Maxie Jones was proud of herself. Odd she knew, but she really felt good about being able to pull away from Johnny. Maybe it was a signal that she was growing up a bit. Granted, a real grown up probably wouldn't have ever ended up in that position, but that's neither here nor there.

As much as Maxie didn't want to admit it, she really didn't want to destroy her semi-friendship with Lulu. It wasn't like she was bursting at the seams with friends, especially of the female variety. She figured Lulu was probably worth keeping around.

And then there was Spinelli. In no way, could Maxie explain her feelings for Spinelli. All she knew for fact was that he was unequivocally the MOST important person in her life. During their epic blowout, Maxie felt like she'd die when she couldn't talk to him. She never wanted to experience that again.

Maxie was thinking these things as she entered the apartment.

Lulu grinned. "Maxie!" She looked over at Spinelli on the couch. "See I told you she'd be fine."

Damien Spinelli, usually the type to bustle with energy, was sitting stone still. He replied, "That you did, Blond One."

Maxie frowned at Spinelli's odd demeanor, and was about to comment on in it when Winifred entered from the kitchen. Maxie's expression quickly became one of rage. "What the hell are you doing in my apartment?"

Lulu groaned and rolled her eyes. "Settle down Maxie. Winifred is in OUR apartment because she was helping us look for YOU. Spinelli saw a report that you'd been in a wreck and he was worried sick."

Maxie softened and stepped closer to Spinelli. "You were worried about me?"

Unable to contain it, Winifred released a sound of disdain at the sight.

Maxie glared at her again. "Nobody asked for your commentary, you lying bitch!"

In a flash, Spinelli was on his feet and in Maxie's face. "Shut up! You have NO right to say anything to Winifred when we all know that the only lying bitch in this room is you!"

Lulu's eyes widened like saucers, and Maxie's look was an indescribable mixture of shock, pain, and despair. Spinelli started walking toward the door. "You know, I used to think they were all wrong. I would give my life to protect your "good" name when others called you a whore. But I'm the one that was wrong." His cold dark eyes pierced her teary blue ones. "You don't give a damn about anyone, least of all me."

He opened the door, and started to exit, pausing in the doorway. "I'm done." He slammed the door behind.

For a moment, everything moved in slow motion, or at least that's how it seemed to Maxie. Before she knew it, she was on the floor in a ball of tears. Lulu, in non-typical fashion, was by her side trying to comfort her. She looked at Maxie carefully.

"Do you have any idea what that was all about?"

Maxie shook her head. Lulu sighed and looked at her sadly. "I didn't think you did." She surveyed the poor girl on the floor. "Just stay here, I'm going to get you a glass of water and some Kleenex." Lulu ran off to the kitchen.

Winifred, who had remained quiet, gathered her things and began to make her exit. She paused in the doorway just as Spinelli had, contemplating whether Maxie deserved to know what was going on. In the end, she figured she'd "do the right thing."

"We followed your tracks…from the car…to a garage. The Jackal…he got there first."

Maxie's head darted up as she realized what Winifred was saying.

Winifred continued. "Lulu doesn't know, as you can probably tell. Just…find a way to make this alright." She exited.

Maxie groaned and cried fresh tears. She knew that she'd broken Spinelli's heart. She'd have to make it up to him…somehow.