looking him up and down she thinned her lips and wrinkled her forehead in thought "You should really model in your spare time."

A high school girl in the boutique made an agreeing comment and a woman passing by the window with her friend stopped in. "That suit would look perfect on my husband."

"Lady, after tonight...you can have it." Jason offered then marched into the dressing room and started removing his clothes.

"No you can't but I can certainly get you one." Maxie commented as she pulled the suit jacket, then the dress shirt then the trousers from the dressing room door. Once she had his full suit in her hands she moved over to the counter. "What are your husband's sizes and I'll have one here for you by next week."

She took the woman's order and her credit card for a deposit on the two thousand dollar suit. They picked out the colors of the dress shirt and tie she wanted and discussed the charity gala he would be wearing it to the following month. Then Maxie showed her some elegant gowns she could order for the older woman that the suit would compliment. In fifteen minutes, the woman had ordered a dress and shoes and then bought two purses and a casual dress that were on display. In all, she had put down a five hundred dollar deposit on five thousand dollars worth of merchandise and had taken a handful of cards for her friends that lived in the oceanfront gated community up the street.

And the plan was born...now Maxie would add mens high end fashion in a small section at the boutique. In her mind she already had Jason knocking out walls and possibly adding on to the room. Maybe a loft for her office so they could open up that space for a men's dressing room.

Jason left to pick up the boys that were at the park with Brittany who had walked down there with the boys so Maxie and Jason could finish his final suit fitting with the tailor. He took the boys to Billy's for a sleep over. Hannah and Billy decided not to go to the wedding because they had Junior that weekend so they offered to keep the boys. Jason would drop off the suit next door to Maxie's salon for a one hour dry clean and press, then go home to shower and shave. Maxie was getting her hair done and would be ready for him to pick her up at five so they would be at the wedding in time for the six o'clock church wedding.

He was sitting in her car waiting in the parking after he had gone in the dry cleaner and changed into his suit in the cleaners bathroom. He noticed the door opening and a flurry of activity when Maxie walked out of the spa. Jason's heart beat sped up a bit. She was stunning.

Her hair was fashioned into an up-do with wispy hair sticking out from the back. He likened it to like a peacock but it looked good. Her bangs came down and covered one eye. The color of her hair was like the beautiful white sand on the beaches of West Florida. Her skin a golden tan. Her eyes the color of the water in Indian Rocks Beach. A brilliant blue with little flecks of gold and green interspersed. Her dress matched his tie perfectly. It looked like it was even the same material. Her dress was fitted to cut straight across her bosom. The strapless push up bra showed off the soft mounds being confined within the dress. It was cinched and gathered at the waist to make ripples but then smoothed out to end just above her knee then curved around her legs and down so in the back it fanned out in pleats to make a sort of train essentially turning the cocktail dress into full length formal wear. The straps of the dress were sparkly clear rhinestones and she also had on a rhinestone tennis bracelet and the clip holding her hair up in the back was rhinestone as well. Her earrings was a hanging strand of five rhinestones that were the same size and shape of the dresses straps but ended in a sapphire blue tear drop which matched her satin navy blue bubble shaped purse which also had matching rhinestone straps. Her look ended with her navy blue satin peep toe pumps with shiny silver four inch stiletto heels that matched the silver of her jewelry and purse.

In a word Maxie looked gorgeous and that fact was not lost on Jason.

Jason stumbled out of the car scurrying to the passenger side to open the door for Maxie. Everyone in the parking lot of the grocery store and other businesses like the spa and the dry cleaner were stopped and staring at the lovely couple. She checked her purse to ensure she had a compact, lip gloss and business cards. She was going to make her years salary from the connections she made today. It wasn't every day you were at a wedding with city councilmen, commissioners, the mayor and other city high rollers.

Well, that wasn't really true, she thought to herself...she had been at plenty of dinners, weddings, social events and the like with much bigger players than the folks of this small town. However, now that she was here...she intended to find her place in the social circle with the movers and shakers of her new home.

She climbed in the car and Jason couldn't speak. He just stared at her. Maxie reached in her purse and pulled out a silver tie pin and affixed it to his tie.

Finally finding his tongue Jason stammered, "You look beautiful."

"Thank you. And you look incredibly gorgeous as usual." and Jason watched as a beautifully pink blush stole across her cheeks when she realized what she said.

It was enough though to pull Jason from his stupor and he smiled.

Not wanting to have a receipt for the spa in her purse, Maxie shoved the receipt in her visor which Jason noticed housed a lot of other receipts. They were driving her car because she said it was more appropriate for them to climb in and out of in their formal wear. She had actually tried to get him to hire a car but he reminded her that they didn't need to rouse any suspicion showing up in a limo.

