Authors Note: Sorry it took a little long. If anyone is still reading this let me know what you think. I'm happy with this chapter. A little iffy on the flashback though. So, comment and tell me what you think!
Chapter 6: I'll Stand By You
"Georgie."
"Maxie..."
"Don't say it like that. Like I'm doing something wrong and you're giving me a warning." The blonde trouble maker snapped at her good hearted sister. The two of them swung together on the swing set in the park. The same park they would go to as children. Maxie would always pump her legs as hard as she could, yearning to go high and fast. She would usually end up either knocking into the bar on the side, or falling off and skinning her knee. Georgie on the other hand was perfectly content with a nice even pace to her swinging. Always in control.
"You need to give her a brake." The younger of the two responded, raising her eyebrows in that knowing manor she always was good at. Maxie didn't waver, she only returned the gesture.
"Not sure I know who you're talking about sis." Came her way of avoiding the suggestion.
"Maxie! Do not sit here and play dumb with me." Georgie scolded her sister sternly.
"She doesn't deserve a break. She doesn't deserve anything." Maxie replied raising her voice and allowing herself to become angry. The way her sister defended someone who, in Maxie's opinion, was not worthy at all, created animosity between the two.
"She's our mother Maxie!" Georgie exclaimed.
"Maybe you should try telling her that. Seams to me like she forgot a long time ago." Maxie fired back.
"Well, she's here now. That's what counts."
"It's too late now."
"Maxie..."
"Georgie."
"Georgie!" Screaming her sister's name, Maxie woke up startled. Breathing hard and feeling confused, she looked around her room and found everything to be the same way it was when she shut her eyes. But, it couldn't be. What had happened in her dream should have changed everything. She 'talked' to her sister. Why wasn't everything different? Why was it only different inside of her?
"Georgie." She whispered it this time. Climbing from her cocoon of blankets, Maxie exited her room and made her way down the hall. Carefully, she opened the specificly decorated door to her sisters room. For a second she let her heart jump to her throat in blind hope. The sensation continued as she took in the sight of her sister's bed. With someone in it. A blob of blankets and pillows covered a small female form. Tiptoeing hurriedly over to the side of the bed, Maxie willed herself not to smile just yet. Upon reaching her destination a new feeling encompassed her. Hate. The face of her absentee mother adorned the body that had, in Maxie's mind, been Georgie. Felicia didn't wake. She continued to dream away in her dead daughters bed. Her remaining daughter questioned how the woman could sleep at all knowing the way she treated her children, let alone so peacefully.
"Bitch." She muttered as she marched out of the room, not bothering to be quiet. This time her destination was Mac and Felicia's room. Though they didn't exactly share it anymore, Felicia still kept her things there. Mac was at the station so, when the blonde charged through the door, the room was empty. Heading straight for the window that overlooked the front yard, Maxie struggled to open it. Pushing it up with anger and resentment, a cold gust of air entered the room and wrapped itself around Maxie like and old friend.
"And, mother of the year goes too..." Maxie sang to herself as she turned on her heals and walked over to the large dresser containing many of Felicia's personal belongings. The night before Maxie had been crazy with grief. But, this morning, it was anger that would mark her as insane. Yes, her roof top adventure with Logan had been a turning point for the destructive fashionista. She had begun to heal. But, it was still Maxie. And, she was still angry. It was time for part two of her healing to begin.
"What a joke." She whispered picking up a picture of Georgie, Maxie and Felicia from years back. Maxie ripped the picture in two. Felicia on one half, Maxie and Georgie on the other. Consequently Maxie tore a bit of her self from the picture in the process. Picking up a number of other pictures, Maxie sifted through them quickly. Making sure that no image of Georgie was tarnished, Maxie rid the dresser of any picture that would comfort Felicia. Any picture that would give her the false idea that she had been a mother. Purposefully and loudly walking to the window, Maxie flung the pictures outside and watched them float down to the ground. Only when they began to land in the muddy snow did the blonde feel her adrenaline start to pump. This was it. This was what she needed to do. Extract Felicia from her world in every way possible. If Maxie couldn't have her sister back then there is no way Felicia would get either one of her daughters.
"Maxie?" Came a voice from the hallway. Ignoring the voice Maxie unzipped her mothers suitcase and grabbed a big pile of clothes. Of course, she threw those out the window as well. Following this action, she proceeded to empty the entire suitcase. Then she tossed it out the window with the rest.
"What in the-" Came Felicia's stunned half sentence upon entering the room. The first thing she noticed was the air. It was cold and harsh. Maxie was wearing only a pair of thin pajama pants and a tank top. But, she seamed comfortable. Almost as if she were in her element. The older woman briefly wondered if she had done this to her daughter. If she had made her so cold.
"So, glad you could join me mother dearest." Maxie responded in a sugary tone as she threw one of Felicia's jewelry boxes out of the window.
"Oh my god! Maxie, what are you doing?" She exclaimed in horror. This couldn't be her daughter. This could not be the same little girl with the sweet smile and kind heart.
"You won't leave. I want you to leave." She stated each fact separately and stonily. There was a chill in the air, and it wasn't coming from the window.
"Honey." Felicia cried rushing over to her daughter.
"Does this bother you?" Maxie asked as a few nick knacks soared out the opening followed by the sound of them shattering. "Because you being here really bothers me." She finished.
"Just, just stop it!"
"Or what mother? Are you going to ground me? Take away dessert for a week? You never were too strict with the punishments. Then again you were never really around to enforce them. So, my question is, how long before you're gone again. Because honestly, sooner is better than later." She snapped, hurling a pretty vase at Felicia. Ducking, the confused adult barley missed getting hit. As the glass broke and spread all around them, they looked up and made eye contact.
