Chapter 5

Maxie slowly opened her eyes. She looked at Coopers sleeping form and smiled, he must have fallen asleep shortly after she had. He smile grew even wider as she remembered when Cooper put his arm around her while watching TV, it was still wrapped around her and he was holding her protectively. She also realized her head wasn't on the pillow anymore; it was resting comfortably on Cooper's chest. She liked the way being in his arms felt so Maxie shut her eyes with all intentions of going back to sleep wanting the feel she was having to last. Just as Maxie was starting to fall back into a comfortable sleep, she heard a constant knocking at her door, accompanied by Georgie's voice.

"Maxie you need to take care of your puppy!"

Maxie got up as quickly as she could so Georgie wouldn't come in and in the process waking Cooper up. Maxie didn't even have to tell Cooper to get in the closet he did it on instinct. Once Maxie was sure Cooper had the closet door closed, she opened the bedroom door to reveal a very annoyed Georgie.

"What's wrong Georgie?" Maxie asked innocently.

"The dog you insisted on adopting left a nice present on my rug,"

"Aw, was there a little bow on it," Maxie asked sarcastically.

"You need to take care of your puppy Maxie,"

Maxie didn't say anything she just gave Georgie an expectant look.

Georgie rolled her eyes.

"Fine, I'll take the dog for a walk," Georgie said heading for Maxie's closet but Maxie turned her in the opposite direction.

"Here," Maxie said practically shoving the leash Cooper had just handed her in Georgie's direction.

With that, Georgie left the room.

"You're good you know that?"

"You're welcome," Maxie replied.

"I can't stay here," Cooper said as he packed some things in a duffel bag.

Maxie racked her brain for any way to get Cooper to stay in her room at least until it was safer for him to leave.

"It's too dangerous on the streets; you can't be seen in public,"

"I've been monitoring the news reports. The only description on me right now is height and weight,"

Maxie sighed.

"Do you trust me?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just answer me. Do you trust me?"

"Yes I trust you," Cooper replied.

"I think I have an idea how you can hide in plain sight and not look suspicious,"

"I'm listening,"

After that, Maxie proceeded to explain her plan to Cooper.

When Maxie and Cooper walked into Metro Court, they spotted Jax and Max by the front desk.

"Hi Mr. Jax I was wondering if you were hiring?"

"Actually we are hiring,"

"Well my friend here has a lot of experience in security," Maxie said putting her hand on Coopers shoulder.

Jax nodded.

"Does your friend have a name?"

Cooper and Maxie spoke at the same time.

"Coop,"

"Three,"

Jax cocked his head to the side.

" "Three" that's an interesting name,"

Maxie stood there mentally kicking herself as she thought of any story she could make up to cover up the mistake she made.

"It's a nickname, he the third---Cooper Barret the third, so his family just calls him Three,"

"So what do people at work call you?"

"Cooper or Coop for short,"

"Okay how much security experience do you have?"

"I did a year in Iraq with M.P.S." Cooper replied.

I didn't know that. Maxie thought to herself while trying to hide her surprised expression.

Jax nodded.

"I like the idea of hiring a veteran,"

Max who had been silent up to this point decided to speak up.

"Hotel security is completely different, you have to be discreet and polite to people if they ask you questions,"

Cooper nodded noticing the look Max was giving him.

"Tell me what to do and I'll do it,"

"He'll be great I promise, he's cute so he'll brighten up the lobby,"

Jax gave an amused look.

"Besides Maxie's expert opinion what other references do you have?"

"Since I got out of the service I've just been knocking around living off my pay but, I do have my honorable discharge and sharp shooters medal,"

"Okay how do you know Maxie?"

"My friend Cheryl that I went to prep school with, Cooper's her brother, he used to visit all the time," Maxie cut in.

"Maxie used to talk about Port Charles all the time and it sounded like a nice place to live," Cooper said as he thought to himself how does she come up with this stuff?

"Okay I'll give you a try,"

"Thank you sir,"

"One more thing, Maxie works in the boutique and you guys will be seeing each other a lot, that won't be a problem will it?" Jax asked.

"Not a problem,"

"Not a problem at all," Maxie replied.

"I appreciate the opportunity Mr. Jax,"

"You bet,"

"He'll be great, I promise," Maxie said as she and cooper left the Metro Court.

"I can't believe you told them my name was Three, Max knows the hostage takers went by numbers,"

"I'm sorry, after twelve hours of calling you Three it just slipped but, I covered it up," Maxie said.

"Yeah until they pull up my service record and they find out my name is Cooper Barret, not of the third," Cooper pointed out.

"If they do, which they probably won't, just say you had a lot of cousins named Cooper and Three was just a nickname that just stuck,"

"How do you come up with this stuff?" Cooper asked giving Maxie a puzzled look.

"I don't know, I'm a quick thinker I guess,"

Cooper nodded.

He started to say he'd have place to live because he couldn't stay in Maxie's room forever but he stopped himself, he didn't want to think about that just yet.