After Maxie had calmed down enough to hold herself together, Johnny had driven her across town to retrieve her car. He had wanted to stay with her and make sure that she was okay, but she insisted on going to work just like she would on any other day. The last thing she wanted to do was give Lulu the power to take her job away. With a lingering kiss and a promise to catch up with him later, she had rode off in a cloud of dust toward the Crimson office, leaving him alone to figure out what to do with his suddenly open day.

Too much time on his hands is what had led him here, sitting in the dim living room at Greystone waiting for Claudia to come downstairs. Sonny's butler had already set up a sizable breakfast on the terrace and served Johnny with freshly squeezed orange juice. His brother-in-law was nowhere in sight, but Claudia had told him on the telephone that Sonny was in Puerto Rico for the next few days tending to business there.

"John!" her familiar voice called as she came down the stairs. As much as he hated to admit it, marriage seemed to agree with Claudia. She was happier than she had been in years, even blissful at times. Johnny still wasn't crazy about the fact that she was so wrapped up in the Corinthos organization, but he knew that there was no reasoning with his sister when she was on a mission. Her long and toned arms entwined around him as she hugged him tightly. "I feel like I haven't seen you in weeks. You look like hell. What's wrong?"

"It's only been two days, Claud," he laughed, following her outside to attend to their feast of garden omelets and turkey bacon. "As for looking like hell, you'll actually like what I'm about to say. Lulu and I broke up this morning."

She didn't even pretend to feign condolence for her brother as she clapped her hands giddily. She had made no bones about the fact that she hated Lulu Spencer. She was a whiny little brat who couldn't even begin to be worthy of a man like her brother. Lulu had put Johnny in bad situation after bad situation, even going as far as to convince him to walk away from his rightful place in the Zacharra family. Johnny and Claudia had fought too long and too often about his relationship with Lulu.

"I'm not going to tell you I'm sorry if that's what you're waiting to hear," she declared with a triumphant smile. "However, I will tell you that I'm sorry that this is hurting you. I always told you that girl would break your heart."

"She didn't exactly do the breaking."

"John, you just said that she broke up with you. If Lulu isn't the one who broke your heart, then why would she break up with you?" Claudia asked suspiciously. She knew that there were only two reasons that her brother would ever hurt the girl he supposedly loved. One included another girl, while the other meant that he would be returning to the fold. She was praying for the latter. "Does this mean that you're here to talk to Sonny about finding a place for you?"

He looked at his sister and rolled his eyes. Her mind was always on the business and how he could get ahead. "I will not be working for Sonny. If I am going to be in the business, it will be on my terms, Claud," he informed her matter-of-factly. She smiled in admiration at his moxie. He was very much her brother. "Actually, there's this girl."

"Ah, there's always a girl."

Johnny smirked at his sister. Few people ever got to see this side of her, and he counted himself lucky for getting a glimpse at the fresh-faced woman sitting across from him. "Maxie Jones," he retorted. "We've been, uh, hanging out for awhile. I was actually going to break up with Lulu and tell her everything when she and Spinelli found us outside Jake's this morning. I guess we slept through the night, and her abandoned car at a diner across town set off the PCPD."

"Well, her dad is the police chief," Claudia pointed out. "Come on, John, Maxie Jones?"

"I figured you'd like her more than Lulu."

"I do," she said hesitantly. In fact, Claudia had targeted Maxie last summer with the intent to break up Johnny's relationship with Lulu. "I just don't want you to get all wrapped up in another girl when you should be focusing on getting your place back in the business. We've got a lot of leverage here, John. We could so easily have everything that we have ever wanted."

Raking his fingers through his hair, Johnny looked over his sister's shoulder and thought about all the strings that her marriage to Sonny had connected to it. "Don't worry, Maxie is supportive of whatever I want to do when it comes to the family business and my place in it."

"So you're coming back?"

"I haven't decided yet," he answered, "but when I do, you will be the first person to know. We still have to be careful, Claud. Sonny doesn't know the truth and neither does Maxie. We both know what he'll do to you – to both of us – if and when he finds out. I'm not sure how she'd take it. I just know that I can't keep it a secret forever."

"No, John, you promised," Claudia hissed angrily. She had kept her secret from everyone except Ric, and now they both knew where that had gotten her. Maxie already knew too much about their family dealings. She couldn't risk letting another outsider in on their secret. "You cannot tell her."

Johnny pushed his chair back and came around to kneel in front of Claudia. "I can't lie to her, Claud, I'm in love with her," he murmured. "I know Maxie better than I know anyone except for you. She would never betray me. I actually think that she would kind of understand. I'm not saying that she will be happy, but she has to know everything that she is getting herself into by being with me."

Claudia knew that there was a lot about his statement that she should be focusing on but she could only hear the fact that her brother was already in love with another blonde. She could tell by his tone that he was serious and confident in his feelings for Maxie. There was something there that had never been present when he spoke of Lulu. "You've really fallen hard for this girl, haven't you?"