The wedding was nice. That was all anyone who asked could get out of Jason. Maxie expounded on the fashion, the flowers, the color theme and anything else. To anyone asking Maxie was impressed with the wedding but privately, for Jason's ears only, she dissected every aspect. Jason got the feeling it was actually part of Maxie's fun mocking the bride who she said looked like needed to lose twenty more pounds to pull off the wedding dress. She disparaged her hair style with the veil saying it should have been worn down instead of up and she laughed at the length of the groom and groomsmen's tuxes saying they were fashion from two years ago. Jason tuned her out when she started on her diatribe about the cut of the bridesmaids dresses.

Yet he was proud of her for not speaking those comments to anyone but him. She was truly growing up and maturing. Although he knew it was probably just a matter of time before she spoke her peace and ruined some poor shlups night because his wife was told she looked like a cartoon character or worse but Jason was happy that she was really enjoying herself. Both publicly meeting people, handing out her business card to the women who commented on her dress and then privately with him, releasing her catty barbs about anyone and seemingly everyone.

The reception was fun. They had an eight piece band that played jazz and old rock n roll like ELO and Chicago. Denny and Dale were there. He knew they were invited but didn't think they were coming when he didn't see them at the church. They chatted with the older couple through dinner but Jason reluctantly left their company when Maxie tugged him off to talk to some other people in the crowded banquet room.

Maxie caught the bouquet and Jason laughed at her for getting so excited. She tried to get him to try for the garter but he flat out refused and hard as she and Denny tried, they could not get him to budge.

However, Jason wasn't real happy when the tall Hispanic dark haired man in his late twenties caught the garter and then tugged Maxie from their table on to the dance floor. He was smooth, too smooth. Reminiscent of Sonny back in the day.

"Go cut in." Dale advised as he and his wife watched the steam roll around Jason as the younger man's hand inched further and further down Maxie's back.

"No, let her have her fun." He replied when Maxie's laughter floated across the room to them and he watched as the man whispered something in her ear and she threw her head back laughing.

The evening went on and the man, Pablo, had asked Maxie to dance again as well as a few other single men. Some women had asked Jason to dance as well but he told them he wasn't a dancer and declined.

Denny watched as Jason stared at Maxie and her dance partner on the floor and finally decided to take matters into her own hands. She whispered something in her husbands ear. He shook his head 'no' and she stood with her hands firmly planted on her hips. Then he dropped his head and nodded his approval and got up to head to the other side of the room.

"Jason, do this old granny a favor and get me out on that dance floor. I need to get moving before I stiffen up for good sitting here."

"What?" he turned to see the woman who could not possibly be five feet tall and smiled. "Mrs. Watson, I think you've been drinking."

"I may have had a few champagne poinsettia cocktails but that doesn't mean I don't know how to dance so come on." she tugged on his hand and pulled him out of his seat.

Jason had learned quickly after they moved in next to her that Denny Watson did not take no for an answer so he followed her onto the dance floor and laughed when he realized he would have had to probably dance on his knees to be able to place his hand at the small of her back. So he did the best he could and placed his hand just under her armpit on her shoulder blade.

They moved around the dance floor and Jason swore she was leading but dared not say anything. She turned him at one point and he completely missed Dale walking up and tapping Pablo on the shoulder to cut in. Once Pablo kissed Maxie's hand and retreated Denny quickly spun them sideways so that they would both be facing Maxie and Dale.

"Oh lookey there. Here's my husband. I think I'd rather dance with him. He's not so darn tall." she smirked and then jumped from Jason's arms into her husbands, nearly knocking Maxie down in the process.

Jason caught Maxie, putting her upright on her heels and then softly laughed. "That was rigged."

"Ya think?" Maxie smiled at him then rolled her eyes. "Well since you're here..."

She held out her arms and Jason stepped up to her, pulling her body to his and placing his hand where it was proper at the small of her back. She placed her tiny, perfectly manicured fingers in his hand and somehow...they fit perfectly.

Jason shook his head at the thought of anything of theirs fitting perfectly but then the song that started playing really hit home.

(The song is called "I've Been Searchin So Long" by the band Chicago. Go to Youtube and type "Chicago I've Been Searching" and you'll get the video to listen to...)

As my life goes on I believe
Somehow something's changed
Something deep inside
Ooh a part of me

There's a strange new light in my eyes
Things I've never known
Changin' my life
Changin' me

I've been searchin'
So long
To find an answer
Now I know my life has meaning
Oh oh

Now I see myself as I am
Feeling very free
Life is everything
Ooh it's meant to be
When my tears have come to an end
I will understand
What I left behind
Part of me

I've been searching
So long
To find an answer
Now I know my life has meaning
Woah woah

Searching
For an answer
To the question
For our minds
Baby it's true
It's only natural
Good things in life
Take a long time

As Jason danced with Maxie in his arms suddenly it started becoming clear. He wanted more with Maxie. He didn't know what that was but he just felt it inside him. And the realization scared the hell out of him.