"You hate me this much?" Was Felicia's broken question. Maxie took hold of two hardened clay items. One was a dog, Georgie had made it in second grade. The other was a bowl that Maxie herself had created.
"No..." Felicia whispered seeing what Maxie was holding.
"You say you love me." Maxie's voice finally spoke.
"I do love you Maxie. I love you more than anything."
"Yeah, yeah whatever. If you do really love me then you'll leave." The blonde's eyes dared her mother to say something that wouldn't prove her right.
"Oh, Maxie..." She signed, it was a sad sound. The sound of a mother admitting defeat.
"This won't get any better. You being her won't make anything better." Continued the younger girl. The sound of her mother's voice reminded her of Bobbie's voice the night before...
"Oh, Maxie." Bobbie sighed. After Robin checked her stitches, Bobbie had intercepted Maxie's path to the elevator before she could leave. The two of them were now seated in a couple of chairs, out of hearing range.
"Honey, you need to let go of all that anger you're carrying around. It isn't good for anyone, especially not you." Bobbie continued when the blond gave no response.
"Feels okay to me." Maxie told her.
"Georgie wouldn't want-" She stared to say, only to be cut off.
"Georgie is dead. And, I'm really sorry to be the bitch to say it like this but, it doesn't matter what she wants anymore. Georgie wanted to study abroad. She wanted to travel all over the world. She wanted to get married and have a family. Georgie wanted a mother. But, you don't always get what you want." Maxie spat.
"I know that Felicia hasn't been a perfect mother but-"
"Perfect? Who the hell ever asked for perfect? Not me and certainly not Georgie. Our mother didn't have to do anything. She just had to be there. That's it. And, she couldn't even manage that."
"Then don't forgive her just yet. But, maybe, maybe don't condemn her for it either. All you're doing is pushing her away." Bobbie said trying to get through to Maxie.
"Yeah." Maxie said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Maxie, how are you going to feel when you push her too far? When she actually leaves." Bobbie explained.
"I'll feel... like I was right all along. She can't handle her kids so she runs away. What would make now any different?"
"So, is that what this is? Some kind of, some kind of test?" Bobbie questioned, finally beginning to understand.
"More like an experiment. I already know she'll leave. No need for a test. It's just time to show the rest of Port Charles that." The blonde admitted, not in the least bit ashamed.
"This isn't going to turn out the way you want it to sweetie." Bobbie said taking the younger girls hand and squeezing it.
"But, you'll still be here. You'll stand by me even if everything goes to hell. Right?" Maxie questioned.
"Of course I will," Bobbie assured her.
"See? That's more than my mother ever did." She whispered finally before hugging the older woman. It wasn't until ten minutes later that Maxie really reached the point of 'everything going to hell'. And, as she made her way up to the roof... she was comforted by the thought of Bobbie and Mac as well, standing by her through everything.
"Oh Maxie." Bobbie sighed as she watched the blonde make her way down some hallway.
"If you want me to go that badly... then I guess...I guess I'll pack what's left of my things." She tearfully broke her daughter from the memory. The relief that Maxie expected to feel didn't come. But, a different feeling did. Love. No, Maxie did not forgive her mother in the least. She probably never would. But, now she could appreciate the times that they did have together. Her, Georgie, and her mother. Memories from long ago when they were all different people. 'This' Felicia was leaving. And, the Felicia that Maxie once knew and loved had returned. Or, the memory of her at least.
"Catch." Maxie stated as she tossed both pieces of art to her mother at the same time. Frantically reaching out, Felicia took hold of the tiny dog, wrapping her fingers around it tightly. Holding onto it for dear life. At the same time her other hand was unable to catch the bowl. It slipped from her finger tips and crashed to the ground. Shattering to pieces and mingled with the glass from the vase. Chocking on a sob, she looked up into her daughters eyes. They were cold, still cold.
"At least you chose to save the right daughter this time." She calmly told her. Maxie was gone, too far gone to save. If she had returned even a month earlier and tried saving Georgie, chances are, it would have worked. But, Georgie was gone, and Maxie was there. That meant something. Maxie just wasn't sure what yet. She left the room with out another word. Flipping open her cell phone, Maxie dialed a number that was slowly becoming more and more familiar to her.
"I need to get out of this house." She immediately said when the caller answered the phone.
"I can pick you up." They responded quickly, with out a thought.
"Soon?" She asked.
"I'm on my way right now." Was the answer she received.
"Can I use your shower when I get there?" She questioned. She felt half asleep and dirty from the past two days. The idea of hot water against her skin was almost enough to make her stay at home and jump right in the show a few doors away. Almost enough.
"Sure."
"Are you almost here?" She asked as she made her way outside. Still in her pajamas and only wearing flip flops on her feet, Maxie was okay waiting outside in the cold. If it meant that she was away from her mother.
"Almost." Was her assurance.
"Will you stay on the phone with me until you get here?" She asked, needing something to distract her. To keep her from doing something crazy. Something else that is. Looking at the items cluttered all over her front yard, it was clear that something crazy had gone down.
"Whatever you want."
"Thank you Logan." She whispered. His name on her lips sounded like flames licking at firewood. He wasn't her hero. He was barley her friend. But, he was the person she called. The person she thought to call when life sucked and her chest wanted to explode. Just like Bobbie and Mac, just like Georgie would have done, Logan would stand by her. No matter what.
End
Authors Note: There you go! I was planning on putting the scene with Logan and Maxie at his place in this chapter. But, the confrontation with Felicia took on a life of it's own and the Logan Maxie encounter didn't fit in. It'll be up next though. Please comment and tell me what you think! I'll try to update soon!