He couldn't believe that he was thinking these thoughts, let alone about to express them out loud to his sister. Once he said them, it would make them real. "I think she might be the one."

"Oh, God, you've gotten sentimental," Claudia shrieked, pushing her brother playfully before standing up to hug him. "John, if this girl makes you happy and she is truly worthy of your love, then I am going to do my best to be supportive. At least Maxie doesn't snivel and can actually dress. She also has a dark side that I can appreciate. You know that she is going to have to meet my approval."

"Of course," he chuckled, feeling much like the little brother that he was to Claudia. She was the only family he had that mattered, and her opinion had always meant a lot to him. It had always killed him that she hated Lulu as much as she did, but he had always understood why. Claudia had been able to see what he had been blind to for so long. "Now, what are you doing for the rest of today?"

Claudia shrugged. She didn't really have that many plans outside working redecorating the living room. "Not much, why?"

"Because I need to find somewhere to live," he announced. "Preferably somewhere big enough for two people to cohabitate comfortably. And big closets. Big closets are especially important."

"You cannot be serious about moving in with her."

"I don't know what will happen, but I want to be ready for whatever comes my way," Johnny replied. "Maxie isn't exactly going to be able to go on living with Lulu, and that apartment was never really good enough for a princess like her anyhow. I'm not sure where she is going to end up, but I want my home to be an option for her."

His sister threw her head back and laughed heartily as they headed down the exterior stairs to where a limousine was waiting for them in the driveway. It only took Claudia one call to set up an entire afternoon's worth of the best real estate showings that Port Charles had to offer. Johnny listened to his sister do her magic while he typed a text message to Maxie telling her about his plans. She sent a quick reply wishing him luck. She reminded him to check out the closets. Apparently those closets were worth mentioning twice.

They visited a pair of penthouses, a bungalow near the harbor, a cottage on the edge of town and a small mansion just near Greystone before Johnny and Claudia came upon the perfect little villa just a few blocks from the Metrocourt. As soon as he stepped foot in the grand entry way and spotted the dark hearth room through the doorway, he knew that he had found the place that he was going to call home. With his trust fund reinstated, he was able to make that dream a reality rather quickly. He left Claudia to do the negotiations while he traversed the upstairs, imagining all the places he could take Maxie. There was a spacious bathtub that would provide a perfect opportunity. He thought that the small loft at the top of the staircase would be a great place for her to sketch. This little adventure in real estate really had him imagining a future with Maxie.

He made his way out to a balcony off the master bedroom and pulled his cell phone from his pocket to call Maxie. He started to dial the office but realized rather quickly that could lead to an uncomfortable conversation with Lulu. Her cell phone rang twice before her bubbly voice filled his ear. "Hey, pretty girl."

"Hello, handsome," she purred back, her voice muffled. He could imagine her working away at her desk, the phone tucked under her chin while she rifled through mail or sorted samples. "Did you find something yet?"

"Claudia is finishing the deal downstairs," he answered. "Do you want to come see it?"

"Of course!" she exclaimed happily. "How soon do you think you'll be able to move in?"

Johnny smiled at how glad she seemed for him. "I told Claudia to get me the keys tonight, so I'm guessing that I can get everything taken care of in the morning."

"Good, I don't think we will be able to hang out at the apartment much."

"We don't have to hang out there at all if you don't want."

"I live there, Johnny," she reminded him. "I can't exactly afford to pay to get out of my lease right now. I still owe six months rent."

"I told you that I would pay your half."

Maxie didn't want to be someone else that Johnny had to take care of in his life. He had had that kind of relationship with Lulu, and it was something that Maxie had always looked down on. "I don't want you to do that, Zacharra."

"Then come live with me."

"Johnny..."

"Just think about it, Jones," he implored. "You have to pay your rent so pay it. Live with me and pay for your room until the lease is up. You get to be independent, Lulu doesn't have to deal with either of us, and I get to have you with me every day. We all win."

"I haven't even seen the closet."

"Does that mean you'll think about it?"

She giggled girlishly on the other end of the line. Of course she would think about it. She was in love with a guy offering her this entire life that she had always wanted. "Yeah, I'll think about it," she promised. "Look, I have to go or I'll never get out of here. We'll talk more about this after work."

"Just meet me here," he told her. "I'll text you the address."

"Okay," she replied before answering Kate in the background. "I better jet."

"Alright, I'll see you in awhile," he said. "Hey, Jones?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too," she promised before disconnected the call.

Johnny shoved his phone back into his pocket and returned his gaze on the sparkling horizon that was the Port Charles skyline. Everything was perfect right now, but it would only be a matter of time before his relationship was tested again. He had to tell Maxie the truth and risk everything. He wouldn't love another woman with this big secret between them. She deserved more than that. Hell, they deserved more than that.

He just hoped that the closets were big enough.