Hey everybody! I wrote this as part of a flashfic contest in honor of the lovely Spinmax pairing (Maxie/Spinelli). The prompt just happened to be "consequences". I hope you all enjoy.
I don't own GH or any of the characters used, just their fun banter.
"How does this look? Is it okay?"
Damien Spinelli barely uttered more then a squeak, the normally annoyed façade he saved for his companion softening at the site of Maxie Jones twirling in the late summer sunshine of the park. She had chosen a light summer dress for their outing, the sky blue material clinging closely to every curve. The dress brought the color of her eyes to stark reality, and the glittering of her blonde hair entranced Spinelli. He was reminded of an effervescent pixie, and struggled to remember when he had ever seen anything so beautiful.
Maxie noticed the strange expression crossing her friend's face, and letting out an exasperated growl snapped her fingers.
"Hello, earth to Spin! It's bad enough I have no clue where we're going, but it'd be nice if you could tell me if I look alright," she huffed, crossing her arms defensively. "You know, instead of staring at me all funny."
Maxie's words drove Spinelli from his reverie, and he quickly attempted to regain some semblance of the suave composure he hoped to have entered the park with. The young man let out a squeak and promptly began to mouse his hair. Unfortunately, for Spinelli the action did not have the desired effect and instead of causing Maxie to swoon at his feet she let out a hearty laugh.
"You are so weird."
Spinelli shot a lopsided grin at Maxie. "The Sweet Yet Sour One looks more then presentable for this afternoon's joyous occasion," he said, offering his arm with a small flourish.
Not knowing whether to be amused or annoyed Spinelli's antics, Maxie glanced suspiciously at the man standing across from her.
"You know, this better not be something weird."
Spinelli's eyes glittered with mischief, "In the Jackal's humblest of opinions, I find much stranger things have occurred. Very much like our unusual bond of friendship."
Giving a nod of acknowledgement at Spinelli's words, Maxie slipped her arm through his own and felt her heart beat faster at the prospect of their secretive mission. The pair began to walk out of the park, their leisurely pace alerting the young woman to the fact that wherever they were going did not seem to be of much importance.
"We better be going somewhere good," she pouted, resting her head on a broad shoulder. "Oh, and what did I tell you about the nicknames, huh? I'm not some cheap, fried Chinese dish. Got it?"
"Of course," Spinelli agreed. "The Jackal just happened to be searching for a moniker which would accurately depict the intricacies of the sweet heart lying underneath the Blonde One's saucy exterior."
"You think I'm saucy?" the blonde asked, a small smirk playing at her lips.
"Why of course," Spinelli answered, his bumbling strides matching in time with Maxie's. "Quite possibly the sauciest I have ever met."
Maxie let out another laugh, her eyes glowing with the most genuine happiness she had felt in a long time. The pair strode in comfortable conversation for the next few minutes, occasionally commenting on the scenes they passed or engaging each other in their usual playful banter.
A few minutes later Spinelli came to an abrupt stop. Maxie stared in confusion at the site in front of her. For some unbeknownst reason, they had stopped in front of the church. Suddenly the cold realization of what this church held in its walls dawned on the blonde. Heart racing she began to grow angry, her eyes stinging with tears she would not allow herself to shed.
"What the hell is going through that thick skull of yours?" Maxie questioned, quickly rounding on Spinelli. "You do realize where we are, don't you? Or has your brain capacity shrunk that much since Jason kicked you out?"
The hacker's eyes softened at the sight of his friends raging emotions and his own memories of what happened in the very building they were standing in front of.
"I remember precisely what happened here Maxie," he answered quietly. His companion promptly ceased to continue her tirade, far to interested in what her friend had to say.
"We both stood inside that church and paid our last respects to one of the most magnificent creatures to walk the earth. We bade goodbye to the person we took most for granted, and not a day goes by that I do not pass by this church and wonder what could have been."
Maxie softened at Spinelli's words, the tears she tried so hard to blink away falling silently down flushed cheeks. He stood in front of her, gentle hands wiping the tears from her face.
"I miss her Spin," Maxie whispered. Her lips trembled into a watery smile.
"Which is why we're here. Do you know what's going on inside?"
"Urgh, obviously not," she said, giving Spinelli's arm a slight shove. "It's not a funeral is it?"
"Nope, it is actually a christening I was hoping you'd like to sneak into with me," Spinelli answered, a sheepish smile forming on his lips.
Maxie's voice suddenly dropped to a whisper. "A christening of a baby we don't even know? Have you officially lost your mind?"
"No, I just want to show the Saucy One that there is more to life then the inevitable process of death."
"You are absolutely nuts. You know that right?" Maxie stated, grabbing Spinelli's hand and dragging him inside.
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An hour later the pair stepped out of the church, obscured by the mass of relatives they were engulfed by. Their hands were locked, and they wore matching expressions of blissful happiness.
"That baby was so beyond adorable. I hope my babies look that cute someday."
Spinelli smiled at the wistfulness of Maxie's voice. "I to happened to have found the little one to be of an unbounded amount of cuteness."
Stopping in front of the church's steps Maxie's grin suddenly turned wicked, her eyes captured by the youthful earnest reflected in Spinelli's.
"You know there are lots of consequences for being so darn sweet."
"Whatever do you mean?" Spinelli asked, his head cocking to the side and his heart abruptly aware of Maxie's proximity.
"This is what I mean."
Maxie leaned on her toes, her body molding to Spinelli's. Their lips touched for the briefest of moments, and in the distance both could swear they heard the chiming laugh of someone they lost.
It was in the bright sunshine of a summer afternoon, in the midst of a celebration of life, with Georgie ringing in their ears, that Maxie Jones and Damien Spinelli realized that sometimes life just happens.