He loved their life and wanted her to always be a part of it. He liked fighting with her and finishing her meals for her at restaurants. He liked curling up in the bed during the storm with her and the boys. He liked how it felt when she was behind him on the jet ski and now he realized it was Maxie that stirred his libido in the truck that afternoon.

He liked that she was so independent and told him exactly what she thought whether he liked it or not. He liked her spunk and ability to assess people quickly. Even if he thought she was crazy because she remembered things and people and places by what she was wearing or the style of clothes but it didn't detract that she had a snap shot memory about people. The specifics like hair color and style, size, height and most definitely their fashion sense.

His biggest attraction was that she was so attentive to his boys and that she always put them first, even before her own happiness.

The song was right. Now, two years later, the tears have come to an end. He's left a part of his life, a HUGE part of his life behind. He ran from the mob, Sonny, Carly. Also Elizabeth, although her death was most certainly what prompted the change. He was certain had Elizabeth survived, he would probably still be in Port Charles running the organized crime in that part of the world. But now he realized he escaped...the insanity, the death, the destruction...what was left of his friends and family and made a new place for himself in this world.

A world that included Maxie.

And it struck him like a smack to the face...even if his life didn't include Elizabeth, which to him would have been the ultimate, he was so much happier now than he ever was in Port Charles. With Elizabeth he never agreed to run away with her, even when she asked. A part of him always knew that they just never seemed to be perfectly aligned aside from the one perfect night that they created Jake.

Yet now he was able to live his life. He was able to be himself with Maxie. She expected it but never expected more than he could be. She announced to everyone who would listen what an beast and a cold and especially quiet, brooding individual he was. But she also defended his right to be that way any time someone else mentioned it. She would go so far as to say it's for the best since she was the polar opposite.

And she was.

And the song said it best...He HAD been searching for so long for the answers and he'd found his happiness finally. Good things in life DID take a long time to find.

Jason pushed at Maxie's hip and lifted their other hands and twirled her around under his arm and when he pulled her back to him, he really pulled her into him tight. She looked up at him, her blue eyes sparkling a rich blue hue. Her eyes questioning him. Then he saw the flash of something else...something more in her eyes.

"A long time ago I accused you of being expressionless and emotionless...Jason...can I tell you something?" she moved with him, swaying to the music.

"What?" his voice was breathy and she watched as his Adams apple bobbed up and down as he tried to swallow the lump in it.

"I was wrong. I thought this...this new life was going to be unbearable. Especially with you. I couldn't have been farther from the truth." she whispered as she laid her head on his suit covered chest and he held her tighter against him, resting his chin on her head as he pulled their joined hands up to his chest and closed his eyes inhaling the sweet scent of her perfume.

He smiled knowing that he was being ridiculous. He was certainly losing his mind if he thought he could possibly have a future with Maxie. They were friends. Well...yeah...friends...sort of...kind of...possibly. He was lost in her scent and the feel of her next to him, their bodies touching from chest to hip.

The next song started before they even realized it and they were still dancing.

("Questions 67 and 68" by the band Chicago which is a much more upbeat tune...again to hear it go to Youtube)

Can this feeling that we have together
Oooh, suddenly exist between
Did this meeting of our minds together
Oooh, happen just today, some way

I'd like to know
Can you tell me; please don't tell me
It really doesn't matter anyhow
It's just that the thought of us so happy
Appears in my mind, as a beautifully mysterious thing

Was your image in my mind so deeply
Oooh, other faces fade away
Blocking memories of unhappy hours
Oooh, leavin' just a burnin' love

I'd like to know
Can you tell me; please don't tell me
It really doesn't matter anyhow
It's just that the thought of us so happy
Appears in my mind, as a beautifully mysterious thing
Yes it does now baby

Can this lovin' we have found within us
Oooh, suddenly exist between
Did we somehow try to make it happen
Oooh, was it just some natural feat

I'd like to know
Can you tell me -- please don't tell me
It really doesn't matter anyhow
It's just that the thought of us so happy
Appears in my mind, as a beautifully mysterious thing
Yes it does now baby
Questions 67 and 68

And with everyone watching, including the Watsons as the music's tempo was quickening and others were dancing around them to the beat, Jason and Maxie swayed slowly to the music ensconced in each others arms, perfectly content to stay that way all night.

He cradled her head to him and leaned his cheek on her head, careful not to ruin her hair-do. He took a deep breath letting the new, unfamiliar feelings rush through him and accepting them as they did.