Chapter 3:

hours later:

General Hospital- Room 17 B--

Maxie awoke in a bed feeling groggy. As looked over she saw her sister Georgie sitting there drinking a soda. Georgie said, "Maxie, you're awake." Maxie didn't say anything. Georgie said, "You took quite a nasty fall down those stairs."

Maxie tried to close her eyes again, but she couldn't. She said, "It was all a dream." Georgie said, "What was?" Maxie said sadly, "Jesse is still dead," as tears rushed into her eyes. Georgie said, "Maxie, it wasn't a dream." Maxie said, "I probably got drunk on champagne again." A tear rolled down Maxie's face. The medicine had made Maxie confused. Georgie shook her head, "No." Maxie said, "Don't lie to me. It's not helping." Georgie started to talk when Maxie cut her off. Georgie kept trying to tell her, but Maxie wouldn't listen. Maxie said, "Please, I just want to be by myself right now.". Georgie did as her sister asked. She said, "Get some sleep. I'll be back later." Georgie smiled as she left. Maxie couldn't let herself cry anymore because nothing would bring Jesse back.

Just then Elizabeth came into Maxie's room to check on her. Elizabeth walked toward Maxie reading her chart and asked, "How are you feeling?" Maxie said, "Okay." Elizabeth took Maxie's vitals. Elizabeth smiled, "Don't worry. We are going to take great care of you." Maxie smiled a little, "I know you will." "Thank you Elizabeth." Elizabeth didn't have any idea that Jesse was alive. Somehow she just hadn't seen him yet being so busy around the hospital and all. Elizabeth said, "Try to get some rest, okay?" "Okay," Maxie said.

Maxie couldn't believe she was in the hospital yet again. She hated being fussed over and wanted to leave. She tried to sit up, but the medicine was making her tired. She frowned. She rested her body and pulled up the covers. She put her hands up over her waist, closed her eyes, and fell asleep shortly.

22 minutes later:

Maxie was at the carnival. She kissed Jesse's mouth softly and as they pull back they look into each other's eyes with love and happiness touching each other's faces with their fingers. As Jesse lets his finger go off of her chin he smiles at her as he walks back. With one real last look he turns and walks away. The next thing Maxie knows she hears fireworks, gunshots, and screams. She's on the ground.

Maxie begins shifting in her bed.

She looks up and sees Jesse lying on the ground across from her. She gets up and rushes over to him. "Jesse," she touched his head. She barely removes her hand seeing the blood letting out a gasp.

Maxie starts tossing and turning some now saying his name sadly, "Jesse…" While this is happening Jesse is making his way back to her room after eating in the cafeteria with Mac and Lucky. Jesse didn't want to leave her, but Mac had convinced him he should get something to eat.

As Jesse approaches her room he can hear something. As he opens the door his eyes fall upon Maxie shifting in the bed. He now hears her saying his name sadly. Jesse knows something is wrong. He puts the cup of ice cream in his left hand and the vase of colorful flowers in his other hand down on the side table. Jesse sits on her bed and moves his hands on her. He tries to wake her.

"Oh My God," she yells upset and puts both hands on the side of his head rubbing it. "Oh My God…Jesse!" 'Come on…Jesse!" she yells softly still feeling his blood on her hand.

Maxie is now saying his name louder. He is trying to wake her, but it isn't working.

Finally she screams with her eyes halfway open waking up. A tear rolls down her cheek. She feels someone touching her and saying her name softly. Jesse notices the bump on her head has now turned slightly purple. Maxie looks up and she sees him. She realizes that Georgie was right. It wasn't just a dream. It was true. Jesse was alive. She could feel him and see him. He was really there with her. She looks down slightly.

Jesse wraps his arm around her carefully. He asks, "Maxie, are you okay?" Her eyes shift back and forth. She says, "I can still heart the gunshots." He looks at her and she feels more tears forming quickly in her eyes as she is overcome with emotion. He realizes what her nightmare was about. He rubs the side of her face. She said sadly, "There was nothing I could do!" He pulls back a little and looks at her again seeing tears. He says softly, "Oh God, Maxie…I'm so sorry." He begins wiping her tears away gently noticing another tear starting to fall from her eye.

As she closed her eyes once she sees the blood on his head and opens her eyes. She then moves her body trying to look at his head. He realizes what she is doing. Jesse says, "Maxie." He tries to stop her telling her not to worry, but she won't. She then strokes her fingers carefully through his hair. He finally takes her hand in his.

Maxie says, "I thought you were dead!" "They said you were and we had a funeral." He had put her through that. She shakes her head and begins crying again. Jesse said, "Maxie, I know…please don't cry," sweetly. He couldn't bear to see her so upset. It broke his heart. She could feel his one arm around her back slipping away. She begged through her sadness, "No, don't go…you can't leave me again." Tears flow all the way down her face. He showers her face with kisses and hugs her saying, "Shhh…" "Maxie, I'm here. I'm never going to leave you." "I promise."

He kisses her cheek and scoops her up completely. She lets out sobs of sadness. He gently places his hand behind her head moving to rest her head on his shoulder. "Baby, I'm so sorry." She closes her eyes savoring his touch. Maxie says, "I don't understand. What happened?" Jesse gently places his hand underneath her hospital gown and rubs his hand up and down her back as he whispers softly, "Everything is okay." "You don't have to worry about that right now." "Just concentrate on getting well for me." Jesse wanted more than anything to make her pain disappear. "Shhh...," he whispered as he calmed her. She remembered when he had hugged her at the carnival. Each hug from him was more special than the next.

Maxie feel asleep within his arms, her head against his chest. After awhile he fluffed her pillow and slowly rested her back down in her bed. He noticed most of the ice cream had melted, but not wanting it to go to waste he ate it as he sat with Maxie watching her sleep peacefully. He would get her some more chocolate ice cream later. He remembered how much she liked it on the first day he had met her. He knew how blessed he was since the day she had entered his life. He smiled and whispered, "I love you so much Maxie Jones," as his hand covered hers.